PBI-Guatemala accompanies Chinautla Multisector Urban Platform at their sit-in against sand extraction on Poqomám territory

On March 24, PBI-Guatemala posted:

“#PBI accompanies the Multisectoral Chinautla and we visit their position in resistance to the sand extractivism that takes place in Poqomám territory.

The impacts on the environment and human health continue to deteriorate, while businesses continue to operate without a license.”

In July 2022, Factor 4 tweeted: “Indigenous authorities of the Poqomam people began a sit-in of resistance on Monday, June 27, against the illegal operation of the Piedrinera “San Luis” company. Yesterday they arrived at @MEMguatemala [Ministry of Energy and Mines] who confirmed that the sandlot does not have a valid license.”

Prensa Comunitaria has also reported:

“The indigenous authorities of the Poqomam people of the municipality of Chinautla began on Monday, June 27, a resistance sit-in for the illegal operation of the company called Piedrinera “San Luis”, which is dedicated to extracting sand in that place.

According to the indigenous authorities, on June 25, the company’s sand exploitation license expired to operate in the municipality; Despite this, they continue to extract illegally, they also operate in the municipality, without the people having been consulted if they agreed with the operation of said company in the place.

The ancestral authorities and inhabitants of Chinautla are in peaceful resistance, against the extraction of sand in their territory; the plantón is located at the entrance of the Santa Isabel farm, where the company operates. The villagers prevent the entry of trucks so that they stop extracting sand in the place.

According to the Peace Brigades International, PBI, since 1989, the Multisectorial of Chinautla defends its right to be consulted on the projects of several sand companies operating in its territory, including the Arenera “La Primavera”, Arenera “El Pino”, Piedrinera “San Luis” and Arenera “San Fernando” that also pollute the Las Vacas River, which passes through Chinautla.

PBI indicates that the region has been a sand zone for decades, but it was from 1995 when large-scale sand extraction began, with heavy machinery, an activity that entails a strong social and environmental impact in the area.”

The PBI-Guatemala Project has been accompanying the Chinautla Multisector Urban Platform since December 2018.