Statement by Mr. Ivan imonovi, Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights at the special event at the 57th session of the Commission on the Status of Women on Obligations and Practical Measures to Support Women Human Rights Defenders, 12 March 2013, UN Headquarters, New York, Intervention of the Special Rapporteur at the Thematic Debate of the General Assembly "Water, Sanitation and Sustainable Energy In the Post-2015 Development Agenda", National institutions and regional mechanisms, Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, Working Group on business and human rights, Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders. For NPR News, I'm Maria Martin in Santiago Atitlan, Guatemala. Written on 18 March 2021. During his presidency, Arvalo made a number of positive changes for the country granting Guatemalan women the right to vote, allowing freedom of speech and reforming social security, healthcare, and education. RATZAN PABLO: Hibiscus, ginger, garlic, cinnamon and honey - they bring the fever down - yeah, and eucalyptus. The ancient Maya developed an agriculture-based society that they supplemented with wild game and fish caught in rivers, lakes, and oceans. society demanded transparency and fairness in the use of public funds. These include: a denial of their right to control their own development based on their own values,. Although the Government of Guatemala has adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the countrys indigenous peoples continue to face a number of challenges. One of the main struggles for Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala relates to political participation. "More and more people do not even consider staying. [9], The government formed a State Council to address issues of national importance, including strategies to address COVID-19, to which various sectors of the country (businessmen, religious leaders, civil society) were invited. They reach a certain age and know that they have to leave," Colom says. For example: the state invests USD0.4 per day in each Indigenous person and USD0.9 per day in each non-indigenous person;[1] poverty affects 75% of Indigenous people and 36% of non-indigenous people;[2] chronic malnutrition affects 58% of Indigenous people and 38% of non-indigenous people;[3] and, in terms of political participation, Indigenous individuals represent no more than 15% of parliamentarians and high-ranking public officials. IWGIA's global report, the Indigenous World, provides an update of the current situation for Indigenous Peoples worldwide. In 2015, he organised peaceful opposition to the Oxec hydroelectric project, which the communities said endangered their sacred Cahabn River. NPR transcripts are created on a rush deadline by an NPR contractor. Some evangelical congregations, she says, direct people not to get vaccinated or wear masks. The use, management, and conservation of water are not officially regulated, andseveral private companies take advantage of this by not paying for their water usage, nor contributing to water conservation, and without assumingany responsibility for pollution caused by discharges of waste. Posted in Guatemala. In November 2018, he was sentenced to seven years and four months in prison despite a lack of evidence against him and irregularities in the prosecution, the experts said. MANUEL PICAHAU: (Through interpreter) Watch a cable station that plays a lot of news from the United States, and there are a lot of people there getting sick because of the vaccine. Join us and make a difference. MARIA MARTIN, BYLINE: Mayan priestess Dolores Ratzan Pablo makes offerings of flowers, liquor and multicolored candles to the sacred fire. IRMA ALICIA VELASQUEZ NIMANTUJ: This topic is a little complex. Read The Indigenous World. In the past years, indigenous youth have been focusing on recovering the ancestral wisdom of their grandparents. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. Guatemala is home to more than 24 ethnic groups, the majority of which are of Mayan descent. The United States designated three ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) leaders, including Emir Sanaullah Ghafari, as Specially Designated Global Terrorists, in response to the August attack on Kabul International Airport, which killed at least 185 people including 13 U.S. servicemembers supporting evacuation operations and injured more than 150 others. Arbenz focused heavily on agrarian reform, passing a law in 1952 in attempts to give agricultural land from large property owners to landless indigenous workers. We screened the full texts of 82 records for . USAID supports the Government of GuatemalasLa Rutainitiative, which fosters dialogue