GUATEMALAN VICTIMS OF MINING REPRESSION ARE IN TORONTO
SEEKING JUSTICE AGAINST HUDBAY MINERALS
WHERE: OISE auditorium, Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto, 252 Bloor Street West,Toronto
WHEN: Wednesday, November 28th, 7pm – 9pm
WHO: Participating in this event are five Mayan Qeqchi indigenous people from El Estor, Guatemala: Angelica Choc, wife of Adolfo Ich; Rosa Elbira and Margarita Caal, two of the eleven gang-rape victims from the Lote 8 community; German Chub; Maria Cuc Choc, sister of Angelica Choc. And, Grahame Russell of Rights Action.
(Rosa Elbira, Margarita Caal and nine other Qeqchi women, all victims of gang-rapes that occurred as part of an illegal, forced eviction (including the burning of 100 homes) in their remote village of Lote 8, as well as women from a nearby village. Photo: James Rodriguez, 2010, www.mimundo.org)
PRECEDENT SETTING CASES
The five Mayan Qeqchi people, from the nickel mining harmed communities of El Estor, department of Izabal, Guatemala, are in Toronto (November 24-29) to participate with their lawyers in pre-trial cross-examinations with Hudbay Mineral’s lawyers. These examinations are part of 3 civil negligence suits filed against Hudbay concerning the gang rape of eleven Qeqchi women in 2007, and the killing of Adolfo Ich and shooting/paralyzing of German Chub in 2009.
These are precedent setting legal cases in Canadian courts – that will hopefully help pierce the wall of impunity and immunity from legal accountability that Canadian resource extraction companies benefit from in Canada for crimes, human rights violations and environmental harms that their operations sometimes cause in other countries.
From 2008-2011, Hudbay tried to operate a nickel mine that has been controversial in Guatemala since the 1970s when then Canadian mining giant INCO (International Nickel Company) operated the mine. The 1999 United Nations Truth Commission documented that INCO (via its Guatemalan subsidiary EXMIBAL) colluded with the US-backed Guatemalan military regime in acts of repression in the 1970s and early 80s – including killings and disappearances – against the same Qeqchi population.
Though Hudbay sold its mining interests in 2011, at an estimated loss of $200 million, the Qeqchi people continue to seek justice and remedy for the human rights violations they suffered while the nickel mining operation was under the ownership and control of Hudbay, including the gang rape of eleven Qeqchi women, the killing of Adolfo Ich and the shooting/paralyzing of German Chub.
MORE INFORMATION:
- Defensora (5 minute trailer: http://www.indiegogo.com/
defensora ) documents the Mayan Qeqchi people’s struggle to reclaim their ancestral lands and to seek justice and remedy for the murder, shootings and rapes committed against them by Canadian mining companies in Guatemala. - El Estor Evictions (10 minute film: http://rightsaction.org/video/
elestor ) documents Canadian nickel mining companies’ illegal, forced evictions of Mayan Qeqchi communities in eastern Guatemala. - Lawsuits: http://www.chocversushudbay.
com/ - Rights Action: [email protected], www.rightsaction.org. www.facebook.com/rightsaction.
org
THIS EVENT SPONSORED BY:
Rights Action, Climate Justice Group of Science for Peace, UNBC Guatemala Research Group, Canadian Dimension magazine, No One is Illegal, Latin American and Caribbean Solidarity Network, Mining Injustice Solidarity Network, … (* If your organization would like to co-sponsor, send name to: [email protected])
DONATIONS WILL BE ENCOURAGED:
Funds raised at this event help support the work of the Qeqchi people for justice, community development and protection of their environment. Tax-deductible donations can be made. (CHEQUES: Make cheque payable to “Rights Action” and mail to: Rights Action, (Box 552) 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8. CREDIT-CARD DONATIONS:http://www.rightsaction.org/
MORE INFORMATION:
Grahame Russell, Rights Action, [email protected], c: 860-751-4285, www.rightsaction.org
Judy Deutsch, Climate Justice Group of Science for Peace, [email protected]