On the 1st day of May 2013 the president of Guatemalan, Otto Perez Molina, declared a military action on four municipalities of his nation which would last for 30 days. They included the places surrounding El Escobal Silver mining. The El Escobal Silver mining is under the control of mining experts from Canada who were hired by the government. According to the Cultural Survival Organization the State of Siege suspended essential lawful rights of the indigenous people. The State of Siege banned any public assembly as well as peaceful protests, authorizing the military to search and lock up individuals protesting.
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The president defended the state of Siege; he stated that it was not aimed at barring any one opposed to the El Escobal mining but rather alleged that it was aimed at containing the crime that was continuously planned in the area. Despite the president’s statement, it was undeniably vivid that the military presence was to make sure no demonstrations by the natives against the mining project. It is noted that in the past years, the Molina government had taken such measures to stop peaceful protests.
Attempts by the Local Leaders and activists from the indigenous community to initiate protests against the mining project, led to serious engagement in violence and their basic rights seriously infringed. Among the Xinca leaders and environmental activists killed included: Exaltación Marcos Ucelo, Andres Fransisco Miguel, Daniel Pedro Mateo, Mynor López. With the risky situation the leaders as well as activists of the environment continued with protests against the exploitive projects such as the mine resources at Tahoe. Their efforts were fruitful. On the 9th day of May, 2013 the government of Guatemala finally declared the withdrawal of military action and having a state of prevention put in place of the military.
The article relates to the discussion of human rights of indigenous peoples, their autonomy and right to self-determination as stipulated by the United Nations (UN). The indigenous Xinca people of Jalapa region in Guatemala are also entitled to their autonomy and right to self-determination as required by the UN. The national government of Guatemala headed by President Molina decided to infringe the Xinca their autonomy and self determination rights.
They were denied autonomy by silencing the local Xinca leaders who attempted to represent and voice the will of their community. The indigenous community was not allowed to practice self governance as the natives of Jalapa. Their will regarding the Tahoe mine resources was denied by the government which decided to hire a Canadian mining company. It carried on the mining processes at the cost of pollution to the Xinca people. Environmental activists voiced the grievances of the people regarding the environmental hazards but their efforts resulted into violence and death for the indigenous people.
The people were denied the right to self determination. The government did not involve the Xinca people in the process of appointing a Canadian company to mine the Tahoe resources. The leaders and environmental activists who protested against the government were kidnapped and later murdered. Their basic human rights were greatly infringed. The government involved the military in the state of siege. However the xinca leaders and environmental activists did not give up. They protested under risky conditions until the government listened replacing the military action with the state of prevention. The indigenous community was granted their rights but after the intervention of the people and their leaders through protests. The human rights of indigenous peoples, their autonomy and right to self-determination should be adhered to without the protests of the people. Their rights are the most important rather than any other project such as the Tahoe mining resource.
Work Cited
"Indigenous Leaders Occupy Congress to Demand End to State of Siege | Cultural Survival." Cultural Survival | Partnering with Indigenous Peoples to Defend their Lands, Languages, and Cultures. N.p., 10 May 2013. Web. 14 May 2013.
