12 Kaqchikel communities in defense of territory: Situation in San Juan Sacatepéquez
Since 2006, 12 Kaqchikel communities located in the western part of the municipality of San Juan Sacatepéquez, Guatemala have been resisting the installation of the so-called “San Juan Project,” owned by Productos Mineros S. A., a subsidiary of Guatemalan company Cementos Progreso. The company is the main producer of cement in Guatemala and owned by the Novella family, a powerful oligarchic family in the country. While Cementos Progreso has an 80% share in the project, the remaining 20% belongs to the Swiss multinational company Holcim, the world’s largest cement producer. Plans for the project include the construction of a factory and a quarry, for the purposes of cement production, as well as the construction of a new road connecting San Juan Sacatepéquez and Santo Domingo Xenacoj, with the Inter-American Highway, a public private partnership with the Government of Guatemala, for transporting cement, as well as corporate social responsibility projects.
The project has proceeded without the free, prior and informed consent of local communities, stipulated under International Labour Organization Convention 169, to which Guatemala is a signatory. The 12 Kaqchikel communities (El Pilar I, El Pilar II, San Antonio Las Trojes I and II, Lo De Ramos, Santa Fe Ocaña, Los Pajoquez, Loma Alta, Cruz Blanca, Asuncion Chivoc, Cruz De Ayapan Y Comunidad De Ruiz) have come together to defend their territory against this incursion. They object to this project for a host of reasons, including the threat it represents to the environment, their economic livelihoods and way of life, including culture, and life itself, due to health implications, and so on. While cement production has not initiated as of yet, their lives have already changed. Their everyday lives have been marked by community division, militarization, unjust imprisonment, health concerns and a host of other negative impacts. In an expression of their right to self-determination, community referendums were held locally on May 13, 2007 in the affected communities. In total, 8946 people out of 8950 voted no on the issue of mining, whereas 4 voted yes.
For more information see:
Asociación de 12 Comunidades Kaqchikeles de San Juan Sacatepéquez: http://www.12comunidadesdesanjuan.org/index.php/quienes-somos.html
We want pencils not weapons: http://www.mimundo.org/2012/07/02/2012-06-we-want-pencils-not-weapons-san-juan-sacatepequez-rejects-newly-installed-military-brigade/
Guatemala’s Indigenous Women in Resistance: http://www.pbi-guatemala.org/fileadmin/user_files/projects/guatemala/files/english/Mujeres_Completo_ING.pdf
Recent Incidents
Statement of complaint of the 12 Kaqchikel communities of San Juan Sacatepéquez
THE TWELVE KAQCHIKEL COMMUNITIES OF SAN JUAN SACATEPÉQUEZ DENOUNCE DISCRIMINATION AGAINST THEM BY THE MUNICIPAL MAYOR FERNANDO BRACAMONTE MARQUEZ IN COMPLICITY WITH A GROUP OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM SAN ANTONIO LAS TROJES, WORKERS OF CEMENTOS PROGRESO, WHO HAVE PROVOKED DESTABILIZATION IN THE COMMUNITY OF SAN ANTONIO LAS TROJES.
On various occasions the community of San Antonio Las Trojes has indicated to the Mayor that the company Cementos Progreso and a group of its workers created an illegitimate COCODE during the State of Prevention in 2008 and with support of the company have been threatening and coercing community members. In the most extreme instances, they have attacked community members and their goods with firearms. They have committed all kinds of illicit acts like setting fire to buses, for which there are now over 40 complaints, none of which have been investigated by the Public Ministry, due to interference and pressure from the cement company. Among these are complaints are those with the following identifying numbers: MP001/2010/61844 Ag 5, MP001/2010/64289 Ag 6, against José Víctor Socoy Tubac, José Mariano Noj Equite, Elias Patzan Tubac, Pantaleon Garcia Camey, Juan Pirir Camey, Isidro Suruy Zet, Luis Tepeu Pirir, the last one a representative of a commercial organization called Guatemaya.
