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KNOMAD Roundtable on Climate Justice and Migration
June 5th – June 6th, 2023, in Washington, D.C.
EXTRACTIVISM AND CLIMATE INJUSTICE: Indigenous Migration in Abiayala
Indigenous Peoples’ Displacement
One cannot talk about the root drivers of forced climate migration of Indigenous Peoples without understanding our rights to our lands, territories, and natural elements of Mother Earth. At the basis of land dispossession and genocideof Indigenous Peoples of Abiayala,1 are conflicts over our lands, territories, and natural goods of Mother Earth. Maya leaders, elders and scholars have organized the eras of conflicts in our history as consisting of four eras of dispossession or invasions, and expulsions. We are now living in the fourth era,2 one characterized by the usurpations of Indigenous territories by transnational corporations.
“Our peoples are currently experiencing grave human rights violations under state sponsored violence and at the hands of governments that fail, time and again, to meet their domestic and international human rights obligations. Large scale environmental degradation is occurring at an accelerated rate from mining, agribusinesses, and even ‘clean development mechanisms’ like hydroelectric dams. Land conflicts and militarization of our territories in favor of transnational corporations are intrinsically linked to root drivers of climate change and forced migration for Indigenous Peoples. From violent evictions in the communities of Chicoyou and Chapín Abajo in Iximulew, anti-asylum policies in theUnited States, and therecenthorrificmigrantdetention center fire in Juarez, Mexico, all are a direct result of colonial violence against our Peoples beginning in 1492. Our demands can no longer be ignored by governments, international human rights institutions, and civil society.”3
The ongoing conflicts are closely connected to the lack of full legal protection of our lands, territories and natural goods which are a direct outcome of this colonial legacy, and a cornerstone of the history of Indigenous resistance. Of concern with the lack of legal certainty over our territories is the rise of forced displacement through state sponsored violent evictions in coordination with corporations pursuing projects such as “monocultures, mining, hydroelectric projects, oil, or tourism, among others.”4 Just in 2018, there were a reported “125 eviction requests in the department of Peten [Guatemala.]”5 The human rights of Indigenous Peoples are violated during these evictions which are usually violent in nature, hurried, and “carried out by members of the National Civilian Police, the Army and the National Council of Protected
1 Emil Keme, & Adam Coon. (2018). For Abiayala to Live, the Americas Must Die: Toward a Transhemispheric Indigeneity. Native American and Indigenous Studies, 5(1), 42–68. https://doi.org/10.5749/natiindistudj.5.1.0042
2 Batz, G. (2022). La Cuarta Invasión: Historias y resistencia del Pueblo Ixil, y su lucha contra la Hidroeléctrica Palo Viejo en Cotzal, Quiche, Guatemala. AVANCSO. Retrieved May 31, 2023, from https://avancso.org.gt/publicaciones/proximas-publicaciones/
3 United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues. (2023, April 19). EXTRACTIVISM AND CLIMATE INJUSTICE: Indigenous Peoples Defend the Rights of their Peoples and Mother Earth. Issuu.Com. Retrieved from https://issuu.com/mayanleague.org/docs/unpfii_statement_extractivism_climate_injustice_st.
4 Organization of American States. (2017). (rep.). Situation of Human Rights in Guatemala. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/reports/pdfs/Guatemala2017-en.pdf.
5 IACHR, UN Experts Express Concern over Forced Evictions and Internal Displacement in Guatemala. (2018, July 20). Oas.Org. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://www.oas.org/en/iachr/media_center/PReleases/2018/158.asp.
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Areas (CONAP).”6 “Violent land conflicts of this kind are intensifying across Q’eqchi’ territory, a large swath of northern Guatemala that has some of the highest rates of poverty, malnutrition, and land inequality in the hemisphere.”7 Just on May 31, 2023 there has been yet another violent eviction in Maya Q’eqchi’ Nation territory, where 600 agents of the National Police were ordered to evict 113 Maya Q’eqchi’ families in the Las Orquídeas community 8 These ongoing violent evictions cannot continue with impunity.
Transnational Corporations, Imposed Development and Lack of Human Rights Standards
The root drivers of forced migration and displacement for Indigenous Peoples reflects structural racism, oppressive laws, and policies and neoliberal economic models all which violate our rights of selfdetermination, autonomy, and self-government. In recent years these factors were exacerbated by the COVID -19 pandemic and extreme climate change related events such as hurricanes Eta and Iota.
We stress that poverty for Indigenous Peoples is tied to structural inequality, racism, and the lack of access and titlesto ourlandsand territories – and onlyincreased underCOVID-19. Imposed developmentprojects, however, are not the answer. One such example is the role that International Development Actors play in Indigenous Peoples’ displacement, such as the World Bank’s $500 million loan to the government of Guatemala: CRISIS RESPONSE AND RECOVERY IN GUATEMALA DEVELOPMENT POLICY LOAN,9 issued in 2020. Though we understand Maya Q’eqchi’ territory in Alta Verapaz and Peten have been identified for “Low Emission Sustainable Livestock, ” this very territory, as already expressed, is under attack by transnationals, agribusiness, and hydroelectric dams resulting in severe human rights violations and theft of Indigenous lands and environmental destruction.
