Marielos Monzon has done a really great job in the last couple of weeks of taking apart the recent ruling by the Guatemalan Constitutional Court (CC) on the extradition of the men wanted in connection with the genocide cases. Monzon cites a previous ruling in 2001 where the CC recognised Guatemala's international obligations in particular with regards to human rights matters contained in international treaties ratified by the Guatemalan state. She continues:
"Por eso resulta inexplicable que ahora la Corte de Constitucionalidad deje sin efecto la petición del juez Santiago Pedraz. La Corte, en contradicción consigo misma, sentencia que los crímenes cometidos por el Gobierno de Guatemala en la Embajada de España, el genocidio contra el pueblo maya, y las desapariciones y asesinatos contra los ciudadanos españoles en Guatemala son "indudablemente conexos con delitos de tipo político", ya que los mismos se cometieron durante el conflicto armado guatemalteco.
La Convención para la Prevención y Sanción del Delito de Genocidio de las Naciones Unidas, que es ley en Guatemala desde la década de 1950, expresa en su artículo VII: "A los efectos de extradición, el genocidio y los otros actos enumerados en el artículo III no serán considerados como delitos políticos. Las partes contratantes se comprometen, en tal caso, a conceder la extradición conforme a su legislación y a los tratados vigentes". Más claro, ni echándole agua."
In other words, how can the CC say this is just about 'political crimes' as they were committed during the civil war, when Guatemala signed up to an international convention that explicitly states that genocide should not be considered as a political crime?
"Como si fuera poco —escribe Loarca— la CC pisotea el artículo 8 de la misma ley, que reza: 'La extinción de la responsabilidad penal a que se refiere esta ley, no será aplicable a los delitos de genocidio, tortura y desaparición forzada, así como aquellos delitos que sean imprescriptibles o que no admitan la extinción de la responsabilidad penal, de conformidad con el derecho interno o los tratados internacionales ratificados por Guatemala'".
Y continúa: "Si la CC consideró que el tratado de extradición entre Guatemala y España, vigente desde 1895, no permite la extradición de los imputados por genocidio —debido a una interpretación restrictiva—, no debió defender la misma interpretación con respecto de la Convención sobre Genocidio, porque contradice su propio argumento, en cuanto que la misma expresa que es un delito internacional y extraditable. Además, el artículo 27 constitucional expresa que: 'Por delitos políticos no se intentará la extradición de guatemaltecos, quienes en ningún caso serán entregados a gobierno extranjero, salvo lo dispuesto en tratados y convenciones con respecto a los delitos de lesa humanidad o contra el derecho internacional'".
Loarca basically makes the point that the CC ruling is totally contradictory. It cites the convention on genocide to defend its ruling against extradition, while in reality it's precisely this convention that forms the legal justification for extradition.
This excellent weekly report can't be found on the web- we publish it here with kind permission from CDHG on this blog. INFORME SEMANAL SOBRE DERECHOS HUMANOS Comision de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala
======================================= Fuentes directas CDHG, Prensa Libre, Siglo Veintiuno, El Periódico, Guatemala Hoy ======================================= CDHG 2 Av. 4-66, apto. C-4, zona 1. Tel/Fax: (502) 22203576 /22534285 E-mail: cdhg@intelnett.com =======================================
These are the headlines- for the full report click on 'more':
- Activistas temen nexos del ejército con estructuras paralelas
- Debido a amenazas, Sala Regional Mixta de Jalapa se inhibe de conocer caso
- Juzgado rechazó demanda de Rigoberta Menchú contra resolución de magistrados en caso de genocidio
- En informe de UNICEF sobre mortalidad infantil, Guatemala ocupa mismo lugar que años anteriores
- FRM presentó estudio sobre genocidio y discriminación more»
Guatemalan musician Daniel Guarcha Gonzales with other companeros has made a marimba from ice for the music festival in Geilo, Norway. Reuters reports:
Enthusiasts in southern Norway faced a mountain hike and bitter snow storms to be part of the annual Geilo Ice Festival. Artists from all over the world attend the festival where musicians play instruments made of ice. Located on a mountain top artists as well as audiences braved the harsh winter winds to experience this unique musical event.
