Original version, Spanish translation below

By Danilo Valladares

GUATEMALA CITY, Jan 2, 2012 (IPS) – “There’s a big difference in the way indigenous people and mestizos (people of mixed ancestry) are treated. We are not paid the same wages for the same work,” Higinio Pu, an activist with the native group Waxaquib Noj, which means “wisdom” in the Maya Quiché language, told IPS.

“When workers are hired we are also passed over. And indigenous women who work in the ‘maquilas’ (plants assembling goods for export) are hit especially hard by discrimination,” said Pu.

These views were corroborated by a survey on “Racismo y discriminación racial en el sector empresarial” (Racism and racial discrimination in the business sector), carried out in November by the Association for Research and Social Studies (ASIES), an NGO, and the Presidential Commission on Discrimination and Racism Against Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala (CODISRA).

Based on telephone interviews with 550 business owners in greater Guatemala City, the survey found that on average, only 12 percent of workers in small and micro-enterprises are indigenous people, while the workforce of medium and large businesses is made up of 20 percent native people.

According to official statistics, indigenous people comprise close to 40 percent of Guatemala’s population of 14 million, but native organisations put the figure at over 60 percent.

Over half the business owners interviewed (52 percent) said they do not pay mestizos and indigenous people the same wages for the same work, and in some service sectors like retail the proportion of those admitting that they paid different wages was as high as 56 percent.

Pu agreed with the survey findings, but had considerably more to add.

“The survey did not collect information about the working conditions endured by indigenous people, which are often inhumane. During the coffee or sugarcane harvests, for example, the workers live in rough shacks or sheds and sleep all packed together on the floor,” he said.

Bequer Chocooj, the CODISRA commissioner, told IPS the survey “is an initial approximation” to assessing employer discrimination against indigenous people, and has produced “very valuable” results.

“The fact that 52 percent of business owners responded that there is a difference between the wages paid to indigenous persons and to mestizos for the same work confirms the 2010 National Employment Survey results, according to which indigenous workers earn 50 percent less than non-indigenous employees,” he said.

He also pointed out that the participation of indigenous employees in the Guatemalan business sector is “very low.”

“Although 83 percent of the business owners surveyed said they have no preference between hiring indigenous or non-indigenous workers, the results show otherwise, because only between 12 and 20 percent of their employees are indigenous,” he said.

The consequences of this sort of labour discrimination for the Guatemalan economy are enormous, according to Chocooj.

“The economic cost to the country of ethno-racial discrimination in 2003 was over 6.3 billion quetzals (about 812 million dollars), equivalent to 3.3 percent of GDP” according to the 2009 study “Diagnóstico del Racismo en Guatemala” (Analysis of Racism in Guatemala) carried out by the Vice Presidency of the Republic, he said.

“Without equality, we cannot develop. There is a historical debt owed to indigenous peoples that has to be redressed, by improving our access to political power and increasing public investment in health, education, basic services and productive projects,” said Chocooj.

The 2010 National Survey of Employment and Income carried out by the state National Institute of Statistics published data about the different level of participation in the economy of the indigenous compared to the non-indigenous population of Guatemala.

There are 3.4 million non-indigenous people in the labour force, compared with only 2.2 million indigenous people. And 44 percent of the country’s underemployed people are indigenous, according to the 2010 survey.

Half the Guatemalan population lives below the poverty line, while 17 percent are extremely poor, most of them indigenous people, according to international bodies.

Chocooj is hopeful that the incoming government of president-elect Otto Pérez Molina, a retired general due to take office in January for four years, will create more opportunities for the development of indigenous communities.

This would require enlarging the budget of government institutions like the Ombudsman’s Office for Indigenous Women, the Guatemalan Fund for Indigenous Development, and the CODISRA commission Chocooj presides, he said.

Ruben Narciso of ASIES, the social research association, told IPS that the survey they carried out with CODISRA clearly demonstrated that there is ethnic discrimination in the country when it comes to hiring workers.

“The goal of the survey on racism among business owners was to gather primary information as a basis for further studies on indigenous issues in relation to companies, and create public policies to counteract discrimination,” he said.

That is why they will shortly be holding meetings with private sector organisations to present the results of the survey and initiate discussions with a view to improving equality in the Guatemalan labour sector.

Spanish version. Version en Español

Guatemala: Personas indígenas sufren racismo en los empleos.

By Danilo Valladares

Lunes 2 de enero de 2012. Hay una gran diferencia en la manera  en que los indígenas y los mestizos (personas de ascendencia mixta)  son tratados. No se nos paga lo mismo por el mismo trabajo dijo Higinio Pu, un activista del grupo nativo  “Waxaquib Noj”, que significa “sabiduría” en la lengua maya-Quiché.

Traducida al Español, versión original arriba

“Cuando los otros empleados son contratados a nosotros no se nos contrata. Las mujeres que trabajan en las “maquilas” son las más discriminadas” dijo Pu.

Estas opiniones  fueron corroboradas por un estudio sobre el “Racismo y discriminación racial en el sector empresarial” llevado a cabo en Noviembre por la asociación de investigación y  estudios sociales  (ASIES) una ONG, y la comisión Presidencial  de Discriminación y Racismo en contra de las personas indígenas de Guatemala (CODISRA).

Basado en entrevistas telefónicas con 550 dueños de negocios en la ciudad capital, el estudió dio como resultado que en general solamente el 12 por ciento de los trabajadores en pequeñas empresas  y micro empresas son indígenas, mientras que el personal de medianas y grandes empresas está formado con más del 20 por ciento de personas indígenas.

De acuerdo con estadísticas oficiales,  las personas indígenas componen cerca del 40 por ciento de la población formada por 14 millones, pero las organizaciones indígenas  elevan la cifra a más del 60 por ciento.

Más de la mitad de los propietarios de negocios entrevistados (52 por ciento)  comentan que  ellos no les pagan a los mestizos y a los indígenas  el mismo salario por el mismo  trabajo,  y que en algunos sectores de servicio como la venta al por menor  las proporciones de aquellos que admiten que pagan diferentes salarios resultó arriba del 56 por ciento.

Pu está de acuerdo con lo que arrojan los resultados del estudio , pero tiene mucho que agregar al respecto.

“El estudio no recolectó información acerca de las condiciones en las  que trabajan los indígenas, que muchas veces son inhumanas. Durante la cosecha de café o caña de azúcar por ejemplo, los trabajadores viven en chozas o establos y duermen amontonados en el piso” dijo.

Bequer Chocooj  el comisionado de CODIRSA, dijo a IPS que la encuesta   “es una aproximación inicial” para evaluar la discriminación de los empleadores en contra de las personas indígenas, y ha producido resultados “muy valiosos”.

“El hecho de que el 52 por ciento de los dueños de los negocios respondieran que hay una diferencia entre el salario que se les paga a los mestizos y a los indígenas por el mismo trabajo, confirma  el resultado de la encuesta de empleo, de acuerdo con la cual los trabajadores  indígenas ganan 50 por ciento menos que los empleados no indígenas”  dijo Chocooj.

El también señaló que la participación de los empleados en los negocios en Guatemala es “muy baja”.

“Aunque el 83 por ciento de los dueños de negocios encuestados dijeron que ellos no tienen preferencia en contratar a trabajadores  indígenas o no indígenas, el estudio  arrojó un resultado diferente, porque solamente entre el 12 y el 20 por ciento de los empleados son indígenas” dijo chocooj.

De acuerdo con Chocooj las consecuencias de esta especie de discriminación laboral para la economía guatemalteca es enorme.

“El costo económico para el país por la discriminación etno-racial en 2003 era de más de 6.3 billones de quetzales  (cerca de 812 millones de dólares) equivalente  al 3.3 por ciento de GDP” de acuerdo con el estudio “diagnóstico del Racismo en Guatemala” de 2009 llevado a cabo por el vicepresidente de la república, dijo Chocooj.

“sin igualdad, no habrá desarrollo. Hay una deuda histórica con los indígenas que necesita ser saldada, mejorando nuestro acceso al poder político y aumentado la inversión pública en salud, educación, servicios básicos y proyectos productivos” dijo Chocooj.

La encuesta nacional del empleo y salario de 2010 llevada a cabo por  el Instituto Estatal  Nacional de estadísticas, publicó datos acerca de diferentes niveles de  participación en la economía Guatemalteca  de la población  indígenas comparada con la no indígena.

3.4 millones personas no indígenas componen la  fuerza de trabajo, comparada con solamente 2.2 millones de personas indígenas.  De acuerdo con la encuesta de 2010 el 44 por ciento de los subempleados del país son indígenas.

La  mitad de la población guatemalteca vive  por debajo del umbral de la pobreza, mientras que el 17 por ciento es extremadamente pobre, la mayoría son indígenas, de acuerdo con los organismos internacionales .

Chocooj  espera que el gobierno entrante del presidente electo Otto Pérez Molina, un general retirado que tomará posesión en enero por un período de  cuatro años, cree  más oportunidades para el desarrollo de las comunidades indígenas.

Esto requerirá  ampliar el presupuesto  de las instituciones gubernamentales como la Defensoría del Pueblo de la Mujer Indígena, el Fondo de Desarrollo Indígena Guatemalteco, y la comisión CODIRSA  la cual  preside Chocooj .

Ruben Narciso de ASIES, la asociación  de investigación social, dijo a IPS que la encuesta que ellos llevaron a cabo con CODIRSA claramente demuestra que existe  discriminación étnica en el país cuando se trata de contratar a los empleados.

“El objetivo de la encuesta sobre el racismo entre los dueños de negocios, es reunir información primaria como  base para estudios futuros acerca de los problemas que deben enfrentar los indígenas en relación con las empresas, y crear políticas públicas para contrarrestar  la discriminación dijo Chocooj.

Por esta razón muy pronto ellos tendrán reuniones con organizaciones del sector privado, para presentar el resultado de la encuesta e iniciar discusiones  con el fin de mejorar la igualdad en el sector laboral guatemalteco.

Original version, Spanish translation below

By Martin Barillas

Monday, November 14, 2011  “Creating Opportunities” is a program launched by the Population Council, a U.S.-based nongovernment organization in the Guatemalan provinces of Alta Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Sololá, Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango and Chiquimula, and addressed to girls between 8 and 18 years of age, with the objective of strengthening rural communities and creating “safe spaces” where they can come together and develop their self-esteem, skills, and plan the future.

Launched in 2004, the program wants to break the cycle of poverty and make the girls realize their full potential. In Guatemala in fact, where 14 million people live, half of them in poverty, indigenous women are the poorest of the poor, and live marginalization and discrimination.

According to official statistics, 40% of the country’s population consists of indigenous, even if native groups and international NGOs argue that they are 60%. Among women there are 7 out of 10 maternal deaths, the highest teen pregnancy rate in rural areas of Latin America, with 114 mothers who are less than 20 per 1000 births. Only 26% of indigenous women who speak the native languages complete primary school, compared to 45% of boys and 62% of indigenous women who speak Spanish.

According to the Population Council, Mayan girls are the most disadvantaged in the country, subject to early marriage, limited education, frequent pregnancies, social exclusion and chronic poverty. In addition, according to the recent report of The State of the World Population 2011, United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), Guatemala has the highest fertility rate in Latin America. Guatemalan women between 15 and 49 have an average of 3.8 children, compared to the average of 2.2 across Latin America.

Source:http://www.speroforum.com/a/MNOLNYYNTG27/Guatemala-Indigenous-women-are-the-poorest-of-the-poor

Spanish version. Version en Español

Guatemala: Las mujeres indígenas son las más pobres entre los pobres.

Lunes 14 de Noviembre de 2011. “Creando oportunidades” es un programa emprendido por el concejo de población, una organización no gubernamental con base en estados Unidos en las provincias guatemaltecas de Alta Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Sololá, Totonicapán, Quetzaltenango y Chiquimula, dirigido a muchachas entre 8 y 18 años de edad, con el objetivo de fortalecer las comunidades rurales y crear “espacios seguros” donde se puedan reunir y desarrollar su auto-estima, destrezas, y planear su futuro.

Traducida al Español, versión original arriba

Comenzando en el 2004, este programa quiere romper el ciclo de pobreza y hacer que las jovencitas se den cuenta de su potencial. De hecho en Guatemala, donde viven 14 millones de personas, la mitad de ellas en la pobreza, son las mujeres indígenas las más pobres entre los pobres,  viven la marginalización y discriminación.

