2012: Defense of Territory and Natural Resources
2012 was marked by a high level of conflict in Guatemala, especially related to the exploitation of natural resources. Here we summarize some of the cases in which ACOGUATE accompanies human rights organizations in defense of their territory. NISGUA is one of the eleven international organizations that form ACOGUATE's accompaniment project. See the original version of this article in [...]
2012: The Search for Justice and Against Impunity
2012 was a very active year for ACOGUATE and the cases in which we accompany witnesses and plaintiffs in search for justice. Human rights defenders working for truth are amongst the most threatened groups, according to the Human Rights Defenders' Protection Unit of Guatemala (UDEFEGUA)[i]. Here are some of the highlights in the search for justice from 2012. NISGUA [...]
Political Statement in Mark of Oxlajuj B’ak’tun
THE WESTERN PEOPLE'S COUNCIL "In defense of LIFE and territory" POLITICAL STATEMENT IN MARK OF OXLAJUJ B'AK'TUN (Original in Spanish here) Authorities of the Maya People of Western Guatemala, joined together as the Council, declare: Oxlajuj B'ak'tun is the time to strengthen ancestral wisdom and the practice and never-ending search for balance; it's a moment in which we must [...]
Across Guatemala: Communities Continue to Defend Their Right to Life
In September of this year NISGUA reported on the series of violent attacks against community members in San Rafael Las Flores, Santa Rosa and Mataquescuintla, Jalapa who were peacefully resisting the advancement of the Escobal silver mine project. The Escobal mine is operated by Minería San Rafael S.A. a Guatemalan subsidiary of Canada’s Tahoe Resources. Tahoe Resources acquired the [...]
Tensions Continue at La Puya: Community Members in Resistance Threatened with Eviction
Following over nine months of non-violent peaceful resistance to the El Tambor mining project and increased intimidation and threats during the past month, the situation at La Puya escalated last Friday, December 7th, when over 300 National Civil Police (PNC) agents and 50 patrol trucks arrived, threatening to evict the pacific encampment. The El Tambor project is operated by [...]
Indigenous and Farmworker Organizations Urge Guatemalan Congress to Approve Initiative 4084
Since this Tuesday, November 27th, indigenous and rural farmworker organizations were present in the Guatemalan Congress calling for the approval of Initiative 4048, a Comprehensive Rural Development Law. The Initiative, first introduced in Congress in February 2009, is the product of over twelve years of work by indigenous and campesino organizations. While hundreds of representatives from groups throughout the [...]