IRTF News

Beating, arrest, and arbitrary detention on August 14 of Edwin Choc and Martín Chub, local leaders of the Farmer’s Committee of the Highlands (CCDA). Police detained them in Cobán, Alta Verapaz Department, after they attended a meeting with government authorities that was part of the Permanent Dialogue between authorities, campesino and indigenous communities.

Murder of Ángel Estuardo Quevado on July 12 in the municipality of Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Rosa Department, Guatemala. He resided in the municipality of Casillas and was a member of the Peaceful Resistance movement of Santa Rosa, Jalapa, and Jutiapa that is demanding the permanent closure of the Escobal silver mine, owned by your company and operated by your subsidiary, Minera San Rafael, S.A.

Assassination of Juana Raymundo, age 25, a nurse and member of the Campesino Development Committee (CODECA). She disappeared the night of July 27 from Nebaj in Quiché Department. On July 28 neighbors found her dead body, showing signs of torture, near a small river between the Nebaj and Acambalam communities.

assassination of indigenous and environmental human rights defender Ángel Estuardo Quevedo in Santa Rosa de Lima, Santa Rosa Department, on July 12. He was a member of the Peaceful Resistance of Santa Rosa, Jalapa and Jutiapa. The group has been organizing community opposition to the Escobal silver mine, owned by Canada-based Tahoe Resources and operated in partnership with Guatemala-based Minera San Rafael, S.A.

Three journalists; Nincy Perdomo, Javier Edgardo Rodrígues, and Mai Ling Coto, were recently attacked by the police.

Indigenous community leader Rolando Crispin López has been assassinated in the community of Álvaro Obregón in the municipality of Juchitán de Zaragoza in Oaxaca State. He was a member of the Assembly of Indigenous People of the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in Defense of Land and Territory (APIITDTT), the Peoples' Assembly of the Juchiteco People (APPJ), and the Peoples' Assembly of Álvaro Obregón.

Contaminated water from the Mezapa River, resulting from the construction of the Hidrocep hydroelectric dam (Hidroeléctrica Centrales El Progreso), in Pajuiles, Atlántida Department, Honduras, caused an increase in diseases. Residents are suffering strong stomach pains, spots on their skin, and rashes.

Environmental defenders have been subjected to smear campaign, threats, and police violence.

There is an alarming rate of assassinations of social leaders in Cauca Department, Colombia. On July 3 the bodies of seven men were found on a road in the municipality of Argelia. They had been shot at point blank range with visible signs of torture and other ill-treatment.

The paramilitary group Águilas Negras (Black Eagles) threatened in recent email and social media communication to kill a number of individuals, organizations and journalists. The message vowed to “exterminate” all human rights defenders and social leaders, calling them “guerrillas in disguise.”