De acuerdo con estadísticas oficiales, el 40% de la población del país es indígena, aunque grupos nativos y ONGS argumentan que conforman el 60%. Entre las mujeres hay siete de cada diez muertes maternales, la taza más alta de embarazos en adolescentes en Latinoamérica. Sólo el 26% de mujeres indígenas que hablan la lengua nativa completan la escuela primaria, en comparación con el 45% de los varones y el 62% de mujeres indígenas que hablan español.

De acuerdo con el concejo de población, las jóvenes Mayas son las más desfavorecidas en el país, sujetas a matrimonios prematuros, educación limitada, embarazos frecuentes, exclusión social y pobreza crónica. Adicionalmente, de acuerdo con el reciente reporte de El Estado de la población mundial 2011, Fondo de las naciones Unidas para actividades poblacionales (UNFPA) , Guatemala tiene el porcentaje más alto de fertilidad en Latinoamérica. Las mujeres guatemaltecas entre los 15 y 49 años tienen un promedio de 3.8 hijos en comparación con el promedio de 2.2 en el resto de Latinoamérica.

Fuente:  http://www.speroforum.com/a/MNOLNYYNTG27/Guatemala-Indigenous-women-are-the-poorest-of-the-poor

Original version, Spanish translation below

By Louisa Reynolds

Government apologizes for human rights violations during armed conflict while compensation programs for victims are severely underfunded.
Carlos Chen Osorio is the only survivor of a Mayan Achí family whose members were brutally slaughtered by the army in five different massacres perpetrated during Guatemala´s 36-year-long civil war against the inhabitants of Río Negro, a town in the northeastern department of Baja Verapaz.

Chen lost 40 family members and today he leads the Association for the Integral Development of Mayan Achí Victims of Violence, an indigenous organization based in Baja Verapaz that seeks compensation for war victims.

According to Chen, symbolic actions taken by the government, such as public admissions that the State applied genocidal policies against the country´s Mayan communities, are not enough.

“The government has apologized for what was done to us but apologies won´t buy us land or a home,” he said.

President Álvaro Colom is the nephew of Manuel Colom Argueta, former mayor of Guatemala City, murdered at the height of the military repression in 1979, and his center-left administration has sought to portray itself as the heir of the 1944 Revolution, an uprising against dictator Jorge Ubico that ushered in a decade of democratic rule under Presidents Juan José Arévalo and Jacobo Árbenz.

This period, known in Guatemalan history as “the 10 years of democratic Spring,” came to an abrupt end with a coup sponsored by the United Fruit Company and the US government, which feared the spread of communism in Central America.

Government rhetoric frequently alludes to these historical events and the Colom administration, whose slogan is “times of solidarity,” has issued many public apologies for wartime atrocities.

In March this year, Colom apologized to the family members of guerrilla fighter and poet Otto René Castillo and his partner Nora Paiz, who were tortured and disappeared by the army 44 years ago.

But there was an embarrassing moment for Colom during the ceremony when a group of peasant activists burst into the National Palace and demanded that the government should put an end to land evictions in rural areas, exposing the gulf between official rhetoric, which emphasizes peace, justice for war victims and the need to fight poverty and inequality, and the country´s stark reality.

For war victims like Chen, apologies ring hollow when little progress has been made in terms of compensating survivors and ending the dire misery in rural areas that led desperate peasants to join the guerrilla in the first place.

Compensation plans are underfunded
The National Compensation Program has been assigned a US$13.3 million yearly budget: $3.9 million for administrative costs and $9.1 million for the compensation directly, including the construction of basic dwellings (a small, one-bedroom cement structure with a tin roof and outdoor latrine), agricultural or craft production plans which aim to provide the community with a source of income, and compensation of up to $5,200 per victim, and a brief counseling session to help survivors overcome their ordeal.

Director of the program César Dávila explains that this is only a third of the budget established by the War Victims´ Compensation Law, approved under the 2000-2004 Alfonso Portillo government.

According to Dávila, this means that 3,000 housing requests will not be met under the Colom administration, which ends next January.

With regards to the projects that are meant to make communities self-sustainable, 130 feasibility studies have been carried out but only 20 of the proposed projects will be implemented due to insufficient resources.

When the Colom administration´s priorities were questioned since the program is desperately underfunded, Dávila says that the requested budget for the program this year was $28.8 million, but opposition parties in Congress reduced it by more than half to US$13 million.

However, inside sources who requested anonymity for fear of reprisals say that although the program´s budget is clearly inadequate, even the funds available are often squandered. For instance, in only a week, the program office spent $9,800 on glossy advertisements in national newspapers with an upper-class urban readership, trumpeting the program´s achievements, funds that could have been used to build five dwellings for rural families who have spent years on a seemingly endless waiting list.

Was there a civil war in Guatemala?

For the victims of the armed conflict, memories of the atrocities committed against helpless civilians are hard to forget. However, for a new generation of Guatemalans born after the Peace Accords were signed in 1996, the war never happened.

Until now, the national curriculum vaguely states that teachers should explain why the Peace Accords were signed, but the issue is usually treated in a superficial manner and with no mention of why there was a war in the first place.

“I´ve been a university lecturer for 20 years and I´ve noticed that the new generation is completely ignorant about the issue and is not even aware of the fact that we had a war”, says Professor Rodolfo Arévalo.

This is supposed to change this year after the compensation program produced a series of teaching materials on the armed conflicts that will be used in all schools, including games of snakes and ladders for younger pupils, where each square on the board contains a question on Guatemalan history that the student must answer and a guide for teachers on how to address the issue and how to answer questions that may arise in the classroom.

But these efforts, which are meant to ensure that the Mayan holocaust is not forgotten, have been frowned upon by army veterans and right-wing sectors that are reluctant to admit the atrocities that were committed.

“Many people insist that the issue shouldn´t be discussed. The Peace Accords were symbolic and the country continues to be ruled by the oligarchy. Parents have complained when some private schools have tried to teach students about the war. The bottom line is that this country is not interested in knowing what happened,” said high school teacher Rossana Pinillos

Source: http://www.latinamericapress.org/articles.asp?item=1&art=6368

Spanish version. Version en Español

Indígenas guatemaltecos víctima de la guerra aún esperan compensación 

6 de Mayo de 2011.  El gobierno se disculpa por violar derechos humanos durante el conflicto armado, mientras los programas de compensación para las víctimas  carecen de fondos suficientes.

Traducida al Español, versión original arriba

Carlos Chen Osorio es el único Maya Achí sobreviviente de su familia, la cual fue brutalmente asesinada por el ejército en 5 diferentes masacres perpetuadas durante los 36 años de la guerra civil en contra de los habitantes de Río Negro, un pueblo del nordeste departamento de Baja Verapaz.

Chen perdió a 40 miembros de su familia, hoy día dirige la asociación para el Desarrollo Integral de Mayas Achí víctimas de violencia, la cual es una organización indígena con base en Baja Verapaz, que busca compensación para las víctimas de la guerra.

Chen considera que las acciones  simbólicas que el gobierno realiza como  admitir públicamente que el estado aplicó políticas genocidas en contra de las comunidades Mayas, no es suficiente.

“El gobierno se ha disculpado por lo que nos hicieron, pero las disculpas no nos compran tierras u hogares”.

El presidente Álvaro Colom es el sobrino de Manuel Colom Argueta,  ex -alcalde de la ciudad de Guatemala , asesinado durante  la represión militar en 1979, su administración de centro-izquierda  ha querido reflejar la herencia de  la revolución de 1944, ésta fue una revuelta  en contra del dictador Jorge Ubico, que marcó el comienzo de una década de democracia bajo el mando de los presidentes Juan José Arévalo y Jacobo Árbenz.

Este período conocido en la historia de Guatemala como “ los diez años de la primavera democrática”  llegó a un abrupto final con el golpe de estado llevado a cabo  por la compañía “United Fruit Company” y el gobierno de los Estados Unidos, que temía que se propagara el comunismo  en centro América.

El gobierno frecuentemente hace alusión a estos eventos históricos, la administración de Colom, cuyo slogan es “tiempos de solidaridad” ha emitido muchas disculpas públicas por las atrocidades cometidas durante la guerra.

En Marzo de este año, Colom se disculpó con los miembros de la familia del  combatiente de la guerrilla y poeta Otto René Castillo y su compañera Nora Paiz, quienes fueron torturados y desaparecidos por el ejército hace 44 años.

Hubo un momento incómodo para Colom durante la ceremonia cuando un grupo de campesinos activistas irrumpieron el  Palacio Nacional y demandaron al gobierno que debe poner un alto al desalojo de tierras en las áreas rurales, contrario a lo que expone la retórica oficial la cual enfatiza la paz, justicia para las víctimas de la guerra, ellos se hicieron presentes para demostrar  el lado inhóspito de la realidad del país.

Para las víctimas de la guerra como Chen, las disculpas suenan vacías cuando se ha progresado muy poco en términos de recompensar a los sobrevivientes y terminar  la miseria extrema en las áreas rurales, que fue lo que llevo a los desesperados campesinos a unirse a la guerrilla en primer lugar.

Planes de compensación sin fondos suficientes.

Se ha asignado al  programa nacional de compensación $13.3 millones de dólares del presupuesto anual: $3.9 millones de dólares para costos administrativos, y $9.1 millones de dólares para la compensación directamente, incluyendo la construcción de  viviendas básicas (una pequeña estructura de cemento con un cuarto , techo de plomo, y una letrina afuera), planes para la producción artesanal o agrícola, cuyo objetivo es proveer a la comunidad una fuente de ingreso, y  la compensación hasta de $5,200 dólares por víctima, y un breve asesoramiento  para ayudar a los sobrevivientes a superar su terrible experiencia.

El director del programa César Dávila explica que este es únicamente la tercer parte del presupuesto establecido por ley para la compensación de las víctimas de la guerra , aprobado en el gobierno de Alfonso Portillo 2000-2004.

De acuerdo con Dávila, esto significa que 3,000 solicitudes  de viviendas no se cumplirán bajo la administración de Colom, la cual termina el próximo Enero.

Respecto a los proyectos que tienen el propósito de hacer  a las comunidades auto-sostenibles, 130  estudios  de viabilidad han sido llevados a cabo , pero sólo 20 de los proyectos propuestos se implementarán debido a la  falta de recursos.

Cuando se cuestionaron las prioridades de la administración de Colom, ya que el programa no tiene fondos suficientes, Dávila dice que el presupuesto solicitado para el programa este año era de $28.8 millones de dólares, pero  partidos de la oposición en  el congreso lo redujeron más de la mitad hasta $13 millones de dólares.

Fuentes internas que pidieron permanecer en el anonimato por miedo a represalias  dicen que aunque el presupuesto del programa es claramente insuficiente,  aún los fondos  disponibles son frecuentemente desperdiciados  , por ejemplo, en apenas una semana la administración del programa  gastó  $9,800 dólares en anuncios ostentosos en periódicos nacionales  para lectores de clase alta urbana, presumiendo  los logros del programa, fondos que pudieron haber sido usados para construir cinco viviendas para familias en el área rural, que han pasado años en la lista de espera que parece no tener fin.

Hubo una guerra civil en Guatemala?

Para las  víctimas del conflicto armado, las memorias de las atrocidades cometidas en contra de  civiles indefensos  son difíciles de olvidar. Para la nueva generación de Guatemaltecos nacidos después de que los acuerdos de paz fueron firmados en  1,996, la guerra nunca ocurrió.

Hasta ahora, el curriculum nacional vagamente establece que los maestros deben explicar por qué se firmaron los acuerdos de paz, pero este asunto usualmente es tratado en forma superficial, sin  mencionar por qué hubo una guerra en primer lugar.

“He sido profesor universitario por 20 años y he notado que la nueva generación ignora completamente el asunto, ni  siquiera es  consciente del hecho que tuvimos una guerra” dice el profesor Rodolfo Arévalo.

Esto supuestamente  va a cambiar este año después de que el programa de compensación produjo una serie de materiales didácticos acerca del conflicto armado que va a ser usado en las escuelas, incluyendo juegos de serpientes y escaleras, para los alumnos  más jóvenes, en los  cuales cada casilla del tablero  contiene  una pregunta acerca de la historia de Guatemala que el estudiante debe responder  y una guía para los maestros para que sepan cómo plantear el asunto y cómo responder las preguntas que puedan surgir en  clase.-

Pero estos esfuerzos,  que tienen como objetivo asegurar que el holocausto Maya no sea olvidado, no han sido  bien recibidos por los veteranos del ejército y  el sector derechista quienes  están renuentes a admitir  las atrocidades que fueron cometidas.

“Las personas  Mayas insisten en que el asunto no debería  ser discutido. Los acuerdos de paz fueron  simbólicos y el país sigue gobernado por la  oligarquía  . Algunos padres se han quejado cuando algunas escuelas privadas han tratado de enseñarles a los alumnos acerca de la guerra. La verdad  es que este país no está interesado en saber que pasó” dice la maestra de secundaria Rossana Pinillos.

Fuente original: http://www.lapress.org/articles.asp?item=1&art=6368

Original version, Spanish translation below

By: Talea Miller

February 9, 2011. ANTIGUA, Guatemala– For girls living in the rural, indigenous communities of Guatemala, it is not unusual to leave school by the age of 12, be married by 15, and give birth for the first time while still a teenager.

About 60 percent of school-aged children complete primary education in Guatemala, according to UNICEF, and the rates are far lower in indigenous communities.

The traditional role of a subservient wife, who works inside the home, is still the standard in most rural areas. But women in Guatemala also face widespread gender-based violence, from spouses and family members and through brutal attacks by the gangs that plague the country.

Within this environment, the U.S.-based nonprofit Population Council has created Abriendo Oportunidades, or Creating Opportunities, as a support system for Mayan girls. Using mentoring, the group teaches teens about preventing and responding to gender-based violence. Mentors also support girls who want to continue their education and make a living. There are about 3,000 women involved in the network.

“Every extra year in school is a gain, every year marriage is delayed is a gain,” said Alejandra Colom Bickford, coordinator of the Population Council’s programs in Guatemala.

During a week-long workshop in Antigua, women in the network talked about the challenges they face in their own lives, and the messages they want to spread as mentors:

  Mariela, 20, was attacked and raped by a man in her home village of Coban while she was pregnant with her now month-old daughter. She never reported the attack because she was scared people would judge her for what happened and that the man would come after her again.

She becomes distressed and teary-eyed discussing the rape, and says she can’t talk much about it because it hurts her. Through the program, she hopes to teach other girls and young women about the risks of gender violence and how to protect themselves– information she wishes she had earlier in life.

“It happens to many girls in our community, around the town and in the streets,” Mariela said. “They shouldn’t keep quiet, they should look for help and they should tell their parents.”

 Gricelda Ralda Fuentes, 18, is a midwife who helped a woman give birth for the first time when she was just 12. She is frustrated by the patterns she sees in her community, San Juan Ostuncalco Qu etzaltenango, of families abusing wives and daughters, and girls giving birth very young.

“They get married as little girls and become mothers to other littler girls,” Ralda Fuentes said.

Although she is already working, Ralda Fuentes said Abriendo Oportunidades has her thinking about bigger dreams, and she wants to train to be a doctor someday.

Candida Violeta Coxola Tohom, from Las Canoas, works for the local government office dealing with crimes against women. She says it is difficult to get women and girls to speak up about abuse or violence, but even with those limitations, the office is still very busy with cases.

Coxola Tohom wants to go to university eventually, but people in her town respond negatively when she mentions her plans.

“It is because I am a woman. It is difficult,” she said. “They think women do not need an education, they need only to stay at home.”

Source:   http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/02/opening-horizons-for-guatemalas-girls.html

Spanish version. Version en Español.

Abriendo Horizontes para las niñas de Guatemala

9 de Febrero de 2011, Antigua Guatemala. No es inusual que las niñas que viven en las comunidades indígenas rurales de Guatemala  abandonen la escuela cuando cumplen 12 años, se casen cuando cumplen 15 y  se conviertan en madres cuando aún son adolescentes .

Traducida al Español, versión original arriba

De acuerdo a la UNICEF, alrededor de 60 por ciento de  los niños en edad escolar terminan la educación primaria en Guatemala;  el rango de niños indígenas que terminan la educación primaria es aún más bajo.

El papel tradicional de la esposa subordinada  que trabaja en la casa, es todavía algo común en la mayoría de las áreas rurales. Pero las mujeres en Guatemala también enfrentan  mucha violencia de género  por  parte de  cónyuges  y miembros de la familia, así como también son víctimas de ataques brutales  de las pandillas  que operan en todo el país.

En medio de este ambiente , Los Estados Unidos  basándose  en el Consejo  de Población sin fines de lucro ha creado “Abriendo Oportunidades”   un sistema de apoyo para las niñas indígenas Mayas.  Usando tutoría, enseñan a las niñas como prevenir y actuar ante la violencia de género. Los tutores también apoyan a las niñas que quieren continuar su educación escolar  y ganarse la vida mediante ella. Alrededor de 3,000 mujeres son apoyadas por este sistema.

“Cada año extra en la escuela es una ganancia,  cada año que se pospone el matrimonio es una ganancia” dijo Alejandra Colom Bickford, coordinadora del programa del Consejo de Población en Guatemala.

Durante el taller de una semana en Antigua,  las mujeres que reciben apoyo mediante  este sistema hablaron acerca de los retos que enfrentan sus propias  vidas, y el mensaje que ellas quieren compartir  como tutoras:

    Mariela de 20 años fue atacada y violada por un hombre en su pueblo de Cobán, cuando aún estaba embarazada de su hija que ahora tiene un mes de vida. Ella nunca reportó el ataque porque tenía miedo de que las personas la juzgaran por lo acontecido y pensaba que el hombre podía tomar represalias en   contra de ella.

Cuando habla de la violación se ve muy afligida y llorosa, y dice  que no puede hablar mucho al respecto porque le lastima. A través del programa, ella espera enseñar a  otras niñas y jovencitas acerca de los riesgos  de la violencia de género , así como también  cómo protegerse a ellas mismas –información que ella desea haber tenido cuando   era más pequeña- .

“Esto le sucede a muchas muchachas en nuestra comunidad, alrededor del pueblo y en las calles” Dijo Mariela. “ Ellas no se deben  quedar calladas, ellas deben buscar ayuda, y deben contárselo a sus padres”.

  Gricelda Ralda Fuentes de 18 años, es una comadrona que ayudó a una mujer  en  trabajo de parto por primera vez cuando ella tenía 12 años. Ella se siente frustrada por los patrones que ve en su comunidad de San Juan Ostuncalco Quetzaltenango,  las familias abusando de las esposas  y de las hijas; muchachas convirtiéndose en madres demasiado  jóvenes.

“Ellas se casan siendo aún unas niñas para convertirse en madres de otras niñas” dijo Ralda Fuentes.

Aunque Ralda Fuentes  ya está trabajando, ella dijo que “Abriendo Oportunidades” la ha hecho pensar y soñar en grande,  quiere prepararse para ser una doctora algún día.

