Exploring Volunteering

This is a presentation (direct link to different video formats here) by Guillermo Chen, Director of the Fundación Nueva Esperanza (FNE) which he shared with many of us when he travelled to the UK, Germany (with Elote e.V.) and Spain in November-December 2006.

The presentation is currently in Spanish- but we're looking to transcribe and translate it. In the mean time if you're interested in finding out more, you can read our previous post on FNE. For more information on supporting FNE either financially or by volunteering, you can contact us directly for more on how to go about this.

Guatemala Solidarity Network
gsn_mail [at] yahoo [dot] com

It's ten years today that the final peace accords were signed in Guatemala, formally bringing to an end 36 years of civil war. BBC Mundo has posted an article marking this anniversary. They interviewed three of the participants of the panel discussion we organised in early December in London with Canning House: Yolanda Aguilar, Dominga Vasquez and Guillermo Chen.

We'll be tracking any other articles covering the passing of this moment and pulling together some of the assessments and analysis of what's changed in Guatemala since the signing of the Peace Accords a decade ago.

Reuters correspondent Mica Rosenberg certainly sums up the bleak side of the coin in the article: 'Violence plagues Guatemala decade after war's end'.

There has been a lot of coverage and reflection on what has happened in Guatemala over the last ten years in the Guatemalan media. These are various links to news stories we've found on the Peace Accords.

This is a clip showing how the letters in the Maya Achi alphabet are
pronounced. When Guillermo Chen was touring the UK and other European
countries there was a great deal of interest in learning more about the
Maya Achi language.

You can find out more and
download a fairly extensive Spanish-Achi dictionary from the website of
bilingual
education in Guatemala.

Work on recovering human rights data from the previously secret national police archives  Photo: Benetech

This post by Benetech's Communication Director, Ann Harrison, appeared on Benetech's blog. It gives a really insightful update on the work going on to digitize and organise the paper records of the secret police archives found in Guatemala.

The post highlights the issue of time and the imperative to record as much of the information as possible:

You can find out more about the important work of Benetech in Guatemala here and read about their initiative called the Human Rights Data Analysis Group which develops
information technology solutions and statistical techniques to help
human
rights advocates
build evidence-based arguments. Of particular interest as well is the Martus project.

Dr Patrick Ball through the American Association
for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) did a lot of important work that made possible the CIDH (International Centre for Human Rights Research in Guatemala) and the statistical work of the CEH (Commission for Historical Clarification).

You can read previous reports on the discovery of the secret police archives here.

The story made the top story on the homepage of BBC Mundo. According to the report filed by the BBC, the Spanish Government is redoubling efforts for the extradition request of Gen Efrain Rios Montt (amongst others) made by Spain highest court, the Audiencia Nacional Española. The proposal made by Juan Fernando López Aguilar, Spanish Justice Minister, was agreed in cabinet.

In other news, reports in Guatemala now seem to suggest that the man detained by police in Panama was not Donaldo Alvarez after all. This from Siglo XXI:

The BBC has the same story in English now- and have transmitted the story via the BBC World Service. It's been covered now by all the Guatemalan daily newspapers. Rigoberta Menchú was quoted in Prensa Libre (23-12-2006):

It's now just over a year that Hurricane Stan struck Guatemala. What follows is an excerpt from the latest Rights Action newsletter (Dec, 2006) and gives an update on relief work that has been going on to support the rebuilding effort across the country. You can see the full newsletter here. We have been working closely with Rights Action from the UK and there is more information at the end of this post if you are interested in supporting their work.

In other news, you can find an article on water privitization, development and human rights violations: Xalala Dam Project= Chixoy Dam revisited. There is also an article on mines, development and human rights violations: Skye Resources Inc and Security Forces versus Mayan-Q’eqchi Communities [see full newsletter].

The 'relief' part of the work is over and the 'rebuilding' work continues; in some regions, it has barely started.  

In early October 2005, Hurricane Stan devastated much of Guatemala, particularly the western highlands and ˜boca costa’ mountainsides leading down to the south-west pacific coast.  The number of persons killed or disappeared is over 2000.  It is still not known how many villagers were killed when mudslides buried the villages of Panabaj (departament of Sololá) and Piedra Grande (departamento of San Marcos).  At the writing of this report, the FAFG (the Forensic Anthropology Team, long supported by Rights Action to dig up mass graves of genocide and repression victims across the country) has initiated a massive exhumation process in the village of Panabaj where most of the village, and hundreds of villagers, were crushed in a mud-slide.

