The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Expression, Edison Lanza, made an academic visit to Guatemala on April 12-14, 2015. Lanza participated in the Open Forum and III Gathering of Community Radios: Freedom of Expression, Indigenous Peoples and Governance in Guatemala, an event which was hosted by Asociación Sobrevivencia Cultural, Cultural Survival, Asociacion de Radios Comunitarias de Guatemala ( ARCG) and Asociacion Mujb’ abl’ yol, along with other non-profit organizations. The event focused on Indigenous Peoples and the right to freedom of expression in Guatemala, a right that is often violated by the state.
Persecution against community radio stations is an all too-common occurrence in Guatemala. Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala rely on community radio to keep their cultures, languages, and traditions alive as well as to inform their communities about issues and events relevant to their lives. Community radio also serves the vital function of distributing content to listeners in their own language, reaching even the poorest areas where radio may be the only affordable form of communication. The right to this media is clearly defined by the Guatemalan Peace Accords, the Guatemalan constitution, and international human rights bodies like the United Nations ,the International Labor Organization, and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, yet access to community radio remains restricted due to an outdated telecommunications law that the Guatemalan Congress refuses to change.
Lanza also made a special visit to Radio Ixchel in Sumpango, Sacatepequez. Radio Ixchel is an outstanding community radio station that has been serving the community for over 10 years and is a model for many community stations. Radio Ixchel welcomed Edison Lanza with traditional marimba music and food. Special guests included local volunteer firefighters, ancestral leaders, local police, teachers, children and elders in the community that make use of the radio. Lanza was impressed with Radio Ixchel’s work and expressed his concern with the continuing persecution of community radio stations in Guatemala.
Lanza spoke at the Open Forum and III Gathering of Community Radios on April 13 on the subject of freedom of expression in Latin America and the work the Inter-American Commission is doing to improve the implementation of this right for Indigenous communities. He also met with the Broadcasting Chamber of Guatemala to discuss the constant conflict between commercial and community radio stations.
Lanza’s visit provided a valuable opportunity for the community radio movement. Indigenous community radio stations from all over Guatemala gathered at the forum and shared their struggles and experiences with the Special Rapporteur. Although on an unofficial visit, Edison Lanza met with various state entities and Congress members to discuss freedom of expression in Guatemala.