I usually resist posting anything about tourism- but this video presenting Totonicapan is really well made. It gives a great feel for the place for tourists with a high degree of authenticity and not the usual sales pitch.
You can see loads more like this on places in Guatemala including the Sierra de las Minas, Antigua, Chiquimulilla and many others from YouTube user Lezue.
Álvaro Colom assumed the presidency on January 14. In his inaugural speech he called for a national dialogue to address the most grievous problems facing the country – poverty above all. But even though Colom has repeatedly defined his incipient government as a “socially democratic” one, his cabinet appointments indicate that the reality will be more complex. Alongside the many officials who are true “social democrats” will serve others who represent entrenched business and social interests.
From the English version of Inforpress Centroamericana and is by Luis Solano as translated by Matthew Brooke.
more»
Central America Report UK is a bi-annual magazine put together by journalists and activists working for social and economic justice in Central America. It has close ties with UK-based Central America solidarity organisations, including the Nicaragua Solidarity Campaign, the Guatemala Solidarity Network and the El Salvador Network.
After many years in print, it's now online. It's hoped that this website will allow many more people to find out about, and get involved with, solidarity work in Central America and the UK.
As we noted in December, Rigoberta Menchu's genocide case was brought to a halt by a decision in the Guatemalan Constitutional Court. Judge Santiago Pedraz, who seems to have infinite reserves of patience and persistence, has decided on a new tactic: a direct appeal for anyone with evidence about the Guatemalan genocide to place it before his court.
He made the call in a writ or auto issued on 16 January, which, besides this call, makes a number of withering attacks on the Guatemalan legal system and its compliance with international law. He complains in his writ about a "clear dilatory attitude" to all his requests for collaboration, culminating in the Constitutional Court decision. He also comments that all this "does no more than reiterate what has been long established, that Guatemala has done nothing to punish this crime" and that "Guatemala as a state is violating the commitment of all civilised nations to prevent and punish such a crime as established in the Convention for the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide". In the face of this he says it is therefore imperative that investigations continue in Spain and he has no choice but to look to other means. He calls on the media in Guatemala, the countries bordering it and the United States to publish his call for information.
In a spirit of solidarity we also reproduce Judge Pedraz' call for information in its entirety here, and hope that any of our readers who might have information of the kind required will feel able to collaborate:
"El Juzgado Central de Instrucción Número Uno de la Audiencia Nacional
de España, a la vista de la negativa de las autoridades guatemaltecas a
colaborar en la investigación, solicita a todas aquellas personas que
sean víctimas, perjudicados, testigos, o cualesquiera otras que puedan
suministrar información relevante sobre el GENOCIDIO Y DEMÁS DELITOS
COMETIDOS CONTRA EL PUEBLO MAYA EN GUATEMALA la pongan en conocimiento
de este Juzgado a través de los canales oportunos y adecuados para
ellos en dichos países de conformidad con lo establecido en el derecho
español a tal efecto. Dicha información será oportunamente remitida a
este Juzgado para incorporarla a la causa (Diligencias Previas
331/1999)"
La Hora has already published dates for three groups of witnesses to appear.
This excellent weekly report can't be found on the web- we publish it here with kind permission from CDHG on this blog. INFORME SEMANAL SOBRE DERECHOS HUMANOS Comision de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala
======================================= Fuentes directas CDHG, Prensa Libre, Siglo Veintiuno, El Periódico, Guatemala Hoy ======================================= CDHG 2 Av. 4-66, apto. C-4, zona 1. Tel/Fax: (502) 22203576 /22534285 E-mail: cdhg@intelnett.com =======================================
These are the headlines- for the full report click on 'more':
- Colom, nuevo presidente, promete un gobierno a favor de los pobres
- Juez español pide cooperación internacional en investigación contra implicados en genocidio en Guatemala
- INE reporta inflación de 8.75 por ciento en 2007
- Comunidades solicitan al ejecutivo cancelar licencias de actividad minera
- Dirigente de CONIC criticó ausencia de funcionarios indígenas en nuevo gabinete more»
"Uno de los puntos más importantes fue un llamado al empresariado para sentarse y definir, en el diálogo que convocarán, el rumbo que debe llevar el país y la forma de financiarlo.