Candida  Violeta Coxola Tohom, originaria de las Canoas, trabaja para la oficina local gubernamental lidiando con crímenes en contra de las mujeres. Ella dice que es difícil que las mujeres y las jovencitas hablen acerca del abuso o  la violencia, pero aun así la oficina siempre está saturada de casos.

Coxola Tohom quiere ir a la universidad eventualmente, pero las personas en su comunidad reaccionan de forma negativa cuando ella menciona sus planes.

“Es porque soy mujer. Es difícil” dijo ella. “Ellos piensan que las mujeres no necesitan educación, simplemente necesitan estar en la casa”.

Fuente original: http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2011/02/opening-horizons-for-guatemalas-girls.html

Spanish version below. Version en Español abajo.

The Shift of the Ages film is a true and authentic story of the Maya, the Mayan Calendar, 2012 and the turbulent times in which we are living. Compelling and timely, this story is told through living Grand Elder, Wandering Wolf, also known as Don Alejandro Cirilo Perez Oxlaj.

Don Alejandro  Cirilo Pérez Oxlaj

The Story

The Mayan Council of Indigenous Elders in Guatemala has a profound story, shared by their leader, Wandering Wolf.  As the protagonist of the Shift of the Ages, Wandering Wolf is known as “the voice of the jungle and the messenger of the Maya.”  The film is the Maya’s first official discourse to the world, and sharing this story with humanity is Wandering Wolf’s destiny.

Wandering Wolf’s journey mirrors each human being’s quest to regain authority for the fulfillment of both individual and collective destinies, as we navigate these rapidly changing and shifting times.

The Mayan Calendar Connection

The famous Mayan Long Count Calendar, expected by many to end on December 21st 2012, has prompted unnecessary fear, because people are unclear of the calendar’s meaning. Wandering Wolf helps clarify these and other misunderstandings in Shift of the Ages. He says that according to Maya prophecy, we have entered a unique time-period, a “change of Suns” during which humanity traverses a significant evolutionary shift. Wandering Wolf and many Mayan Elders believe it is crucial for humanity to prepare for this transition.

Why Now?

The Maya consider themselves the Keepers of Time, and prophesize that the new “Sun” is about to dawn. Wandering Wolf tells us that in order to facilitate the transition, we must collectively learn to cooperate, to treat each other, the earth, and its life with dignity and respect. As he suggests, “We are one, like the fingers of one hand.” Wandering Wolf admonishes humanity to immediately stop wars, pollution, discrimination and avarice in order to avoid further tumult.

The wisdom offered by Wandering Wolf in Shift of the Ages delivers very potent and relevant messages for our times. Unfortunately, many non-Mayan researchers, academics and film makers have misrepresented the messages and prophecies of the Maya. Films like Apocalypto incorrectly portray the Maya as vicious human sacrificers and 2012 fuels fears that the Maya predicted the end of the world, which they did not.

Through the Shift of the Ages film the Maya are allowed to clarify these misconceptions and offer a new, empowering vision for our future that eases fears of 2012.

Please help honor this great civilization by allowing them a voice on the world stage of modern media?

You can learn more and pledge your support of the Maya now by visiting this site:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sota/shift-of-the-ages-a-true-story

The Shift of the Ages Team

Spanish translation . Traducción al Español

El auténtico mensaje de los Mayas a través de una película que se presentará muy pronto

La película de El Cambio de las Eras es la verdadera y auténtica historia de los Mayas, del Calendario Maya,  del 2012, y de los turbulentos tiempos en los que estamos viviendo.  Oportunamente, esta historia es contada a través de la vida del gran anciano, “Lobo Errante” también conocido como Don Alejandro Pérez Oxlaj.

La Historia

El consejo  Maya de ancianos indígenas de Guatemala tiene una historia muy profunda compartida por su líder “Lobo Herrante”. Como el protagonista de “El Cambio de las Eras”, Lobo Errante  es conocido como “la vos de la jungla y el mensajero de los Mayas”.  Esta  película  es el primer discurso oficial Maya para el mundo, y, compartir esta historia con la humanidad es el destino de  Lobo Errante.

La travesía de Lobo Errante refleja la búsqueda de cada ser humano por recuperar la autoridad para el cumplimiento del destino tanto individual como colectivo, a la vez que navegamos a través de  estos cambiantes tiempos.

La conexión del  Calendario Maya

El famoso calendario Maya de la cuenta larga que para algunos termina en Diciembre 21 de 2012, ha promovido un miedo innecesario, puesto que la gente no tiene claro cuál es el significado del Calendario. Lobo Errante ayuda a clarificar este y otros malentendidos en la película “El Cambio de las Eras”. Él dice que de acuerdo a la profecía Maya, hemos entrado a un período de tiempo único, a un “cambio de los soles”  durante el cual la humanidad atraviesa un significante y evolutivo cambio.  Lobo errante y muchos otros ancianos creen que es crucial para la humanidad que se prepare para esta transición.

Por qué ahora?

Los mayas se consideran a sí mismos como los guardianes del tiempo, y profetizan que el Nuevo  “sol” está  a punto de comenzar. Lobo Errante nos dice que para facilitar la transición  debemos aprender a cooperar colectivamente, a  tratar con dignidad y respeto  la tierra, la vida, así como unos a otros. Como él sugiere, “nosotros somos uno, como los dedos de la mano” . Lobo Errante  amonesta a la humanidad para que inmediatamente pare las guerras, la polución, la discriminación y la avaricia para evitar futuras turbaciones.

La sabiduría ofrecida por  Lobo Errante en la película “Cambio de las Eras” aporta un potente y relevante mensaje para nuestro tiempo. Desafortunadamente, muchos  investigadores que no son Mayas,  académicos y personas que hacen películas han presentado de manera errónea  los mensajes y profecías de los Mayas. Películas como “Apocalypto”  de manera incorrecta presenta a los Mayas como  seres despiadados y sacrificadores. Algunos creen que los Mayas predijeron el fin del mundo en el 2012, la verdad es que ellos no lo hicieron.

A través de la película “El Cambio de las Eras” los Mayas pueden clarificar estas malinterpretaciones y ofrecen una nueva y poderosa visión  que calma los temores existentes respecto al  2012.

Por favor ayúdenos a honrar a esta gran civilización permitiéndoles expresarse ante  el mundo  a través de los medios modernos.

