On Wednesday, September 11, the Commission for Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala held a meeting in Congress to discuss the question of community radio in Guatemala. Congressman Carlos Mejia presided over the events. Cultural Survival’s Guatemalan team attended and participated in the meeting, along with traditional community leaders, or alcaldes, and other organizations that support Indigenous communities in Guatemala. Representatives from the Superintendence of Telecommunications in Guatemala, the Commission for Indigenous Peoples, the Minister of Communication, Infrastructure and Housing and the Governor General were all in attendance.
Representatives from the communities presented on the criminalization of community radio in the country. They highlighted the negative effects that this criminalization has on Indigenous communities and denounced the raids routinely experienced by community radios around the country. Finally representatives from our team explained the importance of community radio for the development of their communities, as well as the 15-year long fight for its legalization.
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The Commission for Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala pleaded with the governing bodies present that the rights of Indigenous communities be respected and that the right to express oneself through community radio be put on the table while Initiative 4087, which would legalize community radio across the country, is in process. Initiative 4087 has already received a favorable response, but has been put on the backburner along with various other initiatives concerning Indigenous rights. Finally, the Commission requested that the Attorney General’s Office for Human Rights present this issue to the Attorney General as a violation of the right to freedom expression for Indigenous Peoples in Guatemala in no more than one month.
This event is another step in the right direction for the fight for Indigenous community radio in Guatemala. More than 50 community radios broadcast the event across the country, spreading the word of the community radio movement far and wide. If you would like to learn more about the movement or learn how to help, CLICK HERE.
