On March 13th the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Ms. Navi Pillay, visited Guatemala, giving an audience to the grievances of the Indigenous peoples in the country during a visit to the highland town of Totonicapan.
Interventions were made by members of the diverse Indigenous communities across all departments of the country, including traditional Indigenous authorities, leaders of community organizations fighting for human rights, land rights, women’s rights, the environment, and proponents for freedom of expression through the legalization of community radio.
Navi Pillay made the following statement after her visit;
“Although indigenous peoples constitute the majority of the population, they continue to be subject to exclusion and denial of their human rights. During my meeting with indigenous ancestral authorities in Totonicapan last Tuesday, I was struck by the unanimous voices describing exclusion in all spheres, including access to basic services, land ownership, access to justice, participation in public decision-making processes and bodies, as well as the criminalization of indigenous leaders who are using their right to dissent.”
Cultural Survival staff Rosendo Pablo Ramirez, a Mam Maya of Todos Santos Cuchumatan, presented an intervention on behalf of the Movement of Community Radio Stations in Guatemala, urging the approval of Bill 4087 for Community Media that would legalize community radio, as was promised in the Peace Accords signed after Guatemala’s civil war in 1996. The following video was filmed and produced by Radio Project volunteers of San Mateo, Quetzaltenango with the help of ArtCorps.
High Commissioner for UNCHR visits Totonicapan, Gautemala
Many community radio stations traveled to Totonicapan to broadcast coverage of the event, including Radio Doble Via, Stereo Maya, Radio Xobil Yol, Radio Snuq Jolom Konob, Radio Ixchel, and Stereo Juventud.
