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During our November partner meeting in Guatemala City, we heard our partners hopes for 2019 and shared our own. We asked, what do you hope for in 2019?
- justice for Ixil women
- greater enrollment of girl students at the New Hope Foundation
- to have compañeros from Laguna Larga and Chobil Choc return to their communities
- for the unity we need between women, men, girls and people from diverse backgrounds
- for all political prisoners to be let out of jail
- unity between Canada and Guatemala
- a strong “Land rights are human rights campaign.”
Read more about our partner meeting below. What are your hopes for 2019?
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One year later, we are still waiting for the extractive sector ombudsperson
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It's been over one year since the Canadian government committed to creating the Canadian Ombudsperson for Responsible Enterprise, however, we are still waiting for this office to materialize. There has been strong lobbying against the ombudsperson having the power to compel documents and testimony, and we need to counter that!
We thank all those who've sent a letter and an email, and now ask you to call your MP and get them to call the Prime Minister’s office, now.
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Saturday (ongoing)
Halifax Forum Farmers' Market
Buy BTS coffee and mugs to support us in fundraising
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February 1 - 9th
#NosDuelen56: Art Exhibit
Antigonish, NS
Facebook event here.
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February 18 - 24th
#NosDuelen56 Art Exhibit
Charlottetown, PE
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March 1 - 8th
#NosDuelen56 Art Exhibit
Halifax, NS
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March 4-9th
#NosDuelen56 BTS Speaking Tour with Mayra Jimenez Flores
Throughout the Maritimes
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May 16- 21
BTS Volunteer Training
Tatamagouche, NS
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May 26- 30
BTS Speaking Tour with Gloria Reyes, Rabinal Legal Clinic
Throughout the Maritimes
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May 31 - June 2, 2019
BTS Annual Gathering
Tatamagouche, NS
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June 7 - 9, 2019
Bluenose Marathon
Halifax, NS
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November 2019 (dates to be announced)
BTS Delegation
Guatemala |
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Contact your MP and say: Tell the Prime Minister’s office that the government must keep its promise
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Give the ombudsperson the power to compel the truth
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Give the ombudsperson independence
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Do it now! It is already a year since the office was announced!
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Urgent support needed for CICIG, anti-corruption body in Guatemala
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Over the past six months, President Morales has attempted to remove the UN mandated Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), in defiance of the country's Constitutional Court. Since early January, the situation has continued to escalate. Meanwhile, protests and roadblocks calling for an end to corruption and impunity continue to take place throughout the country.
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Photo: The Campesino Committee of the Highlands during a demonstration in Guatemala City (Jan 15, 2019).
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On January 5th, CICIG’s investigator and Colombian national Yilen Osorio Zuluaga was illegally detained for 25 hours at the airport in Guatemala City upon seeking to re-enter Guatemala. While he was ultimately released, Minister of the Interior Sandra Jovel soon after announced that the agreement with the UN for the creation of the CICIG would end in 24 hours. While the Constitutional Court voted to suspend President Morales' decision, the crisis is far from over.
Three Constitutional Court judges continue to be targeted by the Morales government and could be impeached. On January 18, an investigative commission was named within Congress to examine whether these judges should have their immunity revoked, so they can be investigated. This commission, chosen by a lottery, includes long-time BTS friend Leocadio Juracan.
President Morales' attempts to get rid of CICIG have created a political crisis in the country and can be seen as an effort to consolidate power. His actions constitute a technical coup, which could lead Guatemala down the path of dictatorship. Within the context of this unfolding crisis, we ask you to write your MP and Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland to share your concerns about the situation in Guatemala and the importance of the CICIG and more broadly the struggle against impunity. You'll find a draft letter, contact info, as well as more information here.
BTS joined twenty-four other Canadian civil society organizations in writing a letter of concern to the Canadian government regarding the escalating constitutional crisis. Read the letter here.
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WINTER ART EXHIBIT & SPEAKING TOUR
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#NosDuelen56 Art Exhibit in Antigonish, Charlottetown and Halifax
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In February and early March, BTS will host an art exhibit focused on the ongoing struggle for gender justice in Guatemala. Join us in commemorating and demanding justice for the lives of the 56 girls and young women who were either killed or severely injured in a fire at the state-run centre for children and youth Hogar Seguro Virgen de la Asunción in Guatemala on March 8, 2017. Check out the events section of our newsletter for dates and locations!
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The tragedy, decried as state feminicide, sparked outrage throughout the country and international solidarity globally, epitomized by the hashtag #NosDuelen56 (we mourn the 56) referencing the 41 victims and 15 survivors of the tragedy. The tragedy occurred on International Women's Day and has become a key case for gender justice in Guatemala, forever changing the meaning of the day in the country.
The art exhibit, which features commemorative portraits contributed by artists from around the world, will travel throughout the Maritimes in lead up to the second anniversary of the tragedy.
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#NosDuelen56 Speaking Tour in March
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We are excited to announce that in early March we'll be joined by Mayra Jimenez Flores from Ocho Tijax, a collective that has been accompanying families impacted by the Hogar Seguro tragedy, as well as demanding justice for this state crime. Mayra will speak throughout the Maritimes about the important work of the group and provide updates from survivors, as well as the legal cases currently in Guatemalan courts.
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We thank the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation for their support through the 2018-2019 Member Engagement Fund!
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BTS and other CSO's launch a series of actions ahead of Pan American Silver-Tahoe Resources merger
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In November, we learned that Pan American Silver and Tahoe Resources would be merging. Ahead of the shareholder vote on the proposed merger, BTS and other civil society organizations filed a complaint against Tahoe Resources with the British Columbia Securities Commission and the US Securities and Exchange Commission. We called for an investigation about false claims relating to the court-ordered consultation with Xinka Indigenous people in Guatemala. In addition, we worked with Mining Watch Canada to submit an investor alert to the Canadian Pension Plan’s Investment Board (CPPIB), concerned that they would renew their shareholding interest in the Escobal project with this announced merger. The merger becomes official in February.
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Tragic death of two migrant children from Guatemala in US border patrol custody
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December was marked by the tragic death of two Guatemala migrant children in US border patrol custody. Seven-year-old Jakelin Caal Maquin, from a Q'eqchi community in municipality of Raxruha in Alta Verapaz, died on December 8th of septic shock, fever and dehydration. She and her father were in custody for eight hours without water. Eight-year-old Felipe Gomez Alonso, Maya Chuj from the community of Yalambojoch in Huehuetenango, died on Christmas Eve, only a few weeks later. His fever was diagnosed as a common cold, to be treated with antibiotics and ibuprofen.
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These tragic and preventable deaths highlight systemic failures such as a lack of adequately trained staff and poor conditions in immigration detention. They also call to memory the killing of Claudia Patricia Gomez Gonzalez, a young twenty-year old Mam woman killed by border patrol agents in May 2018. Our hearts go out to Claudia, Jakelin and Felipe's family members and communities.
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BTS Partner Meeting in Guatemala City
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On November 27th, we held our 2019 BTS Partner Meeting in Guatemala City! We were thrilled to have the participation of Sandra Hernandez from the New Hope Foundation, Gloria Reyes from the Human Rights Legal Clinic in Rabinal, as well as Cristina Ardón and Lesbia Morales from the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA)!
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BTS staff Lisa Rankin and Stacey Gomez, as well as BTS member Yvette Michaud also participated in the meeting. Together with our partners, we strategized about our joint work together and decided that a key focus for 2019 would be “Land rights are human rights,” building upon the work we did with the CCDA during the speaking tour. We also discussed our upcoming volunteeer program and how it can best meet the needs of our partners.
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Seeking Lead BTS Volunteer Cooperant in Guatemala
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Deadline: Mon. February 18, 2019.
We're really excited to have someone join our team as Lead Volunteer Cooperant in Guatemala. The Lead Volunteer Cooperant will play a very key role in our new Community Development and Human Rights Volunteer Program. For more info, visit us here. Please share with your networks and consider applying!
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BTS Community Development & Human Rights Volunteer Program!
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BTS is seeking to create a team of 6-8 people who will serve as short and longer-term volunteers with our Guatemalan partners. Through this program, we hope to strengthen our Canadian presence on the ground in Guatemala, which will increase our capacity to engage in solidarity with our partners by responding to volunteer requests in a timely manner. We welcome people of all ages and backgrounds to apply. For more information, visit us here.
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