The Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project has posted on social media:
“On Sunday [August] 9th, #PBI accompanied a gathering that brought together around 100 people from Guatemala, El Salvador and Mexico, alongside the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomam People of #Chinautla and community leaders.
The day began with a tribute to Mother Earth, followed by a mass at the Santa Cruz Parish. During the gathering, community leaders emphasised the importance of continuing to organise and defend their rights and territories, and of creating these spaces for collaboration between communities and peoples.”
Accompaniment
PBI-Guatemala has previously explained on their website: “Since 1989, the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomán People in Chinautla have been defending their right to be consulted on the activities of various clay extraction companies operating in their territory (Arenera La Primavera, Arenera El Pino, Piedrinera San Luis and San Fernando Arenera). They are also defending their territory against the pollution caused by other businesses operating in the region. Another problem faced by Poqomam communities is the pollution of the Las Vacas river that passes through Chinautla which flows directly out of the landfill in zone 3 of the capital city.”
PBI received a request for accompaniment from the Peaceful Resistance of the Poqomán People in Chinautla, as they have been subject to attacks and criminalization. PBI began accompanying them in December 2018.
