Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA

Attacks on Leaders of the Social Movement Must End

May 24, 2006

The Agrarian Platform condemns the May 20 assassination of Sandra Teresa Coc Xol, age fourteen. Sandra Xol lived in the community of Plan Grande Tatín, Livingston, Izabal. We express our solidarity with her partents, Carlos Coc and Celia Xol, who are working at the Ak´ Tenamit Association, where they work for the defense of the rights of that area’s Q’eqchi' communities.

This murder is one more in the pattern of violence and repression against women and men in communities struggling for their rights: for example, the families evicted from the Nueva Linda plantation, who are facing daily persecution from the plantation’s security personnel after demanding the reappearance of community leader Héctor Reyes; and the threats and acts of intimidation carried out against campesino leaders of the Nueva Florencia plantation, who are struggling to have their labor rights respected. These rights are violated by OTTMAR, Inc. The Agrarian Platform maintains that it is evident that the victims have been those leaders of the social and campesino movement who reject the imposition of policies that benefit only a few people.

The Berger administration must guarantee the safety of thousands of men and women who report injustices and violations of human rights by plantation owners and government forces. The Agrarian Platform, a multisector alliance, demands that state institutions investigate and solve these incidents so that they do not remain unpunished.

Source: Press release from Agrarian Platform

 

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