On Friday, the consultation was carried out in Santa Cruz del Quiche municipality, Quiche department, one of the main departments of the country and home to the Mayan K´iche´ People. Two days before, it was the turn of Cabrican municipality, in Quetzaltenango.

There are several national and international regulations that defend the right of the indigenous and tribal peoples to be consulted on issues related to their territories. One of them is ILO Convention 169, that demands the implementation of consultations on issues that affect them, so that they can express their free, previous and informed consent. This Convention is considered at international level as one of the most up-to-date legal tools on indigenous and tribal peoples rights.

As the Guatemalan government has decided not to comply with its obligations, the communities started to carry out consultations on their own. The “Good Faith Community Consultations” in which people raise their hands to vote, include the presence of national and international observers to legitimize the process.

Over 170 observers from tens of countries and Guatemalan municipalities were present on Friday in Santa Cruz del Quiche for the consultation organized by the K´iche´s Peoples Council. There, 27,778 people rejected the exploitation of natural resources, especially mining and hydroelectric projects.

There were no votes in favor, in a municipality with 62,369 inhabitants, out of which more than half are children.

The consultation was carried out with 93 voting centers in 87 rural communities and 6 urban areas.

Some of the areas consulted were granted to the corporations by the Energy and Mines Ministry, without the approval of the population.

According to MiMundo.org, the K´iche´s Peoples Council states that in Quiche department there are at least 32 licenses for mining exploitation, and at least three of them are located in Santa Cruz del Quiche.

Meanwhile, on October 20th, the consultation was carried out in Cabrican, and was organized by leaders of the Mam Indigenous Peoples Council and the Environment and Defense of the Territory Commission. The Mam Council denounced that Montana Exploradora, owned by Canadian mining company Goldcorp, was granted three exploration licenses to extract gold, copper, silver and zinc.

Of 13,813 people who voted, 13,610 said “NO to mining”, 130 abstained and 73 decided in favor of the activity. These results will be submitted to the Guatemalan Executive. The organizers said that the people has already decided to ban the companies that want to damage their natural environment, and that they will struggle for their lands if it is necessary.

Photo: MiMundo.org