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Cooperant Update: Women and the agrarian resistance in Guatemala
Women and the agrarian resistance in Guatemala By: Mélisande Séguin, Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) Cooperant CCDA women activists, planning and organizing. Land dispossession as a historical root of the latest wave of evictions Guatemala has one of the most unequal land distribution and titling systems in [...]
First summer trip to Meander River Market
First summer trip to Meander River Market By: Maren Mealey and Rae Millis, BTS summer interns On July 21st, Breaking the Silence (BTS) had their first Meander River Market day of the year. Several BTS volunteers set-up a tent along with other vendors outside of the Meander River Farm and [...]
Cooperant Update: Short film Pacoxom 2024 and World Day for International Justice
Short film Pacoxom 2024 and World Day for International Justice By: Romi Fischer-Schmidt, New Hope Foundation Cooperant This short film, titled Pacoxom 2024 was shot during this year’s commemoration of the Rio Negro Massacres at Pacoxom. I created it for the New Hope Foundation (FNE) and for BTS. Special thanks [...]
Summer interns visit Just Us! Café and Roastery
Summer interns visit Just Us! Café and Roastery Just Us! Café and Roastery in Grand Pré By: Maren Mealey and Rae Millis, BTS summer interns On June 28th, Breaking the Silence (BTS) summer interns, Maren and Rae, had the privilege of visiting the Just Us! Café and Roastery in [...]
Cooperant Update: Ch’eken and other turning points of the rainy season’s arrival
Ch’eken and other turning points of the rainy season’s arrival The rains have arrived and transformed Rabinal into a misty, lush and green landscape. By: Romi Fischer-Schmidt, New Hope Foundation cooperant Late on Monday June 10th, around 10 p.m., I received a call from Luis Tecú, the new [...]
BTS 2023 Year in Review
We're so excited to share the BTS 2023 Year in Review, celebrating our accomplishments and recognizing the incredible contributions of our partners, staff, cooperants, interns, volunteer committees, and donors! The report also provides an overview of the Guatemalan context, including the historic, Indigenous-led, pro-democracy protests and includes updates from all [...]
With the threat of more evictions looming, the CCDA speaks out
CCDA leadership reads a statement denouncing corrupt actors threatening communities with eviction. After receiving information indicating that even more forced evictions may be carried out in the next few days, the CCDA shared the following: Statement from the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA) Greetings to the people [...]
Cooperant Update: Ten months after forced eviction, the Nueva Jerusalén Wiscoyol community is still landless
Ten months after forced eviction, the Nueva Jerusalén Wiscoyol community is still landless By Mélisande Séguin, CCDA Cooperant On August 9, 2023, police and private security forces attacked the Xinka community of Nueva Jerusalén Wiscoyol and ruthlessly burnt people’s homes and possessions under the supervision of state authorities. Ten months [...]
Cooperant Update: poem from tribunal tower 42 years into the future: will we have unlearned genocide?
poem from tribunal tower 42 years into the future: will we have unlearned genocide? April 24, 2024 By: Romi Fischer-Schmidt, New Hope Foundation cooperant This is a reflection on the experience of walking with four Maya Achi women survivors (Pedrina López Depaz, Paulina Ixpatá Alvarado, Máxima García Valey, Margarita Alvarado [...]
Cooperant Update: Criminalization Continues to Threaten the Agrarian Movement
Criminalization Continues to Threaten the Agrarian Movement The CCDA speaks out against the criminalization of General Coordinator Neydi Juracán and the campesino movement. Photo credit: CCDA By Mélisande Séguin, CCDA Cooperant Criminalization is the malicious use of the criminal justice system to paralyze and repress movements for social [...]