The people that are a part of the COCODE (Community Development Council) of the company Cementos Progreso, along with the Mayor Fernando Bracamonte want to install a project for potable water in our community by force, against the will of community members, to the sole benefit of the company Cementos Progreso and its workers. For this reason, we have asked for a community referendum. Regardless, the Mayor has not been attentive to our requests. For this reason, yesterday the Alcaldes Auxiliares (Community Majors), in addition to the COCODE of the community were in front of the Municipal Office for over 5 hours. We were not attended to and at 5pm we decided to go home. But, we could not make it home, because employees of Cementos Progreso blocked the access road with rocks, sticks and trees. As well, a group of armed men impeded access, for which we sought refuge in another community, as they threatened us with death.
We come to denounce Fernando Bracamonte, the COCODE of the company which is led by Mariano Noj, as well as Luis Tepeu, representatives of the companies GUATEMAYA and Cementos Progreso for these acts of intimidation and destabilization that they are causing against the community of San Antonio Las Trokjes, like the attack suffered yesterday by Daniel Pascual, as well as journalists and human rights defenders who were part of an observation mission. We place responsibility on workers of Cementos Progreso for the acts of violence they are causing.
Comunicado de denuncia de las 12 comunidades kaqchikeles de San Juan Sacatepéquez
LAS DOCE COMUNIDADES KAQCHIKELES DE SAN JUAN SACATEPEQUEZ, DENUNCIAN DISCRIMINACION EN CONTRA DEL ALCALDE MUNICIPAL FERNANDO BRACAMONTE MARQUEZ QUE EN COMPLICIDAD CON UN GRUPO DE VECINOS DE SAN ANTONIO LAS TROJES TRABAJADORES DE CEMENTOS PROGRESO, HAN PROVOCADO DESESTABILIZACION EN LA COMUNIDAD SAN ANTONIO LAS TROJES.
En varias ocasiones La Comunidad de San Antonio Las Trojes han indicado al Alcalde que la Empresa Cementos Progreso y un grupo de sus trabajadores integraron un Cocode ilegitimo durante el Estado de Prevención en el 2008, y con el respaldo de la Empresa, han estado amenazando y coaccionando a los comunitarios, al extremo que con armas de fuego han atacado a toda persona de las comunidades y sus bienes, han cometido toda clase de hechos ilícitos como incendiado buses, de lo que se han puesto mas de 40 denuncias de las cuales ninguna sola ha sido investigada por el Ministerio Publico, por injerencias y presiones de la Empresa Cementera, estando dentro de estas denuncias las identificadas con los números MP001/2010/61844 Ag 5, MP001/2010/64289 Ag 6, en contra José Víctor Socoy Tubac, José Mariano Noj Equite, Elias Patzan Tubac, Pantaleon Garcia Camey, Juan Pirir Camey, Isidro Suruy Zet, Luis Tepeu Pirir, este último representante de una organización de comerciantes llamado Guatemaya.
Estas personas que integran el Cocode de la Empresa Cementos Progreso, juntamente con el Alcalde Fernando Bracamonte quieren instalar a la fuerza un proyecto de agua potable en nuestra comunidad y en contra de la voluntad de todos los vecinos, que solo beneficiara a la Empresa Cementos Progreso y a sus trabajadores, ante lo cual hemos pedido una consulta comunitaria, sin embargo, el alcalde Bracamonte con una total discriminación no ha atendido nuestras peticiones, puesto que el día de ayer en la tarde los Alcaldes Auxiliares asi como el Cocode de la Comunidad, estuvimos mas de 5 horas enfrente de la Municipalidad y no fuimos atendidos por lo que a eso de las cinco de la tarde de ayer decidimos retirarnos, pero ya no pudimos llegar a nuestras casas , porque los empleados de Cementos Progreso taparon el camino de acceso con piedras, palos y arboles, así también un grupo de hombres armados nos impidieron el acceso, ante lo cual nos refugiamos en otra comunidad ya que estos nos amenazaron de muerte.
Venimos a denunciar a Fernando Bracamonte, al Cocode de la Empresa que lidera el señor Mariano Noj, asi como a Luis Tepeu, representante de los comerciantes GUATEMAYA, y a Cementos Progreso de estos actos de intimidación y desestabilización que están causando en contra de la Comunidad San Antonio Las Trojes, así como el ataque que sufrió el dia de ayer el señor Daniel Pascual, así como periodistas y defensores de derechos humanos que acompañaron a una misión de observación, y desde ya los responsabilizamos de todos los actos de violencia que están causando los trabajadores de Cementos Progreso.
Friday, January 26