This Saturday we'll be supporting the other half of that Guatemalan advocacy - Rights Action.
There are two organizations I come back to again and again: Rights Action and Grassroots International. Both operate on a shoestring to provide a link between indigenous community groups in other countries and donors in the US. Both respect local self-determination. Both make a little money go a long way. At the bottom of this message is Rights Action's report of how they've channeled donations so far this year. Feel free to donate directly and come to our FitH as a thank-you!
Please read this report, below, in conjunction with our April Newsletter.
Thank-you for your trust and on-going financial support.
Rights Action receives funds from individual donors and a small number of foundations; we receive no government funds.
We appreciate receiving your questions and comments.
Grahame Russell, info@rightsaction.org
Annie Bird, annie@rightsaction.org
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Emergency food and shelter funds sent to Mayan Qeqchi people in the Polochic Valley that suffered illegal, violent evictions (including killings) in the interests of African Palm and Sugarcane producers for 'green' biofuel markets: $932
EDUCATION
Scholarships for Mayan Achi youth: $1,338
Cantabal community Education and Health program: $440
Scholarships - various: $445
IMPUNITY versus TRUTH, MEMORY, JUSTICE
FAFG (Forensic Anthropology Foundation of Guatemala), carrying out mass grave exhumations throughout the country: $18,795
FAMDEGUA (Family Members of the Disappeared of Guatemala), pursuing justice against the material and intellectual authors of the Dos Erres massacre: $1,030
Plan de Sanchez Mayan Achi community, pursuing justice against the material and intellectual authors of the Plan de Sanchez massacre: $200
Rio Negro Mayan Achi community, 30th anniversary commemoration of the Rio Negro/ Chixoy Dam massacres: $2,347
MINING & DAMS versus COMMUNITY HUMAN & TERRITORIAL RIGHTS
El Estor Mayan Qeqchi Territorial Defense Committee, working in defense of the environment, justice, human and territorial rights, and resisting harms and violations caused by global nickel mining companies, including HudBay Minerals, and in defense of community human and territorial rights in the Polochic Valley.
General support funds: $10,440
Emergency health support for victims of harms and violations: $3,865
FREDEMI (San Miguel Ixtahuacan Defense Front) working in favour of the environment, justice, human and territorial rights, resisting harms and violations caused by Goldcorp Inc.
General support funds: $1,489.85
Emergency health support for victims of harms and violations: $642
FREDAM (Frente Norte del Área Metropolitana Pueblos en Resitencia) working in defense of the environment, human and territorial rights, and the right to hold a community consultation, given the aggressive mining interests of Radius Gold Inc.: $452.50
COPINH (COORDINATOR OF INDIGENOUS & POPULAR ORGANIZATIONS IN HONDURAS)
Work in campesino and Lenca descendant communities of western Honduras, in promotion and defense of the environment and human and indigenous rights. Many communities are resisting illegal and sometimes violent incursions onto their lands, by hydro-electric dam, mining and logging interests. COPINH also plays a central role in the pro-democracy National Resistance Front. General support: $4,125
OFRANEH (FRATERNAL GARIFUNA & BLACK ORGANIZATION OF HONDURAS)
Work on north coast in promotion and defense of the environment and human and indigenous rights. Many Garifuna communities are resisting illegal and sometimes violent incursions onto their lands, to displace them and build tourism compounds catering to North American and European tourists. OFRANEH also plays a central role in the pro-democracy National Resistance Front. General support: $2,833.54
SIRIA VALLEY ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE COMMITTEE
Work on behalf of families and communities suffering health and environmental harms and other human rights violations caused by Goldcorp Inc's open-pit / mountain-top removal, cyanide-leaching mine, closed in 2008, still causing health harms. The Committee is also involved in the pro-democracy National Resistance Front. General support / emergency health relief: $3,135
PERU, AYNI Community Education & Health, $1,976
HAITI, Demunis Orphanage, $4,540
EL SALVADOR, Jocoaitique Committee, March 8th women's day, $425
CHIAPAS (Mexico), Canadian-Chiapaneca Justice for Women, $2,000
Educational-solidarity delegations to Guatemala, including small funds for the communities and organizations that receive our groups: $4,710
We appreciate receiving your questions and comments.
Grahame Russell, info@rightsaction.org
Annie Bird, annie@rightsaction.org
When security forces of a Canadian mining company brutally evicted Mayan families from their villages in Guatemala, eleven women were raped, a community leader was killed, and a young man paralyzed. Now villagers are standing up and suing HudBay Minerals for these horrific crimes -- but they need our help to match the corporate legal firepower and win their case!
The victims have filed a lawsuit in Canada, where HudBay's headquarters are located. But HudBay is asking that the court turn over the lawsuit to Guatemala, where its weak courts are likely to let them go free. Experts say that the ruling could have massive reverberations beyond Canadian borders -- a win for the plaintiffs could force HudBay and other multinationals to clean up their acts abroad.Our donation will help the Mayan Qeqchi people with their Canadian lawsuit. Cash donations are preferable because they can be sent immediately - I'm up to date with all of those but still lagging with getting checks sent in (mea culpa). All recipes are again from Simply Organic by Jesse Ziff Cool of Flea Street Cafe: