Photo by Rudy Girón of Antigue Daily Photo and used under a Creative Commons license.

In Guatemala, the Multi-Annual Campaign (extended from 2008 to 2015) of the Regional Chapter, “JOIN together to put an End to Violence against Women” was recently launched, and Radio Feminista is reporting on the event at the collaborative space Fin a la Violencia (End to Violence). In addition, the organization Take Back the Tech is promoting a 16-day blogathon by taking over the blogosphere to discuss topics related to violence against women and ways to prevent it through the use of technology. Anyone can join the network and blog about the subject, from any place, in any language.

Honduras

When a crisis arises across the world, it often leaves women more vulnerable as a target for violence. For example, the blog Género con Clase [es] from Honduras republishes an article written by Tacuazina Morales, who writes that there was an increase of violence and brutality against women just after the coup. This was due in part to the “state of non-protection that victims found themselves and the weakening of the institutions responsible for the protection of the human rights of the women.” According to Feministas en Resistencia, there were approximately 400 cases of violence against women during the demostrations against the coup, including 23 sexual assaults, some of which had the involvement of state security forces.

Guatemala

In neighboring Guatemala, impunity, which is the non-prosecution or punishment of perpetrators, is the most serious consequence of this phenomenon. Up to 97% of the cases of violence against Guatemalan women are not prosecuted according to the blog Género con Clase [es]. Journalist Montserrat Boix features several organizations working on the issue in the country, and also highlights the recent Law Against Femicide passed in 2009 [es].

Guatemalan blogger Ixmucane of Cine Sobre Todo [es] writes about migrant women, who are especially vulnerable to violence:

Unas de las situaciones en las que las mujeres están más indefensas es en la migración, porque están lejos del círculo familiar que las proteje, no conocen las leyes y muchas veces tampoco el idioma. Insisto que cuando hablo de migración, hablo de la migración dentro del país como hacia el extranjero. Y lo peor es que no se quiere defraudar a la familia que se queda, ya que ellos dependen muchas veces económicamente de ellas.

In the Catholic Church, a novena is a devotion consisting of prayer typically said on nine successive days, asking to obtain special graces, so Julio Serrano of the blog Fellinada [es] wrote a series of nine articles or “a novena” to unveil the complexities of violence against women. He also asks for the grace to replace violence with words of love: he used as his prayers, nine real stories of different kinds of violence against women and he ends with these thoughts:

Finalmente, no es un golpe bajo hablar del amor en este día, es una postura radical, política, amar es un acto social. Desde mi masculinidad y reivindicando a la mujer en mí, y a la mujer en el otro, y a las mujeres cercanas y lejanas, a mi mamá, a mi novia, a mis amigas, a mis hermanos, a mi papá, a mis amigos, y a aquellas tres hermanas y a lo que representan para nosotros hoy, para ustedes estas palabras llenas de amor”

Photo by Rudy Girón of Antigua Daily Photo and used under a Creative Commons license

Rudy Girón of the blog Antigua Daily Photo made a statement about why we should reject violence as something normal, and why we should take that as a starting point to be part of the solution to solve the problem of violence against women:

I do not want to hear gun shots as normal. I refuse to take violent acts as normal. I do not want to be desensitized towards all the manifestations of violence. I do not want to see naked guns on the streets; at the entrance of banks; with every delivery truck; at shops and every tiendita (store) in the country. I do not want to be part of the problem. I will not yield to words that belittle women or other people. I will not. I want to be part of the solution.

The world has changed again, bringing more complex problems to the forefront to be solved, but because of the internet there are also more voices to join the conversation who add their ideas for solutions. Even the most marginalized in society, poor, indigenous women are fighting for their rights as described by the blog of Guatemala Solidarity so it is time to say no to violence and say yes to a more equal society.

Photo by Renata Avila

Years later, after he was released into the custody of his older sister, Tecú began to work to exhume the mass grave of those killed in the Massacre. Eventually, this work led to the conviction of 3 of the men who took part in the killings. This work has been crucial in the pursuit of justice and the preservation of the historical memory on local and international levels.

Tecú wrote a book called “Memory of the Río Negro Massacres” that tells his experience as a homeless child who survived the war. Tadeo explains more about the story that Tecú tells:

The military and paramilitary forces rounded up all of the women and children and accused them of collaborating with the guerrillas. Together they proceeded to rape, torture, and murder everyone. Some 177 human beings, including 107 children, were massacred on the 13th of March, 1982, in Rio Negro. The few survivors, mostly young boys, were forced into slavery. In The Massacres of Río Negro, survivor Jesús Tecú described being enslaved by a leader of the Xococ PAC, a man who ripped his youngest brother out of his arms and swung him by his feet, smashing his brains against rocks in front of his eyes because his wife was “not used to caring for [such] a small child.

Tecú's case is different from many others, because he stayed in his community helping his community to fight for their human rights. He is leading a Legal Clinic to help poor and under-educated people to fight for their rights. This struggle  by Tecú and other survivors of Guatemala's civil war led to the creation of the New Hope Foundation (FNE). Their mission can be found on their blog [es]:

Consideramos que una buena educación para nuestros hijos es la única manera de combatir la intolerancia, construir una paz verdadera, y mejorar la calidad de vida para nuestras comunidades en las que viven en extrema pobreza tantos sobrevivientes de la violencia pasada.

Other similar initiatives are taking place in the Achí community, as a way to remember the past, but also celebrate their culture. The Achí community recently opened the Riij Ib’ooy Center in the town of Rabinal, where people can learn more about the massacres, but also about the culture and glorious past of this Mayan group. In an interview with the Coordination for International Accompaniment in Guatemala (ACOGUATE), Tecú explains that the situation in Rabinal is extremely complex, since perpetrators and victims are living and sharing spaces in the same small village.

