Asociación Estoreña para el Desarrollo Integral (AEPDI) and their justice program, La Defensoría Q'eqchi', have issued a press release about the murder of Adolfo Ich Chaman, a leader of the Maya Q'eqchi' indigenous community of La Unión. They are calling on governmental authorities to take the necessary steps to resolve the conflicts between the mining company C.G.N. (Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel) and the indigenous communities. Adolfo Ich Chaman was killed and several others were injured during a confrontation with C.G.N. security guards.
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El Estor, Izabal, Guatemala, September 29, 2009- In view of the sad events occurring against the Q'eqchi' Maya population in the municipality of El, Estor, Izabal, in view of national and international public opinion, La Defensoría Q'eqchi' expresses:
Its total repudiation of the violent acts that have perpetrated the loss of the life of teacher Adolfo Ich Chaman, representative and leader of the Q'eqchi' indigenous community of La Unión, thereby affecting peace in the municipality of El Estor. As a result,
WE URGE THE GOVERNMENTAL AUTHORITIES:
That in compliance with its functions, it acts to end all threats, harassment and repression against the leaders of the indigenous communities of Chipón, La Unión, and Las Nubes, as well as those of other communities and that it encourage dialogue as a fundamental element to maintain harmony and peace in the population of El Estor.
To attend to the proposals to immediately look for urgent mechanisms for the resolution of the agrarian conflicts between the company C.G.N. (Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel) and the indigenous communities with ancestral possession of the land, for the legal certainty for the community lands and territories that belong to them.
WE THEREFORE REQUEST THAT:
The State of Guatemala, by way of the entities charged with criminal prosecution, proceed according to the law, in a prudent and necessary time frame, to obtain the historic truth about the facts and submit to the rule of law those responsible for the death of teacher Adolfo Ich Chaman.
To facilitate the mechanisms to resolve tenure, possession, and legal certainty of the land in the Department of Izabal, and especially the municipality of El Estor, Izabal.
According to the compromises agreed upon by the State of Guatemala, by way of international human rights instruments, particularly Convention 169 of the International Labor Organization and the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples, that the state proceeds to give protection and humane treatment to those acting as representatives and leaders of the Q'eqchi' indigenous communities without criminalizing their petitions for land and the demarcation of those lands, since those are human rights.
For a multiethnic, multicultural, and multilingual community, in exercise of a harmonious life which prioritizes the principal of constitutional legality, respecting the ancestral right of the Q'eqchi' indigenous communities.
Defensoría Q’eqchi’
7ª. Calle 4 – 11, Zona 1, El Estor, Izabal, Guatemala, C.A.
Tels. (502) 79 49 73 34; 79 49 75 79; 79 49 77 08. Fax: (502) 79 49 72 51
Correo Electrónico: defqeqchi@intelnet.net.gt / http://www.aepdi.org/