Protected Areas Law and its consequences for the communities that inhabit the areas
(this article was orginally published in the Bulletin 40, December 2018)
Numerous indigenous and campesino communities, committed to defending the territory and natural assets, have denounced the intervention of private companies in various geographical areas through the imposition of extractive projects (mining, hydroelectric, petrol, monoculture, etc.). Many of these projects have begun without prior consultation or, in areas where consultations have taken place, are going ahead despite the lack of consent of the affected communities and indigenous peoples. Within the framework of the social and community resistance processes articulated in the country, many human rights violations have been denounced, as have attacks against those who defend them. The characteristics of the context reflect the need to maintain international attention on the situation of human rights in Guatemala and the people who defend them, with particular concern for the situation of social actors who defend land, territory and natural resources and who struggle for the collective rights of indigenous peoples.
This theme is the area of focus of the majority of accompanied organizations, groups and communities:
the Chinautla Multisector in the department of Guatemala,
the Indigenous Community of San Francisco Quezaltepeque in the department of Chiquimula
the Maya Ch'orti' Indigenous Council of Olopa in the department of Chiquimula
the Retalhuleu Community Council (CCR) in the Soth Coast
the TZK'AT Network of Ancestral Healers of Territorial Community Feminism from Ixmulew who works in the whole country.
(this article was orginally published in the Bulletin 40, December 2018)
[Originally published in the Annual Report 2022]
On March 24, we received an unexpected call informing us that Bernardo Caal Xol, a human rights defender imprisoned for more than four years, would be released that night. That same afternoon we accompanied Juanita Pérez, one of the Human Rights Law Firm (BDH) lawyers who represents Bernardo, to the capital's penitentiary center to take the necessary steps prior to his release.
We carried out an observation mission to the Retalhuleu and Champerico1 municipalities in March 2022, accompanying defenders from the Community Council of Retalhuleu (CCR) and the National Network for the Defense of Food Sovereignty of Guatemala (REDSAG). During the mission we verified the negative impacts that sugarcane plantations and other extractive projects are having on the health, food and environment of these communities.
In December 2018 we began accompanying the Chinautla Multisector, which is composed of various actors from this area: communities from the municipality of Chinautla, the Community Development Councils (COCODE), Catholic and Evangelical Churches, youth groups and other collectives such as the Association of Women Potters and the Association of Women in Solidarity.
Here we share the videos of REDSUR's campain Agua es Vida to inform about the struggle for water on the South Coast, realized by Red Tz'ikin.
Meet the human rights defenders that are criminalized for defending water and Mother Nature.
Municipality of Chinautla, Department of Guatemala
Since 1989, the Chinautla Multisector have been defending their right to be consulted on the activities of various clay extraction companies operating in their territory (Arenera La Primavera, Arenera El Pino, Piedrinera San Luis and San Fernando Arenera). They are also defending their territory against the pollution caused by other businesses operating in the region.
Evictions and violation of the rights of indigenous communities continues
Municipality of Cahabón, Department of Alta Verapaz
Municipality of Cunén, Department of Quiché
It is an organized process of defence of land and territory, natural resources and human rights.