July 2009 Delegation Starts with Claudia Samayoa

Friday, July 10, 2009, all the delegates for our SIXTH delegation to Guatemala arrived, some at 7:30 AM, some in the middle of the day, two traveled around Guatemala by themselves before meeting us in the Capital, and three arrived mid-afternoon from Texas. The Texans hardly got to breathe before we hustled everyone over to the office of UDEFGUA for a briefing of recent Guatemala history and an overview of the current situation. This report is from our delegate from Cal State University at Long Beach, Justine:

This afternoon delegates of MIA, Mujeres Iniciando en Las Americas, sister organization of the Guatemala Peace and Development Network (GPDN), met with human rights activist and defender, Claudia Samayoa, director of UDEFEGUA Guatemala (http://udefgua.blogspot.com)

Samayoa and UDEFEGUA protect human rights defenders in Central America, with a particular emphasis on Guatemala. The organization’s role is to defend human rights activists who face threats of attack and defamation as a result of challenging the government’s persistent violence and corruption that has continued to plague the country, as 2,300 out of the population of 13.5-15 million people have been killed since the beginning of 2009.

Samayoa gave the delegates an overview on impunity in Guatemala. Acknowledging countries such as the United States and Mexico in which corruption seems to infiltrate its way upward through the political system, she noted the opposite path taken in the Guatemalan system in which corruption begins at the top economic positions and works its way down through the different facets of society, as those in higher positions tend to manipulate systems into catering to their financial interests. As a result, justice for crimes is virtually impossible to obtain, as the civil (what we call the criminal system in the U.S.) system has an impunity rate of almost 100%, according to Samayoa.

Those who challenge these injustices live in a constant threat of violence. At particular risk are women, who have been pioneering the country’s nonviolent push for peace, democratization, and human rights initiatives. Attacking women activists, however, is a way to sustain the country’s corrupt system by placing women back into the home and out of work, universities, and positions through which to activate change in their country. As these women and other human rights defenders are a significant threat to organized crime, they become targets of violence. There have been a total of approximately 1,600 attacks against human rights activists, the majority of which have been initiated by some of the five different intelligence groups in Guatemala.

Addressing the situation of Guatemalan President Colom and alleged disputes with narcotics traffickers, in which attempts at investigation and a coup have been unsuccessful, Samayoa related similar situations in Guatemala to the recent coup of President Zelaya that has taken place in neighboring Honduras. While two countries’ presidents have been suspected of similar allegations, the coup in Honduras was successful due to the way in which the military made legal maneuvers to justify the coup and through elaborate and careful work with the media.

In regard to Guatemala’s progress toward justice and the tackling of impunity, Samayoa noted the commission recently established by the United Nations and the Government of Guatemala, the International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG), which was formed to investigate and prosecute these impunity systems. While attacks continue, however, Samayoa and UDEFEGUA are essential allies in protecting the human rights activists who challenge these corrupt systems and push for justice in Guatemala.

-oOo-

Now the beginning of the same trip FROM THE MALE PERSPECTIVE. Most of our delegates have been women, but realy, violence against women is more of a male issue than a women's one, so we really welcome male participation. Our third male delegate, Celso Baez, has joined in the blogging, so here's his report of the trip and the first day:

As I began to prepare for a ten-day delegation to Guatemala with MIA, Mujeres Iniciando en Las Americas , I knew mental preparation was key, for the week was jam-packed with meetings with government officials, families of victims, and visits to rural areas where we were sure to be culture shocked. The supposed X-factor in the Guatemala/ M.I.A. equation was being the only male participant in the delegation. To be completely honest, it was the least of my worries, as I embraced the M.I.A. /Guatemala experience as a mere citizen of humanity leaving behind my gender-vision goggles in the dust.not to say I had any to begin with.

Three of us flew in from Texas; two originally from Houston and one from Wisconsin. We were connecting in Nicaragua. I was excited to add another currency to my collection of Central/South American money. However, when we landed in Nicaragua we were immediately profiled and given the "special treatment". It was then, that I realized I was not an equal. We were told we needed our carry-on bags inspected and x-rayed, as if they hadn't been securely checked in the U.S. Once that was complete, the airport officials deliberated some more. They somehow decided their fraudulent inspection was enough and were nice enough to guide us to our next gate. We had an hour to kill and a cold beer sounded golden. I enjoyed the reggaeton and Spanish rock tunes playing on the music channel in the airport bar. As my eyes closed to take that first sip of a cold corona, a blasting Kelly Clarkson abruptly interrupted the lovely Spanish rock. Of course the Americans prefer Kelly Clarkson. It had been 3 hours since our departure from Houston and we were already struggling to distinguish ourselves as true Latin Americans.

We arrived mid-afternoon in Guatemala and rushed to the immigration booth, excited to have our passports stamped with the Guatemala seal. Chris and Lucia picked us up in what looked like a space van. We hustled to the hostel where we dumped our luggage and met the rest of the delegates. We then headed towards the office of UDEFEGUA to meet with human rights activist and director, Claudia Samayoa.

The UDEFEGUA, (Unidad de Defensores y Defensoras de Derechos of Guatemala) was established in 2004 to further the work and security of human rights defenders in Guatemala and Central America. The program helps at-risk human rights defenders and their organizations prevent and respond to security threats through education, monitoring and mental health support, and advocates for protection by government institutions and the international community.

Ms. Samayoa knew e-v-e-r-y-thing. What a powerful woman. For over two hours she thoroughly discussed the injustices that have plagued and continue to plague her beautiful country, Guatemala. Hearing her describe how corruption has infiltrated the government, military, economy and the healthcare system disturbed me beyond belief.
Things that made me cringe:

-2,000 human rights defenders have been killed in 2009 alone
- In 1996 the peace accords were signed
- Murdering of women as a political message
-Many victims are members of evangelical sectors
-Slave labor/Class make-up
-Literacy/Competency/drop-out rates
-Impunity structure consisting those who posses the supposed hand of Justice
-Military/Organized Crime

After the two-hour introduction to Guatemala, it seemed appropriate to ask what we Americans can do from home. I urge whomever is reading to support congressmen and women who make it an issue to put an emphasis on feminicide in Guatemala. Also, ensure that proposed changes are realized on the local level. Pressure diplomatic officials simply by drafting a letter of concern and have more people in your place of residence, school, work, and worship to submit a letter. I left the UDEFEGUA office encouraged yet a lingering feeling of disgust on behalf of the injustice in Guatemala kept me in perspective.
Day one finally came to a close as we debriefed and prepared for the long drive to Cajola.