What Glitters isn't Gold: Part I (Written for the OGG Blog)

In 2010, repeated recommendations came from the international community to suspend Goldcorp’s controversial Marlin Mine in the North-Western highlands of Guatemala. The open-pit mine however, continues to operate. Its presence in the indigenous municipalities of San Miguel Ixtahuacán and Sipacapa continues to foment social upheaval and generate growing number of allegations of serious human rights violations.

Anti-mining protesters in Solóla in 2010

In February, the International Labour Organization (ILO) recommended that the Marlin Mine, owned by Canadian company, GoldCorp, be suspended for having failed to ensure the right of communities to free, prior and informed consent, a stipulation of ILO Convention 169 and condition of the 1996 Guatemalan Peace Accords (see ILO Decision). On May 21, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IAHRC) also demanded that the Guatemalan government suspend the operation following the release of a study by the University of Michigan (UM) and Physicians for Human Rights (PHR) that found elevated levels of mercury, copper, zinc, arsenic and lead in the blood and urine of people living in the vicinity of the Canadian-owned mine (See UM & PHR Report). That same month, an independent consulting group from York University, On Common Ground (OCG), released a Human Rights Impact Assessment (HRIA) detailing Goldcorp's "systematic failure to address grievances in the communities" and, among other concerns, the company's refusal to "protect and respect" Indigenous rights (see OCG Report). A month later, on June 18th, the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people (UNSR), James Anaya, echoed the ILO, OAS, and OCG statements, adding that “according to the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, projects that have a significant impact on the rights of indigenous peoples such as the Marlin Mine, should not be implemented without the consent of the communities affected Indigenous Peoples.” And “if there is a substantial risk of injury to the health or physical wellbeing of the people due to the mine, the Ministry of Energy and Mines must proceed with the suspension of activities...” (See UNSR Press Release). The Guatemalan government initially agreed, but has thus far failed to enforce the order.

In the meantime, the Marlin Mine continues to generate social conflict (see Graham Russell Article) and concerns over the mine’s alleged contribution to local water contamination, dried wells, and cracked homes.

The Marlin Mine

Given the documented environmental and social side effects of mining in general and the Marlin Mine in particular (see NB Media Coop Article; Ghent Report; La Prensa Libre Article; COPAE Report),  it’s not surprising that to date, forty-seven community referendums have been held across the country in which roughly 700,000 Guatemalans have declared themselves in opposition to metallic mining. Nevertheless, the Canadian Government and its embassy in Guatemala remain firmly in support of Canadian investments in the country’s extractive industries. 

Curious to see for ourselves why Canadian diplomats were being met by cries of “Canada go home!” OGG began its weekend by joining Juan Martin, a friend of Rights Action, knowledgable guide, and bad-ass driver for a very memorable micro ride to San Marcos, site of Marlin Mine. While navigating the steep switch-backs of San Marcos, a cattle truck came careening around the corner nearly ending OG Guatemala prematurely. But Juan’s evasive manoeuvres kept the crew on track and soon we were pulling past the gates of the Asociacion de Desarrollo Integral de San Miguel Ixtahaucan (ADISMI), our hosts in San Miguel Ixtahuacan. ADISMI is a development organisation based in the area which works on various issues including rights to land, water, freedom of expression, and cultural identity, as well as mining-related human rights issues. After a brief ¨buenas dias¨ we hopped back in the van continued on to the site of the Marlin Gold Mine, run by Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, S.A (Montana) a subsidiary of Canadian mining giant GoldCorp. Our climb onto the mines muddy flats where a mountain once stood immediately demonstrated the dramatic and destructive consequences of open-pit mining. As we walked to the front gates, passing gawking workers Juan explained the environmental consequences and community conflicts that mining had unearthed.

Where a mountain once stood now sits an open pit.

Allison described her experience that day:

We drove up to the Marlin Mine in San Marcos where Goldcorp is rapidly destroying the landscape and community in the area. We stopped at a woman's house who came out and spoke to us about her experiences with the mine. It is right at her doorstep and she refuses to sell her home because it's her right to keep it and she has nowhere else to go. Workers from the mine have threatened her verbally, have put a machete to her head, and at one point attempted to take her life by shooting her in the face. … Pretty much all of us were crying as she told us her story because there seems to be nothing we can do to help her and we are all partially responsible for what the mine has done because we support it indirectly by being Canadian citizens and having our tax dollars and pension plans support Goldcorp. Contamination from the mine reaches as far as Mexico and no one in the community is able to drink the green coloured water. It was definitely a heart breaking day, but there was a glimmer of hope, a local group called ADISMI along with the Canadian NGO Rights Action are working together to protect the rights of the communities affected by the mine. They have a local radio station and as we drove away we tuned in and they spent 5 minutes thanking us and wishing us well in our journey and just saying how much they appreciated us coming and listening to their stories. How awesome it that? Yes, Allie, it's "wicked awesome."

