Upcoming Events and Volunteer Opportunity with GHRC

It’s Spring in DC, and here at GHRC we are looking forward to a busy calender of events. This week we will be presenting at George Washington University, sending out our quarterly appeal and participating on a panel at the SOA Watch Days of Action.

Volunteer with GHRC! We will be sending out our Spring Appeal and we need your help. We will be putting together the mailing this Friday, April 13th from 10am to 3pm and could use some extra hands. Come for as much or as little time as you can. Coffee and snacks will be provided. Our office is located at 3321 12th St., NE, Washington, DC. We are only a few blocks from the Brookland/CUA metro station on the Red line. Please let us know if you can make it.

Upcoming Events 

 

GHRC Participating in the School of the Americas Watch Days of Action to Close the SOA

This April 14-17, SOA Watch will gather in Washington, DC for the Days of Action. Human rights activists from across the Americas continue to push for the closing of the School of the Americas (SOA/ renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation, WHINSEC) and for an end to U.S. militarization.

On Saturday, April 14, GHRC will be presenting on a panel on the War on Immigrants as part of a conference on ”International (In)Security.” 9am-5pm. Metropolitan Community Church, 474 Ridge St, NW, Washington, DC.

For more information and a full schedule of events, visit http://SOAW.org

Open Letter in Support of Campesino Marchers

En español abajo

The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA wishes to publicly applaud the courageous, determined, and indefatigable men, women, and children who participated in the historic Peasant, Indigenous and Popular Movement March from Cobán to Guatemala City.

For nine days, thousands of indigenous and peasant farmers hiked under a brutally unforgiving sun, battling exhaustion, dehydration, and heat stroke. For nine evenings, they slept on cold concrete floors, jammed together in rows like kernels of corn on the cob. They hiked 120 miles through misty rainforest and arid desert to carry their voices to the seat of power: the National Palace in Guatemala City.

With each and every step the marchers took, they further compelled the government to hear their just demands.  By the end of the march, their legs were sore and their feet were blistered… but they would not, and they did not, return to their communities empty-handed.

We join our voices with the students, academics, journalists, artists, musicians, union leaders, environmentalists, human rights activists, women’s organizations, and all others who support the marchers in their legitimate and historic struggle. We are humbled by their sacrifice and motivated by their perseverance!

In solidarity with the marchers, the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA declares that:

We stand with the over 800 families of the Polochic Valley who, one year ago, were violently evicted from their homes by the Guatemalan police, military, and private security guards hired by the Chabil Utzaj Sugar Company.

We lament the senseless destruction of their homes, crops, and personal belongings and call on the government to fully comply with all of the Precautionary Measures issued by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to protect these families at risk.

We mourn the tragic assassinations of community leaders Antonio Beb Ac, Oscar Reyes, and Margarita Che Chub and demand that those responsible be brought to justice.

We recognize that the only permanent solution to the crisis in the Polochic Valley is for the communities to have direct access to land for farming and self-sustenance. Therefore, we urge the Guatemalan government and its institutions to provide a comprehensive proposal that meets the urgent needs of these families.

We welcome the accords signed by President Otto Pérez Molina and members of his administration which came as a direct result of the massive mobilization of the peasant organizations. Among the commitments agreed to by the government:

• The creation of a subsidy to alleviate the crushing debt suffered by family farmers and agrarian communities
• Compliance with the Polochic precautionary measures and guaranteed access to land for at least 300 families per year
• Protection for the Polochic communities from abuses by private security firms or irregular forces employed by the Chabil Utzaj sugar cane company
• The promise to address land conflicts in various communities throughout the country, including Santa Maria Xalapán

We expect that these accords will be honored by President Pérez Molina’s administration and implemented in good faith and without delay.

We condemn the gross misuse of state security forces on the day the march arrived at the National Palace. The placement of Kaibil special force soldiers and heavily-armed snipers on the rooftops of the buildings surrounding the central plaza was clearly intended as an act of surveillance and intimidation against the peaceful demonstration.

