20 Oct 2006
Help prevent violence in Guatemala land evictions
Please take action to respond to military operations now happening in Guatemala. The purpose of the operations is to forcefully evict the peasants of Michbil Rix-pu in Alta Verapaz and Los Molinos in Quiche. These operations are part of a series of forced evictions carried out by the current administration of Oscar Berger, which has used military and police to forcefully evict tens of thousands of peasants from their land. Both communities are members of the Committee for Peasant Unity (CUC).
Land disputes emerge when peasants occupy land as a way of protest to demand fulfilment of their labour rights or when questions arise regarding the ownership of land.
“Since coming to office in 2004, President Berger has accelerated evictions and ignored the consequent human right abuses. Destruction of homes, violations of due process, even killings, have been carried out with impunity,” said Javier Zuñiga, Director of the Americas Programme at Amnesty International. Learn more from Amnesty (here)
If pressure is applied now it may significantly decrease the likelihood of a massacre/s occurring. Please call or email the Guatemalan and Canadian embassies at the numbers below. Your urgent response to this action could help avoid bloodshed. Here are some key points that you can make:
- there is a high level of concern about two planned evictions against the communities of Michbil Rix-pu Salacuin in Alta Verapaz and Los Molinos in Quiche, given the history of use of force in land evictions
- the Guatemalan government should recognize the right of people of Michbil Rix-pu Salacuin to legal title to their land
- residents have the right to due process of law, and not use the military in police operations
- the Guatemalan government must take full responsibility for the safety of these communities, and recognize that forced evictions place children and the elderly at special risk.
- the Guatemalan government should implement land reforms promised in the 1996 Peace Accords
Please contact the Guatemalan embassy in Canada.
His Excellency Carlos Humberto JIMENEZ LICONA, Ambassador
Tel.: 1 613 233-2737
Email: embassy1@embaguate-canada.com
Please inform the Canadian embassy in Guatemala of your communication with the Guatemalan representative.
Ambassador: Mr. Kenneth Cook
Tel: 011-502-2363-4348
Email: gtmla@international.gc.ca