Guatemala’s indigenous peoples demand protection of their rights

Guatemala’s indigenous peoples demand protection of their rights
By agency reporter
18 Oct 2013

The human rights of indigenous peoples in Guatemala are under threat due to large scale extraction of natural resources and on-going encroachment on their lands.

Their conflict with the state over these issues is now impacting their security, said Pablo Ceto, an indigenous community leader and a human rights activist from Ixil, Guatemala.

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During the meeting Ceto explained that despite strong opposition against land grabbing and exploitation of natural resources, state and the multinational corporations operating in the areas of mining and extraction are violating the rights of indigenous peoples.

The current conflict between indigenous communities and the government is a continuation of the country’s 36-year long civil war which ended in 1996 with the signing of peace accords. The conflict claimed the lives of more than 200,000 people, out of which 80 per cent were indigenous civilians of Mayan descent.

More:
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/19241