In her blog, Christina Gray of the organization Youth Helping Youth describes how Tecú explains the story of his village to visitors:

Sunday afternoon, the delegation, interns, and coordinators met-up with Jesús Tecu Osorio, a Maya-Achí speaking survivor of the Río Negro Massacre of 1982, who shared with us some of Rabinal and neighboring community’s history as represented in the monuments dedicated to those murdered in the massacres, these monuments allow the community and foreigners to remember the lives of those that passed and speak out against the government's desire for everyone to forget.

For his work, Tecú was awarded the Reebok Human Rights Award. In this Witness video, Tecú explains his struggle for Justice:

Despite the progress made by Tecú and the Achí community, the work continues. Survivors are still pressing the Guatemalan government to convict those responsible for the massacres, as shown by Colectivo Guatemala Blog. Some of these individuals are being intimidated for their work.

Recently, Tecú has received threatening phone calls. Padd Daniel of the Guatemala Solidarity Network describes this news:

On the afternoon of September 14th, 2009, human rights defender Jesus Tecú Osorio received a telephone call on his personal cell phone from an unidentified extortionist who threatened to kidnap, torture and dismember each of Jesus' children, one-by-one, if his demands are not met. The caller demonstrated that he knows where Jesus lives with his wife and children, as well as the location of the school where his eldest son studies. Like most human rights defenders in Guatemala, Jesus has received many death threats over the years, none of which have been properly investigated. But Jesus has never let intimidation tactics deter him from continuing his human rights work.

Nonviolent action has played a key role in the struggle for social change in Guatemala, as shown by local activists like Jesús Tecú. However, as the recent threatening phone call demonstrates, there is still much progress to be made.

Many of these artists are living and painting abroad. They use their blogs as a space to show others their work and stay in touch with their community.

Sebastián Sarti is Guatemalan, but was born in Costa Rica, where his Guatemalan father was exiled and married his Puerto Rican mother. He grew up in Nicaragua, lived for a while in Guatemala, and now he is dedicated to his paintings in Aix et à Marseille. He is sharing his works on his personal blog El Desorden de la Cabeza [es] (The Mess Inside My Head).

Le voleur d´animaux by Sebastian Sarti.

Based in Brooklyn, NYC, Juan Carlos from Historiando [es] has many talents to share with his readers. A painter and activist, he uses his works for exhibitions in galleries but also for demonstrations. He created a John Lennon poster using recycled tickets from the metro, to protest against the high fares of public transpot in New York. In this link, you can see some of his exhibitions.

Artwork by Juan Carlos

Elvira Méndez is a talented painter, based in Antigua, Guatemala and shares her work with the world. Her blog Pintura [es] (Paint) shows her collections of paintings, expressing herself with different shapes, colors, and textures.

Collage by Elvira Méndez

Alejandro Marré is a poet, a performer, but also a creative painter as his Arte Marré blog shows. Pop culture elements are remixed and retouched to have results, such as this:

Walking around by Alejandro Marré

Erick González is in Montmartre, the place any painter in the world dreams about. He is creating interesting pieces, expressing in images through recycled materials that contrasts the most complex topics in Guatemala, from violence against women to the increasing number of bodyguards and firearms. His blog [es] hosts critiques and pictures of his paintings.

Here is a sample:

I am a Product by Erick González

There are few galleries or public spaces for young artists in Guatemala to showcase their work. There are also little resources for invitations to exhibitions and the art critics rarely highlight little-known artists. For that reason, blogs are providing the opportunity to young artists to display their artwork, express themselves and share and interact with those who visit their sites to see their pieces of art.

All images used with permission or under a Creative Commons license.

The event's logo

Many participants are looking forward to the event and to visit the city of Estelí. Leandro Gómez describes the location of the festival in his home country:

Estelí is a city in northern Nicaragua, near to the border of Honduras, 150 kms. from capital city Managua, and the official venue of the First Central American Free Software Summit.

The city of Estelí, known as the Diamond of the Segovias, will also host the first international meeting of Ubuntu community leaders in Central America, with the participation of members from the Ubuntu Local Community Teams in Nicaragua, El Salvador, Honduras, Panamá, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and special guests from other communities in Latin America.

From neighboring Honduras, Diego Turcios writes about the different communities that will be attending the event [es]:

De nuestro bello pais Honduras, asistiran 9 o 10 personas. De las cuales son representates de las comunindades linuxeras del pais.Las cuales son: GULTGU, Linux Maya, Comunidad GNU/Linux del Progreso y Ubuntu Honduras LocalTeam.

Events like these are usually heavily attended by males, but there will be a strong presence from female members of open-source software communities. Victoria Zeledón, one of the few members of “Centroamericanas” a network of female Central Americans working in the field of free software welcomes everyone to Estelí adding:

A pocos días de conocer a mucha gente ya estoy emocionada por la experiencia a vivir. Además las Mujeres Centroamercianas que trabajamos por el software libre haremos presencia al igual que muchas personalidades que harán que este encuentro sea de mucho provecho.

In addition, she recommends this link to learn more about Estelí and its nightlife.

ECSL09 has its own blog, and provides updates and logistical information for participating groups. Among the groups from across the region include Asociacion de Usuarios GNU/Linux El Salvador, Debian Costa Rica, Debian Nicaragua, Debian Panamá, DebianSV, and El Salvador Ubuntu Team, just to a name a few. A complete list can be found on the blog's sidebar.

