Ante el estado de sitio en Santa Rosa y Jalapa, Guatemala

La Comisión de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala expresa su profunda preocupación frente a la imposición de un estado de sitio en dos municipios del departamento de Jalapa y dos de Santa Rosa, que viene como parte de un patrón de ataques contra las comunidades, sus líderes y otros defensores de derechos humanos.

La Unidad de Protección a Defensoras y Defensores de Derechos Humanos (UDEFEGUA), ha registrado 328 agresiones en contra de defensores en lo que va del año 2013. Los que se oponen a proyectos mineros han sido víctimas de una gran parte de estas agresiones. Trágicamente, estos hechos rara vez resultan en investigaciones adecuadas y en la sanción de los responsables, contribuyendo a un ambiente peligroso de impunidad.

Ahora, a un año de haber decretado estado de sitio en el municipio de Barillas Huehuetenango, el día 2 de mayo el gobierno de Otto Pérez Molina, decretó estado de sitio en los municipios de Jalapa y Mataquescuintla del Departamento de Jalapa y los municipios de Casillas y San Rafael las Flores del Departamento de Santa Rosa.

El informe de verificación realizado por Waqib Kej, ha registrado abusos de autoridad, intimidación hacia la población, el uso desmesurado de la fuerza, irrespeto a la población, especialmente hacia las mujeres al momento de realizar los allanamientos a sus casas, robos de bienes y dinero durante los registros de los hogares, incluso se habla de la muerte de un menor de edad, como consecuencia de que su madre, al iniciar labor de parto no pudo salir para ser atendida.

Nos preocupa considerablemente la reiteración del uso de la figura del estado de sitio, sobre todo cuando se aprovecha para perseguir y detener a líderes comunitarios, defensores de derechos humanos de sus comunidades. Las comunidades han sido enfáticas a través de consultas comunitarias de buena fe, que el gobierno no ha querido reconocer y que peor aún obvia y concede licencias a proyectos mineros.

Otro elemento que preocupa son las declaraciones dadas por el Ministro de Gobernación Mauricio López Bonilla y el Presidente de la República a medios de comunicación que pretenden confundir y señalan que el estado de sitio se estableció porque en los lugares se realizan actividades de narcotráfico, sicariato, crimen organizado. Señalan que nada tiene que ver el desacuerdo de la población a la minería, pero ya se han realizado varios allanamientos a las viviendas de lideres. A la vez, han hecho señalamientos directos hacia el Parlamento Xinca y hay órdenes de captura para algunos de sus miembros.

López Bonilla afirmó que las personas capturadas hasta el momento no forman parte de estructuras del narcotráfico, pero sí de bandas dedicadas al sicariato, extorsión y otros delitos. Hay más de 40 órdenes de captura vigentes y hasta el momento se han realizado 18 detenciones.

En Santa Rosa y Jalapa, la gran mayoría de los pobladores afectados por el estado de sitio ejercían su derecho de defender su medio ambiente, en el caso de San Rafael las Flores la población realizaba una manifestación pacífica cerca de las instalaciones del proyecto El Escobal, de la Minera San Rafael, S.A., subsidiaria de la empresa canadiense Tahoe Resources.

Manifestamos nuestra preocupación sobre el uso de la militarización y la suspensión de los derechos constitucionales y exhortamos a las autoridades guatemaltecas para que actúen con respeto a los derechos humanos de la población.

Genocide Trial in Guatemala Drawing to a Close

Over the last month, the historic trial has been moving forward in Guatemala’s High Risk Court charging former Head of State Efraín Ríos Montt and former Head of Military Intelligence José Mauricio Rodríguez Sanchez with Genocide and Crimes Against Humanity. The victims have waited for over 30 years for justice to be served for the atrocities committed against Guatemala’s indigenous people, and finally, a verdict is in sight.

Thanks to all of our supporters who sent an email to U.S. Ambassador Arnold Chacon asking him to attend the genocide trial. Although the trial began on March 19, the US Ambassador didn’t make an appearance in the courtroom until April 9th. The following day the Embassy finally broke its silence regarding the trial and issued a press release reiterating the importance of justice for reconciliation in Guatemala. The press release also expressed the US’s support for justice processes which are “credible, independent, transparent and impartial,” and exhorted “all Guatemalans to respect the legitimacy and integrity of the process.”

