Interview with Angelica Choc

Please click the link to see the interview in Spanish. Below is the English translation.

What is the current situation in your community?

In my community, well, for me… after they found out the important news about the complaint I presented in Canada, the situation changed. Because now, they don’t put much importance in the lies or the rumours that come to the community. Many times they have talked about [us recieving] $12 000 000, huge lies by the company, that I received that money from the company CGN. It’s not true. Thank god my community realized. There are still some community members that don’t trust you, bad leaders that don’t understand the situation. But you have to understand and know how to get along with them as well. This is my community.

Now, if I talk about all the communities, the occupations of 2003, 2004, 2005 and after… in respect to these occupations, there were illegal land evictions in 2007, 2008, 2009, when the most painful tragedy in my life occurred. The communities have been very manipulated by the company, very divided. Lately they have been using the three law suits we have in Canada to manipulate all the communities, saying that we, the plaintiffs, have received a large quantity of money… and because of these lawsuits the land can not be legalized for the communities. That’s not true. Because, if I have a law suit, as the wife of my late husband, as a mother, the lawsuit is my right and the right of my children. No one can impede it. The same with my companions in Lote 8, the 11 women, no one can impede a law suit they put forward, because it’s their right. The same with the young man, German. Thankfully we have been able to rise above all of this, but we run a risk because people could believe we have this money. But that isn’t true. We are humble people. We earn a living through our sweat. The only thing we have fought for is our land. Our land is the reason we suffer, the reason, in my case, I lost my husband, why my companions were raped, and why German is in a wheel chair- for defending our land. Our law suit has a lot to do with our resistance and the defence of our land.

Interview with Angelica Choc, Part 2

What do you think about the decision by the Canadian court to hear your case in Canada?

Truthfully, in the moment, I was surprised, without words. I said, “My god!” I said. I talked with my lawyer, Cory, and he said, “How are you?” and I said, well… In this moment I felt so happy, because it was a great struggle for me, going around demanding justice in the streets of my country, yelling, yelling, in the streets so that I was heard, both in Guatemala and with my law suit in Canada. So I felt so content. Finally, I was heard. Finally, we’re heard. Because it’s not only me, also my companions from Lote 8, and German. It is a great struggle and we had to cross rivers and mountains, valleys, to be able to arrive there and be able to demand justice. So, I felt very content, in this moment.

After, I stayed resting, I was very alone in my home, as I don’t have anyone here, but the little girl that says with me. My son is always studying. I stayed thinking and thinking, I spent the whole day in my hammock, and then I started feeling sadness as well, to remember this accomplishment. But why did I do it? For someone they took away from me, who was my husband. And I said in this moment, I thanked my god, and I tried to find the way to talk to my deceased husband, to speak with him and say, “Why am I doing this? Why do I have to go so far to demand justice for what they did to you? And where will I go with all of this?”, I said. I asked for strength from my god in this moment. I felt so happy when I heard the news, but then, after, it hurt because arriving there is not easy. To arrive there is not just leaving my house and to run until you get there. It’s not like that. There have been obstacles. There have been many, many things in my path. Negative things. Risks in my life. But why do I do it? If he was still alive, I would never have gone there. But I do it, and I do it with my heart. I do it for me and for my children. For my communities as well, because this was for defending our lands. For defending our lands they killed my husband. And, well, I will continue in the struggle as far as I can.

Interview with Angelica Choc, Part 3

What does the month of September mean for you?

The month of September…First, it’s the month of my country, Guatemala, the day of our independence. And this month, well, this month, our leader fell. Our indigenous leader. And who was he? He was my late husband, Professor Adolfo Ich, on September 27. It is very difficult for me to remember, but I have to remember, because I will never ever forget. I know that he is resting. But he has given me the strength to continue to go forward. And as I have said many times, for me, this month and the date, September 27, is very sacred for me…I will bring it with me, I will never forget. Never. I suffer for him. I endure it, to see how my children suffer. But I have to be strong so they realize that I am strong, and that they too are strong. Because I don’t like to see them suffer. I like to see them happy, I like to have them. I have four grandchildren. I thank God that they love me very much. I feel happy with them, even though the person very important in the family isn’t there.

On this day, I don’t know what to do. Because on September 27 this year there will be one of the hearings for the criminal case here in Puerto Barrios. I will be there. When I found out about this hearing, I said, “Why is it the 27^th? Why?” And I started to think, maybe God wanted it that way so that I will be sitting in the hearing, listening, how they killed him, and I will be fighting in this hearing, that they give justice against the murderer, because he will be there as well, Minor Padilla. He will be there, in this hearing. And I hope in God. I know my god will accompany me. What I wish for with my family, the family of my late husband, is to have a Mayan ceremony, because my daughter, and some of my sisters have been dreaming a lot, where they have been asked that they change the [resting] place where he is. Where they want to move him is in a place very beautiful. [In the dream] he is wrapped in very white silk cloth, and some elders bring him so that he can be moved. And so, we, in our ceremonies, this shows us that we have to do this, to be able to ask for him as well. Because it’s necessary. It’s the most beautiful thing that we could do for this date. What I am thinking, if God allows it, I don’t know how I will be, but well, I do all of this but it’s not enough. I have the support of Rights Action, until now I haven’t spoken with them. I hope in God that this can be realized, and even though it is very simple but that we do it from the heart, I know God will bless us, he will hear us. And that’s the most important for us, that we can give this to him on this day. It is a gift, a ceremony.

Interview with Angelica Choc, Part 4

Do you have a message for the Canadians that will watch this interview?

What I would like to say to everyone is that they hear me, that they see me. I know on this date we all feel this pain. Because this didn’t only happen to me. This has happened to many other people, that have fallen in the struggle. And I know there are many brothers, many many brothers in solidarity with these cases. For this day… I invite them to ask with me for the soul for Professor Adolfo Ich Chaman, so that if he has committed an error in the eyes of God that he is forgiven. Moreover, we share this moment with him, we have him in our minds on this day, recognize the struggle for which he was killed, for which he gave his blood, in the defence of land. I invite them, that they light a candle… a purple candle, which has a strong significance for us, so that we can communicate with our loved ones that have been taken from us. We light our candles and ask for him, for his family, for all the communities that have also suffered. And for the cases, that they are heard, and that justice is served to the impoverished people, the people who demand justice, that they are heard in their country. I ask for all the young people that have their parents, thank god, we ask for these young people who are without their parents, and for those children who need their fathers, with ask for them. I invite everyone, and hopefully with our prayers, God is with the judge and the authorities who bring the case, the three law suits in Canada. And that one day, if God allows it, we can once again visit the beautiful country that is Canada. I know in Canada there are many brothers and sisters that are good, that have a decent heart, that speak, and have fear of God for every error they commit. So, if God allows it, I will be in Canada again soon. Thank you very much.

This interview was conducted by James Goldie and Lisa Rankin with Angelica Choc in El Estor.