Even though many of these communities have been part of the planning of or have known about the event for quite some time, there are some who believe that it is important to share information using social networking tools. Rodrigo Peñalba of Nicaragua writes that this promotion can help attract attention and media support for the event, despite some resistance because Twitter and other sites are not free software [es].

The excitement for this event is showing. MMGC84 of the GNU/Linux community of Nicaragua thanks the organizers for this opportunity and posts the image of the receipt for the registration payment saying, “I'm almost in Estelímar!”

Photo of Father Lawrence Rosebaugh and used with permission by Pastoral Social del Ixcán

Fellow priest from the same order and blogger, Joaquín Martínez Vega of Postulación General OMI [es] remembers Rosebaugh:

Ironías de la Vida: el P. Lorenzo Rosebagh, OMI, que siempre caminaba a pie o en bicicleta (incluso desde Estados Unidos a Brasil) para ir al encuentro de sus predilectos: los niños de la calle y los afectados por el Sida, fue asesinado en un coche. Iba al volante de una furgoneta, con cuatro misioneros más que acudían a una reunión con sus hermanos, los oblatos de la Delegación de Guatemala.

Father Lawrence Rosebaugh and used with permission from the Arca community.

Rosebaugh has been described as “A friend of the poor” by the blog of the Arca community in Spain. During his 74 years on the earth, he had protested against the Vietnam War and advocated for the less fortunate during the civil war in El Salvador. In addition, he protested against nuclear weapons, against the School of the Americas, and had landed in prison several times because of his pacific resistance. He chose to return and work with the poor in “El Ixcán” in Guatemala. In his autobiography he wrote:

De vuelta a los Estados Unidos, después de haber estado con los pobres y haber experimentado sus condiciones de vida, me siento como pez fuera del agua. Suspiro por el día en que pueda volver a Guatemala.

The Ixcán Region by Turn the City and used under a Creative Commons license. http://www.flickr.com/photos/smilegonesour/2869466038/

The community of Playa Grande Ixcán located in El Quiché, which Rosebaugh chose to work with is often complex and dangerous. However, its landscape is beautiful and its people are welcoming, but have had a difficult history during the armed conflict. Many of the communities that live there belong to different ethnic groups, and each has a different meaning for the name of their region based on the language, as explained by the blog Seguimiento Consultas [es]:

Para los kaqchikeles el termino Ixcán significa Mujer Serpiente o Madre Serpiente, haciendo referencia a la forma de serpiente que toma el río Chixoy y el río Ixcán en su trayectoria por el Municipio y dentro del territorio mexicano. En el idioma Canjob'al, Ixcán significa tierra de muchos relámpagos y muchas lluvias, seguramente haciendo referencia a esta característica del Municipio sobre todo en el inicio de la época de lluvias.

This area was hit hard during the Civil War. Ten years ago, the United Nations Comission declared that the State had committed crimes against humanity [es] in the Ixcán area and that those responsible should be prosecuted. Many of these crimes were committed against members of the Catholic Church.

James Rodríguez of Mi Mundo explains about the Catholic Church's historical presence in this region and the communities' resistance against State-sponsored repression:

During the mid 1960's, several government and church-sponsored programs were developed in order to colonize the densely forested region of Ixcan. Covered by a thick jungle, Ixcan is located on the northern third of the department of Quiche, bordering with Chiapas, Mexico. During the beginning of the 1970's, the efforts to populate the region gave birth to the five communities that together once formed the Great Ixcan Co-Op of Various Services: Mayalan, Xalbal, Pueblo Nuevo, Cuarto Pueblo, and finally Los Angeles. “In 1975,” however, “a gradual process of militarization spread across Ixcan, which coincided with the beginning of activities by the Poor Peoples Guerilla Army (EGP) in the region.”

In 1982 the repression [by the army] against the communities in Ixcan rises massively in scale due to the new counterinsurgency policy implemented by the military. Known as the Scorched Earth campaign, the new strategy dictates the complete extermination and destruction of entire communities so as to defeat the guerrilla [by wiping out what was perceived to be their base structures]. It is under this new policy that the Cuarto Pueblo massacres take place, surely the ones with the most historical impact in Ixcan.”

The Catholic Church has played a protagonist role throughout Ixcan’s history: during the 1960’s and 70’s, several of the colonization programs were sponsored by it. In addition, thanks to the support of Monsignor Julio Cabrera, previous Bishop of Quiché, a loan from CARITAS was granted which allowed the community to buy the former San Isidro Ranch in 1996, known today as the Community Primavera del Ixcan.

Now years later, another type of crime is responsible for the death of Father Lawrence, in what is being described as a robbery or carjacking. Eight other people were murdered in the same area in less than a month, according to Combate Virtual [es], a blog that republished a communique from the Guatemalan Syndicate Union of Workers that is demanding justice for these recent deaths.

Bubisher..Books for Western Sahara children in refugee camps

Bubisher means “a bird bringing good news.” According  to Roge Blog, it is also the name of a Saharaui poetry book. But for hundreds of children living in refugee camps in Western Sahara, it is the name of a bus full of books, explains Haz lo que debas.

Gonzalo Moure, a children's book author and the man behind Bubisher says:

El Bubisher no lleva libros regalados o sobrantes, sino un plan de lectura, con 4 o 20 ejemplares por titulo, para un fondo inicial de 1400 libros.

Abueliki blog encourages us to read the Bubisher blog, meet the creative bus and support the endeavour - not only with funding but through sharing experiences and learning about the exemplary way in which volunteers engage in the project and love it. Among them are politicians, universities, publishing houses and ordinary people.

EL PAJARO QUE TRAE LA BUENA SUERTE from Irene Bailo on Vimeo.