Nobel Peace Prize winner and genocide survivor Rigoberta Menchu greets victims’ families. (Photo: mimundo.org)

Breaking News: We’ve received word that a decision in the trial against Efraín Ríos Montt and José Rodríquez Sanchez may come as soon as the end of this week. The trial has progressed at breakneck speed covering testimony from more than 100 survivors and dozens of experts, despite constant attempts by the defense to stall or derail the process.

Weekly News Round-Up, March 18-25

Day 1 of Genocide Trial
On March 19, 2013, the historic trial opened against Rios Montt and Rodríguez Sánchez. After almost two hours of delays by the Defense, the trial began. The public prosecutor stated that the objective of military operational plans under Ríos Montt was the destruction of the Mayan Ixil population as part of a counter-insurgency campaign that characterized civilians of this ethnic and linguistic minority as an “internal enemy”. Attorney Edgar Pérez rejected assertions that the act of seeking justice is itself an act of terrorism or an effort to destabilize Guatemalan society. Political pressure on the actors involved has been intense, and just before the trial begain, President Otto Perez Molina’s denied that genocide took place. Perez told reporters: “It is important to state it because I lived it: there was no genocide in Guatemala.” Marcie Mersky, Program Director at the International Center for Transitional Justice, says such comments may influence legal proceedings and are inappropriate.

Lolita Chávez participates in month-long speaking tour in Canada and US
In events in Montreal, Ottowa, Vancouver, BC and Washington, DC, Lolita Chavez spoke about the work of the K’iche’ People’s Council and community resistance to harmful transnational development projects. In an interview with Montreal Gazette, Lolita stated that: “Canadian companies are the main protagonists in this invasion that brings only death and destruction.” A short video interview is available here.

Weekly News Round Up Feb. 23-Mar.5

Constitutional Court upholds case closure for Efraín Bámaca’s disappearance
The Constitutional Court (CC) has confirmed the closure of the criminal case involving the forced disappearance of Efraín Bámaca. In March 2011, Bámaca’s widow, Jennifer Harbury, brought a criminal complaint against then presidential candidate Pérez Molina for his role in her husband’s disappearance and death. Bámaca (alias Comandante Everardo) disappeared in 1992. According to the military, he committed suicide, but Harbury says that he was actually detained, tortured and killed. In December 2010, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ordered the Guatemalan government to re-investigate the case of Bámaca’s forced disappearance. Harbury’s lawyer has indicated that he will take action against Pérez Molina for not fulfilling the IACHR’s demands for a re-investigation of the case.

Constitutional Court rejects legal action filed by Toto indigenous leaders
The Constitutional Court (CC) unanimously rejected the legal action filed by the 48 cantones of Totonicapán against the Mining Law. The court’s decision called on Congress to regulate consultation with indigenous communities as established in ILO Convention number 169. The plaintiffs argue that the Mining Law was issued when there was still a right to consultation under the ILO convention and therefore the law is unconstitutional because it does not respect that right. The trial against the soldiers who fired on the group of protesters in Totonicapán last year is still ongoing. One of the defense lawyers for the accused soldiers says that he will ask for an acquittal. He says that his clients were motivated by “an overwhelming fear”, and thus they are innocent.

Weekly News Round Up Feb. 12-18

Communities deny participation in new attack on Hidro Santa Cruz in Barillas
The Spanish-owned hydroelectric company is claiming that on the night of February 17, a group of 15-20 people closed off the entryway and entered the construction site where they damaged equipment. The community, which resumed peaceful protests against the hydroelectric project on the 15th, says that it had nothing to do with the attacks. Community leaders insist that, as of now, they do not know who is responsible for these events. Actions such as these have, in some cases, been carried out by people linked to a company in order justify a greater police or military presence to protect its economic interests.

Meanwhile, Otto Pérez Molina spoke to Spanish businesses about investing in Guatemala. In a speech before a group of Spanish businessmen and several government officials, President Pérez Molina emphasized the need for more foreign direct investment in his country. Highlighting the abundant hydroelectric and mining resources in Guatemala, and projects that like in Barillas, he claimed that conflicts around resource extraction projects are simply a product of misinformation put forth by environmental groups, which have been “fully identified and controlled.”