Pueden aprender más y  ayudar a los Mayas ahora visitando este sitio:

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sota/shift-of-the-ages-a-true-story

El equipo de la película El Cambio de las Eras.

 March 1, 2011.  On February 28, 2011, approximately 50 Indigenous men and women from Mayan communities affected by Goldcorp’s Marlin Gold mine in San Marcos, Guatemala, were attacked and taken hostage by a group of individuals said to have “strong ties” to the Vancouver-based mining company.

For Immediate Release

 San Miguel Ixtahuacan, San Marcos, Guatemala, February 28, 2011.

by San Miguel Ixtahuacan Defense Front

TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

THE SAN MIGUEL IXTAHUACAN DEFENSE FRONT

REPORTS

 FIRST: On February 28, 2011, communities took action to pressure the government of Guatemala to carry out the Precautionary Measures MC-260-07 granted by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which include the temporary suspension of the Marlin mine. The action consisted in peacefully blocking the main routes used by the company* in a way that respects the Constitution of our country, in which we have the right to protest.

 SECOND: When the blockade began, a group of approximately 20 people assaulted Miguel Bamaca, despite the fact that the Presidential Human Rights Commission has granted him protectiv measures. Miguel Bamaca was beaten mercilessly by a family known as the Mejia family, together with neighbours who work for the company. These people have strong ties to the company and also to illegal business activities. This incident occurred at four thirty in the afternoon in a location known as Siete Platos.

 THIRD: On the way back, near the community of San Jose Ixcaniche, approximately 70 members of this community intercepted the bus and began to assault various people who were travelling in the bus. Among them, our comrade Aniseto Lopez and others were beaten without being able to defend themselves. The attackers came armed with guns, stones, knives, sticks, and other weapons. Right now, approximately 50 people are kidnapped and being threatened by the community of San Jose Ixcaniche and the Mejia family.

FOR ALL OF THE ABOVE:

 * We demand that the State of Guatemala vigorously ensure respect for the physical integrity and security of these people

* We ask the International Community for timely support in the face of this terrible violation of human rights.

* We denounce the horrible practice of the mining company* that manipulates its workers and places them in confrontation with the communities legally defending a right.

* We reject this practice created by the company by ordering its workers to take 60 people hostage.

We ask the IACHR to maintain its vigilance and to request of the State of Guatemala the strict respect of human rights, and particularly those of Peoples and communities.

San Miguel Ixtahuacan, San Marcos, Guatemala, February 28, 2011.

Source: http://intercontinentalcry.org/indigenous-protesters-blockading-mine-owned-by-vancouver-based-goldcorp-assaulted-taken-hostage-in-guatemala/

BBC News, April 12, 2011. A country of striking features and a strong indigenous culture, Guatemala’s natural beauty and powerful identity stand in stark contrast to its bloody past and troubled present.    

Mountainous, heavily forested and dotted with Mayan ruins, lakes, volcanoes, orchids and exotic birds, Guatemala is one of the most beautiful countries in Central America.

Its indigenous population, the Maya, make up about half of the population. Mayan languages are spoken alongside Spanish, the official tongue. Many Guatemalans are of mixed Amerindian-Hispanic origin.

Overview

Guatemala’s beauty and strength of identity have not been accompanied by cohesion and prosperity. In 1996 it emerged from a 36-year-long civil war which pitted leftist, mostly Mayan insurgents against the army, which – backed by the US – waged a vicious campaign to eliminate the guerrillas.

More than 200,000 people – most of them civilians – were killed or disappeared.

Despite an official finding that 93% of all atrocities carried out during the war had been committed by the security forces, moves to bring those responsible to account started only after a long delay.

Guatemalans live in one of the most inequitable societies in the region. Poverty is particularly widespread in the countryside and among indigenous communities.

Illiteracy, infant mortality and malnutrition are among the highest in the region, life expectancy is among the lowest and, in common with many of its neighbours, the country is plagued by organised crime and violent street gangs. It is a major corridor for smuggling drugs from South America to the United States.

Despite talks and international mediation, a long-running territorial dispute with neigbouring Belize remains unresolved. Guatemala lays claim to thousands of square kilometres of land.

Leaders

President: Alvaro Colom

Engineer and businessman Alvaro Colom narrowly won the presidential election in November 2007 as centre-left candidate of the National Unity for Hope (UNE).

Alvaro Colom

He took office in January 2008.

He defeated right-wing retired general Otto Perez Molina, who said he would take a tough approach – mano dura, or strong hand – to social problems.

Although Colom does not belong to any of Guatemala’s 23 Mayan ethnic groups, he is an ordained Mayan minister, and won a large share of the vote from the indigenous groups that represent 40% of the population.

Following his victory, he said he would create a government with a ”Mayan face” that would seek national unity.

He also pledged to deal with the country’s high crime and murder rates by tackling corruption in the security forces and judiciary, taking on the drug barons, and working to lift people out of poverty.

But the former deputy minister of economy inherited one of the poorest countries in Spanish speaking Latin America, where a large proportion of the population live on less than US$2 a day and the rich oppose tax increases.

In May 2009, Mr Colom’s presidency was clouded by controversy when a murdered lawyer, in a video recorded before his death, said the president and other senior officials were trying to kill him and would be responsible for his murder.

Thousands of protesters marched though the capital to demand Mr Colom’s resignation. A UN investigation cleared Mr Colom of involvement in the murder of the lawyer, Rodrigo Rosenberg. The UN investigator said Mr Rosenberg ordered his own assassination.

In April 2011 Mr Colom and his wife Sandra Torres divorced so that she could stand for election to be his successor. Sandra Torres said they put their love for country ahead of their love for each other. The opposition said her candidacy would still violate the constitution.

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/country_profiles/1215758.stm

“The situation of the native peoples may be even worse than before. Poverty has increased, the quality of education is very poor, and there is no intercultural perspective in health services,” Eduardo Sacayón, director of the Interethnic Studies Institute at Guatemala’s University of San Carlos, told IPS.

The social-democratic President Colom promised when he was sworn in, Jan. 14, 2008, that he would govern “with a Maya face,” in favour of the poor and excluded. “Today is the beginning of privileges for the poor, today is the beginning of privileges for those without opportunities,” he said at the time.

But Sacayón says the reality is quite different: “It is a structural and historic issue of always seeing what is indigenous as something that is not worth the effort, that has no value, or is a burden to the country.”

