2006-12. The Eternal Struggle for Land

Barrio La Revolucion. El Estor, Izabal, Guatemala.
December 19, 2006.
Issue: Land / Mining / Indigenous Rights

Along the northern edge of Lake Izabal, Guatemala’s largest body of water, a Canadian-run nickel mining project has been the source of numerous social conflicts for over 45 years. Originally known as the EXMIBAL Mine (a subsidiary of mining giant INCO – International Nickel Company), it is now being run by Skye Resources Incorporated via its local counterpart, the Compañía Guatemalteca de Níquel (CGN).
Since the nickel mining project’s original conception in 1960, the land concessions assigned for mining activities in the area have coincided with the local population’s own communities. Situated in the municipality of El Estor, where a majority of its inhabitants are indigenous peoples of the Maya Q’eqchi’ ethnic group dwelling in extreme poverty, the government has continually ruled in favor of those associated with the mining project. As a result, violent mass evictions carried on by police and military forces have left numerous victims in the past few decades and an ever growing feeling of resentment by the locals towards the project.

The mine has not operated since the 1980’s, but the last couple of years have seen renewed activity hoping to reactivate the project in the near future. Therefore, brutal mass evictions by federal forces, resembling those which were common during Guatemala’s 36-year internal conflict, have also resurfaced.

The latest violence occurred in the rural community of Barrio La Revolucion. According to local leaders, the land in question was taken from their families illegally by the EXMIBAL project in the 1960’s and the government has postponed any resolution for decades. As a result, 200 impoverished families re-occupied the currently unused lot on September 17th, 2006, so as to build living quarters and grow subsistence crops.

On November 13th, 2006, however, less than two months after the Barrio La Revolucion was established, hundreds of armed members of the Federal Police entered the rural community in El Estor and carried on the eviction orders in a vicious manner. Tear gas canisters were fired unexpectedly at the residents, while other agents destroyed the wood and palm dwellings. A few locals were seriously injured, but fortunately no one died.

According to local leaders, talks hoping to resolve the legal ownership of the land will take place with CGN and the government on January 13th, 2007. But these families of Maya Q’eqchi’ decent are aware the odds are against them. As of December 19th, 2006, when these photographs were taken, many residents of Barrio La Revolucion have returned out of necessity to the lot and are once again building homes and growing crops.

As don Alfredo, a local resident states through a translator: “I was born here, and in 40 years no one has worked the land. It was only used for cattle. But we need the land to grow crops, to survive! Only my stiff dead body will be removed from here.”

View of the western end of Barrio La Revolucion.

Some homes were destroyed during the violent eviction of November 12th. Yet despite not having assurance regarding the legal status of the landholding, residents are still building living structures.
Members from nearby Chichipate Village are lending a hand in the development of the community.

Roughly 90 percent of the residents in the municipality of El Estor are indigenous peoples of the Maya Q’eqchi’ ethnic group.

This region ranks among the poorest in the western hemisphere.

Despite not having electricity, the community has a few communal water taps.

Last time strangers came into the community, violence was unleashed against the locals. Rightly so, a child warily peeks outside.

Brother and sister take a half step out of their simple hut.

A reflective mother feeds her young baby.

Just like their preceding generations who endured 36 years of civil war, young Guatemalans are enduring violence and repression applied by the state’s own federal forces.

Versión en español aquí.
In Japanese: 日本語で。

7 thoughts on “2006-12. The Eternal Struggle for Land”

  1. I love your pictures on Flickr. I live in Xela, teaching in an American school–so even though I live in Guatemala, I rarely see this side of things. Thanks for what you’re doing…

  2. Hi James, Dawn’s blog linked to yours. Your Flickr link must have been cut short because it does not take me to the correct Flickr acct. Just thought you might want to fix that so people can enjoy your fabulous photos. (I found the correct link in your ‘About Me ‘ section. Take care.
    Val

  3. Thank-you for posting this story … it continues to amaze me that the media turns a blind eye and we have to rely on individuals and indymedia to spread the word. It would be great if you could add a link or suggestion about actions that people can take in solidarity with the people of El Estor.

  4. Rights Action gives the following suggestions:

    WHAT TO DO:

    Show your support for communities defending their right to life by
    contacting Skye Resources, as well as the other contacts listed below, and demanding that they stop the evictions of impoverished Mayan-Q’eqchi’ communities in El Estor, Guatemala.

    Ian Austin, President and CEO,
    Skye Resources Suite 1203-700 West Pender Street
    Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6C 1G8 info@skyeresources.com.
    With copies to your own politicians and to: Better Business Bureau, Vancouver, inquiries@bbbvan.org;
    Business and Human Rights Resource Centre, contact@business-humanrights.org;

    INCO nickel company, General Inquiries, inco@inco.com;
    INCO, Investor Relations, investor@inco.com;
    INCO, Media Relations, media@inco.com.

    Upon request, Rights Action can forward extensive information on the harms and human rights violations associated with nickel mining in the El Estor region over the past 40 years, or so. The 1999 United Nations Truth Commission implicated INCO in a series of human rights violations, including killings.

    * Get involved in education and activism work in your home community concerning the negative impacts of North American investors and mining policies on community-controlled development, the environment and the human rights of local populations in Guatemala, Honduras, Haiti, Chiapas, El Salvador;

    * Get on our e-mail and snail-mail lists.

    QUESTIONS: info@rightsaction.org; http://www.rightsaction.org.

  5. Good pictures, but your articles about Guatemala are full of mistakes and misconceptions. For example until recently, the Rio Dulce/Lake Izabal area was entirely Chol & Garifuna, possibly Lacandon. The Q’eqchi Mayans are recent. I agree that they have plight and have in many cases been dealt an unfair hand. But that in no way means they haven't done their fair share of environmental destruction and land grabbing. Mostly from innocent people who were there before them.

  7. I just cannot believe in what an anonymous says.
    I believe what is written in this blog. It's true, I used to live there.

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