Kalandra Blog explains more:

Además de libros en castellano, donados por editoriales como KALANDRAKA, el Bubisher también incorpora una selección de literatura infantil y juvenil en árabe, lo que afianza los lazos de la multiculturalidad. Frente a la carencia de libros y de espacios de lectura, el Bubi supone “una biblioteca abierta y que se acerca a los lectores”, tal y como ha expresado Gonzalo Moure. Una biblioteca rodante, en constante movimiento.

Would you like to volunteer with Bubisher? You can do it by joining their 120 Bubisher friends initiative which partners with classrooms or even schools to collect some funds or you can donate books or funds on your own. You can also translate their materials from Spanish to other languages or you can just forward the Bubisher poster to your friends and print it to show it to your offline community.  And there is more, you can visit the refugee camps as a volunteer and share some good readings with the children.

In conclusion, I would like to quote Bubisher creator Gonzalo Moure, discussing literature and books:

Eso es la literatura: corazones que no dejan de latir, pensamiento sin la barrera del tiempo. El corazón del abuelo latiendo en nuestro pecho. El aliento de Homero en nuestros oídos. Leer es vencer al tiempo, tener mil corazones

Serrano, who also directs another open book project called Libros Minimos [es], received collaboration from other well-known authors like Javier Payeras of El Intruso [es] and Denise P.P. of La Maleta [es]. Many of the bloggers included photographs or illustrations that they felt best complemented the text included on their sites.

Other fragments of the book can be found on blogs such as Notas Poco Rigurosas [es], which is hosting a poem called “The Center of America is a long asphalt road”, while Fe de Rata [es] shares with his readers “Marta Julia is the name of the Cascabel snake at the park” and is accompanied by a handmade drawing. The blog Noticias para Dios [es] is hosting a poem about a taxicab and prefers to illustrate it using a photograph of a woman sleeping in a car. Diario Paranoico [es] offers his space to publish “No, life is not this” adding music in the form of a Sui Generis video.

Photo from the public domain

Guatemalan bloggers, who participated in the project include Utopía del Pensamiento [es], El Pepian [es], Brevediario [es], CinesobreTodo, Matilisguate [es], The Magical and Curious world of Lissy [es], La Filistea [es] and AcheAche [es].

Photo by Midiman and used under a Creative Commons license

Bloggers are mourning the loss of Castro, who was a member of the Symphonic Orchestra Conservatory, had been playing the violin for the 11 of his 18 years. The news hit Sakis González of Una Hoja de Papel [es] especially close to home because Castro was his sister's best friend as he writes in his post “The Orchestra Mourns a Violin, My Sister Mourns a Friend”:

La casa de estudios musicales de Hans se llenó de familiares, conocidos, amigos y compañeros de Orquesta tras el funeral. Interprentando una melancólica pieza, prorrumpieron en llanto aquellos que con un rostro cansado de tan gran sollozo, frotaron sus arcos y soplaron con el alma una hermosa melodía proveniente más que de sus instrumentos, del corazón, dedicada a quien en vida fue un joven ejemplar.

Letras de Mariomarch [es] confesed that it was difficult to write about the topic, but it was also an obligation to say something for the memory of Hans Castro in the post “A Murdered Violin”:

Escribo éstas lineas, que seguramente no leerán sus familiares, para expresar y lamentar que lo que ha sucedido. ¿qué esperanza podemos tener en un pais en donde se asesina a jovenes artistas? ¿que podemos hacer para consolar a la patria, a nuestra sociedad, a la orquesta del conservatorio? ¿acaso hay algo que podamos decir a su padre el Maestro Castro, a su madre, a sus amigos y familia? Es vergonzoso, un joven que se dedica a tratar de ser diferente -todo artista lo es- ve truncada su vida por un asesino, mientras la mayoria lee la noticia y lamentablemente como es normal y usual, es simplemente una nota roja mas; y no es que la vida del joven Castro sea mas valiosa que la de otro joven, ni mucho menos; pero sin duda su muerte debe ser el ejemplo mas claro de la estupidez humana en éste país en los últimos tiempos. El violín asesinado debe estar interpretando una sonata de dolor y de decepción, esa que todos escuchamos todos los días en este ingrato pais.

In the midst of the ongoing violence, which ended the lives of Robledo, Tobar and Castro, the Guatemalan Congress is debating a new gun bill, and the United Nations' International Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG for its initials in Spanish) is currently underway to help the country investigate and dismantle, “violent criminal organizations believed to be responsible for widespread crime and the paralysis in the country's justice system.”

However, the country lost a very promising young musician. As the philosopher Victor Hugo said, “Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent.”

The blog of the Guatemala Solidarity Network writes about mining in San Miguel Ixtahuacán in Conflict and Criminalization :

Experts often consider open-pit mining to be the most destructive industrial activity in terms of environmental depletion, social and cultural impact… In San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipakapa, San Marcos, intensive mineral exploitation has already left its mark. Local residents from Agel, Nueva Esperanza and San Jose Ixcaniche remember fondly a gorgeous mountain, famed for its diversity, where one could find various species of birds and butterflies. Today, the only thing left of that place is an enormous crater with contaminated rubble.

This debate dates back to 2007 where Alejandro of Un Chapín en Japón [es] had been questioning mining regulations in Guatemala and analyzed the pros and cons of mining and the uneven conditions of the laws:

1.- El estado de Guatemala recibe el 1% de regalías producto de la actividad minera. (da risa la verdad, entre otras cosas no compensa el daño que se pueda causar no solo en el ambiente sino consecuentemente en la población). Esto es debido a que así esta establecido en la Ley de Minería aprobada en 1997, aprobado por el gobierno del Presidente Alvaro Arzú.

