The Peace Brigades International-Guatemala Project is seeking field volunteers to accompany human rights defenders.

The deadline to apply is January 7, 2024.

The training and final selection week will then take place from May 19-25 in Spain.

Requirements to apply include: a good level of Spanish – spoken, written and read; ability to commit to a minimum of 12 months’ work in the field; experience of teamwork and group living, especially in high-stress situations; and minimum age of 22 years.

For more about the application process, please click here.

For more on the organizations that PBI-Guatemala accompanies, click here.

On November 1, PBI-Honduras posted:

“Yesterday we accompanied CNTC Progreso to the sit-in and press conference at the National Agrarian Institute (INA). In this instance, several organizations in defense of land and territory protested against a series of evictions that have occurred in the area of Progreso (Yoro) in recent months and that they consider illegal.

PBI is concerned about the criminalization and persecution of defenders of land and territory and the evictions of entire campesino communities. We highlight the work of campesinos in favor of food sovereignty and environmental protection.

Likewise, we applaud the work of CNTC Progreso in the defense of human rights and land and territory.”

The CNTC, created in 1985, is a small-scale farming and trade union organisation, which fights for the distribution of land.

The CNTC is affiliated with the Unified Confederation of Honduran Workers (CUTH) which in turn is affiliated with the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC), along with 150+ labour organizations including the Canadian Labour Congress.

PBI-Honduras has been accompanying CNTC since May 2018.

Photo: A session of the Visionary Workshop meeting.

PBI-Canada coordinator Brent Patterson has returned from ten days of visionary and advocacy meetings with PBI colleagues in Caparica, Portugal.

The PBI entities present at these meetings along with Canada included Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Nepal, Kenya, Indonesia, Spain, Germany, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Norway and the International Office in Belgium.

Key decisions from the “Visionary Workshop” meeting with members of the International Council and International Operations Council include the agreement to explore strategic alliances with new partners to change the behaviour of state and non-state actors, new ways to provide security training in countries where we do not do physical accompaniment, and to build more south-north partnerships with social movements and activists.

Photo: Participants gathered at the conclusion of the Visionary Workshop meetings.

And notable outcomes from the “Advocacy Working Group face-to-face meeting” include a renewed focus on support for the United Nations Binding Treaty on transnational corporations and human rights, exploring ways to include language on the protection of human rights defenders in international agreements, highlighting the relationship between Global North transnational corporations, finance capital and the human rights situations that PBI accompanies, exploring new ways engage in public mobilization campaigns, drawing attention to the shrinking space for activism in both the Global North and Latin America, and more fully recognizing the various forms of intersectionality in the organizations, defenders and communities we accompany.

Photo: A group photo of the Advocacy Working Group participants.

Tangibly, these discussions have helped shape a work plan for PBI-Canada in 2024 that could ideally include these interventions:

January – Launching a new student-focused outreach tool to encourage young activists to apply to accompany human rights defenders in Colombia, Honduras, Mexico and Guatemala. Also, organizing a webinar focused on PBI accompanied lawyers.

February – Organizing an advocacy intervention in Canada featuring social leaders from Colombia who have been imprisoned and criminalized for their resistance to the impacts of Calgary-based Frontera Energy on their community.

March – Launching a revitalized Urgent Action e-petition campaign enabling the public to engage in campaigns calling for the protection of threatened human rights defenders and the resolution of situations that put them in danger.

April – Visiting Gitxsan territory in British Columbia as they continue to call for the disbanding of the militarized RCMP C-IRG unit that has been deployed to suppress Indigenous resistance to the construction of pipelines on their territories without consent.

May – Supporting the activist mobilization against the CANSEC weapons show in Ottawa where helicopters, armoured vehicles, automatic rifles and other arms implicated in human rights violations in multiple countries are marketed and sold.

June – Organizing a webinar on the shrinking space/increasing repression of activists around the world, notably in Canada (against Wet’suwe’ten land defenders), the United States (the Ojibwe opposing the Line 3 pipeline), the United Kingdom (Extinction Rebellion activists) and Guatemala (including Maya Ch’orti’ Indigenous Council of Olopa).