Marchers voiced their fears of history repeating itself: in 1978 soldiers positioned on rooftops surrounding the town square of Panzos opened fire on a crowd of peaceful protestors, killing at least 53 people. Many of the massacre victims were family members of the men, women, and children participating in this march. The fact that the current administration chose to replicate the same conditions during this protest is an unacceptable and unnecessary tactic, and is an affront to the spirit of the march.

We support the right of each community to decide, through binding popular consultation, the proper use or conservation of its natural resources.

We reject the distortion and abuse of the legal system by powerful economic and political interests with the intent to criminalize and penalize activists, community leaders, and human rights defenders who work for the greater good.

We denounce the malicious and defamatory attacks published in certain mainstream media programs against peasant and indigenous communities involved in the struggle to protect their natural resources against transnational business interests. These unfounded attacks have also been directed at foreign governments and international solidarity organizations that support these movements with funding and accompaniment. Falsely accusing indigenous leaders of being “terrorists” or “enemies of peace and democracy” only serves to foment racism, conflict and violence.

We call for a moratorium on all land evictions until a better mechanism for resolving land disputes is implemented.  An impartial, transparent, and thorough investigation into land rights and ownership that goes beyond the mere possession of land titles is indispensable. The moratorium on evictions should remain in place until all governmental policies and actions are brought into full conformity with international human rights obligations. Land evictions must not result, as they have to date, in excessive use of force, homelessness, and further destitution.

We call into question the placement of military troops and installation of military bases in areas where the population has presented organized resistance to extractive mining, biofuel production such as African palm, hydroelectric dams, and other destructive “megaprojects.”

We strongly recommend that the government immediately implement all the processes necessary to resolve land conflicts and address the historic demand for land. The passing of legislation, such as the Integral Rural Development Law (4084) and the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples Law (4047), would be an important step forward in this direction.

The Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA (GHRC) commends the men, women, and children who walked their way into history last week. Although the march has finished, the struggle of peasant and indigenous communities to build a nation that respects human rights and promotes social justice continues. GHRC stands in solidarity with all those who work tirelessly for a better Guatemala.

---

9 de abril de 2012

La Comisión de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala en Estados Unidos desea aplaudir públicamente a los hombres, mujeres y niños valientes, determinados e incansables, quienes participaron en la marcha histórica de Cobán a la Ciudad de Guatemala del movimiento campesino, indígena y popular.

Durante nueve días, miles de personas de comunidades indígenas y campesinas caminaron bajo un sol fuerte e implacable, luchando contra el cansancio, deshidratación e insolación. Durante nueve noches, durmieron en pisos duros de concreto, apiñados en filas como granos de elote en la mazorca.  Caminaron 214 kilómetros por el bosque nuboso y el desierto árido para que sus voces llegaran a la sede de poder: el Palacio Nacional en la Ciudad de Guatemala.

Cada paso adelante de los que marchaban, fue un paso adelante en su lucha para obligar al gobierno escuchar a sus demandas. Al final de la marcha, los caminantes tenían las piernas adoloridas y los pies ampollados…pero no querían regresar a sus comunidades con las manos vacías, y no lo hicieron.

Unimos nuestras voces a las de los estudiantes, académicos, periodistas, artistas, músicos, sindicalistas, ambientalistas, defensores de los derechos humanos, organizaciones de mujeres y todos los demás quienes apoyan a los manifestantes en su lucha legítima e histórica. ¡Estamos conmovidos por su sacrificio y motivados por su perseverancia!

En solidaridad con los manifestantes, la Comisión de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala en Estados Unidos declara que:

Nos solidarizamos con las más de 800 familias del Valle del Polochic quienes, hace un año, fueron desalojadas violentamente de sus hogares por la policía y ejército guatemalteco y guardias de seguridad privada contratadas por la empresa cañera Chabil Utzaj.