According to official statistics, 40 percent of the Guatemalan population is indigenous, and include Maya, Garífuna and Xinca peoples. Though they themselves claim that more than 60 percent of Guatemala’s 14 million inhabitants are indigenous.

“Since the arrival of the Spaniards (in the late 15th century), Guatemalan society has had the idea that what is indigenous has no merit, and only what is Western has value. That concept is nothing more than a racist and discriminatory viewpoint, but it is repeated through the governments, the political parties and even the media,” Sacayón said.

In 2000, eight out of 10 indigenous Guatemalans were poor, while among the non-indigenous the rate was four out of 10. Those numbers have seen little change since 2006, says the third report on progress towards meeting the eight United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), presented by the government last week.

The UN established the MDGs in 2000, with 2015 as the deadline for achieving set targets, based on indicators from 1990. The goals include reducing poverty, guaranteeing universal primary education, promoting gender equality, reducing maternal and infant mortality, and fighting HIV/AIDS and other diseases.

According to the report that the government presented last week, extreme poverty — primarily affecting indigenous peoples, saw a decline in Guatemala of just a half percentage point between 2000 and 2006: 15.7 to 15.2 percent. Meanwhile, poverty in general fell from 56.2 to 51 percent.

The prevalence of chronic malnutrition among indigenous children ages five and under was 58.6 percent in 2008-2009, almost twice the rate of non- indigenous children (30.6 percent).

In 2002, 69.5 percent of indigenous children suffered chronic malnutrition, compared to 35.7 percent of non-indigenous children.

As for education, the numbers show the indigenous segment of the population at a clear disadvantage: Just 13.2 percent of the post-secondary student population in 2008 was indigenous, according to the National Human Development Report 2009-2010, of the UN Development Programme.

Despite these indicators of the indigenous reality, support for this segment of society is practically nonexistent, according to Sacayón.

“No policies have been developed for indigenous peoples, nor is there compliance with Convention 169 (of the International Labour Organisation on indigenous and tribal peoples),” because transnational and mining interests have prevailed in areas where those communities are affected, he said.

The country’s indigenous populations have largely opposed mining concessions when the plans have been brought up for public hearings, in accordance with Convention 169, which has been in force in Guatemala since 1997. Nevertheless, the projects continue.

“Indigenous peoples continue to be seen as second-class citizens,” in line with the predominant attitudes of discrimination and racism, Otilia Lux, an opposition lawmaker on the congressional Indigenous Affairs Committee, told IPS.

As for efforts in Congress, Lux explained that important laws have been presented for the benefit of the Maya people, such as the rural development law to improve access to land and housing, and the law to make the indigenous hearings binding for whether to allow transnational mining companies to operate in their lands.

But those laws don’t get passed, she said.

This being the case, according to Lux the native peoples must create political spaces for themselves, so they have the footing to demand recognition of their rights.

One such opportunity will come in September 2011, when the Guatemalans elect a new president for the next four years, as well as 153 deputies for the unicameral Congress, 20 representatives to the Central American Parliament, and 333 mayors.

Domingo Hernández, of the Waqib’ Kej National Maya Convergence, an umbrella for several groups, told IPS that President Colom spoke of leading “with a Maya face,” but on the contrary, repression of indigenous peoples has increased, as has indigenous poverty and migration during his time in office.

Expanding access to education, health, work and land, in the context of meeting the requirements of the ILO’s Convention 169, should be essential for the government if it truly wants to attend to the needs of the Maya population, according to Hernández.

Juan José Hurtado, of the non-governmental organisation Pop No’j (“weaving ideas, knowledge and wisdom” – in the Maya language), said there are institutions in place, like the Fund for Guatemalan Indigenous Development, created in 1994, and the Presidential Commission Against Discrimination and Racism, from 2002, among others, “but they lack the capacity for action or implementation.”

In his opinion, Guatemala should follow the examples of countries like Bolivia and Venezuela, which have more political spaces for indigenous participation in political decision-making.

Source: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=53843

Guatemala ratified Convention 169, the only international law for tribal peoples, in 1996. It is one of twenty countries to have ratified the Convention, which recognizes tribal peoples’ land rights and says they should be consulted prior to the approval of any projects on their lands.

The Court ruled that all the rights provided for in the Convention have constitutional status, which means that the State must consult with indigenous people before approving any mining and hydroelectric licenses, laws and regulations in their territories.

The ruling is a success for Guatemala’s indigenous peoples, the Maya, Garifuna and Xinca, giving them greater control over projects that affect them. It is also significant for tribal peoples across the world, showing the growing strength of Convention 169.

A Mayan woman during a kite festival at Santiago Sacatepequez, Guatemala

Source: http://www.survivalinternational.org/news/5613

Translated from Spanish; original version below.

Indigenous leaders say that Mayan pueblos and communities are abandoned; roads have deteriorated; schools are neglected; the ratio of teachers to students remains untenable; water is unavailable; and destruction caused by hurricane Agatha has not been addressed.

Juan Tiney, representing the National Indigenous and Rural Committee (CONIC), states  that: “In spite of the laws, this government does not want to support the indigenous communities because this represents a threat for the businessman. In the meantime, the indigenous pueblos are starving to death, discriminated against and incriminated for defending their lands.”

Otila Lux, Member of Parliament, serves on the Commission of Indigenous Pueblos of the Congress of the Republic.  She states that: “The living [conditions] for the indigenous pueblos in this country are [catastrophic].”

Ricardo Cajas, representing the Committee of Mayan Organizations in Guatemala (COMG) believes that, “…there is no progress because the nation of Guatemala is not interested in moving beyond  its colonialist, liberal, or neoliberal policies, blocking the exercise of collective rights, not only for the indigenous pueblos, but for the entire population.”

The indigenous organizations concluded by declaring that this government has done little for either the Mayan population or any other.  It is not a social democracy.

Spanish Version. Versión en Español.

CRITICAN AUSENCIA DEL “ROSTRO INDIGENA” EN EL GOBIERNO DE COLOM

Guatemala, 9 de Agosto de 2010. Hoy, en celebración del Día Internacional de los Pueblos Indígenas, organizaciones campesinas manifestaron que hasta el momento no hay avance en aprobación de leyes a favor de las comunidades indígenas, a pesar que el presidente Álvaro Colom se autonombró gobierno con rostro indígena.

Puede encontrar esta noticia en español en el siguiente link:

http://www.lahora.com.gt/notas.php?key=71471&fch=2010-08-09