Metal Mining and Human Rights in Guatemala

Starting in mid-2000, we began to receive international accompaniment petitions from Guatemala again. We conducted a preliminary investigation that showed a deterioration of the situation and, in some cases, a closing of the space in which human rights defenders were working. After several exploratory missions, PBI decided to reopen the project in 2002 to carry out accompaniment and observation work in collaboration with other international accompaniment NGOs. In April 2003, a new PBI office was opened in Guatemala City. At the end of 2003, the issue of metal mining came to a head on the national level. At the same time, harassment of environmentalists and grass-roots leaders working on this issue increased, which led to petitions for PBI to accompany various organizations and individuals receiving threats.

Metal Mining and Human Rights in Guatemala (pdf 1.3 MB)

Guatemala's Indigenous Women in Resistance

Guatemala's Indigenous Women in Resistance: On the frontline of the communities struggle to defend mother earth and her natural resources. This report attempts to follow up on another one published by PBI in 2006 on the impacts of mining operations in Guatemala, providing a broader perspective that includes other business activities to exploit natural resources in Latin American countries such as Guatemala, and specifically addresses the reality of Guatemalan indigenous women in this regard.
The Guatemalan government has favored the exploitation of natural resources by private enterprise in the country, by contrast with initiatives in other Latin America countries to preserve and recover those resources for local benefit under the control of the people. The Guatemalan government more often approves such mega-projects against the will of the people who are directly affected by them. According to information available on the website of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, about 400 mining permits were granted in 2009, 15 hydroelectric plants are up and running, and there are 20 more in the planning, most of which are ready to start up, for a total of 35. In addition, there are monoculture projects for the growing of oil palms, maize and sugarcane.
Indigenous peoples have consistently opposed these projects and mega- projects and have expressed that opposition in many forms over time. The key issue has always been the aforementioned cosmovision and territorialism of the indigenous peoples, which are necessary for their survival as a people.

Guatemala's Indigenous Women in Resistance (pdf 5.0 MB)

10 years without war… waiting for peace

The first report by the PBI-Guatemala Project in 1998 on compliance with the Peace Accord on Strengthening Civilian Power and the Role of the Armed Forces in a Democratic Society included information on Phase I and part of Phase II of the Timetable for Implementation. At that time, only a year and half had passed since the Accords were signed and there were many expectations.We were all heavily involved in monitoring fulfillment of the Peace Accords and in promoting the spirit of the same.We knew that the challenge was a big one and that there were more than a few roadblocks. Ten years after the Peace Accords were signed, this second report attempts to provide an overview of the current state of compliance. It deals with such important topics as voter defeat of the constitutional reforms in 1999, which made it necessary to seek other ways to implement the commitments under the accords. In this report, we analyze the implementation of the aforementioned accord, as well as some of the stalled processes and setbacks.

10 years without war… waiting for peace (pdf 694 KB)