July – Supporting the mobilization against the NATO summit in Washington, DC that could reflect on the PBI-North America Project’s historic accompaniment of Innu resistance to NATO low-level flight training and practice bombing missions in Nitassinan.

August – Publishing a feature article that compares and contrasts efforts in Kenya (notably by the PBI-Kenya accompanied Missing Voice coalition), Colombia (by the PBI-Colombia accompanied Committee of Solidarity with Political Prisoners) and Canada (such as by Winnipeg Police Cause Harm) to counter police violence.

September – Organizing a webinar linking the Canadian and Spanish corporations involved in the construction of the Oxec III hydroelectric dam on Indigenous Maya Q’eqchi’ territory in Guatemala without free, prior and informed consent.

October – Organizing a visit by Guatemalan social leaders who have been criminalized for their opposition to river diversions and environmental harms caused by the sugar plantations that export sugar to Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal.

November – Organizing a webinar at the time of the next round of talks on the UN Binding Treaty on transnational corporations and human rights. Also, supporting an intervention at the UN COP29 climate change talks that are expected to take place in Eastern Europe.

December – Visiting PBI-Mexico accompanied organizations, defenders and communities in Chihuahua and documenting the concerns about the mining concessions granted to Canadian mining companies without consent and the ongoing environmental implications of the TC Energy Encino-Topolobampo pipeline.

These ideas and plans will continue to be developed over the coming months.

As always, your support is needed to allow this work to happen. To make an online donation to help support these activities in 2024, please click here.

Photo: European Council President Charles Michel, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyon meet in St. John’s.

The launch of a “green alliance” and an invitation to join a “critical raw materials club” at the European Union-Canada summit held in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador on November 23-24 could have implications for Indigenous rights in this country.

Just prior to the summit, the Canadian Press reported: “Hydrogen energy will be a big topic of discussion, as Atlantic Canada angles to become a major supplier of hydrogen fuel to European markets, particularly Germany, [Prime Minister Justin] Trudeau said.”

Now the CBC reports: “While the details are mostly vague promises to work together in fighting climate change, the location of the summit was chosen in part because of Newfoundland and Labrador’s burgeoning green hydrogen and critical minerals industries.”

That article adds: “Newfoundland and Labrador has five active green hydrogen proposals… The projects are massive, each requiring billions of dollars in investments, and the end products are largely destined for European markets. “

In St. John’s, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said: “We want to boost transatlantic hydrogen trade.”

Project Nujio’qonik wind-to-hydrogen megaproject

The Canadian Press notes that “seafood tycoon John Risley”, the Chairman of World Energy GH2, “was among the crowd watching Trudeau’s speech” to European leaders at a brewpub in St. John’s on November 23.

Photo: As Risley, Trudeau and Von der Leyen were inside the Quidi Vidi Brewery, activists outside called for a ceasefire and an end to Israel’s assault on Gaza.

The Social Justice Co-operative NL has previously explained that World Energy GH2 is proposing Project Nujio’qonik, which is also known as the Port-au-Port & Stephenville Wind Power & Hydrogen Generation Project.

The SJC says: “It’s a wind-to-hydrogen mega-project being proposed … for construction on the Port-au-Port peninsula and in the area around Stephenville. The project, if approved, would see 164 wind turbines built on the Port-au-Port peninsula and a Hydrogen Generation Plant built in Stephenville.”

Signalling the controversial nature of this megaproject, CBC reported earlier this year: “Five Mi’kmaw chiefs in southwestern Newfoundland are seeking Indigenous mediation to try to resolve conflicts that have arisen from the wind energy proposal for the Port au Port Peninsula. The five bands in southwestern Newfoundland, acting together as the Newfoundland Association of Rural Mi’kmaq Nations, or NARMN, also hope mediation might rebuild relationships within the communities that they say were damaged over the wind turbine project.”