Eight soldiers and one colonel will go to trial for Totonicapán killings
Colonel Juan Chiroy and eight of his soldiers will not be tried for the crime of extrajudicial execution in the killing of six protesters in Totonicapán in October of last year. Instead, the colonel is charged with breach of duty while the soldiers are charged with breach of duty and “murder in a state of violent emotion.” Judge Carol Patricia Flores determined that the soldiers fired in self-defense. On February 19th, the Public Prosecutor’s Office presented a recusal against Judge Flores.

IACHR mediation to prevent contamination in El Salvador by Guatemalan mining
On January 10, the Salvadoran Human Rights Ombudsman Office (PDH) asked the Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IACHR) to mediate in order to prevent potential contamination by the Cerro Blanco mine. The gold mine is property of the Canadian company Goldcorp Inc. and is located in Guatemala near the border with El Salvador, in a region that could affect 600,000 people. It sits near the source of the water basins for El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras. On February 12, Salvadoran President Mauricio Funes announced the creation ofa commission to investigate the impact of the mine. Despite concerns from many Salvadoran institutions, including the Catholic Church of El Salvador, about the dangers of the Cerro Blanco mining project, President Pérez Molina has rejected the notion that the project poses a risk of contamination. He also announced plans to resolve the conflict surrounding the mine by holding a meeting with the Salvadoran government next week.

Search for missing persons from 1983 
The program ‘Todos por el Reencuentro’ made an appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice regarding the search for 9 disappeared persons in 1983. The case began with 24 children who, in 1983, were taken to a military base in Cobán. Fourteen were found adopted in Italy and one in the capital. The program will petition Congress to ratify the International Convention Against Forced Disappearances, which Guatemala signed in 2006.

Héctor Mario López Fuentes will not stand trial
82-year-old Former Minister of Defense, Héctor Mario López Fuentes, will not be tried for genocide and crimes against humanity after a new report by the National Institute of Forensic Sciences concluded that he does not have full use of his mental faculties. The report states that he does not have the capability to understand and express himself adequately in court. His poor health, including hearing, speech and vision problems, is being blamed on the fact that he has suffered from a stroke, and has multiple myeloma and bladder and prostate cancer. His attorney has also recused the judge in charge of his trial.

Ríos Montt and the Need for International Accountability for War Crimes in Guatemala

Originally posted in Toward Freedom on February 12, 2013

President Regan and Ríos Montt

By Cyril Mychalejko

In December 4, 1982, former President Ronald Reagan spoke in Honduras after meeting with Efraín Ríos Montt, the evangelical Guatemalan General who seized power in a military coup a little over 8 months earlier.

“I know that President Ríos Montt is a man of great personal integrity and commitment,” said Reagan. “I know he wants to improve the quality of life for all Guatemalans and to promote social justice. My administration will do all it can to support his progressive efforts.”

Two days later the regime that Reagan said was getting a “bum rap” sent a contingent of Kabiles, Guatemala’s notorious special forces unit, to the department of Peten. There they entered the village of Dos Erres, where they tortured the men, raped the women, took hammers to the children, and in the end murdered as many as 250 people. Afterwards they burnt the village to the ground as part of Rios Montt’s “scorched earth” campaign against the country’s Mayan population.

Thirty years later Ríos Montt may finally face justice. On January 28, 2013 a Guatemalan judge ruled that the former head of state accused of responsibility for “1,771 deaths, 1,400 human rights violations and the displacement of 29,000 indigenous Guatemalans” would be tried for genocide in a domestic court. This precedent-setting decision was lauded internationally by human rights activists and NGOs.

“Until recently, the idea of a Guatemalan general being tried for these heinous crimes seemed utterly impossible,” said José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at Human Rights Watch. “The fact that a judge has ordered the trial of a former head of state is a remarkable development in a country where impunity for past atrocities has long been the norm.”

The Association for Justice and Reconciliation and the Center for Human Rights Legal Action issued a joint statement on the day of the decision, also emphasizing the significance of the trial.

“This event represents the path walked by thousands of victims of genocide. It allows for the path of memory, truth and justice to continue, which offers a solid foundation for the construction of a more just country,” the statement noted. “We are hopeful that this case will continue on its course according to law and that soon there will be a final judgment against those who ordered genocide in Guatemala.”

However, in order for justice to overcome impunity in Guatemala there needs to be an international component.

The cozy relationship between Ríos Montt and the Reagan administration needs to be dug up from the graveyards of history, much like the bodies that are still being dug up from mass graves in Guatemala.

The US media should use this case as an opportunity to act like the forensic anthropologists in Guatemala to sort through Washington’s skeletons when it comes to the history of foreign policy in Guatemala. This could be done very simply by sifting through declassified documents, old press articles, and other past reports to accurately retell the story of modern US-Guatemalan relations and Washington’s role in aiding and abetting what the United Nations declared a genocide, a genocide in which over 200,000 mostly Mayan Guatemalans were killed and tens of thousands tortured, disappeared, raped and displaced.

While the recovery and discussion of national historical memory is central to creating lasting peace and justice in war-ravaged countries like Guatemala, US citizens must consider their own country’s history of promoting systemic violence in Guatemala if there is to be an improvement in US foreign policy toward the country.

Meanwhile, former US officials like Elliott Abrams, Reagan’s State Department point man for Latin American policy, should be called to testify as a witness at Ríos Montt’s trial, much like he did for a case in Argentina in January 2012.

Abrams testified via video conference that the Reagan administration knew that Argentina’s military regime were stealing babies from political prisoners and giving them to right-wing and military families. After finding out about such crimes, the Reagan administration then provided the military junta political cover by certifying its “improving” human rights record.

In the case of Guatemala, complicity in war crimes is not limited to the United States; there are other international actors with blood on their hands.

In December 2012 the Jubilee Debt Campaign released a report, Generating Terror, which made the case that the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) helped legitimize and subsidize Guatemala’s genocidal regimes of the late 1970’s and early 1980’s. The report uses the Chixoy Dam project as a case study. The World Bank and IDB funded this dam project, the construction of which resulted in a series of massacres that resulted in over 400 deaths. Even after the documented massacres, these same international financial institutions provided additional funding to the same project seven years later.

Guatemala also turned to countries like Israel, Switzerland, France and Belgium during the civil war for aid, equipment and training.

There can be no peace in Guatemala without justice. In order for justice to prevail, the war crimes and impunity in the country need to be dealt with as an international issue, not just a local problem. While the Guatemalan government, again with the assistance of Washington, is re-militarizing the country, and corpses once more pile up, the need for accountability becomes more urgent—people’s lives depend on it.

Cyril Mychalejko is an editor at http://www.UpsideDownWorld.org, an online magazine covering politics and activism in Latin America.

Weekly News Round Up

Updates on the Genocide Trial:
The trial of Efraín Ríos Mont and José Rodríguez Sánchez for genocide and crimes against humanity on August 14th of this year. Rodríguez Sánchez’s defense filed an injunction against the decision by Judge Miguel Ángel Gálvez to send the former military leader to trial. According to Rodríguez Sánchez’s lawyer, Gálvez did not explain the reasons for open debate against his client. Ríos Montt’s defense has now filed a similar legal action in which he claims that the crime he is being charged with does not exist in the legal code. Ríos Montt has also objected to the fact that Judge Patricia Flores is presiding over his appeal to the Court of Constitutionality. His lawyers claim that Flores is unfit to hear his case because she was recused from the proceedings against Héctor Mario López Fuentes, also accused of genocide.

International Crisis Group warns against use of military in maintaining public order
In a recent report featuring the October incident in Totonicapán, the ICG warned about the dangers of using the military to maintain public order in the country, especially where marches and social protests are concerned. Mary Speck, an analyst from ICG, observed that tensions are higher in indigenous areas where issues of mining, access to land, electricity and education have been prominent. She pointed out that these conditions have made the creation of trained civil security forces all the more urgent. The civil security forces should be used to confront protests without the use of violence.

Xincas oppose mining activity
Xinca communities and organizations demanded an end to the licensing of mining projects  in their territory in Santa Rosa, Jutiapa because of environmental damage. Juan Pablo López, director of the Coordinating Council of the Xinka People asked that the Environmenal Ministry consult with the indigenous communities before releasing a decision on environmental impact studies. López says that the San Rafael Las Flores mining company contaminates more than 6 million liters of water in the area daily.