Lamentamos la destrucción sin sentido de sus viviendas, cosechas y pertenencias personales y hacemos un llamado al gobierno a que cumpla con todas la Medidas Cautelares otorgadas por la Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos con fin de proteger a estas familias en riesgo.

Lloramos los trágicos asesinatos de los líderes comunitarios Antonio Beb Ac, Oscar Reyes y lideresa Margarita Che Chub e instamos a que los responsables sean llevados ante la justicia.

Reconocemos que la única solución permanente a la crisis en el Valle del Polochic es que las comunidades tengan acceso directo a la tierra, donde pueden cultivar para sus propios alimentos y sustento. Por lo tanto, instamos al gobierno de Guatemala y sus instituciones que ofrezcan una propuesta comprensiva que responda a las necesidades urgentes de estas familias.

Respaldamos los acuerdos firmados como resultado de la movilización masiva de las organizaciones campesinas. Dentro de los compromisos asumidos por el gobierno del  Presidente Otto Pérez Molina están:

• La creación de un subsidio para aliviar la deuda aplastante sufrida por las familias y comunidades campesinas;
•  El cumplimiento con las medidas cautelares en el Polochic y acceso garantizado a tierra para un mínimo de 300 familias por año;
•  Protección para las comunidades del Polochic de abusos cometidos por empresas de seguridad privada o fuerzas irregulares contratadas por la empresa cañera Chabil Utzaj;
•  La promesa de tratar el tema de los conflictos de tierra en varias comunidades en el país, incluida Santa Maria Xalapán.

Esperamos que estos acuerdos sean honrados por la administración del Presidente Pérez Molina sin demora y de buena fe.

Condenamos la presencia intimidante e injustificable de las fuerzas estatales de seguridad el día que llegó la marcha al Palacio Nacional. La ubicación de fuerzas especiales kaibiles y francotiradores fuertemente armados en los techos de los edificios alrededor del parque central tenía el claro objetivo de vigilar y atemorizar a la marcha pacífica. Manifestantes expresaron su temor que la historia se repitiera: en 1978 soldados posicionados en los techos alrededor del parque central de Panzós abrieron fuego contra una protesta pacífica, matando a por lo menos 53 personas. Muchas de las víctimas de la masacre eran familiares de los hombres, mujeres y niños participando en esta marcha. El hecho de que la administración actual decidió utilizar a estas mismas tácticas es una ofensa al espíritu de la marcha.

Apoyamos el derecho de cada comunidad de decidir, a través de una consulta comunitaria participativa y vinculante, sobre la utilización o la conservación apropiada de sus recursos naturales.

Rechazamos la distorsión y el abuso del sistema legal por actores ligados a sectores económicamente y políticamente poderosos con la intención de criminalizar y desprestigiar a activistas, líderes comunitarios y defensores de derechos humanos.

Denunciamos los ataques maliciosos y difamatorios publicados en ciertos programas de los medios masivos dirigidos a comunidades indígenas y campesinas involucradas en la lucha de proteger sus recursos naturales de los intereses de empresas transnacionales. Estos ataques sin fundamento también han sido dirigidos a gobiernos extranjeros y organizaciones internacionales de solidaridad que apoyan estos movimientos con fondos y acompañamiento. Las acusaciones falsas contra líderes indígenas de ser “terroristas” o “enemigos de la paz y la democracia” sirven únicamente para fomentar el racismo, la conflictividad y la violencia.

Pedimos una moratoria a los desalojo hasta que se haya implementado un mejor mecanismo para resolver los conflictos territoriales. Es indispensable una investigación imparcial, transparente y exhaustiva en derechos territoriales y propiedad que va más allá de la simple posesión de un título. La moratoria debe permanecer vigente hasta que todas políticas y acciones gubernamentales conformen completamente con las obligaciones internacionales de derechos humanos. Los desalojos no deben resultar en el uso excesivo de la fuerza, la destrucción de viviendas y condiciones de pobreza aun más extremas, como ha sido el patrón hasta la fecha.