Throughout Guatemala, over 600 villages were negatively affected, to one degree or another; thousands of homes (mainly small huts) were destroyed.

SHORT-TERM EMERGENCY RELIEF

Immediately after Stan hit, Rights Action appealed for donations and began channelling emergency grants for deliveries of emergency food and water, bedding and clothing, and medical attention. Coordinated from our Guatemala City office, this work was done with numerous community-based groups that we have long supported and worked with. The short-term emergency relief phase lasted into early January! We sent out a summary report early in 2006.

VISION OF WORK

As we have written, it is RA’s understanding that while Stan was a devastating storm of torrential rains (resulting in floods, mud-slides, etc), the underlying issue to be addressed is the eradication of endemic poverty (caused by an unjust development- economic model) that leaves a majority of Central Americans subsisting in conditions of great vulnerability.

Starting in early 2006, Rights Action began channelling relief grants to medium-term relief and community reconstruction projects that we summarize here.  While there is, in these projects, a continuing component of emergency material relief, the main thrust of this work is to re-build, or (in some cases) relocate and rebuild healthy and safe living communities.

All of the work summarized below is based on an ˜integral community development vision’, with integrated components of:

- Community design of, control over and participation in the reconstruction and rebuilding project
- Integral vision of ˜development’, including protection of the local environment, including water sources, and reforesting steep hill and mountains sides
- Prioritizing clear title to and community and family ownership of lands
- Implementing productive projects that prioritize community and local food security and local and regional markets

PROJECTS FUNDED

- funds granted and spent, short-term emergency relief phase : $110,000;
- funds granted, to date, medium- and long-term rebuilding phase : $500,000;
- further funding is needed – long-term rebuilding proposal available on request.

PARTNER GROUPS

1 – CCDA – COMITE CAMPESINO POR EL DESARROLLO DEL ALTIPLANO / CAMPESINO COMMITTEE FOR DEVELOPMENT IN THE HIGHLANDS

For many years, RA has supported and worked with CCDA on a range of community development projects, including production and selling of fair trade coffee. In response to Stan, CCDA is working directly in Mayan-Tzutujil communities of the department of Solola, and Mayan-Mam communities of the department of San Marcos .  The main focuses of this work are:

- planting and replanting organic coffee that they will sell via their international trading relations for fair trade coffee;
- planting and replanting basic subsistence crops of corn and beans.

2 – ASECSA – ASOCIACIÓN DE SERVICIOS COMUNITARIOS DE SALUD/ ASSOCIATION OF COMMUNITY HEALTH SERVICES

RA has long supported and worked with ASECSA – a leading community health/dental/ midwifery organization – on a range of community health projects. In response to Stan, ASECSA is supporting the design and building of granjas integrales (integral farms) in Mayan-Quiche communities of Tziamjuyub, Pakoval II and Xeabaj II, in the municipality of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan, department of Solola.

3 – CODECA – COMITE DE DESARROLLO CAMPESINO / CAMPESINO
 DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEE

RA has long supported and worked with CODECA on community development and human rights issues in various departments of the south-coastal and Boca Coast regions.  In response to Stan, CODECA is designing and supporting projects in 3 communities:

- In the Mayan community (a mixture of Quiche, Mam, Kakchikel, Tzutujil, ladino)
 of Monsenor Romero (105 families; department of Suchitepequez) , CODECA is developing a 5-tank Tilapia fish farm, as well as the reproduction of their staple crops – corn and sesame

- In the camepsino community of Rancho Alegre (280 families; municipality of Mazatenango, department of Retalhuleu), CODECA is developing two community projects : a milk cow project and a watermelon and bamboo production project, as well as the re-production of their traditional corn and sesame crops
- In the campesino community of Nueva Linda (department of Retalhuleu), CODECA is developing a craft and agricultural production project.

4 – AGEMA – ASOCIACIÓN DE DESARROLLO INTEGRAL Y SALUD COMUNITARIO GENERACION DEL MAIZ / ASSOCIATION OF INTEGRAL DEVELOPMENT AND COMMUNITY HEALTH GENERATION OF CORN

RA began working with and supporting AGEMA, in response to Stan. In the municipality of Santa Catarina Ixtahuacan (department of Solola), AGEMA is working with a new community of some 100 families of a total of some 405 families from 8 different communities that lost homes, land and crops (corn,beans, coffee) to Stan.  The communities were : Xoljá, Pacutamá sector I, Pacutamá sector II, Chajuab, Chiucutamá, Pacorral I, Pacorral II, Tzamjuyup and Xeabaj II.  For months, these families were in temporary shelters supported by government and non-government (including Rights Action) funding sources.

A new living community is being built called Nuevo Asentamiento Chiquizis. There are three components to this work : providing techo minimo – supplies to build minimal housing structures with simple but sturdy walls and roof; planting a variety of fruit trees (Apples, Cherries, Peaches, y Avacados); building and planting 3 community gardens.

5 -  CLINICA MAXENA

RA begain working with the Clinica Maxena (that has a long term relation with ASECSA) in response to Stan, in the municipality of Santo Tomas la Union , department of Suchitepequez. The integral health Clinica Maxena is working in the Mayan-Quiche communities of Pala and Patzaj to build community and family gardens.

FUTURE PLANS – REBUILDING AND RECONSTRUCTING AFTER STAN

Upon request, Rights Action can send a proposal Rebuilding and Reconstructing after Stan setting out our future and on-going reconstruction and rebuilding plans. 

TAX-CHARITABLE DONATIONS

To make tax-charitable donations for Rebuilding and Reconstructing After Stan:  

- Credit card donations can be made going to www.rightsaction.org
- In the UK contact Jane Pelly de Jocolt at: rightsactionuk [at] yahoo [dot] co [dot] uk

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown (Cotswold, Conservative) | Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what her policy is on the proposed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala; and whether the UK plans to offer any support to this body.

Geoff Hoon (Minister of State (Europe), Foreign & Commonwealth Office) | Hansard source

The situation in Guatemala
has improved since the signing of the Peace Accords in 1996, following
36 years of conflict. However, we continue to be concerned by the
growth of organised crime, the activities of gangs and the widespread
impunity which threatens the rule of law in Guatemala. We therefore very much support the creation of an International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala and are working closely with EU partners and the international community to help ensure its effectiveness.

---

Hey Geoff- you're beginning to sound a bit like a broken record We'll be looking into what exactly the UK Government means when it says: “working closely…” and “help ensure its effectiveness”. Sound a little like warm words without much substance- but when we identify what this 'substantially' means- we'll let you know.

The background to this was Guatemala's government signing an agreement (12-12-2006) with the United Nations creating a special commission to identify clandestine Guatemalan security groups and help the government dismantle them.

The new International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala will be led by a commissioner to be named by the U.N. secretary-general and will have an initial two-year mandate. You can see from this Reuters report.

Paul Flynn (Newport West, Labour) | Hansard source

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment she has made of the human rights situation in Guatemala.

Just spotted this really great interview of Helen Woodcock, volunteer accompanier with Peace Brigades International and Dominga Vasquez, Mayoress of Solola. The interview (broadcast 13-12-2006) was as part of the BBC Radio 4's Women's Hour programme.

See more on this in a previous post on this blog.

Protest against impunity in Guatemala 10-11-2006  Photo: Fabian Fehse (copyright)

Yesterday The Guardian published an article I wrote about the recent media coverage regarding Pinochet's death- and lack of any mention of Guatemala – despite the similarities. I referred specifically to The Guardian's coverage- but I think you could include pretty much all the media and their coverage of Pinochet's legacy.

Update 16-12-2006

Rooting around on different media networks- it was interesting that Lord Lamont (Norman Lamont former Chancellor of the Exchequer) in his 'defense' of Pinochet refered to Guatemala:

Niall Ferguson in the Sunday Telegraph (17-12-2006) expands on this variant of the Pinochet apology brigade- in a way that Lamont would probably sympathise with. The tired argument goes something like: Pinochet, Rios Montt are better because they're our “sonsofbitches” not theirs (communist).

The Guardian has also published (16-12-2006) an article “The time expiring for dirty war prosecutors” which discusses the legal cases across Latin America that have been discussed or developed against state-sponsored repression. It refers to the situation in Guatemala in passing:

The issue of the fate of Ríos Montt in the light of the death of Pinochet has sparked interesting discussions on a number of blogs. One of the largest and most exhaustive was this one on the Daily Kos where Meteor Blades was kind enough to cite my above article.

In Guatemala, the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission reported the following reactions to the death of Pinochet: