Exploring Volunteering

This snippet is from El Periodico confirming the news that Efrain Rios Montt has officially registered as an congressional candidate in the coming elections- and as such again enjoys immunity from prosecution.

Fear for safety / Death threats

GUATEMALA Edgar Herber Hernández Figueroa (m)
Mónica Victoria Teleguario Xitay (f)
Paula Barrios (f),
David Dávila (m),
Oswaldo Samayoa (m), of the Guatemalan Institute for Comparative Studies in Criminal Sciences (Instituto de Estudios Comparados en CienciasPenales de Guatemala, ICCPG)

Five members of staff of the ICCPG have been harassed and received death threats in recent weeks in an apparent attempt to dissuade them from investigating cases of killings and rapes allegedly committed by police officers. Amnesty International fears that their lives may be at risk.

On 25 April Mónica Teleguario Xitay, an ICCPG lawyer was intercepted by unknown assailants in a black jeep. The assailants drove their car close to her car, hitting it mildly in a threatening and hostile manner and then overtook her. A short time later, the jeep stopped in front of her and another car appeared behind, also stopping and effectively trapping her. Four armed men wearing balaclavas and one holding a baseball bat got out of the pick-up truck and forced her to get out of her car. One of the men told her that they knew about the work being done by the ICCPG and wanted to know where she had been. Monica Teleguario Xitay had been travelling back from interviewing an alleged victim of police violence but gave the masked men different information. The men became angry saying that they already knew where she had just been. They then told her that this was the last warningesta fue laúltima advertencia.

On the afternoon of April 12, Edgar Herber Hernandez Figueroa, an ICCPG researcher was leaving the ICCPG when an unknown man put a gun to his head and forced him into a blue car where another two armed men were inside. Inside the car the armed men questioned him about the ICCPG. Initially he denied working for the ICCPG but on being threatened admitted to working there. One of the armed men then said tell those sons of bitches [at the ICCPG] that we know how they are organized and how many people they have. If they continue getting involved in things where they have no business, we are going to start cutting heads off.

We are tired of giving warnings. decile a esos hijos de la gran puta, que sabemos como están estructurado y cuantas cabezas tiene. Si se siguen metiendo en cosas donde no los han llamado vamos a comenzar a cortar cabezas. Ya estamos cansados de estar advirtiendo. The researcher was let go one hour later after having money stolen by the armed men.

On 20 March a Paula Barrios, an ICCPG researcher on women in prison and gender violence, returned from work to find her home raided. Although nothing was missing, one of her children’s teddy bears had its mouth covered with masking tape. Her home is approximately two blocks from the national headquarters of the police. On 14 March ICCPG researchers David Dávila and Oswaldo Samayoa where followed by a green car while carrying out errands in the centre of Guatemala City in preparation to take testimony the following day from an alleged victim of police violence. The following day they left at 3:30 am to interview the alleged victim and over the next two and half hours were stopped five times by uniformed police who checked their ID.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The ICCPG is an academic and human rights organization which conducts research into criminal policy, judicial reform, prison conditions, gender violence and conflict resolution. One area of their current work is to research cases of alleged human rights violations committed by public security forces and prison guards (arbitrary detention, ill-treatment, torture, extra-judicial executions, etc.) and to providing legal support to victims and their families.

The ICCPG is currently assisting in the legal proceedings against officers accused of raping Juana Méndez in 2005, and in a number of cases of possible extra-judicial executions that are currently being heard in national courts and at the Inter-American Commission.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish or your own language:
- Expressing concern at the recent threats and attacks against Edgar HerberVladimir Hernández Figueroa, Mónica Victoria Teleguario Xitay, Paula Barrios, David Dávila and Oswaldo Samayoa and their colleagues;
- Calling for prompt, thorough and impartial investigations into these incidents and for those responsible to be brought to justice;
- Urging the Guatemalan authorities to take immediate and effective measures to guarantee the safety of these human rights defenders, according to their wishes;
- Reminding the Guatemalan authorities that human rights defenders have the right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Institutions to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms;
- Calling on the Guatemalan government to develop a national plan of action to implement the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders to ensure they are able to carry out their legitimate work without fear of reprisals.

APPEALS TO:
Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's office
Lic. Juan Luis Florido
Fiscal General de la República y Jefe del Ministerio Público
Edificio Ministerio Público
15 Avenida 15-16, Zona 1, Barrio Gerona, 8vo. Nivel
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: +502 2411 9124
+502 2411 9326
Salutation: Dear Attorney General/Estimado Sr. Fiscal General

Minister of Interior
Adela Camacho de Torrebiarte
Ministra de Gobernación
6a. Avenida 13-71, Zona 1,
Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
Fax: +502 2413 8658
Salutation: Dear Minister/Estimada Sra. Ministra

COPIES TO:
Institute of Comparative Studies in Criminal Sciences of Guatemala ICCPG
5a. calle 1-49, Zona 1, Ciudad de Guatemala
Fax: +502 2230 1841
+502 2232 5121
+502 2220 2736

AND to diplomatic representatives of Guatemala accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY.

Human trafficking continues to be an issue in Guatemala, the most frequent manifestation of which being the enticing of young girls into enforced prostitution¦

On Friday, 20th of April 2007 Casa Alianza Guatemala in coordination with the National Police, Migration and Public Prosecution Offices raided a brothel disguised as a massage parlour suspected of housing minors for the purposes of commercial sexual exploitation in Guatemala City. Two 17-year-old girls were rescued from the premises as a result of this joint raid operation and both were immediately referred to a judge who entrusted them to Casa Alianza for shelter and protection.

The parlour was licensed to operate as a bar and to offer massages but it was evident from the outset that it functioned as a full-scale brothel. The two-storey premises housed roughly thirty girls at any one time and boasted three bedrooms on the upper floor were paid sexual activity apparently took place. The property lacked basic sanitation, there was no running water and bed sheets were stained with blood.  

Those in charge were taken by surprise and several arrests were carried out, including a few individuals who were performing what they claimed to be traditional Mayan rituals on the roof of the building and who tried to flee the scene by jumping to adjacent houses.  

Twenty-five girls were found on site during this raid, including three foreign nationals, namely a Nicaraguan, Mexican and a Honduran girl, who faced immediate deportation, as they were not in possession of valid Guatemalan work permits. The case of the Mexican girl was particularly shocking as she was married to a Guatemalan national and had a nine months-old daughter with this man who married her only in order to obtain Mexican citizenship, according to the girl.

She stated she had been trafficked from Mexico at the age of fifteen at which stage she started working at a brothel in Guatemala City were she met her now husband, the son of the brothel’s owner. Despite being the real victim here, she was deported back to Mexico and guardianship of the baby was granted to her husband, who by all means knew about his wife’s prostitution and benefited from her earnings making it a typical case of pandering.     

The Migration and Prosecution Officers failed to properly execute their duties in this raid – by not ensuring that each girl had a legitimate id card proving that they were adults. Several girls appeared to be minors and in possession of fake identity cards but the agents, instead of extending the presumption of being underage privileges to these particularly young-looking girls and ensuring the validity of the documents presented, decided to take the girl’s id documents at face value in a clear violation of Guatemalan youth protection laws.
 In Guatemala, adult prostitution is not illegal therefore just moments after the agents left the premises, the music was put back on and business resumed as usual.

On Tuesday 24th of April 2007, In another joint raid operation, a seventeen years-old Guatemalan girl was rescued from a different brothel belonging to the same human trafficking network. She came from a small village and was lured into the Capital city and forced into prostitution in order to pay for debts she supposedly contracted vis-à-vis her traffickers.

Casa Alianza together with other leading Guatemalan NGO’s is constantly lobbying legislators for important changes to the Penal Code. Under the current Penal Code, those guilty of pimping and pandering offences get away with their crimes by simply paying an insignificant fine, which is low even for Guatemalan standards.

In the three years the Guatemalan Congress has failed to pass any legislation that benefit and protect Guatemalan youth. One example of which is the Adoption Act, which has not yet been approved, despite more than 10 years of continued civil society denouncing irregular adoptions presenting characteristics of human trafficking.

Casa Alianza is a non-governmental organization dedicated to the protection and promotion of children’s rights in the region.

For more information on the work of Casa Alianza please visit www.casa-alianza.org.uk

We got sent a copy of this letter from Human Rights First. The story was quoted in the Washington Post:

Further Information on UA 49/07 (AMR 34/012/2007, 1 March 2007) Fear for safety

GUATEMALA Leonardo Ramírez (m), President of the New San José las Lágrimas Association (Asociación Nueva San José las Lágrimas) and member of the Committee of Peasant Unity (Comité de Unidad Campesina – CUC)
Other members of the New San José las Lágrimas Association

New name: Abelardo Roldan (m), CUC Regional Coordinator

Armed men attempted to abduct CUC Regional Coordinator Abelardo Roldan from a meeting with government representatives on 18 April, in the San José las Lágrimas community, Chiquimula Department. Amnesty International believes his life is in danger.

The meeting, where San José las Lágrimas community representatives discussed the allocation of land to the community with government representatives and the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office as well as the CUC, had nearly finished when five armed men allegedly burst in at around 4pm. The men asked, “Where is Abelardo Roldan? We have a score to settle with him.” (Donde está Abelardo Roldan, el dirigente del CUC, para arreglar cuentas con él?) The government representatives asked the men to leave, as they hadn't been invited to the meeting. The men allegedly responded that “You may well be in charge of things, but we don't care, because we're not answerable to you, and we make our own law with guns (Muy autoridad pueden ser, pero nos importa poco, porque somos particulares y hacemos nuestra propia ley, con las armas). Another 15 armed men were reportedly waiting outside the building. The abduction attempt was reportedly prevented only by the actions of community members and government representatives, who stopped the armed men from dragging Abelardo Roldan outside.

Abelardo Roldan was able to leave with the government representatives in their private plane. The vehicle in which the CUC commission had arrived was driven back by a representative of the Human Rights Ombudsman's Office. As this vehicle and two others left the farm, they passed two cars, in which there were more armed men.

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

The attempted abduction of Abelardo Roldan occurrs in the context of an on-going land dispute. The rural workers of the San José las Lágrimas community were threatened with eviction from the farmland where they live and work in February 2007, and are currently in negotiations with government authorities over the allocation of land to community members. The army are occupying another part of the farm, where there is allegedly a mass grave of people killed by the armed forces during the internal armed conflict (1960-1996).

Several Association members have been killed in the past five months. On 13 February, Vicente Ramírez López and four other members of the Association were attacked on the farm by four armed men, who shot Vicente Ramírez dead. The rural workers managed to catch two of the gunmen, who claimed the army had sent them, and handed them over to the police. The two men were later imprisoned, but there are unconfirmed reports that they were subsequently freed.

On 14 December 2006 Matías Hernández, a member of the Association's Executive Board, was shot dead as he worked in his field.

Apparent acts of intimidation against community members have also been reported. On 6 January 2007 three houses in the hamlet of El Chapulín, belonging to members of the New San José las Lágrimas Association, were burnt down. The houses, which are several hours' walk from the San José las Lágrimas farm, were empty at the time.

RECOMMENDED ACTION: Please send appeals to arrive as quickly as possible, in Spanish, English or your own language:
- urging the authorities to take immediate steps to guarantee the safety of all of those involved in the negotiation process to settle the San José las Lágrimas land dispute;
- pressing the authorities to ensure the speedy resolution of the outstanding land dispute issues affecting the San José las Lágrimas community;
- urging the authorities to order an immediate and thorough investigation into the 18 April attempted abduction of Abelardo Roldan, the 13 February killing of Vicente Ramírez, the 14 December 2006 killing of Matías Hernández, and the reported threats to the life of Leonardo Ramírez (UA 49/07), and to bring those responsible to justice;
- reminding the authorities of their obligations to recognize the legitimacy of the activities of human rights defenders and their right to carry out their activities without any restrictions or fear of reprisals, as set out in the UN Declaration on the Rights and Responsibilities of Individuals, Groups and Organs of Society to Promote and Protect Universally Recognised Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

APPEALS TO:
Attorney General and Head of the Public Prosecutor's office
Lic. Juan Luis Florido
Fiscal General de la República y Jefe del Ministerio Público
Edificio Ministerio Público
15 Avenida 15-16, Zona 1, Barrio Gerona, 8vo. Nivel, Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: +502 2411 9124

            +502 2411 9326

Salutation: Dear Attorney General/Estimado Sr. Fiscal General

Minister of Interior
Adela Camacho de Torrebiarte
Ministro de Gobernación
6a. Avenida 13-71, Zona 1,
Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA
Fax: +502 2413 8658
Salutation: Dear Minister/Estimada Sra. Ministra

COPIES TO:

Comité de Unidad Campesina

31 Avenida A 14-46, Zona 7, Ciudad de Plata 2

Ciudad de Guatemala, GUATEMALA

Fax: +502 2434 9500 (if a voice answers, say “tono de fax, por favor”)

and to diplomatic representatives of Guatemala accredited to your country.

PLEASE SEND APPEALS IMMEDIATELY. Check with the International Secretariat, or your section office, if sending appeals after 12 June 2007.********

This video has already been picked up by Albedrio (they're linking to other clips out there that you may find interesting) and various other blogs. It's an interesting short on the history of Guatemala cinema (in Spanish) explained by Genaro Coton, coordinator of Guatemala's Cinemateca.

Xornal in Spain recently published the following article “Niños en Guatemala a merced de los criminales” (31-03-07):

I haven`t seen much international press (English speaking) so I thought it was important to post this final declaration here. Once we get it in English we`ll post it here.

III ï Cumbre Continental de Pueblos y Nacionalidades Indígenas del Abya Yala
De la resistencia al poder

Declaración de Iximche’

Nosotros y nosotras, hijos e hijas de los pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas originarias del continente, autoconvocados y reunidos en la III Cumbre Continental de Pueblos y Nacionalidades Indígenas del Abya Yala realizado en Iximche’, Guatemala, los días oxlajuj Aq’abal, trece fuerzas del espíritu del amanecer, 26 al kají kej, cuatro fuerzas del espíritu del Venado, 30 de marzo del 2007:

Reafirmamos la Declaración de Teotihuacan (México, 2000) y la Declaración de Kito (Ecuador, 2004); ratificamos nuestros principios milenarios, complementariedad, reciprocidad y dualidad, y nuestra lucha por el derecho al territorio, la Madre Naturaleza, la autonomía y libre determinación de los pueblos indígenas; y anunciamos el resurgimiento continental del Pachacutik (retorno), al cierre del Oxlajuj  Baq’tun, cuenta larga de 5,200 años, acercándonos a las puertas del nuevo Baq’tun encaminándonos para hacer del Abya Yala una tierra llena de vida.

Vivimos siglos de colonización, y hoy la imposición de políticas neoliberales, llamadas de globalización, que continúan llevando al despojo y saqueo de nuestros territorios, apoderándose de todos los espacios y medios de vida de los pueblos indígenas, causando la degradación de la Madre Naturaleza, la pobreza y migración, por la sistemática intervención en la soberanía de los pueblos por empresas transnacionales en complicidad con los gobiernos.

Nos prepararnos para recibir y afrontar los desafíos que nos demanda los nuevos tiempos, por tanto declaramos:

Afianzar el proceso de alianzas entre los pueblos indígenas, de pueblos indígenas y los movimientos sociales del continente y del mundo que permitan enfrentar las políticas neoliberales y todas las formas de opresión.

Responsabilizar a los gobiernos por el permanente despojo de los territorios y la extinción de los pueblos indígenas del continente, a partir de prácticas impunes de genocidio de las transnacionales, así como por la poca voluntad de las Naciones Unidas en viabilizar la Declaración de los Derechos de los Pueblos Indígenas y por no garantizar el respeto pleno de la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos.

Ratificar nuestro derecho ancestral e histórico al territorio y a los bienes comunes de la Madre Naturaleza, y reafirmamos su carácter inalienable, imprescriptible, inembargable e irrenunciable, aún a costa de nuestras vidas. 

Consolidar los procesos impulsados para fortalecer la refundación de los Estados – nación y la construcción de los Estados plurinacionales y sociedades interculturales a través de las Asambleas Constituyentes con representación directa de los pueblos y nacionalidades indígenas.

Avanzar en el ejercicio del derecho a la autonomía y libre determinación de los pueblos indígenas, aún sin el reconocimiento legal de los Estados – nación. 

Ratificar el rechazo a los tratados de libre comercio (TLCs) que vulneran la soberanía de los pueblos y mantener la vigilancia ante los intentos por implementar nuevos tratados comerciales.

Reafirmar nuestra decisión de defender la soberanía alimentaría y la lucha contra los transgenicos, convocando a todos los pueblos del mundo a sumarse a esta causa para garantizar nuestro futuro.

Ratificar la lucha por la democratización de la comunicación y la implementación de políticas públicas que contemplen disposiciones especificas para los pueblos indígenas e impulso de la interculturalidad.

Alertar a  los pueblos indígenas sobre las políticas del BID, Banco Mundial y entidades afines para penetrar en las comunidades con acciones asistencialistas y de cooptación que apuntan a la desarticulación de las organizaciones autónomas y legitimas.

Para el vivir bien de los pueblos indígenas, acordamos:

Exigir a las instituciones financieras internacionales y los gobiernos la cancelación de sus políticas de promoción de las concesiones (mineras, petroleras, forestales, gasiferas y de agua) de territorio indígenas para las industrias extractivas.

Condenar las políticas del presidente Bush y del gobierno de Estados Unidos expresadas en la exclusión demostrada con la construcción del muro en la frontera con México mientras por otro lado trata de apropiarse de los bienes comunes de la Madre Naturaleza de todos los pueblos del Abya Yala, implementando planes y acciones expansionistas y guerreristas.

Condenar la actitud intolerante de los gobiernos de los Estados – nación que no reconocen los derechos de los pueblos indígenas, en particular a los que no han ratificado ni garantizan la aplicación del Convenio 169 de la OIT.

Condenar las democracias impostoras y terroristas implementadas por los gobiernos neoliberales, que se traducen en la militarización de los territorios indígenas, la criminalización de las luchas indígenas y movimientos sociales en todo el Abya Yala.

Para hacer caminar la palabra y realizar los sueños, de la resistencia al poder:

Nos constituimos en la Coordinadora Continental de las Nacionalidades y Pueblos Indígenas del Abya Yala, como espacio permanente de enlace e intercambio, donde converjan experiencias y propuestas, para que juntos enfrentemos las políticas de globalización neoliberal y luchar por la liberación definitiva de nuestros pueblos hermanos, de la madre tierra, del territorio, del agua y todo el patrimonio natural para vivir bien.

En este proceso delineamos las siguientes acciones:

Fortalecer el proceso organizativo y de lucha de los pueblos indígenas con la participación de las mujeres, niños y jóvenes.

Convocar a la Cumbre Continental de Mujeres Indígenas del Abya Yala y a la Cumbre Continental de la Niñez, Adolescencia y Juventud de las Nacionalidades del Abya Yala.

Convocar a la marcha continental de los pueblos indígenas para salvar a la Madre Naturaleza de los desastres que está provocando el capitalismo, y que se manifiesta en el calentamiento global, a realizarse el 12 de octubre del 2007.

Impulsar la misión diplomática de los pueblos indígenas para defender y garantizar los derechos de los pueblos indígenas. 

Respaldar la candidatura a Premio Nobel de la Paz de nuestro hermano Evo Morales Ayma, Presidente de Bolivia.

Exigir la despenalización de la hoja de coca.

Soñamos nuestro pasado y recordamos nuestro futuro

Iximche’, Guatemala, marzo 30 de 2007.

This salsa evening Saturday 5th May at 8pm in Theatr Clwyd organised by the Clwyd Latin America Human Rights Group is to raise funds for the Movimiento Nacional por los Derechos Humanos (MNDH) in Guatemala. In February the MNDH suffered a number of intimidations reported by Amnesty International, including a break in at their offices (picture below).

If you`re interested in finding out more information about this fundraiser event, you can phone 01352 740 642 or 01244 531 702.

The UK Goverment has just launched a new strategy paper for Latin America. The paper was set out by Lord Triesman on 28th March in Canning House, London. It contains the rather embarassing insinuations that there`s a chance Latin America can be saved from ill by becoming a partner of the UK…

“I believe there are four realistic scenarios for Latin America in 2020:

• First, a secure, prosperous continent working in partnership with the UK on global issues;
• Second, a continent where democratic progress stalls, replaced by a new form of caudillo;
• Third, a continent unable to compete with either Asia in the manufacturing sector or Europe and the US on services, leaving it dependent on its raw materials;
• Fourth, a continent with a dividing line between prosperous and economically under performing states – with all the political instability that entails.”

Not sure if Lord Triesman has any idea how pompous that kind of statement sounds. Here`s the deal: Latin America let`s us exploit it natural resources and in return gets a pat on the head. Triesman`s words come at the same time tension has again surfaced with the Argentina- as the UK has been sniffing around the Falkland Islands for oil. Hey Triesman- let`s not try to kid the UK public that we`re interested in real partnership.

And the UK Government`s not even that bothered about the rights of islanders- the case of the Chagos Islands clarified that little misrepresentation of the Falklands war. Hey- and let`s not even mention Belize! Nuff said. Triesman please put a diplomatic sock in it.