Cuestionamos el despliegue de tropas y la apertura de bases militares en áreas en los cuales la población ha presentado una resistencia organizada a la minera, la producción de biocombustibles como la Palma Africana, hidroeléctricas u otros megaproyectos destructivos.

Recomendamos que el gobierno implemente de forma inmediata todos los procesos necesarios para resolver los conflictos territoriales y la demanda histórica por la tierra. La aprobación de legislación, como la iniciativa de Ley de Desarrollo Rural Integral (4084) y la Ley General de Derechos de Pueblos Indígenas (4047), sería un paso positivo.

La Comisión de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala en Estados Unidos (GHRC) aplaude a los hombres, mujeres y niños que caminaron en la marcha histórica la semana pasada. Aunque la marcha se ha concluido, las comunidades indígenas y campesinas continúan su lucha por construir una nación que respeta a los derechos humanos y promueve la justicia social. GHRC se solidariza con todas y todos quienes trabajan incansablemente por una Guatemala mejor.

 

Weekly News Roundup

March 30^th- April 5^th

National News

• President Perez Molina announced that he believes the United States should pay for drug seizures.   The US consumes many of the drugs trafficked through Guatemala and President Perez Molina claims that the US has a responsibility to pay for drugs seized from traffickers.

• Plaza Publica published a detailed account that describes the recent campesino march to Guatemala City.  One year after the evictions from the Polochic Valley, over 10,000 campesinos marched for 9 days to protest the evictions and destruction of their property.  Eventually they met with the President and several officials in the capital.  The results of the meeting was a promise to create a fund to help relieve the large amount of agricultural debt as well as funds to help some of the families evicted from the Polochic Valley.

• Appeals court confirms Dos Erres sentence.  The First Court of Appeals upheld the ruling that sentenced 3 ex-Kaibiles to 6,060 years in prison and a 4^th ex-Kaibil to 6,066 years in prison.  All four were convicted of crimes against humanity and the 4^th was additionally convicted of aggravated assault, for their participation in the Dos Erres massacre.

• Congress begins election process for Human Rights Ombudsman.  The Commission for Human Rights of the Guatemalan Congress verified that 20 candidates for the position of Human Rights Ombudsman fulfill the requirements for the positions.  The article includes a list of the candidates.

• Defense files appeals to prolong trial. Former Head of Defense Héctor Mario López Fuentes and the former director of Army Intelligence José Rodríguez Sánchez have been brought to trial, but a judgment has not been reached because the defense attorneys lodged several appeals to prolong the case.

• Ríos Montt objects to evidence. Former Head of State Efrain Ríos Montt objected to the use of the report published by the UN backed Commission for Historical Clarification by the Public Prosecutor’s Office. The rejection of the evidence would also benefit Héctor Mario López Fuentes y Mauricio Rodríguez Sánchez, former military members who are also on trial.

• UN requests Guatemala to adopt a clear position on genocide. The UN Commission on Human Rights asked the Guatemalan state to adopt a “clear position” on the civil conflict and support the resolution of current genocide cases.  The final observations of the committee included three concerns: lack of support in investigating genocide claims, attacks against human rights defenders, and discrimination against indigenous communities.

Weekly News Roundup

March 15^th- March 29th  

National News

• Defense Minister lobbies in Washington.  Guatemalan Defense Minister Ulises Anzueto lobbied Congress to consider lifting the ban on military aid to Guatemala.  He defends the military, claiming that it has fulfilled the requirements for lifting the ban.

• Campesinos walk 30 km a day to capital.  Campesino organizations are marching from Cobán, Alta Verapaz to the capital in hopes of meeting with the President to obtain a response to their agricultural demands, which include debt relief, passage of several laws pertaining to agriculture and indigenous peoples, and halting the prosecution of communities that protest mining projects.  In response, President Perez Molina created a commission to hear the petitions of the campesinos.  The campesinos are currently more than halfway to the capital.

