'The indigenous Q'eqchi' community of Barrio Revolucion was among the six groups evicted during three rounds of forced evictions in November 2006 and January 2007. Canadian mining company Skye Resources, which acquired the controversial property rights granted in the 1960s by a repressive military dictatorship to International Nickel Company (INCO), sought the evictions. Decades after the brutal repression linked to the INCO nickel mine that operated briefly in the area in the late 1970s through 1981, State 'security' forces are once again being employed against the local Mayan population.

'By the light of the near-full moon in the early evening and of the lightening flashing through the torrential downpour into the night, Barrio Revolucion was gathering for a ceremony in honour of the ongoing collective process of rebuilding. Nearby, in the neighbouring municipality of Panzos, department of Alta Verapaz, the community of La Paz ('Peace') was also gathering in preparation for a simultaneous ceremony.'

The scene is set by this article by Sandra Cuffe of Rights Action posted on Upside Down World.

There are many articles on mining issues in Guatemala carried in this blog and you can find them here. They range from evictions to consultas [referendum], and from financial profit to spiritual loss.