San Miguel Ixtahuacan is Waking Up

Guatemala City, Guatemala.
May 22nd, 2009.
Issue: Mining / Land Tenure / Indigenous Rights


Canadian mining giant Goldcorp held its annual shareholder’s meeting on Friday, May 22nd, in Vancouver’s financial district. Simultaneously, hundreds of community members from San Miguel Ixtahuacan, where Goldcorp’s Marlin Mine operates, marched through the streets of Guatemala City so as to protest the corporation’s activities in the Guatemalan highlands.

(For background information on the Marlin Mine and the conflictive relationship with the communities of Sipakapa and San Miguel Ixtahuacan in San Marcos, Guatemala, please follow this link).


The march’s gathering point was the Obelisco, a traffic circle located in the heart of Guatemala City’s financial district. From here, the first stop would be the Euro Plaza Building in Zone 14 where the headquarters for Goldcorp’s local subsidiary, Montana Exploradora, are located.


The day before the march, a press conference was held where “community leaders accused Montana Exploradora of carrying out a fear campaign in their local villages using threats and land usurpation so as to coerce local residents to sell their lands.” (1)


“We are rural peasants, not criminals!”


“The movement, made up almost in its entirety by indigenous local Mam Mayans, reiterated their intention to pursue a peaceful dialogue so as to bring to a close Montana’s mining activities in the region. As of now, three people have died due to the toxic contamination in the local water sources and other natural resources.” (2)






“Water should not be sold, but rather protected!”




“Local leaders assured that during its initial operations, the mining company undervalued local property, created local divisions, and took away the home of approximately 600 families in San Miguel Ixtahuacan. Currently, the company continues its strategy of usurpation, coercion, and community fragmentation, which is why it is indispensable that relevant authorities become involved.” (3)


“We share the people’s future and present. Montana Exploradora of Guatemala, a Goldcorp Inc. company. Development is what's valuable.”


“We demand justice and condemnation for Montana/Goldcorp”




“No to Mining. What will be of my future?”


“Drop by drop, water dries up!”






Once at the luxurious Euro Plaza building, leaders from San Miguel Ixtahuacan weren’t able to dialogue with representatives from Montana Exploradora. Nevertheless, they were able to present a document to members of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), which also holds its office in the same building.


“We do not want mining! Montana out now!”




Gregoria Crisanta Perez, one of the 8 women accused by Goldcorp of sabotaging their electric supply (read more about the case here), declares: “We demand our rights because we do not want to be killed by the mining company. We ask the government to please listen to our demands, as we are the legitimate owners of the territories. We are indigenous people, we were born there, and we should die there. But our death should be decided by God, not by the mining company.”




“No to Mining. Yes to Life. San Miguel Ixt.”


Patrocinia Mejia Perez (right), another local leader, is also accused by Goldcorp of sabotage.


“National Day Dignifying the Victims of Open-Pit Mining. Yes to Life!”




After protesting for over an hour in front of the Euro Plaza building as well as marching through Guatemala City’s financial and restaurant district, the demonstrators arrived to the Canadian Embassy.




The Canadian Embassy welcomed a four-person delegation in order to hear the protestors’ demands. Javier de Leon (left) from the Association for the Integral Development of San Miguel (ADISMI) led the delegation. Afterwards, he commented: “Ambassador Leann McKechnie’s discourse is inconsistent as she promises that Canadian companies will respect human rights. However, the mining industry, by nature, violates such rights.”


A few meters down the road from the Canadian Embassy, one of the many Goldcorp billboards that can be found in Guatemala City read: “We invest in the dreams of a developing country.”


Some residents of San Miguel Ixtahuacan identified the billboard and felt it was inappropriate due to the damage they have suffered from the mine’s presence in their communities. Gradually, protestors began tearing little pieces as an expression of discontent with the mining company that has incited grave social conflicts.


Dozens of people suddenly charged the billboard euphorically in a festive mood. As can be seen in the image, Police patrols observed the entire sequence, which was carried out in utmost respect for nearby cars and other private property next to Goldcorp’s billboard.


After a few minutes, the crowd managed to tear down the billboard completely. This was later taken to San Miguel Ixtahuacan so as to show other community members. The final plan was to burn the torn billboard near the mine.


The march ended with visits to the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office, Congress, and the Presidential Palace.


Gregoria Crisanta Perez declares: “We are here because today, in Canada, Goldcorp shareholders are dividing up their earnings. Meanwhile, here in Guatemala, the people from San Miguel remain in poverty. But now, finally, San Miguel Ixtahuacan is waking up.”

For more information:
English: info@rightsaction.org
Spanish: Javier de León (ADISMI): nimjavier@gmail.com


Versión en español aquí.


1 CERIGUA. “Montana Exploradora inicia con estrategia de coacción y usurpación de tierras”. Jueves 21 de Mayo, 2009. Guatemala.
(http://cerigua.info/portal/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=10072&Itemid=1)
2 Ibid.
3 Ibid.

Rosenberg Video Unleashes Political Crisis and Deepens Social Division

Guatemala City, Guatemala.
May 13th, 2009.
Issue: Impunity / Justice / Society

The release of a posthumous video by recently murdered lawyer Rodrigo Rosenberg has unleashed the worst political crisis in the current administration. Last Monday, May 11th and one day after Rosenberg’s assassination, a video began circulating in which Rosenberg himself states: “If you are watching this, it is because I was murdered by President Alvaro Colom.” His wife and two close aids, which were major campaign contributors, are also mentioned by name. A great uncertainty over what will happen next, in addition to extreme tension due to the unbearable wave of violence, have gripped the capital city.

As a result of the crisis, two very different protests were carried out in the central park of Guatemala City. The first gathering brought thousands of demonstrators who angrily demand justice for Rosenberg’s death in addition to a resolution for the out-of-control violence in which Guatemalan society lives today. This first group, composed primarily by residents from the wealthier sectors, also demands the immediate resignation of President Colom.

“Guatemalan Unity! Together for Peace”


“I am Rodrigo. We want Justice”


“We demand Justice”


“Wanted for Murder. Reward: Justice”


“No more Fear. No more Violence. No more Blood. No more Silence. No More!”


“Murderers. We demand incarceration.”

Simultaneously, dozens of buses brought hundreds of organized people to show their support for President Colom in front of the Presidential Palace. These governmental sympathizers come primarily from low-income shantytowns, known as asentamientos, within the outskirts of Guatemala City. During a live CNN interview on Tuesday the 12th, President Colom admitted his UNE party had strong presence and support in such areas. These demonstrators claim that Colom’s government is victim of a movement seeking political instability. Despite the tensions among the groups, no violent confrontations occurred.

“Mr. President, the People are with you. Zone 21.”

“We would like to thank the government and his wife for the help they bring to the asentamientos.”

Part 1 of the posthumous video by attorney Rodrigo Rosenberg (with English subtitles).



Part 2 of the posthumous video by attorney Rodrigo Rosenberg (with English subtitles).


Versión en español aquí.

HIJOS: Public Poster Campaigns

Guatemala City, Guatemala.
May 6, 2009.
Issues: Historic Memory / Post-war / Justice

Next June, ten years will have passed since the HIJOS Collective exploded onto Guatemalan society (HIJOS means “children” in Spanish and it is an acronym for: Sons and Daughters for Identity and Justice, against Forgetfulness and Silence). Through public art, conscience-seeking events and political demonstrations, HIJOS has been seeking truth, justice and the continuance of historical memory with relation to the crimes against humanity committed by the Guatemalan State during its 36-year civil war.

Among its many activities, HIJOS periodically carries out poster campaigns in open spaces, particularly in Guatemala City.

The photographs and texts from HIJOS’ postings rarely fail to capture the attention of passerbyers.

Wendy Mendez (right), one of HIJOS’ founding members, shares with us the reasons behind such activities as well as HIJOS’ mission and overall motivation:

Today, March 8th, celebrated worldwide as International Women’s Day, also marks 25 years since my mother, Luz Haydee Mendez, was abducted, tortured, and disappeared by the G2 military intelligence agency. This was Guatemala City in 1984. I can’t help but feel a wide range of emotions. Some are anger and uncertainty, but above all hope prevails as I continue my path in search of justice for her and all the women disappeared and massacred.

Justice is a word that we have come to know due to its absence in our lives. It is not fair that my mother, along with many other mothers, was forcibly abducted and disappeared. It is not fair that in our families, as in many other Guatemalan households, a massive void remains where instead there should be a person who can be infinitely trusted in.

It is not fair that those who carried out such crimes remain free. It is not fair that those who ordered the atrocities now occupy political decision-making and influential power posts in our government and society.

It is not fair that my three-year old son has to grow up without a grandmother. It is not fair that my old lady never knew what it was like to be a grandma. It is not fair that 25 years have gone by since that tragic day and I still feel deep sorrow, fear, anguish, frustration, and many other emotions that I do not know what to call.

Today we live within a socio-political context where our authorities use the faces, names and memory of our fallen in order to cover up the forced evictions and repression carried out against peasant farmers who protect our natural resources. A context where our authorities don’t turn in the military campaign archives that support the genocide cases as they have been ordered to do. A context where our authorities mock war survivors and their communities, as they do not recognize the authenticity of repressive documents such as the Military Diary. The light at the end of the justice tunnel is a hard one to see.

Several have been the activities that our collective has spearheaded while seeking dignity for the memory of our men, women, and children who were victims of state terrorism. We have carried out demonstrations in front of judicial courts and homes of those responsible for genocide, marched through streets and avenues, denounced and displayed our historic memory on public murals, rescued testimonies about the lives and struggles of former guerrillas.

Yet, something we have not been able to feel in flesh has been a longed-for JUSTICE.

The 25th anniversary of the forced disappearance of Luz Haydee Mendez calls for a reflection on justice and how to achieve it. This is the basis for our commemorative public poster campaign.

Guatemala of the New Resistance, March 8, 2009.
FOR ALL THOSE WHO WERE DISAPPEARED
NEITHER FORGET, NOR FORGIVE.

“No more Military Impunity”

“Memory, Truth and Justice”


Versión en español aquí.