• Five ex-members of paramilitary unit sentenced to 7,710 years in prison Former members of the Civil Defense Patrols (ex-PAC) were charged with participation in genocide and crimes against humanity for their involvement in the Plan de Sanchez massacre of 1982 in which 256 indigenous villagers were brutally assassinated. The ex-PAC were accused of having collaborated with the Guatemalan army in the slaying of men, women and children in Plan de Sanchez.

• Ex-Guatemalan Police Chief Accused of Extra-Judicial Killings. The former head of the Guatemalan National Police Marlene Raquel Blanco was arrested for her alleged involvement in several extra-judicial killings in 2009.  According to CICIG, Blanco assisted a group of ex-police officers in capturing at least 3 men as part of purported social cleansing.

• President accepts part of the campesino’s demands.  President Pérez Molina approved 5 of the 8 petitions brought by the campesinos that marched to Guatemala City.   Among the five points mentioned was agricultural debt relief, analysis of the evictions in the Polochic Valley, evaluation of mines and hydroelectric dams, and possible troop withdrawal from conflict areas.  Negotiations lasted 8 hours.  Here is the detailed list of the government’s response and here is an interview with Miguel de León Ceto, a representative of three indigenous communities in Ixil.   Here is the detailed list of the government’s response and an interview with Miguel de León Ceto, a representative of three indigenous communities in Ixil.  Many campesinos are returning home with the hope that the government will listen to their demands.

• President Pérez Molina grants CICIG extension.  The President, in partnership with the UN, granted an extension to the mandate of the Commission against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) until 2015.

• Request presents charges against Ríos Montt. The Public Prosecutor’s Office requested that former head of state Efraín Ríos Montt be charged with genocide and crimes against humanity.

International News

• Banners were hung, supposedly by the leaders of the Zeta gang on the streets of Petén that threaten attacks on civilians if the government does not stop its prosecution of the Zetas.  An example of a current prosecution is the case of Gustavo Adolfo Colindres Arreaga, a former Kaibil and current Zeta leader, who was captured on March 19 in Petén and is now being transported to Guatemala City.

• The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights expressed concern over the impact of economic projects on the rights of indigenous groups in Guatemala.

• Salvadoran President boycotted Central American summit.   The President of El Salvador Mauricio Funes announced that he did not attend the next SICA (Sistema de la Integración Centroamericana) summit because of President Pérez Molina’s drug legalization proposals.   President Ortega of Nicaragua and President Lobo of Honduras also did not attend.

• President Perez Molina meets with US Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics In the press conference following the meeting, William Brownfield, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, said that the United States was doing its own research on legalization of drugs but that they were open to discussion. He did assure that the United States would continue to support the Guatemalan government in their fight against organized crime but remains opposed to drug legalization.

Thousands from the International Community Support Peasants Marching in Guatemala

On Tuesday, an estimated 10,000 people marched into Guatemala’s capital city. Many had trekked 120 miles from the town of Coban over nine days to draw attention to the plight of the rural and indigenous majority of the Guatemalan population. Their ranks swelled as they neared their destination and the peasants were joined by high school and university students, artists, musicians, unions, human rights activists, and women’s rights groups.

Their demands of the Guatemalan Government focused on threats to land and livelihood faced by rural communities and included an end to evictions and unfounded criminal prosecutions against peasant communities, the forgiveness of agrarian  debts to the government, access to land, and an end to mining and other large scale extractive industries in the region.

The timing of the march was chosen to coincide with the one year anniversary of the eviction of over 800 indigenous Q’echi’ families in the Polochic Valley. Members of the communities have suffered malnutrition and violent attacks even after the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights requested in June of last year that the Government of Guatemala institute precautionary measures to prevent a humanitarian disaster.

As the protesters stood before the Guatemalan Congress, Daniel Pascual, Director of the Committee for Peasant Unity, read a letter signed by over 2,200 members of the international community urging President Pérez Molina to protect the communities of the Polochic Valley and provide them with land. Over the past few months, the Latin America Working Group had gathered the signatures. Then on Tuesday, the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA participated in the march and delivered the letter.

The exhausted marchers and their supporters stood in the city’s central plaza until early Wednesday morning as leaders of the groups met with President Pérez Molina.

Participants observed with alarm that soldiers with machine guns trained on the crowd were stationed on top of nearby buildings. Tensions further rose as nearly 100 police arrived and took up positions surrounding the park. While obviously intended as an act of control and intimidation against the peaceful gathering, no further steps were taken by the security forces.

At 2:30am on Wednesday morning, the leaders finally emerged from the meeting and were greeted with wild applause, whistles and cheers. The exuberant crowd lifted Daniel Pascual onto their shoulders and carried him to the stage, where he announced an eight-point agreement between the peasant movements and the government.

 The document includes, among other commitments:

• The creation of a subsidy to alleviate the crushing debt suffered by family farmers and agrarian communities,
• Compliance with the Polochic precautionary measures and guaranteed access to land for at least 300 families during the first year,
• Protection for the Polochic communities from abuses by private security firms or irregular forces hired by the Chabil Utzaj sugar cane company,
• Support for a legislative proposal that would declare a moratorium on mining exploration and exploitation as well as hydroelectric megaprojects,
• The promise to address land conflicts in various regions throughout the country, and
• The removal of controversial military bases in areas marked by high social conflict.

Although the peasant farmers enthusiastically received the wide-ranging agreement, they were all too aware of the tremendous gap that often exists between a signed accord and its actual implementation. The mood was one of guarded optimism. The event ended with the announcement of a follow-up meeting with the government on April 19 to evaluate its compliance with the signed accords.

Incredible Stories and Experiences in Guatemala – Newsletter from Rob Mercatante

Hey everyone,

It is a warm evening here in Guatemala City. I’m in my apartment, sitting in front of the laptop, wondering how to begin this letter. It has been a long while since I’ve felt compelled to write a newsletter of any sort. What with email, Skype, Facebook, and cell phones there are now countless ways for me not to keep in touch with all of you. (Ok, I admit it… the mea culpa of non-communication.) 

I’ve recently taken a good, hard look at my life in an attempt to discover which areas could use some improvement. Turns out there were a lot more than I thought. (Sigh.) One problem that stood out, however, was the fact that I have lost touch with many of you who are my foundation, my strength and my support. This is my first step towards righting that wrong.

I am now entering my 23rd year living and working in Guatemala. Which means that I’ve spent half of my life here. (I don’t know which is more shocking: the fact that I’ve spent nearly two and a half decades in Guatemala, or the fact that I’ll soon turn 46.) 

For the past year I have been honored to be working with the Guatemala Human Rights Commission. Much more than a job it has been an experience, at times frightening, frustrating, exhausting, depressing, stressful, and heart-breaking… and other times moving, motivating, exciting, uplifting, and life-changing. Working with GHRC has allowed me to accompany the oppressed, defend human rights, speak out against injustices, and work alongside many of my personal heroes. I am, without a doubt, blessed. 

I am also blessed to have you in my life: my family and friends. My amazing coworkers, interns and board members of GHRC. The communities of faith that support us. The incredible men and women who have visited Guatemala in delegations. And all of you who are committed to peace, justice, and human rights. I couldn’t do this without you. 

And so, in a feeble attempt to repay my long overdue debt to you, I will do my best to start sharing some of these incredible stories and experiences with you. After all, they belong to you as much as they do to me.

Abrazos,

Rob Mercatante

+++++++

The river was silver, reflecting the overcast sky. Riding between the smooth waters and the flat sky was like gliding across an enormous mirror. Brown pelicans skimmed the surface of the slow-flowing river. The faraway shore was covered in the mist of the retreating rains. The only sound was the rhythmic chug-chug-chug of the motor and the soft spray of the water against the bow of the boat. 

Abelardo, the young man sitting in front of me, turned and said in a barely audible whisper: “This is where they found my sister”.