At a protest this past September, Jude Benoit, longtime Two Spirit Mi’kmaq activist, co-founder of the Indigenous Activist Collective and member of the SJC, also shared concerns about the impacts of Project Nujio’qonik on their home and family.

Then earlier this month, CBC reported: “A verdict for World Energy GH2’s proposal to build at least 328 wind turbines on the Port au Port Peninsula and Codroy Valley along with a hydrogen-ammonia plant was put on hold Wednesday [November 1], as [Newfoundland and Labrador] Environment Minister Bernard Davis told the company to provide more information on a series of potential impacts.”

Seemingly confident the project could still proceed, Risley says: “Nobody should read anything into it other than exactly what the government is saying.”

Pipeline on Innu territory?

Also in September, journalist Justin Brake tweeted: “@GovNL [the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador] ‘signalled’ to investors at #worldhydrogen2023 [in Rotterdam, Netherlands this past May] the potential for a hydrogen pipeline in Labrador on unceded Innu lands. ‘Our Aboriginal rights are not merely to be considered, they must be honoured’, said Innu Nation @ntesinan Grand Chief Simon Pokue.”

Brake further reported in The Independent: “A handout prepared for the [Department of Industry, Energy and Technology] marketing team suggests the potential for hydrogen production at the Churchill Falls, Muskrat Falls, and proposed Gull Island hydroelectric dams, which the government suggests could be transported via pipeline to the island.”

In that article, Grand Chief Pokue said: “Any new hydroelectric, green hydrogen or wind energy development in Innu territory, including green hydrogen production plants, potential pipelines or transmission lines, will require the agreement of the Innu Nation.”

Photo: Innu Elder Tshaukuesh (Elizabeth) Penashue and Grand Chief Pokue.

Is hydrogen even green?

Green hydrogen is understood as hydrogen that is produced from renewable energy, such as wind or solar power.

In his article in The Independent, Brake highlighted that: “Documents [from the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology that reveal the Liberals are using a scheme developed by energy consultant Wood Mackenzie that puts oil and gas at the centre of the green transition] refer to Newfoundland and Labrador as the ‘World’s First Net-Zero Potential Energy Super Basin’. They suggest the province’s emerging hydrogen industry could facilitate the expansion of fossil fuel development, including offshore oil and liquefied natural gas.”

Julia Levin, Associate Director of National Climate at Environmental Defence, has warned: “Carbon capture and hydrogen are great for greenwashing oil and gas, but they won’t deliver meaningful emissions reductions.”

And Robert Howarth, professor of ecology and environmental biology at Cornell University, has commented: “There may be some small role in truly green hydrogen in a decarbonized future, but this is largely a marketing creation by the oil and gas industry that has been hugely overhyped.”

“Critical raw materials club” to be launched at COP28

In her statement at the conclusion of the Canada-EU summit in St. John’s, European Commission President von der Leyen also stated: “I want to extend a warm invitation to Canada to join our critical raw materials club, which we will launch at COP28. Canada is indeed in pole position for what critical raw materials are concerned. You are today the only country in the Western hemisphere with all the raw materials required for lithium batteries. Canada exports 90% of its mineral products. And the European Union is Canada’s second largest export market. So I would say that this is a perfect match, let us work on that.”

The potential mining of critical minerals, notably in the Ring of Fire area 500 kilometres north of Thunder Bay, Ontario, has been contentious.

The area is rich in the minerals used in electric vehicle batteries and energy storage systems, including cobalt, lithium, manganese, nickel, graphite and copper.

But Chief Wayne Moonias of the Neskantaga First Nation has stated: “There is going to be opposition [to mining in the Ring of Fire], if this continues the way it is and the [Ontario premier Doug] Ford government or any future government doesn’t recognize the rights of our people, it’s going to be a strong stance.”

Photo: Chief Wayne Moonias.

We continue to follow this situation.

Peace Brigades International is supporting the call from many communities and organizations – including Amnesty International, United Nations Special Rapporteurs, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the International Service for Human Rights (ISHR) – for an immediate ceasefire.