Pero su referencia más certera fue una invitación a ampliar el aparato productivo para beneficiar la columna principal de su programa de gobierno: el combate a la pobreza. "Hagan plata, pero con responsabilidad social, y permítanme a mí iniciar un proceso de reducción de la pobreza con responsabilidad económica", dijo.
El discurso fue aplaudido por la comunidad internacional. Quizá a quien más pareció agradarle fue al presidente Hugo Chávez, quien luego hizo el saludo militar ante el nuevo gobernante, y pudo robarse el show entre diputados y amigos de los funcionarios de gobierno, quienes lo esperaron, incluso concluido el acto, para estrechar su mano y tomarse una fotografía, cuando nuevamente el salón se encontraba sumido en el silencio, alejado del canto de la chirimía y el compás del tum... tum."
"El presidente recordó a las 200 mil personas que perdieron la vida durante el conflicto armado interno y las divisiones que éste causó. Descartó la intención de querer aprovecharse del legado de su tío Manuel Colom Argueta —alcalde de la ciudad asesinado en 1978—, y pidió a las nuevas generaciones confianza para recuperar el tiempo perdido.
"Ni Juan Alberto Fuentes —hijo de Alberto Fuentes Mohr, dirigente político asesinado— ni yo nos sentimos herederos políticos de ellos. Eso nos lo vamos a ganar en los próximos cuatro años", aseguró Colom."
The body of René Maldonado from Prensa Libre (3rd January 2008).
On New Year’s Eve, the body was found of the magistrate (juez), Fausto René Maldonado Torres. He worked in Quetzaltenango and his body was found in Mazatenango. He had been beaten beyond recognition and had suffered knife wounds to his body, arms and fingers before dying when his throat was cut. He had received death threats and had reported these, in confidence, to the Human Rights Attorney of Quetzaltenango. He had also stated that he had refused to accept a bribe of 15,000 Quetzals to leave at liberty three suspects. In addition to this, he had accused his legal colleagues of receiving money to fix outcomes. It seems that he was also due to name names linked to corruption.
Guatemala has a single-digit conviction rate for murder and has been described by the United Nations as a good place to kill. The sum of 100 Quetzals (£7, €9 or $13) is a figure used to put a price on murder. The low conviction rate naturally leads to a very low price for a murder as the consequences are negligible.
The new President, Álvaro Colom, will be sworn in on 14th January at 14.00 hrs and brings with him the usual agenda, including security and justice. It has been said that he has links with the criminal underworld and is in the pocket of big business (CACIF) and the oligarch families. The latter was not an issue for the outgoing President, Óscar Berger. He will shamelessly scurry back into the arms of the elite families, from whence he came, having delivered nothing to the people of Guatemala.
There is a sign on the Pan-American Highway, a little outside the capital on its way west, thanking the people of Guatemala for their taxes to rebuild the road after the damage caused by Hurricane Stan in 2005. This new structural investment will be of immense benefit to CACIF and oligarchs and it would be interesting to know how much, by way of taxes, escaped their grasping hands. The pain of poverty, violence, hunger, impunity and death suffered by Guatemalans continues to enrich the same few vampiric families.
Will the cowardly killers of Fausto René Maldonado Torres be bought to justice during the Presidency of Álvaro Colom, or will this Presidency even care? Don’t hold your breath.
MOVIMIENTOS: "Música Mestiza. Documentary films. Latin Culture" is on Thursday 10th January @ The Salmon and Compass.
Documentary Films from 7pm including: "Testamento".
7pm-2am
Entry: Donations
Salmon and Compass
58 Penton Street (Corner of Chapel Market)
N1 9ES (Angel tube/Northern Line)
Information about "Testamento"
A documentary film about the amazing life of lawyer, activist and politician Alfonso Bauer Paiz, a legendary figure in the recent history of Latin America having direct experience of nearly all the modern revolutionary movements in the region and still politically active at age 81. Friends, family members, and fellow activists are interviewed and tell about their relations with this central figure of Guatemalan politics and revolution. It won first prize at the Latin American Cinema Film Festival, New York, 2005.