Dona Maria remains defiant.

ADISMI is also beginning to extend and expand their activities into the political realm with the establishment of the Comite Civico Miguelense (CCM). This independent civic committee is made up of Mayan Mam people from a number of communities in and around the Marlin Mine. They have come together in solidarity to contest the upcoming municipal elections in hopes of occupying the mayor's office, and improving their ability to confront the number of outstanding issues in San Miguel Ixtahuacan, including the environmental and health harms and other human rights violations caused by Goldcorp's mine. 

To sign (and share) the OXFAM petition demanding the suspension of the mining operation please visit:

http://act.oxfamamerica.org/site/PageNavigator/Guatemala_Marlin_Mine

For more information on the Marlin Mine and other ways to help please read the full article, "Where Gold Doesn't Glitter" (See side bar) 

For more information on ADISMI and ways to get involved please visit: www.rightsaction.org


For more on the amazing story of the woman named Señora Diodora please read the article, The Shooting, Survival, Resistance & Dignity of Diodora Antonia Hernandez Cinto (“Dona Maria”) by Grahame Russell

Xela Who? (Written for the OGG Blog)

Quetzaltenango, better known as Xela, is Guatemala’s second city and exemplifies the intersection of its colourful indigenous and ladino cultures. It was and remains a home away from home for me and plays host to an interesting variety of NGO’s, Spanish schools, and progressive intellectual and political personalities. It also sits in the ominous shadow of Volcan Santa Maria, a dormant giant that has nevertheless left an indelible mark in the minds and bodies of OGG’s participants.


Our crew arrived on Sunday evening, cautiously parading, in good gringo fashion, through the city’s shadowy streets from Xela’s Terminal Minerva to our new accommodations, two adjacent, brand spankin’ new apartments, in the city’s centre. After, playing a sometimes heated game of “corners”, participants settled (or rather snuggled) into bed side by side. The following morning, despite heavy heads, participants rose early to begin the first of five 5hr intensive Spanish classes at Escuela La Paz, a not-for-profit school run by 3 sisters which provides benefit to a number of local women and community organizations. Each participant was paired with a maestra in good EHarmony style, according to their interests, hobbies, and compatibility, with whom they would be spending the week. Unfortunately, afternoon rains prevented us from making it to Escuela de la Calle (EDELAC is school just outside of Xela servicing local underprivileged youth) to help paint murals with the children. But some participants relished the pequeño descanso to catch up on emails or simply relax while others took the opportunity to visit the city’s Centro de Desportes and rock climb with Jay. On Tuesday, after facing another 5hr’s of Spanish with varied results, participants got to put grammatical formalities aside and collaborate with the students of EDELAC on a spontaneous mural project. Amidst a joyful chaos, 40 technicoloured kids spewed their creative juices on the exterior walls of Caras Alegres' Centro de Actividades using OGG’s donation of paint and paintbrushes, and with the helping hands of our participants and the Centros permanent staff of local and international volunteers. By evening, EVERYONE’s clothes bore signs of the afternoon’s fun and EVERYONE’s hearts the beginnings of memorable friendships.

Jay, Porschia, and María at the Centre de Actividades

Tuesday evening brought the group back to Escuela La Paz to hear Alberto recount the unofficial or forgotten history of Guatemala. A sweeping tale of 500 years of exploitation and repression told in a strong and articulate voice, which was immediately reduced to something as erudite as Green Eggs & Ham by my clumsy translation. Nevertheless, everyone seemed intrigued by the radical retelling of Guatemala’s past and pressed Alberto with questions.


Wednesday began again with Spanish lessons at Escuela La Paz, before one of the Maestras, Ana, accompanied the crew for a Tipico lunch and tour of the public Universidad de San Carlos, and its revolutionary murals depicting the school’s student solidarity and radical activism during the civil war, and more recent feminist mobilization. In the evening the group gathered with OGG partner, Quetzaltrekkers, a volunteer based trekking company and non-profit social enterprise that provides directs 100% of its revenues to support the EDELAC and the Hogar Abierto, providing free education to 225 children and accommodation and assistance to 15 additional at risk youth. Together, we set out at midnight beneath a veiled full moon to climb the 3800m cone that is Volcan Santa Maria. A 5hr ascent up steep switch-backs, that tested resolves, and pushed physical limits.

Allison, Ali, and Ben after conquering Volcán Santa María

Japleen writes:

“Many of us encountered the most physically challenge task of our lives (so far), climbing a 3700m volcano at midnight. Totally difficult but totally rewarding! We began meeting up at Quetzaltrekkers (the group in charge of the trek) at 10:30 PM to gear up and carb up on potato-curry soup. After a short ride in the back of a truck we reached the base of the hike. We started hiking a few min after midnight. The climb had many challenges but it was nothing that our group couldn’t accomplish. After 4 hours of burning calves, sore thighs and runny noses we reached the summit in time to settle down, snuggle up and watch the sunrise. Watching the sunrise on top of a volcano is something out of this world. The rising sun looked like as if it was ripping apart the dark night sky. Once the sun had risen and the sky filled with daylight we were surrounded by the most amazing views. We were up above the clouds and had to look down upon them. Mountain tops peeking through the clouds looked liked little hills. After squeezing a few hours of shut eye we loaded up breakfast and made our way back down the mountain.”

The Epic Sunrise at 3800m atop Santa Maria

To this I need only add a brief anecdote about an OGG innovation that occurred as a consequence of trekking Santa Maria, the vertical spoon. Similar to the traditional spoon it involves 2 or more people laying front to back, however, on the exposed summit, cold winds, frigid temperatures, and the restrictive rocky real-estate required a little bit more ingenuity. This led to 7 of us seeking shelter in each other’s warmth, one on top of another in a vertical pile of spooning bodies. While the manoeuvre may have stemmed shivers, shakes, and shudders, the weight of 7 snuggling (pronounced snoogling) OGers pancaked the new sleeping pad that lay beneath them, a $150 dollar piece of now flattened fabric.

The Vertical Spoon

But what goes up must come down. And the slippery slope back to Xela didn’t facilitate a quick descent with OGG getting back well after 1pm (14hrs after departure). But there was to be no rest. A micro bus quickly whisked the group away to visit a nearby community and pay homage to San Simon, a Mayan deity decked out in Ray bans, Nike’s, and a cowboy hat, that calls the town of Zunil home. But just as thoughts of mutiny began to circulate the ranks, Jay and I brought the group to Fuentes Georginas, a natural, volcanic hot spring in the hills above Zunil. Groans soon turned to moans as aches and pains melted away in the steaming torpid pools.


After a surprisingly late night, we all dutifully attended our last Spanish lessons and bid a fond farewell to our maestra’s who had so patiently endured a week savage gringo grammatical butchery. In the afternoon, we visited the Proyecto Linguistico Quetzalteco (PLQ) to hear about the current political situation and prospects for the upcoming elections. The speaker, a local political activist, provided a fantastic but hurried lesson (complete with PowerPoint presentation) on the oligarchic and commercial domination of the country’s electoral politics before the group had to rush off for an evening of dancing, dinner, and more dancing. First, a salsa lesson with an old acquaintance of mine left almost everyone clinging desperately to the last half chewed scraps of their pride (I still hadn`t recovered mine since my last lesson in 2007). But saved by the bell the group hurried off again, this time back to Escuela La Paz for some dinner theatre with Pop’vuh, a local indigenous dance troop that performed a number of traditional boogies before treating us to Kak’ik, a tipical Mayan soup, with chicken, coriander, achiote, and chillies. Finally, it being Friday night, the group unanimously voted to hit the clubs, try their new found moves, or perhaps stick to the old ones, and let loose before beginning the full day`s journey to San Marcos the following morning.

OGG with Pop'vu

Campos & Coronas (Written for OG Guatemala's Blog post)

Antigua in the ominous shadow of Volcan Agua

Antigua, known to me as Guatemalan Disneyland, was once the country’s capital and remains a colonial jewel nestled between 3 of Guatemala’s most iconic and notorious volcano’s (Agua, Fuego, and Pacaya). After bursting out the doors of OGG’s first Chicken bus, sharing stories about its colours and characters, the group settled into Hostal Holistico, a cute little refuge in the city’s centre, where they would be staying for the next 3 nights. 