Mayor of San Juan Sacatepéquez denounces opposition to well
Oscar Fernando Bracamonte, mayor of San Juan Sacatepéquez, denounced what he called “illegal groups” that he claims have held the people of San Antonio Las Trojes hostage in their opposition to the installation of a mechanical well. He placed the blame on Daniel Pascual and the Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC) for fomenting violence and dividing the people of San Juan. Pascual countered by saying that Bracamontes’ comments were irresponsible and added that the CUC does not have any bases in that municipality.

Human Rights Ombudsman investigating 28 cases of forced disappearance
The cases involve 70 people who disappeared during the internal armed conflict.The investigation has been ordered by the Supreme Court of Justice (CSJ). According to Jorge de León Duque, Human Rights Ombudsman, the cases are expected to move forward slowly because the courts are backlogged.

Fellowship of Reconciliation analyzes DOD contracts in Latin America with a focus on Guatemala
According to the report, Department of Defense contracts in Guatemala have more than doubled since 2010. The ban on most State Department-channeled military aid to the army is still in effect but this ban does not apply to Defense Department assistance. The $14 million in contracts in 2012 amounts to more than seven times the total in 2009.

Suspension of construction in Santa Cruz Barillas requested
A group from of about 100 people from the town of Barillas took to the local government offices on February 7th to demand an answer to a request sent last month to local leaders. The petition was read aloud from the balcony of city hall. The municipal leader assured the people that he had never signed any construction permits for the Hidro Santa Cruz company. The crowd then read out an act signed by the municipal leader and city clerk in December authorizing construction. The leader then assured the crowd that that document had been suspended and had no effect. A discussion between the local leaders and community resulted in the signing of an agreement wherein the civil society and the local council requested that the hydroelectric company suspend construction. The signing of this document is being hailed as a victory for the town of Barillas.

Intermediate phase hearing for massacre at Totonicapán begins
The intermediate phase hearing in the case of the massacre at Totonicapán began on Friday, February 8th. The purpose of the hearing is to try the nine soldiers accused of crimes of extrajudicial execution so that a formal indictment may be made by the public prosecutor and a public debate can begin. One of the accused soldiers, Colonel Juan Chiroy, argues that the villagers he fired on were armed and had injured the soldiers. The prosecutors objected to this testimony, showing evidence that the injuries received by the military were mild. The defense is claiming that the soldiers were provoked and that the demonstrations were not peaceful. The prosecution claimed that Chiroy did not heed the warning by his subordinates that the situation was under control and instead ordered them to exit the vehicles they were traveling in.

January News Round Up

Ríos Montt on trial for genocide and crimes against humanity
The trial against former head of state Ríos Montt and along with former general José Rodríguez, began on January 30th, two days after Judge Ángel Gálvez announced his decision to try the two men for genocide and crimes against humanity. The much-anticipated announcement drew a large crowd which included many survivors of the armed conflict as well as journalists, retired military personnel, and human rights activists. The decision was hailed as a victory for the victims of one of the most violent conflicts in Central America.

Spanish delegation comments on conflict in Santa Cruz Barillas
A group of Spanish representatives on a mission to investigate human rights in Guatemala held a press conference last week to talk about several of the cases they looked into during their visit. One of the cases that they highlighted was the conflict in Santa Cruz Barillas, Huehuetenango surrounding the dam proposed by the Hidro Santa Cruz energy company. One Spanish representative expressed concern for the human rights violations there including the assassination of a community member, illegally long detentions of political prisoners and the absence of a means of democratic communication between the community members and authorities. Another representative, Josep Nuet, expressed a desire for Hidro Santa Cruz to start the project anew, this time with the input of the community.

Limitations on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights repealed
The executive branch announced on January 17th Government Agreement number 30-2013, which repealed an earlier decision to not recognize the jurisdiction of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on violations prior to February, 1987. The original agreement (number 370), which was announced on January 2nd, was met with much criticism, forcing the President to suspend it the next day.

An analysis of President Perez Molina’s first year in office
During his first year in office, President Pérez Molina launched the Cero Hambre and Bolsa Segura programs to combat malnutrition and hunger. His critics allege that these programs have not yet reached much of the at-risk population and have not done enough to break the cycle of poverty. Credit should be given to the attorney general, police commissioner, and interior minister, and the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala for the improvements in the murder rate as well as the security situation. “In 2012, Guatemala recorded 5,174 homicides, approximately 500 fewer than in Colom’s last year, thereby reducing the country’s murder rate from 39 to 34 per 100,000. However, while the government’s increased reliance on the military and mano dura policies has not led to an increase in homicides, there is good reason to be concerned with the government’s increasing reliance on the military to perform acts better suited for police.” writes Mike Allison.

