In Guatemala, human rights defenders continue to face threats of violence and criminalization for their human rights work. Many of them are Indigenous farmers who are working on issues of access to land and in defense of territory, like BTS partner: the Highlands Committee of Small Farmers (CCDA). Risks faced for speaking out have intensified in the midst of an escalating political crisis.

During a wave of attacks against human rights defenders in Guatemala from May 4 to June 9th, seven community organizers working on lands rights issues were assassinated, including three members of the Indigenous agrarian organization CCDA. Each of the men were active in their communities’ struggle for access to land and defense of territory. To date there have been a total of 21 deaths of human rights defenders in Guatemala; national and international organizations continue to call for justice in these cases.

The political situation in Guatemala has intensified since August 2018, when the government announced that it would end the mandate of the UN-backed International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG in Spanish). Guatemalan President Jimmy Morales’ refusal to comply with a decision by the Constitutional Court to allow CICIG Commissioner back into Guatemala to resume his work, has demonstrated his lack of respect for the rule of law and thrown the country into a constitutional crisis.

Join us to call for justice for the CCDA and other human rights defenders, and for a resolution to the constitutional crisis in the country!

Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence (BTS) Network
Twitter: @BTS_MG
Web: www.breakingthesilenceblog.com
Facebook: @BTSGuateMaritimes

WE ASK THAT CANADA CALL ON GUATEMALAN AUTHORITIES TO:

*Resolve land conflicts in Guatemala
*Ensure an independent investigation into the killing of human rights defenders, including CCDA
*Comply with the Constitutional Court’s September 16th order to allow CICIG Commissioner Velasquez to enter the country to resume his duties
*Guarantee the safety of human rights defenders and civil society organizations engaging in peaceful protest

CALL, WRITE OR TWEET CANADIAN MPs TO SHARE THESE ASKS!

PM Justin Trudeau
Twitter: @CanadianPM
Instagram: @justinpjtrudeau

Hon. Chrystia Freeland, Minister of Foreign Affairs chrystia.freeland@international.gc.ca
Twitter: @cafreeland
Instagram: @chrystiafreeland

Hon. Marie- Claude Bibeau
Minister of International Development
marie-claude.bibeau@parl.gc.ca

ANTIGONISH, NS
Liberal MP: Sean Fraser
Sean.Fraser@parl.gc.ca
Twitter: @SeanFraserMP
Instagram: @seanfrasermp

HALIFAX, NS
Liberal MP: Andy Fillmore
Andy.Fillmore@parl.gc.ca
Twitter: @AndyFillmoreHFX

Liberal MP
Hon. Geoff Regan geoff.regan@parl.gc.ca
Twitter: @geoffregan

WOLFVILLE, NS
Liberal MP: Hon. Scott Brison scott.brison@parl.gc.ca
Instagram: @scottbrison

SACKVILLE, NB
Liberal MP
Hon. Dominic LeBlanc: dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca
Instagram: @dominicleblanc_nb

FREDERICTON, NB
Liberal MP: Matt DeCourcey Matt.DeCourcey@parl.gc.ca
Twitter: @MattDeCourcey
Instagram: @mattdecourcey

CHARLOTTETOWN, PE Liberal MP: Sean Casey Sean.Casey@parl.gc.ca
Twitter: @SeanCaseyLPC

TATAMAGOUCHE, NS
Liberal MP: Bill Casey
Bill.Casey@parl.gc.ca