As the sun set, participants ventured out for the first time sin lideres to take in the sights, smells, and engage in a friendly but fiercely competitive scavenger hunt. A near dead heat was only broken by an epic dramatization involving Maximon/San Simon, a Ceiba tree, a Quetzal, and Picamas by Porschia, Ali, and Japleen. After a dining on tacos the group got to taste Antigua’s vida nocturna. But after a late night the participants had to be forced from there beds early to make the short trip to San Miguel Escobar, a small pueblo extending up the base of Volcan Agua. There our group connected with As Green As It Gets, an NGO & coffee cooperative devoted to innovative and sustainable agriculture. Its big bearded gringo jefe, Franklin, immediately escorted the group up the volcanic slope to a newly owned cuadra of land (25m x 25m) belonging to a 16 year old by the name of Julio. There the group spent the morning digging 250 holes, each destined to play host to a Bourbon Coffee plant for next 20 or so years. Labouring for hours with an asadón (a gigantic hoe) was not without its toils, I was quickly ordained “Nurse Ben” and the med-kit was just as quickly relieved of all its band-aids and med-tape for blister treatments. 

OGG & Camesino Freddy standing in their days labour.

In the afternoon, the group was allowed to choose between learning to make soaps, lotions, and lip balms with a local cosmetic initiative supported by AGAIG or sowing shoulder bags made out of discarded coffee burlap sacs. The following day the group returned to the coffee fields in the morning before being treated to Franklin’s “healthy” pessimism while discussing coffee-economics and the follies of "fair trade" over tasty T-bones and Guatemalan Churasco. BTW, I'll gladly take orders for "extra fancy" coffee (tops of the grading scale) straight from Freddy's fields.

Chelsea describes her experience with AGAIG and the community of San Miguel:

“There is an organization there called As Green As It Gets that helps to promote direct sales of coffee, instead of the regular importing or "fair trade" crap (that DOES NOT EXIST) of it.  So with the organization, we learned about the mini businesses that they have set up there, like making soap or lip balm or bags from natural sources.  Pretty cool stuff.  The girl who makes lip balm is 16 years old and is selling around 1 million things of it.  With her income from that last year, she bought concrete walls and toilets for her family.  But for the most part, when we were in San Miguel Escobar, we helped out with the coffee fields.  The first day we walked up a mountain (literally), and it took just under 3 hours to get to the top to dig holes to plant coffee seeds.  The amount of work that they put into their jobs is tremendous and it is so interesting to think that they do it by themselves or with their immediate family.  So that field was owned by a 16 year old named Julio, sooooo young.  Then the next day we went to a field which was only a 20 minute hike and weeded, which here is basically digging out the coffee trees.”

James adds:

“Walking what felt like 100 miles up a mountain carrying a huge shovel to a coffee plantation, then spending 2 hours digging holes for coffee trees, was probably the most physically demanding thing I have ever done. At least, that’s what I thought until the volcano ascent! This trip hasn’t just pushed me beyond my physical limits, but it has challenged my mental strength, too, as I struggle to decide what’s more important: people or profits. I’m a business student at the University of British Columbia. I thought my goal in life was to make money, but after meeting a coffee farmer who performs strenuous labor every day just to support his family, a woman who got shot because she wouldn’t forfeit her land to a mining company, and a cynical hippie who explained the follies of fair trade; I’m starting to change my mind.”

In the evening with sore hands and tired minds the whole group eagerly set out for one last night of debauchery in Disneyland before OGG’s departure the next day to Xela for a week of intensive Spanish, charlas, and treks. 

OG on the Ground in Guatemala (Quoted from OG Guatemala’s Blog post)

On July 5^th, Jay and I were stoked to meet the rest of the crew in Guatemala City and officially kick off the second ever Operation Groundswell Guatemala program. After a day of flight arrivals in the capital, the eleven of us (Allie, Allison, Ben, Chelsea, Eva, James, Japleen, Jay, Laura, Nikki, Porschia) met local friend Luchy and her family before settling into their guest house for our two day stay in the country’s capital. As we shared our hopes and expectations for the coming six weeks and got cozy in side-by-side sleeping bags, OG Guatemala began to change from a pile of applications and group of young like minded strangers into the family of friends that would be sharing the next 6 weeks together.