Defense Ministry blocks access to military records from 1982
The Minister of Defense, Ulises Noé Anzueto, has declared that military documents from 1982 shall remain classified. Last month the Office of Human Rights requested access to specific documents detailing Army General Orders for Officers from that year. Military officials have stated that the documents contain sensitive information pertaining to the “structure, composition, size, strength and weaponry” used by the army and therefore cannot be released. GAM (Grupo de Apoyo Mutuo) rejected the Defense Ministry’s decision, saying that it is necessary for the public to have access to this information and that their refusal to release the documents violates the Law of Access to Public Information (LAIP). According to the Defense Ministry, the documents must remain classified for another seven years.

President Pérez Molina talks about drug reform and ‘alternative’ approaches to dealing with gangs
The Guatemalan president indicated that he would be open to alternative ways of dealing with the gang problem in his country, including negotiating a dialogue between rival groups. After the success of this strategy in neighboring El Salvador, Guatemalan officials were hopeful about the outcome of such ‘alternative’ ways of dealing with this issue although Pérez did warn that the nature of the Salvadorian gang problem was different than that in Guatemala. The President’s comments were made at the World Economic Forum, where he also claimed that reforming prohibitionist drug laws would reduce drug violence by half. More recently, the Minister of the Interior announced a new heroin poppy crop substitution program.

Conflict and violence at San Rafael mine
A violent attack on the San Rafael Las Flores mine took place sometime in the night between January 11th and 12th. The citizens of the town, who have been peacefully protesting the mine for several months, became worried as news of the event spread. At least two of the mine’s workers were killed during the night and several others were injured in what appears to be a well-planned attack from an unknown source. Unfortunately, reports soon circulated blaming the local population for creating unrest in the community. Minister of the Interior, Mauricio López Bonilla, claimed that the attack was an act of terror connected to drug-traffickers and hired hitmen. Most media reports failed to highlight the non-violent efforts of community members over the past few months to stop the company from violating their rights. Community members insist that they stand in opposition to the mining company, not the people of San Rafael.

Security guards at Marlin mine shoot at workers
On January 8th, guards at the Marlin mine in San Miguel Ixtahuacán, San Marcos shot at and wounded nine mine workers who are protesting against the mining company, Montana Exploradora of Guatemala. The workers were protesting for the right to employment benefits. The company has been coercing its workers to sign employment contracts which do not allow them to receive any benefits for working in the mine.

Human Rights Ombudsman says the state has failed to consult local populations about hydroelectric and mining projects
Jorge de León Duque went before the Court of Constitutionality to testify the that State of Guatemala has not been respecting the human rights of the indigenous communities whose lands are being used for hydroelectric and mining purposes. He points to the fact that the government and energy companies have been ignoring the input of the communities where these projects are being built.

Military increasing role in citizen security
President Pérez Molina has order the Ministry of Defense to develop a plan to increase military involvement in both citizen and border security. The president indicated that he would not back down when it comes to matters of security, especially after the news of increased violence in January. The Catholic Church has expressed a concern over the remilitarization of the country. Following a meeting between the President, the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Defense, Perez Molina announced that they were looking into the possibility of declaring a state of emergency in those areas of the country that have been most affected by violence.

A tense situation faces community members of San Antonio Las Trojes 1, San Juan Sacatepéquez
The community has opposed the construction of a cement factory for Cementos Progreso since 2006. In spite of their protests, the company has brought heavy machinery to the community to build a well, as well as threatened and assaulted both a visiting verification commission and local leaders. Since January 28th, over 5,000 people have maintained a daily, nonviolent protest in front of the cement factory to denounce the acts of violence and intimidation, and to demand that their rights be respected.

Winner of 2012 Alice Zachmann Human Rights Defender Award Announced

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2012 Alice Zachmann Human Rights Defender Award: The communities of San Pedro Ayampuc and San José del Golfo, who are peacefully defending their right to a healthy environment.