between Indigenous Peoples in the Western Highlands and the Guatemalan central government to increase service delivery and reduce social conflict. Find The Indigenous World 2021 in full here, https://www.icefi.org/sites/default/files/inversion_en_pueblos_indigenas_0.pdf, http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/multimedia/2016/guatemala/guatemala.html, http://www.sesan.gob.gt/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Situacion-SAN-Guatemala-dia-1.pdf, https://www.prensalibre.com/revista-d/los-pueblos-coloniales-de-la-costa-sur/, https://www.eleconomista.net/actualidad/Guatemala-afronta-una-pobreza-multidimensional-del-61-20191126-0028.html, https://elperiodico.com.gt/nacionales/2020/05/23/pueblos-indigenas-los-mas-vulnerables-ante-el-covid-19/, https://www.prensalibre.com/ciudades/solola/giammattei-responde-a-campesinos-que-bloquearon-los-encuentros-a-pesar-del-confinamiento-por-el-coronavirus-breaking/, https://www.infobae.com/america/agencias/2020/12/10/indigenas-cierran-caminos-en-guatemala-para-exigir-renuncia-del-presidente, https://www.prensalibre.com/ciudades/alta-verapaz/niegan-ingreso-a-alcalde-de-carcha-a-reunion-con-el-presidente-alejandro-giammattei/, https://www.perspectiva.gt/noticias/bono-familia-negocio-para-algunos-falsa-expectativa-para-otros/, https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/nytimes/obituary.aspx?n=reginaldo-chayax-huex&pid=196929391, https://elperiodico.com.gt/nacionales/2020/11/22/un-incendio-premeditado-y-gases-lacrimogenos-esperaban-a-una-manifestacion-pacifica/, https://elperiodico.com.gt/nacionales/2020/11/24/pueblos-indigenas-denuncian-abuso-de-autoridad-por-parte-del-gobierno-actual/, https://www.prensalibre.com/ciudades/alta-verapaz/tragedia-en-queja-san-cristobal-verapaz-suspenden-busqueda-de-victimas-por-eta/, https://www.guatevision.com/nacionales/departamentos/estamos-viviendo-entre-escombros-a-mas-de-dos-meses-de-la-inundacion-en-campur-gobierno-aun-analiza-que-acciones-tomar, https://debatesindigenas.org/ENG/ns/59-epistemic-violence.html, http://www.oas.org/es/cidh/prensa/comunicados/2020/215.asp, https://elperiodico.com.gt/nacionales/2020/04/30/el-guatemalteco-jose-cali-fue-nombrado-relator-de-onu-para-pueblos-indigenas2/, https://www.prensacomunitaria.org/2020/08/nebaj-derecho-de-tierras-ejidales-es-restituido-al-pueblo-ixil/, https://nomada.gt/identidades/guatemala-rural/3-comunidades-vencieron-a-las-municipalidades-que-intentaban-usurpar-sus-tierras/, https://www.prensacomunitaria.org/2020/06/cc-la-mina-cgn-no-puede-trabajar-hasta-que-se-realice-consulta-comunitaria-y-delimite-terreno-de-operaciones/, https://www.facebook.com/comundichgt/photos/a.110418727061610/110417707061712/?type=3. In addition, many of the lockdown measures were not evenly implemented. In September, authorities and the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation, a nongovernmental organization (NGO), began efforts to recover the bodies of at least 116 Indigenous children. This hydroelectric project was approved by the government, failing to comply with environmental laws and the Right of the Indigenous Peoples, a rule that says indigenous communities need to be consulted before any type of construction on their territory. More and more people do not even consider staying. The impacts on Indigenous women emerged in the additional workload they had to endure in relation to household tasks and the impossibility of carrying out their economic activities. Samuc blames a lack of leadership for the COVID crisis in Indigenous communities like Santiago, beginning with Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei and the three health ministers he's appointed in less than two years. And this is frustrating not to feel the support of people and especially of our leaders. Because it is the only way for their families to survive.. It was truly terrible the number of deaths that occurred at that time. October 26, 2021 A Call to Action to Stop Repression against Q'eqchi Peoples in Guatemala En espaol On October 24, 2021, Guatemala's President Alejandro Giammattei declared a state of siege (martial law) in the town of El Estor, Izabal, in response to clashes between Indigenous Q'eqchi land defenders and the State police. At a meeting to establish strategies to face up to tropical storm Iota, the President of the Republic deliberately denied entry to the Mayor of San Pedro Carch, Alta Verapaz, an indigenous Qeqch, despite the fact that his municipality was one of the most affected by the storm. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Follow news related to the UN independent human rights experts on Twitter @UN_SPExperts. Guatemala is formed by diverse ethnic groups, especially those of Mayan descent, and the State recognizes, promotes and respects their ways of life, customs, traditions, and ways of social organization.. Pueblos indgenas, los ms vulnerables ante el COVID-19. [Indigenous Peoples most vulnerable to COVID-19]. This is not the first time. Regardless of the actual percentage that constitutes Guatemalas indigenous population, the Maya can be considered a minority when referring to a category of people who experience relative disadvantage as compared to members of a dominant social group (1). Guatemala: The Quich Maya indigenous group and whether its situation is comparable to or distinguishable from the other indigenous groups in Guatemala, and whether there are reports of its mistreatment by government agents . The . #Standup4humanrights The concept "people" refers to the set of features that characterize a human group in terms of their territory, history, culture, and ethnicity from which they builds a sense of identity (1,2,3,4,5,6).Indigenous peoples of Latin America are recognized as the direct descendants of the inhabitants of this region before the arrival of Europeans in the 15th century. Thousand Oaks, California. and visit the website at http://www.standup4humanrights.org. MARTIN: Which is another falsehood. Written on 01 April 2022. SANTANA: (Through interpreter) Well, nobody's perfect. During his conquest, de Alvarado murdered not only the top indigenous leaders, but members of the civilian population as well, commiting eight mass murders, killing up to 3,000 indigenous people at a time. "Mr. Bernardo Caal Xl has been criminalised because he, on behalf of his community, took a case all the way to the Supreme Court to try to halt the Oxec hydroelectric project," the experts said. Guatemala has a population of 14.9 million people, of which 6.5 million (43.75%) belong to the 22 Mayan (Achi, Akatec, Awakatec, Chalchitec, Chorti, Chuj, Itza, Ixil, Jacaltec, Kaq- chikel, Kiche, Mam, Mopan, Poqomam, Poqomchi, Qanjobal, Qeqchi, Sakapultec, Sipakapense, Tektitek, Tzutujil and Us- pantek), one Garifuna, one Xinca and one Creole or Afro-descendant peoples. Despite representing more than half of the population and participating actively in the countrys economy, their political participation is not equitably reflected. The Qeqch people use infusions of wild guava leaves (Psidium guajava); the Chort use Quina (Cinchona officinalis), a plant from which quinine, the active component for treating malaria, is extracted. The genocide continues today. MARTIN: Recently, the disinformation led to violence in a remote Maya community in the northern province of Alta Verapaz. SAMUC: (Through interpreter) All of these institutions who should've come to the plate simply dropped out, including community groups and churches. Until today, indingeous communities are still marked by the horrific acts that took place against them during this 36 year war. His army killed thousands of indigenous people and destroyed more than 400 villages. USAID also provides professional development opportunities to the indigenous leaders with an emphasis on youth and women. Domingo Choc was murdered in his own community, accused of practising witchcraft. MARTIN: Ratzan Pablo says the Maya have survived the Spanish conquest, a recent genocide and countless natural disasters. This in a country where Indigenous people comprise at least 40% of the population. friends of george cardenas; how does kaleidoscope work; Guatemala has ratified ILO Convention 169 (which the Constitutional Court elevated to constitutional status in 2010, obliging the country to recognise the rights of Indigenous Peoples), the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, and the FAO Policy on Indigenous and Tribal Peoples. MARTIN: With little hope of things changing soon, many Maya prefer to use their traditional remedies to fight off the virus, says Maya priestess Dolores Ratzan Pablo. Read The Indigenous World. They can face stigma and discrimination. A year ago, as one of his first acts in office, President Alejandro Giammattei slashed the budget of the so-called. Meanwhile, remarks about the incident by Guatemala's president did little to help the situation. Yet, for the Indigenous populations of Guatemala, independence has not meant an end to racism, exploitation, and abandonment. The case sets a precedent worldwide since it is the first time a crime of sexual abuse during an armed conflict has gone under trial in the same country where it was committed. USAID's Indigenous People's Engagement Strategy in Guatemala seeks to bridge Indigenous Peoples' knowledge systems with national systems by closely coordinating efforts with indigenous entities, integrating their perspectives and