Alfonso Bauer Paíz is an 84 year old lawyer who lives in Guatemala. For more than half a century he has fought for social justice. His search for dignity for his country, leads him to defend it against intervention, military regimes and the unscrupulous multinational companies. He is constantly persecuted and forced into exile, where he is simultaneously witness and protagonist in the revolutions in Latin America. But the price of his ideals is high: His friends, his past wives and children do not live long lives. In order to end the long armed conflict in Guatemala, he returns from his lengthy exile with hundreds of thousands of war refugees. After decades of dictatorship, he takes part in the first free elections, and in 2000 he is elected as a representative of congress, a seat which he previously took up in his youth. But in the present day a general presides over congress. Alfonso Bauer Paíz's long struggle seems lost. However the socialist and freemason is convinced that his work has not been futile.
The film covers the ideals and legacy of an indomitable man who brings life to both Latin America's past and present.
You can find more in Spanish about the film in this handy PDF download.
Gary Mason's long article 'Anatomy of a shootout' in the Globe and Mail is worth reading but demonstrates outsiders' difficulty with covering the issue of violence and injustice in Guatemala. The difficulty is the outsiders need for a spoonful of sugar with the bitter reality. You could sum this view as: "Don't tell us how awful and bleak the situation is if we can't make it better". But Mason like many other foreign news journalists before him in Guatemala says it's ok because foreigners (Canadians in this case) are making things ok. Is it just me or when it says at the beginning of the article:
"Welcome to Guatemala, where death stalks the land — and Canadians are trying valiantly to stop it."
There's a part of you that wants to alter this to say: " - and Guatemalans and others (including Canadians) are trying valiantly to stop it".
The article is founded on an indeed shocking statistic that endures in Guatemala:
"According to statistics kept by the United Nations, there were 1.85 homicides in Canada last year for every 100,000 people. The U.S. figure was 5.7, while Russia, considered one of the more dangerous countries in the world, recorded 20. Guatemala's was almost 21/2 times that: an estimated 47 per 100,000 people."
But when you read down the article, you come across lines like:
"The situation is so desperate that the Guatemalan government has turned to Canada for help."
I know this isn't supposed to, but why does this kind of writing read as faintly farsical? You get the journalist's point here and recent Guatemalan-Canadian cooperation, some of which the article explains, has certainly been an interesting case in point of cooperation between countries on the issue of criminal justice. But this is reinforcing the trite point of a desperate country that reaches out to us for some kind of salvation from its overwhelming problems. Somehow this conception takes outsiders out of picture when the problem's discussed, but very much puts outsiders at the centre when looking for the solution. In reality, isn't it more the other way round?
So why is it you read an article like this one and you feel outsiders can't read about issues in Guatemala without someone from Guatemala saying: "It's nothing to do with you guys, hey, you're doing all you can and we're so grateful to you!". In this case the journalist has got Juan Florido who heads up the Ministerio Publico saying what we 'want' to hear:
"But I can't tell you how important the support from the Canadian government, the Law Courts Education Society, the B.C. government, the Mounted Police has been in terms of resources and training and getting all this going," he says. "Because of it, there has been a new beginning of the criminal-justice system."
One day our media will be able to cover issues in countries like Guatemala on their own merits and focus entirely on how those directly affected are part of the solution and not just impotent victims. To this end, the video interview with Fredy Peccerelli from Guatemala Forensic Anthropology Foundation (FAFG) is great- not sure why it's not in the written article. Anyway check it out- this article is the first of a series on Guatemala.
Welcome, Guatemala Solidarity Network (GSN) based in the United Kingdom supports the people of Guatemala who continue to struggle for change after centuries of oppression, violence, racism and exploitation.
You can keep in touch with all the news and views on Guatemala in many, many blogs and sources of information here via Pageflakes.