“Mining exploitation is contamination. Don’t sell your land. Yes to life!” (photo:mimundo.org)

For the past five months, members of these communities have bravely stood up to powerful, transnational corporations who are attempting to build a mine in their midst without consulting residents or even providing information about the project.

Men, women and children have banded together in the spirit of non-violent civil disobedience to block the road and prevent the equipment from entering and destroying the land that is their home and their livelihoods. They have faced death threats, and a nearly fatal assault on one of their members, Yolanda Oquelí.

Come hear two members of the communities, Alvaro Sandoval Palencia and Antonio Reyes Romero, speak about their inspiring struggle at our 30th Anniversary Celebration on September 27th.

Don’t miss out on this amazing event. Buy your tickets now!

Where it says “Enter a description below of how you would like your donation to be used.” be sure to write that the payment is to purchase tickets to the event.More information about how to buy tickets here or email us at ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org.

Apply now for GHRC’s Voiceless Speak Fund.

Deadline to apply has been extended to July 15th!

 Are you Guatemalan? Are you either working to educate people in the US about human rights in Guatemala, or working in your community in the US to support the rights of Guatemalans here? If so, consider applying for GHRC’s Voiceless Speak Fund! Through this program, every year, GHRC gives out small grants to Guatemalans working for human rights to help cover their living expenses or other expenses related to their work.

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The recipients of the Voiceless Speak Fund in 2011 include:

• Maria Luisa Rosal, whose father was forcibly disappeared in Guatemala, and is pushing for justice in his case;

• Ana Valdez, survivor of domestic violence, who, with GHRC’s help, started her own organization in Maryland to support other survivors of domestic violence and educate the community about this issue;

• Marvyn Peréz, survivor of torture at the hands of the Guatemalan government, who works in Los Angeles, CA to educate others about human rights abuses in Guatemala and support human rights organizations putting on events in his area;

• Adrian Ventura, survivor of Guatemala’s internal armed conflict, who is currently working in New Bedford, MA educating and organizing immigrant workers to stand up for their labor rights

• Lucia Muñoz, who educates students and police in Guatemala City about gender equality to reduce violence against women.

Applications and more information are available here.

 Please pass this information along to anyone you know who might be eligible and interested.

Feel free to contact us at ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org with any questions.

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Solicite ahora el Fondo “Voiceless Speak” de la GHRC

Fecha límite para hacer la solicitud se ha extendido al 15 de julio!

¿Es Usted de Guatemala? ¿Está trabajando para educar a la gente en los EE.UU. sobre los derechos humanos en Guatemala, o trabajando en su comunidad en los EE.UU. para apoyar los derechos de los guatemaltecos aquí?

Si es así, ¡considere la posibilidad de solicitaruna beca del Fondo “Voiceless Speak” de la GHRC! Cada año la GHRC otorga pequeñas subvenciones a los y las guatemaltecos que trabajan para los derechos humanos, con el fin de ayudarlos a cubrir sus gastos básicos y otros relacionados con su trabajo.

Los beneficiarios del Fondo “Voiceless Speak” en el 2011 incluyen:

• María Luisa Rosal, cuyo padre fue desaparecido en Guatemala, y quien está ejerciendo presión para que se haga justicia en su caso;

• Ana Valdez, sobreviviente de la violencia doméstica, quien con el apoyo de la GHRC fundó una organización en Maryland para apoyar a las sobrevivientes de violencia doméstica y educar a la comunidad sobre este tema;

• Marvyn Pérez, sobreviviente de la tortura a manos del gobierno de Guatemala, quien trabaja en Los Angeles, CA para educar a su comunidad acerca de violaciones de los derechos humanos en Guatemala y para ayudar a organizaciones de derechos humanos a realizar eventos en su área;

• Adrián Ventura, sobreviviente del conflicto armado interno de Guatemala, quien vive y trabaja en New Bedford, MA para educar, organizar y apoyar los trabajadores inmigrantes en su lucha por sus derechos laborales;

• Lucía Muñoz, quien educa a estudiantes y a la policía en la Ciudad de Guatemala sobre desigualdad de género para reducir la violencia contra las mujeres.

La solicitud y más información están disponibles aquí.

Por favor, comparta esta información con cualquier persona de su conocimiento quien puede ser elegible e interesada.

Si tiene alguna pregunta, no dude en comunicarse con nosotros a: ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org.