2.- Poco o escaso beneficio de las áreas en las que se realiza la minería en comparación con el impacto que se produce. De manera directa la minería genera empleos directos e indirectos, pero en términos generales no mejora la calidad de vida de la población. Una pregunta importante es ¿Qué pasará cuando las minerías terminen sus operaciones en esé lugar?.

Mining companies are well aware of the vocal opposition to their operations. They often counter it with arguments that they are contributing development, jobs, progress, and stability for the country. Some of these companies are taking their message directly to the public through public relations campaigns to tell their side of the story. James Rodríguez of Mi Mundo describes how the Goldcorp mining company is trying to improve their image:

Towards the end of 2008, in an attempt to improve its image at the national level, Goldcorp (Montana Exploradora's Canadian-run parent company) has launched an intense propaganda campaign by strategically posting billboards throughout Guatemala City and along principal highways. In this image a gigantic billboard, located just meters outside the main exit of La Aurora international airport, reads: “Development = work = better quality of life. For us at Goldcorp, development is what counts.”

Photo by James Rodríguez and used with permission http://mimundo-jamesrodriguez.blogspot.com

Despite the campaigns from the companies, citizen mobilizations are also highly visible. The blog Foro Mundial de las Luchas del Agua [es] (World Forum of the Fight for Water) describes one of these protests by the Continental Council of Elderly Indigenous of America, which called for the government not to allow mining in their communities and that their water had been contaminated with cyanide. Pluriculturalidad Juríca [es] mentions that there have been approximately 20 community consultations where mining operations were rejected on the basis of health and environmental issues.

Health problems are also being seen in community members. The blog Guatemala Contaminada [es] describes the sad situation of Emeterio Pérez on their post Goldcorp kills:

Picture by RightsAction/Grahme Russell and used with permission http://guatemalacontaminada.blogspot.com

Emeterio es un hombre de 73 años de la comunidad de San José Ixcaniché en San Miguel Ixtahuacan. En menos de un año, la salud de Emeterio se ha deteriorado. Empezó a tener dolores en sus pies que lentamente se expandieron por todo su cuerpo.

Después apareció el sarpullido seco que picaba y se extendió por todo su cuerpo. Como muestra la foto, su estomago empezó a hincharse, alcanzando un tamaño enorme, mientras que él se debilitaba. Durante esta entrevista, Emeterio nos indicó que otro hombre en la misma comunidad se había muerto por los mismos síntomas.

Communities in the area are facing a lot of problems as a result of the mine, and in addition, their leaders are being criminalized as described by the blog Breaking the Silence [es]:

The mine is located in Mayan Mam and Mayan Sipakapense territory. Communities in the area have begun to suffer the adverse consequences of the mine, which, according to local organizations such as ADISMI (The Association for Integral Development in San Miguel Ixtahuacán) and the representative governing body of the communities include loss of water sources (over 40 wells have dried up), skin diseases, especially amongst children and the elderly, death of animals and an increase in miscarriages, large cracks in homes creating unsafe living condition, increased militarization, the presence of private security, and social conflict between communities and insufficient compensation for land sold to the company by community members as well as pressure, threats, and coercion by the company in the acquisition of this land.

Despite the claims of development for the country and local communities, bloggers are demonstrating that there is a strong opposition and mobilization based on visible effects on the health of citizens caused by damage to the environment.

Nearly 50 years later, the current president Álvaro Colom visited Cuba and took the opportunity to officially ask Cuba for forgiveness for the use of Guatemalan soil for the operation. Some bloggers like Patricia Cortez of Guatemalidades [es] congratulate President Colom and supports the apology.

Additionally, Colom presented former Cuban leader Fidel Castro with the Order of the Quetzal, which is the highest honor given by Guatemala. The award was given to recognize the work that Cuban doctors have been doing across the region. Cortez also wonders why so many Guatemalans criticize the quality of life in Cuba, when in their own country, a free country, people in rural areas lack basic needs such as hygienic supplies, clean water, and other basic services. This description by Melissa Lockhart of Cuba - The World Affairs Blog Network shows why Castro was recognized:

Guatemala’s 70 year life expectancy ranks as one of the lowest in the Hemisphere—a full eight years below those of close neighbors Costa Rica and the United States—and there is little potential for improvement when the country’s current annual health care spending is a mere $15 per capita (according to data from the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ). Cuba’s generous policy of “exporting health” is consequently welcomed with open arms in Guatemala, and is good reason for President Colom to personally come to Havana to thank the Castros. Yesterday, in a gesture of his gratitude for over 17 million medical consultations and more than 40,000 eye surgeries performed by Cuban doctors in Guatemala, Colom offered to Fidel Guatemala’s highest distinction—the Order of Quetzal (Collar grade). Raul accepted the honor on his older sibling’s behalf.

Cuban blogger Colada of Ideas Ocultas [es] describes where the award's name came from, the bird called the Quetzal and that people should know for what the award is named. CR Aguilar of Nueva América Central [es] cannot understand why Castro accepted the honor of the Order of the Quetzal, since it is not considered that prestigious to some:

La Orden del Quetzal es la más corriente de todas las preseas, otorgada a miles de personas y organizaciones de la más diversa calidad, incluyendo al monopolista Carlos Slim, el ex vicepresidente Juan Francisco Reyes López, Benito Mussolini y la Lotería Nacional. Tan sólo durante el mandato de Portillo se entregaron 168 ejemplares, muchos de los cuales - no me sorprendería- están acumulando polvo en el rincón oscuro de algún desván. Manuel Ayau, entre otras personas dignas, han rechazado a la condecoración por considerarla más bien un insulto que un honor.