Accelerated imposed “development” such as extractive, agroindustry, and infrastructure projects that lack transparency and accountability are destroying our lands and ways of life. Our communities are facing insurmountable threats on a daily basis, forcing us to address human rights violations in a reactionary manner, with limited human and financial resources, and information. Our leaders who question how development is occurring on our lands and territories and ask for transparency and full and effective participation within these processes are persecuted, criminalized, and even assassinated. Our lands, territories and environment are suffering from environmental destruction, and this affects our quality of life, livelihoods, and future generations.
6 Ibid.
7 Brown, R. (2022, December 19). Land conflicts targeting Indigenous communities intensify in northern Guatemala. Nacla. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://nacla.org/land-conflicts-targeting-indigenous-communitiesintensify-northern-guatemala
8 Choc, C. E. (2023, May 31). Twitter. https://twitter.com/CarlosErnesto_C
9 World Bank. Program Document for a Proposed Loan in the amount of US$500 Million to the Republic of Guatemala for the Crisis Response and Recovery in Guatemala Development Policy Loan. Retrieved June 2, 2023, from https://documents1.worldbank.org/curated/en/181481608519685740/pdf/Guatemala-Crisis-Response-andRecovery-in-Guatemala-Development-Policy-Loan.pdf.
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Uplifting Impacted Community Voices
We highlight the particular situation of the Maya Q’eqchi’ because of the sheer number of evictions during a time of “peace” and are extremely violent and militarized; violating the human rights of babies, children, women, and elders – this must notbe ignored.As a result, thousandsofQ’eqchi’ people havebeen violently displaced and arenow seeking refugein theUnited States. TheMayan League hasdocumented thisincrease of Maya Q’eqchi’ families and individuals as seen in an uptick in Maya Q’eqchi’ specific interpretation requests through our Indigenous Interpreter program. Furthermore, through baseline surveys we conduct fortechnicaltraining in our Indigenous Migration in Abiayala program, wehaveobserved theaugmentation of Q’eqchi’ unaccompanied minors arriving in the U.S.
The situation of the Maya Q’eqchi’ Nation is not unique, but we are alarmed that today’s reality is quickly regressing to the time of the war and genocide of the 1980s. To better understand and document the human rights situation facing the Maya Q’eqchi’ Nation, in 2022 the Mayan League traveled to Coban, Alta Verapaz, Iximulew (Guatemala). We documented testimonies of Ancestral Authorities and community leaders affected by evictions in Nuevo Chicoyou, working to stop the proposed Xalalá Hydroelectric Dam, and documenting the human rights situation in their role as Indigenous journalists.
THE MAYAN LEAGUE SHARES THREE VIDEOS TO PROVIDE CONTEXT TO THE REALITIES FACED BY INDIGENOUS PEOPLES
1. Maya Q'eqchi' Traditional Authority of the Chapín Abajo Community, El Estor, Izabal, Guatemala, Maria
“In a testimony gathered by the Mayan League in March 2023 about the violent eviction that occurred in Chapin Abajo in 2022, Maria, a Q’eqchi’ Maya authority, stated how she was detained and taken to jail on December 6, 2022 for defending Mother Earth. The police and military forces violently entered her community of Chapin Abajo at 4am that day, fired tear gas, injuring newborn babies, Elders, and pregnant women. They destroyed maize crops, looted the convenience store, stole money, and forcibly evicted families. After being displaced, many suffered trauma, and began to get sick. This violence was provoked by NaturAceites, with the support of the Guatemalan government, which are accused of ordering the evictions.”
2. Crimes and Repression Against the Maya Q’eqchi’ Nation in 2022
Testimony of the crimes and repressions committed by the State of Guatemala against the Maya Q'eqchi' communities of Nuevo Chicoyou and Chapín Abajo. In both evictions, hundreds of soldiers and police officers attacked and violently evicted families from their homes. In addition, they arbitrarily arrested AncestralAuthoritiesand injuredseveralmembersofthecommunity, includingnewborn children,pregnant women,andtheelderly. ThedefenseofMotherEarth meansthedefenseoftherightsofIndigenousPeoples. We thank the Ancestral Authorities, women, and Elders for trusting our organization and for allowing us to hear their testimony and to accompany them in their fight for justice and truth. All eviction footage is courtesy of the Nuevo Chicoyou and Chapín Abajo Maya Q’eqchi’ communities.
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3. Forced Climate Migration in Maya Q’eqchi’ Territory Testimonies by Maya Q’eqchi’ Journalist, Carlos Choc and Jose Gómez García ACODET Coordinator (Maya Mam Nation) during the Mayan League’s fact finding visit in Coban Alta Verapaz in 2022. They shared about forced climate migration and focused on the proposed hydroelectric project of the Xalalá Hydroelectric Dam that would directly affect 50 communities apart from those that would be indirectly affected. The entire region is affected by forced migration.
POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS
● Land rights for Indigenous Peoples are the cornerstone to address ongoing conflicts over lands and territories as well as desecration of Mother Earth which are causing irreversible environment destruction, climate change, and forced climate migration. We must work with Indigenous Peoples and title Indigenous lands with Indigenous Peoples as part of a process of accountability and reparations for land dispossessions An example for such a project is the Indigenous Lands Initiative: Securing Land Ownership Rights for Indigenous Communities of the Indian Law Resource Center.10 As has been well documented, Indigenous land management is a solution to climate change with the world’s largest tracts of Biodiversity on Indigenous Peoples lands.11
● Human Rights Compliance and Accountability in any development projects generated by institutions or agencies developing, executing, monitoring, and evaluating those projects; and the financial institutions financing such projects. Human rights and respect and guarantee of Indigenous Peoples human rights including the right of Sovereignty and Self-determination which includes the procedural right to Free Prior and Informed Consent must be a central component before any projects are approved and implemented. Such an example of standards and principles are the International Law Principles for REDD+ projects developed by the Indian Law Resource Center.12 “Not only isprotection of IndigenousPeoples’ rights and livelihoodsnecessary to prevent injury to Indigenous Peoples, but it has also been shown to be an effective strategy for protecting the environment.”13 Market based accountability mechanisms, like shareholder advocacy are increasingly of interest to Ancestral Indigenous Institutions to help shift power dynamics, push for accountability, reparations and provide new strategies to address the hundreds of projects on our lands and territories
10 Indigenous lands initiative. Indigenous Lands Initiative | Indian Law Resource Center. (n.d.). https://indianlaw.org/ILI
11 Sobrevila, C. (2008). (publication). The Role of Indigenous Peoples in Biodiversity Conservation. The World Bank. Retrieved June 2, 2023
12 Crippa, L. A., & Gordon, G. (2012). (tech.). International Law Principles for REDD+: The Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the Legal Obligations of REDD+ Actors. Indian Law Resource Center. Retrieved May 30, 2023, from https://www.indianlaw.org/sites/default/files/Indian%20Law%20Resource%20Center_REDD+%20Principles.pdf. 13 Ibid.
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● The establishment of an “Interagency Working Group on Climate Change and Migration”14 by the United States Government. However, when such a working group is established, it must include community leaders from impacted communities and organizations, including Indigenous Peoples, to bring practical knowledge to contribute to sustainable policy development. In order to monitor and quantify human rights violations of Indigenous Peoples and others forcibly displaced due to climate related events, it should have the authority “to extend an invitation to UN Special Procedures, specifically theUNSpecialRapporteursfor:TheRightsofIndigenousPeoples;Human Rights of Migrants; Violence Against Women; to conduct an in-country visit and investigation into abuse and deaths at the border and in detention centers, and labor exploitation, with a specific focus on Indigenous children and families.”
RECOMMENDATION FOR INCLUSIVE PARTNERSHIPS
● To guarantee that the rights, perspectives, recommendations, and decision making of Ancestral Indigenous Institutions are part of these processes, our communities need to engage directly with these diverse economic actors. Policies can’t be shaped without equitable partnership with Indigenous Peoples exercising their right of Self-government and Self-determination.
● Facilitate the participation of Indigenous Peoples by allocating sufficient funding for logistics support, including interpretation in various languages, access to technologies, security measures, and gender equity.
● Consult with community led organizations like the Mayan League and other vetted organizations on including Traditional knowledge holders, Elders, and subject matter expertise beyond those who usually have access to these spaces.
● Support the development of alternative reporting methods such as videos. Our experience working with Maya Q’eqchi’ Authorities and community-based journalists demonstrates the critical need to support documentation of human rights abuses in real time and directly from the affected peoples and communities As noted above, security considerations must also be considered to prevent further persecution and criminalization of community leaders and journalists. Holding corporations and governments accountable is critical for change, but we must ensure that our peoples do not continue to be assassinated for defending our lands, territories, and future generations.
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Submitting Organization
The International Mayan League (Mayan League) is the only Maya women and youth-led organization in the U.S.andislocatedinPiscatawayNationTerritory(Washington,D.C.)Itwasfoundedin1991byMaya refugees fleeing the war and genocide in Guatemala. Our purpose is to unite Maya people in the diaspora with allies in the United States (U.S.), educate on the root causes of forced migration, offer a platform to advance and protect the Maya peoples’ human rights, and assist in the inclusion of Maya leaders and other Indigenous Peoples in decision making spaces that affect our peoples, communities, and futures.
14 Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. (2023, May 1). Norton Urges President Biden to Create Interagency Working Group on Climate Change and Migration. Norton.House.Gov. Retrieved June 1, 2023, from https://norton.house.gov/media/press-releases/norton-urges-president-biden-create-interagency-working-groupclimate-change.