priorities into programs. These actions made Arvalo very popular among Guatemalas general population, but caused discontent among the elite who tried to overthrow him 20 times. During this time, Guatemalas economy grew substantially primarily as a result of the export of coffee and bananas. . "We remain deeply concerned about long periods of pre-trial detention and the repeated suspension of hearings, which prolongs trials," the experts said. A good example is the Rocj Pontil Project of the Hidro Energa S.A. company on Qeqchi territory in the Alta Verapaz department. "Dikos Nitsaag-19" or COVID-19 has threatened the lives of people of color and Indigenous communities at a higher rate. Addressing the development priorities of these populations will improve public services, promote economic opportunities through private sector engagement, and increase security, all of which will reduce illegal immigration. UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: (Speaking Spanish). In the face of this adversity, the Colectivo Artesana promotes public policies that protect the human rights of Indigenous female prisoners. Guatemala City: On July 23, 2021 the International Indian Treaty Council will participate in the opening event for two offices in Guatemala, hosted by the Mayan Kaqchikel University in Santo Domingo Xenacoj in the department of Sacatepquez. But because there are so many negatives, we can't go all in. False accusations, planted evidence, fraudulent use of bank accounts and the absence of translation services during the legal process are among the many recurring irregularities. Prinsessegade 29 B, 3rd floorDK 1422 CopenhagenDenmarkPhone: (+45) 53 73 28 30E-mail: iwgia@iwgia.org CVR: 81294410, Report possible misconduct, fraud, or corruption, If you do not change browser settings, you agree to it. A law that threatens the right to defend human rights entered into force. Guatema This ruling violatesthe rights of Indigenous Peoples, ILO Convention 169 and the laws of the country itself because community consultations do not require any regulation and must be carried out according to the mechanisms of the Indigenous Peoples. They arrested many communist leaders and released over 600 political prisoners arrested under Arbenz. Moreover, a 2018 investigation by the Guatemalan daily newspaper Prensa Libre showed that, in recent years, the largely Indigenous departments of San Marcos and Huehuetenango have registered more than 50 percent of all abandoned public works projects. Learn more. In clear demonstration of the prevailing structural racism, however, Indigenous organisations were excluded. One widely repudiated act was the murder of Domingo Choc, a Qeqch Indigenous healer from San Luis, Petn department. Race, Ethnicity, Gender, & Class : The Sociology of Group Conflict and Change. Land was given to the original elite landowners, and indigenous rights were restricted. Across the Navajo reservation, these emergencies have motivated Din communities to step up and help their people as quickly as possible by distributing care packages to families; providing computers, laptops, free internet access, and food packages; or contributing . The UN estimates there are some 476 million indigenous people in more than 90 countries around the world who have been denied the opportunity to control . Any survivors were enslaved and forced to work on their stolen land. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information. A short author biography is also included.Adapted for ages 4-6.Recommended in the Canadian Indigenous Books for Schools 2020/2021 resource list for grades K-1 in the areas of English Language Arts and Social Studies.This book is available in French: Le chandail orange de PhyllisAdditional Information30 pages | 9.00 Get the latest from our news, events and meetings. According to the 2015 study by the Central American Institute of Fiscal Studies, the Guatemalan state invested forty-five cents in Indigenous communities for every dollar the State invested in non-Indigenous communities. 4 out of 5 indigenous Guatemalans live in poverty and have limited access to healthcare, education, and other basic services. http://www.sesan.gob.gt/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Situacion-SAN-Guatemala-dia-1.pdf. A lock () or https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely. This affront marked a rift between the government and the Indigenous people, who denounced this racist and overbearing treatment and demanded substantial changes in the way the state is run. Offerings of flowers, liquor and multicolored candles to the Indigenous populations of Guatemala, independence has not an! 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