Luis Figueroa of Carpe Diem [es] notes that President Colom was the only President who recently visited the island and returned home without a picture with Fidel Castro. This recent visit also seems to have brought the two countries closer together. The relationship between the two countries continues to grow stronger, for example, Guatemala's history and traditions were recently featured in a Cuban online magazine called Juventud Rebelde [es]. Rural bloggers, such as El Poptuneco [es] is proud of the fact that many more Cubans are learning about Guatemala.

There are even visits between the two countries via cyberspace, as Edgar Hernández Paz of Conmotio Cordis [es] is questioning why if there is supposed heavily restricted internet access, then why did he receive a Cuban visitor at his Guatemalan blog.

At the end of Colom's visit, Cuba honored Guatemala with a park dedication. But even when the President returned home, the debate about the apology is still active.

Birdwatching is gaining popularity in Guatemala and is attracting many visitors from around the world. These birdwatchers are usually very excited to find a variety of birds located in beautiful sceneries. The number of species of birds located in the Guatemalan avifauna is more than 700. Many of these enthusiasts have started to write about their experiences through the use of blogs.

The blog Birdwatching Guatemala explains why Guatemala is so attractive to nature lovers :

Biological diversity has enabled Guatemala to stand among the 25 countries with the most variety of natural resources in the world. Millions of species living in its varied ecosystems, more than 700 species of birds, mammals like the jaguar, tapir and a variety of reptiles and insects.

Jeff Bouton of the Leica Birding Blog was pleased with his discoveries and with his time spent in Guatemala during a birdwatching expedition in the department of Petén“

We spent a glorious morning birding the Cerro Cahuí reserve in Peten, Guatemala. It was a wonderful place and we enjoyed views of tropical specialties like Red-throated Ant-Tanagers, Gray-headed Tanagers, Royal Flycatchers, Sepia-capped Flycatchers, and Golden-crowned Warblers, occurring side-by-side with more familiar neotropical migrants like Magnolia, Worm-eating, & Kentucky Warblers, and Yellow-bellied & Great Crested Flycatchers. At one point we ran into an amazing feeding flock and we were picking out new birds left and right.

Rob Fergus, also known as “The Birdchaser” tells the story of Santiago, a small village located near Lake Atitlán, where he was able to see and learn about area birds:

The Tz'utujil Mayan town of Santiago Atitlan on the shores of Lake Atitlan is known in Tz'utujil as the “House of Birds.” We asked a lot of folks why it has that name, and were told that birds used to be abundant there, nesting in the rooftops of thatched houses. Most of the people we were able to talk to there are not as closely tied to the forest or fields as their predecessors, so we weren't able to get as many bird names or stories as we did in the Mopan or Q'eqchi' areas, but we still collected some interesting accounts of using hummingbirds as cures for epilepsy and as love potions!

Another birdwatcher, Bill Thompson, III writes in his blog called Bill of the Birds about how he spent his birthday in Guatemala and about the present he received from Mother Nature, when he was able to see one of the most rarest birds:

One of the highlights from early 2008 was my birthday bat falcon in Flores, Guatemala. The bat falcon is a fairly common raptor in the tropics. In fact it was something of a sore point for me that I had not seen one after more than half a dozen trips to its range in Central America. I'd gotten amazing looks at a larger (and much rarer) relative, the orange-breasted falcon on two different trips to Tikal, but the bat falcon had eluded me.

Birdwatching is not only a hobby, but also a crucial activity to preserve the species, as explained by Dear Kitty :

Invited by the Foundation for Anthropological Research and Environmental Studies (FARES), a Guatemalan archaeological research organization, the Cornell ornithologists recorded 184 bird species. The reserve holds one of the largest intact tropical forests in Central America as well as key Mayan archaeological sites at El Mirador and Tintal , where the Cornell researchers focused their surveys. The bird count may help with long-term biodiversity conservation plans at the reserve.

In addition, forest fires and narcoactivity are destroying the habitat where such lovely birds live. Many people, including some bloggers like Arturo Godoy are trying to raise awareness about the fragile habitat. He is spreading the word about a campaign from the National Park El Mirador - Río Azul, which is trying to spread wordabout its cause through its Facebook profile.

we're killing the forests of Petén. This year major forest fires are expected during the dry season. We need volunteers, real warriors in this fight for conservation and for life. We need their help in cleaning 44 kilometers of breach and also to spread this information to organizations which may help with equipment and provisions. Please get in touch with Ing. Francisco Asturias: fasturias61@hotmail.com or to the phone numbers 5480-4875 and 5837-0637. You are also welcome to become friends of Mirador un Parque Fantásticoon Facebook

Campaigns like these are helping to ensure that there are habitats for the birds that many birdwatching visitors from abroad to enjoy for generations to come.

Capturing images on film is one way to ensure that the collective memory does not forget about a country's history. When that country's history includes gruesome events, those images can become powerful, yet uncomfortable reminders of the past. In Guatemala, a couple of photographers have become involved in documenting and representing images from the armed conflict that took place for 36 years.

The blogger Aly of the collective blog Dorsumi [es] writes about a French photographer who published a book called “La verdad bajo la tierra. Guatemala, el genocidio silenciado” (The buried truth. Guatemala, the silenced genocide).

