To mark the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on August 9th, representatives of 50 community radio stations from all over Guatemala came to the Centro Historico in Guatemala City to participate in a two-day conference on the rights of Indigenous Peoples to freedom of expression through radio. The goal of the conference was to bring pressure on congress to legalize community radio in Guatemala by approving the Bill 4087, the Law for Community Media.
Panelist Andres Sanchez, of the office of the UN High Commission for Human Rights in Guatemala, explained that having signed the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, the state of Guatemala is obligated to guarantee access to communication for Indigenous Peoples. If the state continues to deny this right, they will face serious reprimand when they are up for review at the Council of Human Rights in Geneva next year. Other panelists during the conference included Oscar Perez, the vice-president Latin American branch of the World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters; Frank La Rue, UN special rapporteur on freedom of expression; and Nery Rodenas, director of the Archbishop’s Office for Human Rights in Guatemala.
The conference culminated on Tuesday afternoon with a protest in front of the Congress with representatives of community radio stations wearing black cloths tied around their mouths, to show how current legislation has tried to silence their communities. “We demand freedom of expression,” wrote members of Radio Ixchel of Sumpango, Sacatepequez, whose radio is celebrating its eighth anniversary on the air this Sunday, despite having been raided by national police six years ago. Another placard stated, “We demand rights and respect for community radio stations; and the immediate approval of the Bill 4087. We will not be silenced.”
Inside, an audience was won with the president of Congress, Roberto Alejos, as well as the president of the Congressional Council on Indigenous Peoples, Armando Chun, with the help of congressional ally Walter Felix. During the meeting, Alejos signed a document to enter a point of discussion in the next plenary session of Congress to vote on whether the Bill 4087 will be put on the agenda for a final vote before the end of this congressional quarter and the national presidential elections that occur next month on September 11th.
Special thanks to all panelists and local organizations who helped fund the event, including SERJUS, (www.serjus.org.gt ) PRODESSA (http://www.prodessa.net/), and the Committee of Mayan Organizations of Guatemala.
To view more photos from the protest and march, visit our facebook page.
