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Guatemala: News & Updates
Guatemala had the longest and bloodiest civil war in Central American history: 36 years (1960-96). The US-backed military was responsible for a genocide (“scorched earth policy”) that wiped out 200,000 mostly Maya indigenous civilians. War criminals are still being tried in the courts.
Learn more here.
RRN Letter
August 26, 2016
Escalating wave of intimidation against legal officials. At 6am on August 15 in Guatemala City, eight armed men posing as police officers forced their way into the house of Ramón Cadena Rámila, Central America Director of the Geneva-based International Commission of Jurists (ICJ).
Event
August 5, 2016
Live Music. Poetry. Refreshments.
Updates from IRTF staff about Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua.
With special guests from Colombia (Caldwell Manners, CPT) and El Salvador (Leslie Schuld, CIS).
RRN Letter
July 15, 2016
Murder of journalist Álvaro Alfredo Aceituno López,Radio Director of Radio Ilusión. His radio show promoted community rights He would take calls during which people would criticize local officials and municipal programs. This is the second attack in the last three months against journalists in this region of Coatepeque.
RRN Letter
July 13, 2016
Invasion of the office of the human rights defense organization Impunity Watch. On June 21, three masked men forced their way into the office of the international organization. The assailants forced a secretary who was on her way out to open the door. They covered her eyes, taped her mouth shut and ransacked the office. Impunity Watch has worked for many years in Guatemala on issues related to human rights violations committed during the country’s long armed internal conflict.
RRN Letter
July 11, 2016
Assassination of human rights defender Brenda Marleni Estrada Tambito, the Sub-Coordinator of the Legal Aid Commission of the Coalition of the Workers' Union of Guatemala(UNSITRAGUA).
RRN Letter
June 25, 2016
assassination of Diego Choc Pop, an indigenous and campesino human rights defender from the San Juan Tres Ríos community in Cobán Department which he represented at the General Assembly of the Highlands Campesino Committee.
Event
March 28, 2016
Back from her 2-week delegation to Honduras with the topic Women Leading the Way to Justice and Peace, Sophie will report from her experience of peaceful resistance in the country with the highest homicide rate in the world.
After learning for two weeks from the people protecting their traditional lands and resisting the violence by Tahoe Resources, Wilber will talk about his journey to the counrty directly north of his native El Salvador.
Come and discuss with us:
How can we better act in solidarity with the people in Central America?
RRN Letter
March 25, 2016
Murder of environmental rights defenderWalter Méndez Barrios, who was shot and killed outside his home in Las Cruces, in the Department of Petén, on the morning of March 16. He was a founding member of Petenero Front Against Dams (FPCR), an organization formed in 2005 to fight for the land rights and the right to water and other natural resources of those affected and threatened by the construction of hydroelectric dams.
Event
February 6, 2016
The InterReligious Task Force, in conjunction with Case Western Reserve University, presents the 16th annual Social Justice Teach-In as a great opportunity for people of all ages to learn about critical human rights issues and practice hands-on skills to organize for change. This annual event attracts 500+ participants, many from area high schools and colleges. The Teach-In will provide participants with information, skills, and resources to support their own social justice programming at their schools and congregations.
News Article
January 22, 2016
In Guatemala eighteen former military officials were arrested on charges of genocide and crimes against humanity in one of the largest mass arrests of military officers Latin America has ever seen. Twelve of them were trained at the SOA.