Guatemala: a country of beauty, a country of pain. It strikes me time and again, that some of the most beautiful places that I have ever seen… places that could easily pass for paradise… are also the sites of some of humanity’s darkest crimes and and most despicable acts.

One year ago, on February 12th, three young indigenous activists were heading home after a day of studying at the university. Every Saturday afternoon they would climb into their small boat and ride it down the Rio Dulce river to their village of Quebrada Seca. Only this time they didn’t make it home. The boat was found the next day, containing only their backpacks and a watery pool of blood. The bullet-ridden bodies of Sebastian Xuc Cac, Alberto Coc Caal, and Catalina Mucú Maas… Abelardo’s sister… were later found floating in the river. Amilcar Choc, who had simply hitched a ride in the boat, was also assassinated.

All three, despite their young age, were respected leaders in their Maya Q’eqchí community. Sebastian, 30 years old, was a teacher in the village’s school. Alberto, 26, was a spiritual guide and involved in the campesino (peasant farmer) movement. Catalina, 23, was was the first woman from Quebrada Seca to graduate from high school, and a passionate advocate for women’s rights. Together they fought to defend their community’s lands against theft by a rancher with ties to a Colombian drug cartel.

The impact of these cowardly and cruel murders is impossible to measure. Lives were prematurely ended. Spouses were widowed, families were thrown into heart-breaking grief and depression. Sebastian had five children, Alberto had three. Catalina and her husband had decided not to have children until she finished putting her younger brothers through school.

And the terrible loss doesn’t end there. Who can say what legacy these three talented, intelligent, and committed young people would have left to their village, to Guatemala, and to the world at large?

I looked into Abelardo’s eyes, and saw his anguish. Words of comfort failed me. Sometimes, in the face of pain so great, loss so overwhelming, the only option that remains is to stand in silent solidarity with the suffering. To affirm, by the mere act of being present, “you are not alone.” You are not alone in your grief. You are not alone in your struggle. You are not alone in your hope for healing and justice.

I traveled to Quebrada Seca this past weekend to accompany the families and the community in commemorating the one year anniversary of the tragedy. I was in good company, joined by friends from UDEFEGUA (the Guatemala Human Rights Defenders Unit), Encuentro Campesino, and the Fundacion Guillermo Toriello. When we arrived the entire village convened in the community center. A solemn and somber mood lay heavy on the gathering. Even the weather seemed to be in mourning. Despite the fact that we were in the middle of the dry season, dark clouds had gathered overhead. After a brief while –as if the heavens themselves couldn’t contain their grief– the skies cried and the rain came pouring down.

The commemoration was attended by every man, woman and child in the village. One of the community members read a poem that he had composed in memory of the martyred youth. Others demanded justice for the barbaric crime. Still others urged the children of the village to remember and emulate Sebastian, Alberto and Catalina’s example of selfless dedication to the greater good. 

After the event we went to visit the homes of the grieving families. The torrential downpour didn’t let up. Dirt paths turned into raging rivers of mud, and the soccer field became a shallow lake. The rain-soaked ground sucked greedily at our shoes as if trying to swallow us whole, soggy-socks and all. We ended up at the home of Catalina’s family, where Abelardo and his mother served us Kak’ik, a traditional soup made from turkey, tomatoes and spices. While we gladly warmed ourselves with the delicious meal, I noticed Abelardo shifting uncomfortably in his chair. Finally he summoned up the courage to speak. “My mom is worried that she doesn’t have enough money to keep my younger brother Victor in school. Catalina was paying his studies, like she did for me. But now…” Abelardo paused, and I felt my heart go to my throat. After a moment, he continued: “I wrote this letter. I was wondering if you know of anyone who might be able to help us.” He handed over a sheet of paper containing a long hand-written letter. “I know that it’s asking a lot, but we don’t have any other option. We just want Victor to be able to finish his studies.” 

