Blog – NISGUA

Survivors share their reflections as Ríos Montt is tried for genocide…again

On October 13, the Ixil genocide case trial is set to open once again against former dictator Efraín Ríos Montt and José Mauricio Rodriguez Sánchez, former head of military intelligence, in the second attempt to retry the case after the 2013 trial, verdict, and sentence convicting Ríos Montt of genocide. While affirming the continued validity and historic importance of the 2013 sentence, witnesses from the trial have agreed to reappear in court and share their stories publicly. The witnesses continue [...]

By nisgua_admin| October 12th, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Solidarity Update: September 2017

News recap: Solidarity in the streets; U.S. Speaking Tour, "Guatemalan Youth in Defense of Land and Life," kicks off on October 9th; Thousands call for resignation of Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales and Congressional representatives; Grieving the loss of Ixil genocide survivor Jacinto de Paz, witness in the trial against Ríos Montt; Families call for justice on International Day of the Victims of Forced Disappearance; Environmental defenders in Ixquisis labeled "terrorists" by Guatemalan business sector. This and more in this month's [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 30th, 2017|Categories: Solidarity Update|Tags: AJR, environmental defenders, Escobal mine, genocide, Ixil, Ixquisís, Jimmy Morales, JODVID, justice for genocide, news in brief, police violence, Rios Montt, Rodriguez Sanchez, Stop Urban Shield, Tahoe Resources, testimony, tour|0 Comments

In their own words: JODVID on the the importance of youth leadership in the movement to defend life and land

[En español aquí] A week ahead of the launch of our 2017 speaking tour, “Guatemalan Youth in Defense of Land and Life,” NISGUA sat down with the invited organization to learn more about the young activists who form part of the environmental justice organization, JODVID – Youth Organized Youth in Defense of Life. Visit our website for more information on ways to connect with the tour! JODVID was born out of the struggle for community self-determination and resistance to Tahoe [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 29th, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

En sus propias palabras: JODVID habla de la importancia de la juventud en el movimiento en defensa del territorio y la vida

[English here] Con solo una semana hasta el inicio de la gira de charlas de 2017, “La juventud guatemalteca en defensa del territorio y de la vida”, NISGUA entrevistó a la organización invitada para conocer a las y los jóvenes activistas quienes forman parte de la organización guatemalteca de justicia ambiental, JODVID – Jóvenes Organizados en Defensa de la Vida. Para más información de los eventos cerca de ti, visita nuestro sitio web! JODVID nació de la lucha por la auto-determinación y [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 29th, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Political crisis as corrupt officials seek to undermine advancements in the fight against impunity

On August 27, Guatemalan President, Jimmy Morales, declared Iván Velásquez, head of the UN anti-impunity commission, the CICIG, "persona non grata" in Guatemala and requested his immediate expulsion. This decision came on the heels of a request by the CICIG and the Guatemalan public prosecutor’s office to strip Morales of his political immunity, in order to deepen their investigation into his role in his party’s corrupt campaign financing. The expulsion order was blocked just hours later by the Guatemalan Constitutional [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 19th, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|Tags: #PactodeCorruptos, accompaniment, Attorney General, Constitutional Court, derechos humanos, Guatemala, human rights, justice|0 Comments

Accompanier Perspectives: 2017 Political Crisis in Guatemala

Guatemala plunged into a political crisis this month as President Jimmy Morales attempted to circumvent a criminal investigation into his campaign finances by declaring the head of the UN-sponsored Commision (CICIG) persona non grata, a decision that sparked widespread public outcry. A second wave of outrage followed over legislation passed by Congressional representatives. The legislation, popularly called the #PactodeCorruptos (Pact of the Corrupt), sought to protect politicians from anti-graft measures. Revelations that President Morales has been on the receiving end of [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 19th, 2017|Categories: Accompanier Perspectives, Uncategorized|Tags: #PactodeCorruptos, accompanier perspectives, Angélica Choc, CICIG, Constitutional Court, Guatemala, human rights, Jimmy Morales, justice|0 Comments

Tahoe Resources hace cabildeo ante los gobiernos de Estados Unidos y Canadá para que intervengan en la decisión de corte guatemalteca de suspender la mina Escobal

Miles de personas afuera de la Corte Suprema de Justicia en Guatemala el 28 de agosto 2017. Foto: Jose Pablo Chumil El siguiente artículo fue co-escrito por AlertaMinera Canadá y Red en Solidaridad con el Pueblo de Guatemala (NISGUA) con el apoyo de la expersonal del NISGUA, Ellen Moore. Tahoe Resources está presionando a autoridades estadounidenses y canadienses para que intervengan en su nombre tras una decisión tomada en julio por la Corte Suprema de Justicia de Guatemala de suspender [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 1st, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Tahoe Resources lobbies U.S. and Canadian governments to intervene over Guatemalan court decision to suspend Escobal mine

Thousands gather outside Guatemalan Supreme Court on August 28, 2017. Photo credit: Jose Pablo Chumil The following article was co-written by MiningWatch Canada and Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA) with support from former NISGUA staff, Ellen Moore. Tahoe Resources is lobbying U.S. and Canadian authorities to intervene on their behalf following a decision made by Guatemala’s Supreme Court in July to temporarily suspend operations at the company’s Escobal silver mine. The decision cites discrimination [...]

By nisgua_admin| September 1st, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Que su testimonio sea semilla que cae en tierra fértil

El siguiente comunicado fue publicado por el Centro para la Acción Legal en Derechos Humanos – CALDH y publicado aquí con su permiso. Jose Efraín Ríos Montt fue condenado a 80 años en prisión por genocidio y crímenes de lesa humanidad en contra del Pueblo Ixil el 10 de mayo del 2013. Diez días después, el juicio fue retrotraído por resolución de tres magistrados de la Corte de Constitucionalidad, los cuáles son sujeto a un acción legal que cuestiona la legalidad [...]

By nisgua_admin| August 22nd, 2017|Categories: Uncategorized|0 Comments

Police attack Peaceful Resistance Encampment Again Two Days after Massive Protest

In the early morning of July 21, the Guatemalan National Civil Police (PNC) carried out a second violent attack on the peaceful encampment in Casillas, where community members have expressed their resolute opposition to the presence of Tahoe Resources’ Escobal silver mine. Since June 7, community members from six municipalities have maintained the 24/7 encampment and effectively restricted mine-related traffic, including the passage of generator fuel necessary for the mine’s operation. At the time of the violent attempt at eviction, PNC [...]