PBI-Canada has helped amplify this call and associated concerns via social media.

We continue to follow this situation with concern.

Photo: Ueli Wildberger (1945–2023). Photo by Andrea Zahler.

The Swiss newspaper Tages-Anzeiger (Daily Gazette) reports on the passing of Peace Brigades International activist Ueli Wildberger.

Ueli passed away on January 23 at 77 years of age.

Tages-Anzeiger notes: “After [studying for a few semesters in Berlin in 1968], Ueli Wildberger no longer plays the obedient role in the military, but refuses to serve [in Switzerland where military service was mandatory for all Swiss men]. This led to major tensions with his parents. They became even greater when he was sent to prison for refusing to serve [he was in prison in Winterthur, about 20 kilometres northeast of Zurich, in 1974].”

The article continues “He demonstrates against the nuclear power plants in Kaiseraugst and Gösgen, organizes a human carpet [“menschenteppich”] against the arms show in Winterthur [in June 1981], a military cemetery in Frauenfeld and human chains for peace.”

Photo: Human carpet in front of the Eulachhalle: Protest against the “W81” weapons show in 1981. Image: winbib and bildarchiv.winterthur.ch.

On the arms show, Landbote.ch has explained: “According to research by historian Miguel Garcia, a demonstration [took place] against the weapons exhibition ‘W81’ in 1981… At that time, around 2500 people protested in front of the Eulachhalle [an arena in Winterthur]  and blocked the entrance to the weapons show with a human carpet. It was not only the police who took action against the Protestants. A bourgeois militia was also formed, which drove up with a slurry wagon and splashed the crowd [with manure].”

In this eight-page article about the protest, Ueli wrote: “The week-long crowd of people against the 81 weapons show in Winterthur was a unique experience for me! Not only because we managed to gain the sympathy of a broader public – and drastically reduce the number of visitors to the exhibition, but also because we experienced the strength of non-violent behavior, especially in tense and critical moments.”

Ueli adds in his reflection of that protest: “By the arms dealers and visitors stepping over our bodies we want them to know the criminality of the arms trade and remember: ‘Whoever passes over us also passes over us corpses!’”

The formation of PBI-Guatemala in 1983

The Tages-Anzeiger article continues: “He later worked for Peace Brigades International and Solinetz. The income is enough for a modest life. And for trips to India, to the Peace Brigades in Nicaragua and to Honduras.”

Katia Aeby of PBI-Switzerland highlights: “As an IFOR [International Fellowship of Reconciliation] delegate, Ueli attended a PBI meeting with 15 peace activists in the Netherlands for the first time in 1982. Together with two other participants, he launched the proposal to start a pilot project in Central America. The idea was approved and in 1983 the first volunteers went to Guatemala in the middle of the civil war.”

“Ueli was actively looking for volunteers in Europe. With a colleague from Spain, they organized a tour to various European countries to meet with peace groups. This is how the international network gradually emerged. In 1985, Ueli and [his wife] France travelled to Central America themselves to get an idea of the situation and then report on it in Switzerland.”

“In 1986, Ueli co-organized the first PBI training with 20 participants in northern Spain and worked as a trainer for the new volunteers in the following years.”

Katia adds: “In 1988, PBI International elected Ueli to the international management of the organization for a four-year term. He was also on the board of PBI Switzerland and coordinated the cooperation with PBI Guatemala. Until his death, Ueli remained associated with PBI as a member.”

In 2021, on the 40^th anniversary of the founding of PBI, Ueli commented: “I hope that PBI will continue to flourish and grow even larger in order to be able to implement a wide range of nonviolent methods.”

Photo: Stop CANSEC protest, 2023.

PBI-Canada is grateful for the contributions of Ueli and as we prepare to mobilize around the CANSEC weapons show in Ottawa on May 29-30, 2024, we will remember his participation in the “menschenteppich” at the arms show in Winterthur in 1981.

Photo by PBI-Switzerland.