Much to Abelardo’s surprise everyone started smiling. Unbeknownst to him and his family, I had a secondary purpose in visiting Quebrada Seca: to deliver scholarship funds to the children of the victims. And, in a special exception, to Catalina’s and Abelardo’s younger brother, Victor. (GHRC, with the financial support of St Margaret’s Episcopal Church in Annapolis, MD is helping to guarantee the education of 40+ children of human rights defenders throughout Guatemala who have suffered threats, attacks, or violence because of their work.)

I watched as Abelardo translated the good news into the Q’eqchí language for his mother. Various emotions flitted quickly across her face: confusion, surprise, and then, finally, relief. As I handed the funds over to the family, assuring that Victor would be able to stay in school, a single phrase sang out in my mind: I’m in the right place at the right time.

I have to admit that I get that feeling a lot. Which probably goes a long way to explaining why I have spent half of my life in Guatemala. Yes, much of this work is physically strenuous, mentally demanding, and emotionally exhausting. Yet these encounters with the survivors of humanity’s most inhumane acts move me, inspire me, and light a fire within me that all of the rain in Quebrada Seca couldn’t possibly extinguish. 

And I know, without the slightest doubt, that the words of Helen Keller are true: “Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.”

 

Weekly News Roundup

March 1^st – March 13^th

National News

Guatemalan special force soldier sentenced to 6,060 years in prison. Pedro Pimentel Rios, a member of the military elite forces, was involved in the 1982 Dos Erres Massacre, in which 201 people were killed. The former instructor of the military school of the Kaibiles had been living in Santa Ana, California until 2011 when he was extradited to Guatemala. Pedro Pimentel Rios is the fifth Guatemalan soldier to be sentenced to 6,060 years in prison. He was sentenced to serve 30 years for each of the 201 killings and an additional 30 years for crimes against humanity.

Declassified documents of the US State Department reveal the United States’ knowledge of the Dos Erres massacre. The documents show that the United States administration was informed about the massacre immediately after its occurrence and they sent staff to verify what had happened.

Exhumations of mass graves continue. The Association of Relatives of the Disappeared of Guatemala and the Human Rights Legal Center released their recent findings from the exhumation of mass graves in a military station en Alta Verapaz. Guatemalan anthropologists confirmed that they found the remains of 34 victims of the internal armed conflict. The graves are believed to contain the remains of 200-300 disappeared from the civil war.

Efraín Ríos Montt insists on requesting amnesty. Judge Miguel Angel Galvez rejected former general Efrain Rios Montt’s petition for amnesty from charges of genocide and crimes against humanity. The judge ruled that the amnesty law is invalid because of a 1949 international treaty against genocide that Guatemala signed before amnesty was declared. The UN congratulated Guatemala on rejecting the petition for amnesty brought forward by Ríos Montt.

Petition of former military general rejected. The Guatemalan court rejected the petition of former military general Hector Mario Lopez Fuentes to stop pursuing the judicial process against him due to his weak health status. Hector Mario Lopez Fuentes faces genocide charges for his involvement in the massacres of 1982 and 1983 against the indigenous population of Maya Ixil. The defense attorney argued that Hector Mario Lopez Fuentes is in the last stage of cancer and does not have sufficient funds to stand trial. The judge ordered a health examination which will be presented before the court on March 20th.

Deportations to Guatemala on the rise. Organizations in favor of migrants are worried about the rise of deportations of Guatemalans in the first two months of 2012. Deportations have increased by 29% compared to last year’s first bimester. Pro-migration organizations believe that the number of deportations will keep on increasing if the Temporary Protected Status is not granted to Guatemalans.

Women Rights Organizations continue to push for policies against domestic violence. On the International Women’s Day (8^th of March) the Guatemalan judiciary presented advances in femicide and domestic violence cases. Judicial organisms declared that the number of criminal complaints and sentences related to domestic violence has notably increased.

International News

President Otto Perez Molina traveled to Honduras for a meeting with SICA, which is the heads of the states of Central America. The group met with US Vice President Joe Biden to discuss drug trafficking and security issues.