En 1990, Miquel Dewever-Plana, fotógrafo francés de origen catalán, conoció en México a varios refugiados mayas guatemaltecos y decidió involucrarse a favor de los derechos humanos. Durante dos años Miquel documentó el proceso de exhumación de muchas víctimas del genocidio guatemalteco, informando así sobre un crimen contra la humanidad poco conocido: las masacres perpetradas por el Gobierno de Guatemala entre los indígenas mayas durante la década de 1980, y dar a conocer a las víctimas con nombres y apellidos, contribuyendo así a dignificarlas. Fruto de aquel reportaje se publicó este libro que acompaña la exposición con el mismo nombre que ha podido verse hasta el momento en ciudades como París, Barcelona o Palafrugell, entre otras.

Another photographer, Daniel Hernández Salazar, also has made much effort to rescue the memory of the victims. He was recently invited to the Palace of Nations in Geneva, Switzerland to showcase his work. Some of the images depicted nude males representing the victims of the war, and were subsequently removed by some staff members of the United Nations Organization because they were said that they could be offensive to some groups. However, some people, like the blogger León Aguilera Radford of the blog Klavaza [es] thinks this was nothing more than censorship:

Guatemalan photographer Daniel Hernández-Salazar was invited to expose his photographs at the Palais des Nations , See of the United Nations Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Hernandez's images expose in an artistic and metaphoric way the horrors left by the civil war that devastated that Central American country during more than 30 years. One of his aims is to preserve the usually fragile memory of such events, in order to prevent its recurrence. In Guatemala, I am aware, many people would be glad to forget all that happened. However, History has the tendency to remember, like Borges Funes el Memorioso character.

It is fairly logical to imagine how difficult it must be to find a central point of agreement between the many representatives, officers, clerks, visitors, ambassadors and all such fauna, from a worldwide acquisition that conforms the UNO. But this is Art, Western Art if that matters, the same that has been a landmark of aesthetics since time immemorial. Therefore, it is impossible for me to justify UNO censorship, even after its officers accepted to expose three void spaces, to signal the missing images, and to send the visitors to this web site, where the images are in a permanent, albeit virtual, exposition. I advice to you to please visit that site, You'll enjoy it.

These images can help preserve the memory of individuals, who were victims of a tragic past. Many photographers like Plana and Hernández-Salazar want to use their works so that others can understand history, build a future, and make the phrase “Never Again” not simply rhetoric, but a promise for the future.

Thumbnail photo by James Rodríguez and used with permission

Addendum: To see Daniel Hernández' photos in question that were removed in Geneva, please visit this site.

Picture by Daquella Manera under a Creative Commons license.

Voices of solidarity are being heard from across the Americas for the situation taking place in Gaza. Several Latin American bloggers are expressing their frustration, as well as their hopes for peace in that part of the world. However, they feel that after these bombings that achieving peace in the Middle East is now even further away.

The blogger Voces [es] from Cuba writes:

Se va el 2008 con las noticias de costumbre sobre los bombardeos en Gaza. Como si fuera posible perder la capacidad de asombro, de enojo e impotencia, de rabia concentrada ante los muertos, antes los médicos que se desesperan porque no alcanzan para aliviar tanta herida abierta, tanta sangre. Grito a la paz por Palestina, grito a la paz y a la esperanza, luto en medio de las fiestas de este mundo que poco tiene que festejar. Grito a la paz por Palestina… paz… paz… paz… PAZ… PAZ.. PAZ… PAZ… PAAAZ!!!… a ver si alguien escucha…

Giorgio Trucchi wrote in Barricada [es], a collective blog in Nicaragua about his concerns of the double standards by the international community, while they sanctioned Nicaragua quickly and efficiently, no one seems to really act for Palestina, neither the European Union nor the U.S.:

La comunidad internacional parece estar observando con impotencia esos acontecimientos y lo que podría ser uno de los desenlaces más cruentos y feroces contra el pueblo palestino. Hasta el momento no se le mira ese fervor, demostrado en otras ocasiones, en exigir sin titubear el respeto de los tan declamados derechos humanos. Ni se está viendo ese mismo fervor, que por ejemplo en las semanas pasadas la Unión Europea y los Estados Unidos demostraron contra Nicaragua, con el congelamiento de fondos y proyectos y resoluciones parlamentarias, frente a las condiciones espantosas en que vive la población palestina en los territorios de Gaza.

Susana Villarán from Peru provides her thoughts on the background [es] of the situation going on in Gaza, adding that the other problems taking place on the ground in Palestine, is not only the armed conflict, but the neglected protection for civilians and also impunity:

La contraparte de la negligencia con la que actúan las fuerzas israelíes es la impunidad: un mes antes de estos ataques, Yesh Din, una organización israelí defensora de los derechos humanos, publicó un informe sobre la materia. Según este entre el 2001 y el 2007 unos 2000 civiles palestinos murieron a manos del ejército israelí. Sin embargo esas 2000 muertes produjeron únicamente 78 cargos contra soldados israelíes, y solo cinco de ellos fueron condenados. Aún en esos casos, las penas fueron sensiblemente menores a aquellas que permitía la legislación israelí.

Blogger Morsa from Peru wonders why it is necessary to bomb a university [es], while describing this he also appeals his readers to act against war and also that he will not tolerate antisemitism on his blog.

Continúa la barbarie en Gaza. Para que no quede dudas que el ataque no es selectivo (o por lo menos, militarmente selectivo), la Universidad Islámica de Gaza también ha sido bombardeada. El pretexto ha sido que en dicho centro de estudios se encontraban fuerzas extremistas, lo cual, como señala Akram Habeeb (profesor de literatura, becario Fulbright, de dicha universidad), es mentira.

Blogger Alta Hora de la Noche [es], from Ayuxtepeque, El Salvador reflected upon the complex situation:

Es un problema complejísimo, que desborda lo que yo pueda decir en unas líneas. Pero si no puedo decir que no me toca la barbarie, que no resiente mi corazon ver que una vez más la solución a los problemas de esa región del mundo en que vivo se vé más lejana.