The OG crew with Luchy and her mother

A meeting the next day with Grahame Russell, director of Canadian NGO, Rights Action, shed an ominous light on the impacts of Canadian mining companies in Guatemala and the need for local leadership in the global economy. Our next stop was the Canadian Embassy, where we met the Chargé d’Affairs as well as the head of the Canadian International Development Agency’s Guatemalan program, to hear about Canada’s approaches to international trade and development. Given what everyone had just learned in the morning with Rights Action, participants were eager to challenge the Canadian diplomats on their perceived complicity with regard to the ecological and social destruction caused mining. The Embassy’s response, that respect for Guatemala’s sovereignty trumped Canadian responsibilities to ensure the ethical mining practices of its companies, however, left the group feeling frustrated and perhaps a little disillusioned. Needing a quick pick-me-up, OGG took to the nearest median to learn and demonstrate the legendary game of Samurai, a tradition of spontaneous ninjistics practiced by OG teams worldwide.


Leaving Guatemala City behind on day three, we headed to Antigua via chicken bus. For those not familiar,  term "chicken bus" refers to Central America's myriad fleets of inter-city and long-distance public buses, typically retired American school buses painted in flamboyant colors and designs. Chicken bus fares are cheap, though for a reason. The nickname allegedly derives from the passengers themselves, who are packed together like chickens (sometimes as many as four to a seat). However, the occasional feathered traveler might also be found!

Chicken Bus!

TIG!

OG's Jay & Ben in front of Santiaguito

My return to Guatemala began with a whirl wind journey from Mexico City where I had been hunkered down for a week in June to Tapachula by air, over the Tecun Uman border by bicycle and finally onto a Chicken bus destined for my old stompin’ grounds, Xela. There I spent a couple of days catching up with old friends and meeting one or two new ones before heading down to Antigua to hook up with Jay, my Operation Groundswell (OG) colleague and co-trip-leader to begin a little more than two weeks of in-country preparations affectionately known as pre-con. We visited communities across Guatemala to finalize operational logistics (transport, accommodations, activities, and volunteer placements) for this summer’s OG Guatemala program.

OG Guatemala 2011

Tired after spending 10 days on buses of one sort or another, Jay and I decided to stretch our legs and tackle an old nemesis of mine, Volcan Santiaguito. Central America’s most active volcano almost got the better of me in 2007, but a maasive eruption back in February had apparently ruined my old campsite and ravaged the iconic crater resulting in its steady bleeding of lava down its backside. Excited to see my bruised and battered foe, we convinced our new friend, Anna, to join us and Kaqchikel guide, Felix, for the 2 day trek.

The Crew

The 18 km “path” to Santiaguito begins with a long climb, followed by bushwhacking through the brambles, descending a slippery watershed, criss-crossing a rocky floodplain, and finally scrambling up mossy volcanic boulders to the mirador. In good weather, the trail is no walk in the park; in rain, it’s a downright humbling experience. Falls were frequent, and were rated on a scale of 1-10 (1 hand down=1 point, 2 hands=2 points, on your ass=3 points, style points were also assessed in good figure skating fashion). Anna, after a couple of choice performances, resorted to wholly new and innovative method of descending the watershed that was not altogether flattering but, I must admit, rather effective. Reaching the sub-summit campsite at dusk and in torrential rain, we were forced to take refuge in a steady stream of water which we posthumously named the Rio Tenta. After a cozy night of get to know your neighbour, we all emerged relatively unscathed to complete the climb and view the Santiaguito’s crater and watch it huff, puff, gurgle, spit, and drool.

No words can begin to express...

Ready, set, scramble!

Jay demonstrating his best moves on the rock floor.

Standin' atop Central America's most active volcano, No Bigs!

Anna with Santiaguita smokin' behind her. 

OG laughin' it up at the Mirador. 

OG's indelible mark, TM. 

WHO USED THE LAST OF THE TP!?! 

Did I mention it rained....alot!

So my locational ADD has got the better of me again. And after only 9 months of sedentary life I've flown the coop, this time for 14 months of travels that have brought me back to Guatemala as coordinator for OG, a ethical backpacking Org, but will return me home to Toronto in October (for 48hrs) before whisking me away again, first to West Africa for 4 months of research, followed by Paris for 6 months of studies, and finally to Israel, Palestine, and the Middle East to conduct research and complete coursework. But only 7 weeks in and  I’m already struggling to stop and take stock of the incredible people I’ve met, places I’ve visited, and things I’ve done much less share any of it with any of you. So, I thought it was about time to do what so many of my colleagues and contemporaries have done for years: BLOG.  So, I invite you all, friends, family, and that kindred spirit I met the other night at the bar, to join me for my journey, share the days events (all 420 of them), and provide your kind comments. Much luv!