Many intellectuals in Chile signed a public statement against the attacks, in solidarity with the people from Palestine, it can be found in several blogs as “Poesia para Alentar Coraje” (Poetry to Encourage Courage).

The blog from the Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)writes::

Guatemalan civil society, from human rights workers to journalists, bishops to private sector investors, union leaders to prosecutors, does not have it easy. The country sees increasing rates of crime and violence, and powerful forces operate what many call the “parallel state,” using their influence to shield their activities and ensure outcomes throughout the government that fill their pockets and guarantee their impunity, at the expense of the rest of Guatemalans.

Heidi describes her views on the reasons for the violence in a country at peace at her blog Advocacy Project Blog:

Heightened levels of violence, both in Rabinal and throughout the country, certainly stem from a multitude of sources, only a few of which include staggering unemployment and poverty, or lack of adequate healthcare and education. These societal realities notwithstanding, the internal conflict has left behind a legacy of institutionalized fear and normalized violence that cannot be dismissed.

When the Peace Accords were signed, a special commission was created by the United Nations to oversee the implementation of the accords. The commission called United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) remained in the country for ten years, but its success is still far from certain. The blogger Buscando a Syd [es] remembers the “MINUGUA” blues:

La democracia, o libertad colectiva, más que una conquista de la razón, es un estado de gracia de la historia. No es producto del esfuerzo, no es producto del capital, no es producto del discurso, no es producto de la lucha, no es producto de la tecnología, y no es vigilable. De esa cuenta, organizaciones como MINUGUA no pasan de ser meros decorados de la civilización reciente, que es nada sin esos decorados. Se nos educa para pensar que detrás de tales fachadas, esas capas o cáscaras, existe una democracia mesiánica, incluso esencial, transhistórica. Grandísima superstición.

In order to deal with the increasing levels of violence, which is leading to some, who are calling Guatemala a failed state, another commission was created to deal with this challenge as described by the blog from the Guatemala Solidarity Network,GSN Blog [es]:

The International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala, better known by its Spanish initials CICIG, has now been operating for a year. It was created following an agreement between the United Nations and the Guatemalan government, charged with investigating clandestine organisations and collaborating with the state in prosecuting their members, suggesting ways in which Guatemalan law might be improved to help the fight against them and generally contributing to strengthening the rule of law.

Combatting the violence, especially those acts against women, is not an easy task. Statistics place the number of violent crimes against women as one unsolved murder every 16 hours [es]. The government has proposed to increase the number of military soldiers to help fight this crime, even though the Guatemalan Army was blamed for much of the violence that led to the Peace Accords, which also stipulates that the Army should be reduced. However, Guatemalans are pushing for more results, rather than more signed documents and more international commissions.

What is the first impression of a Bedouin in a Caribbean Island?  On his visit, blogger Ali Salem Iselmu shared the experience on a lovely story called "A Bedouin in the Caribbean ":

Era de noche y se veía en medio de la oscuridad aquel precioso poblado de casas de madera de color blanco y rojo. El ambiente a fiesta y carnaval era total, la música a todo volumen y la gente bailando salsa y sudando, nosotros lo único que hicimos a pesar del cansancio que teníamos era incorporarnos a la fiesta.

Cuando llegamos a la plaza de Banes después de bajar del autobús comprobamos con nuestros ojos aquella famosa frase que dice "con una lata y un palo bailan los cubanos" porque la naturaleza del Caribe y su alma son bien distintas a aquella sobriedad que a un nómada beduino, reconvertido en caribeño a través de los ritmos que marca la humedad de la noche.

Cuban - Western Sahara cooperation is an early example of international aid. For example, back in the late seventies, 99 girls were chosen to study and improve their life conditions through education in Cuba, as Hernan Zin tells in "Saharaui Women" . One of the girls was Maima Mahamud from Dajla:

Permaneció en la isla caribeña el resto de su infancia y toda la adolescencia, estudiando, preparándose para el futuro, con la idea insoslayable, a pesar de su corta de edad, de que volvería al Sáhara para luchar por la independencia de su pueblo.

And she returned home as an educated woman, and created the Dajla School for Women to improve education and possibilities for girls in her homeland.  This is a admirable action promoted by educated women, as according to the latest UNESCO report, it utilizes the resources of the country with the best educational standards in Latin America to counteract a country with a 50% literacy rate.

The bilateral cooperation is still active in spite of precarious situation in the island, as blogger El Porvenir del Sahara shows, with pictures of saharauis sipping tea in Cuba and Cubans dancing in Western Sahara. Ebnu, another blogger that shared his experience arriving together with other children from Argel to Cuba, brings us back to those days on 1978 when he arrived as a child to the Caribbean:

Aquellos primeros días los recuerdo con esa sensación triste y amarga. De estar perplejo ante una experiencia que apenas comenzaba y la curiosidad por descubrir un mundo nuevo lleno de ilusiones y sorpresas.

El mango, la guayaba, el mamey ¡Qué delicia!, la "Pelota", el Baseball, "¿cómo es posible que jueguen una cosa así, es que no conocen el fútbol o qué?" El contraste entre lo dulce y lo salado. Lo dulce y era muy dulce y lo salado muy salado. ¿Cómo comer arroz todos los días, día y noche? Si a mí no me gusta el arroz.

If you like to see a movie about it, bloggers recommend Caribbean of the Sahara . The next time you meet a Bedouin dancing with rhythm or a Cuban offering you three cups of tea then you will know the reason.