April 9, 2013

Source: Rights Action

On this trip, we will investigate environmental destruction, health harms (to animal and human life), and other human rights violations (including forced evictions, killings, gang-rapes, etc) caused by "mega-development" projects - particularly mining operations - in the context of Guatemala's historic and on-going impunity, corruption and lack of justice, exploitation and poverty, and lack of democracy.

Over 7 days (& 8 nights), group members will meet with development, environmental, indigenous and human rights activists and experts.  The group will travel by van to and spend days and nights visiting campesino and indigenous communities across Guatemala suffering serious harms and violations caused by Canadian and American mining companies (Goldcorp Inc, Tahoe Resources, Radius Gold, KCA Associates, Hudbay Minerals, etc).  (Closer to the actual dates, in June, Rights Action will set out a 7-day itinerary.)

TRIP LEADER:  Led by Grahame Russell, co-director of Rights Action, this trip will enable participants to learn first-hand about Guatemala's political and human rights situation, including on-going efforts to seek truth, memory and justice for the genocide and war crimes of the past; about problems caused by the global mining industry (as well as other "mega-development" industries such as hydro-electric dams, production of African Palm trees and sugar cane for bio-diesel fuels); and, about education, activism and organizing work in support of community-controlled development, the environment, human rights and justice.

Rights Action funds community-controlled development, environmental defense and human rights projects in Guatemala and Honduras, as well as Chiapas, El Salvador and Oaxaca; and carries out education and activism work in the USA and Canada related to global human rights, environmental and development issues.

COST: US$925.  This covers:  8 nights of hotel;  2 or 3 meals a day for 7 days (a few days, there will only be 2 meals covered);  transportation in-country;  trip organization, guiding, translation;  honorariums for some people and communities we meet with, etc.  (Participants pay for their own travel to and from Guatemala.)

DATES:  Arrive in Guatemala City on Saturday July 6; depart on Sunday July 14.  (There are no activities planned for these dates)

FOR WHOM:  Citizens and activists, donors, professors and educators, media, health, environment and legal professions, who are concerned about issues related to:  global exploitation-poverty-"development";  foreign interventions and repression;  environmental destruction;  and about amazing community-based for equality, justice and locally controlled development and environmental well-being.

RISK:  Grahame will have discussions with interested persons about the possible risks involved with this delegation, before people decide to join or not.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Grahame Russell

[email protected]

www.rightsaction.org

www.facebook.com/rightsaction.org

* Please re-distribute, re-post this information *

Despite serious, on-going repression being committed by the regime, the Honduran people - men and women, young and old, teachers, indigenous people, LGBT people, campesino (small farmers), business owners, students - continue to organize and work peacefully for human rights and justice, for a return to democracy and the rule of law, and for a just and fair society and country.

A major impediment to the return of real democracy in Honduras is that the governments of Canada and the United States - along with North American investors and companies (mining, tourism, bananas, maquiladora sweat-shops, African palm and sugar cane, etc.) - are doing business with, empowering and 'legitimizing' the illegitimate regime.

DURING THIS FACT-FINDING, ACTIVIST DELEGATION, PARTICIPANTS WILL LEARN ABOUT:

Honduran history; the political context that led to the 2009 military coup that overthrew the elected government of Honduras; the role of Canadian and American governments and companies in legitimizing and benefiting from the military coup; and, about the courage and spirit of Honduras' peaceful pro-democracy movement.

In discussion with the delegation leader, Karen Spring, there may be 'activist' activities included in the itinerary, ie, visiting political prisoners in jail; visiting with Honduran government authorities concerning human rights issues, etc.  (All of these possible activities would be discussed clearly, ahead of time, with Karen.)

THE PLAN:  Fly into Toncontin airport, city of Tegucigalpa (Honduras), on Saturday, July 13; depart from the San Pedro Sula airport, on Sunday, July 21. (Participants will be met at the airport, unless they choose to make their owr way to our Hotel. There are no delegation events on these days.)

Over the course of 8 nights and 7 full days in Honduras, participants will meet with Hondurans and some North Americans involved in the pro-democracy struggle and working for human rights, community development and the environment.  The group will travel by van to and spend nights in rural communities seeking justice for environmental and health harms caused by North American mining companies (Goldcorp Inc.); to the north coast and visit indigenous Garifuna communities resisting forced eviction from their ancestral lands to make way for global tourism businesses and the production of African palm and sugar cane 'for export'; meet with people working for the rights of sweat-shop (maquiladora) workers; and more.  (Closer to the actual dates, in June, Rights Action will set out a 7-day itinerary.)

TYPE OF PARTICIPANT:  This trip is for people from all walks of life (students, professors and educators, media, foundations, etc.) who are concerned about the state of our global human community; about: global exploitation and poverty; military interventions and repression; the global "development" model and environmental destruction; and, about courageous people and their courageous work and struggles for community-controlled development, protection of the environment, human rights and justice, and for democracy.

Given that there might be 'activist' activities, the participant must be willing to be flexible in terms of the itinerary changing, during the time in Honduras.

TRIP LEADER - KAREN SPRING:  Karen Spring is a Masters student at Simon Fraser University, in Vancouver.  Over the past 5 years, Karen has worked extensively for Rights Action in Guatemala and particularly in Honduras since the 2009 military coup.

Rights Action funds community-controlled development, environmental defense and human rights projects in Guatemala and Honduras, as well as Chiapas, El Salvador and Oaxaca; and carries out education and activism work in the USA and Canada related to global human rights, environmental and development issues.

COST = US$925

This covers: 8 nights of hotel; 2 or 3 meals a day for 7 days (on some days, there will only be 2 meals covered); transportation in-country; trip organization, guiding, translation; honorariums for some people and communities we meet with, etc.  (Participants pay for their own travel to and from Honduras)

RISK:  Karen will have discussions with interested persons about the possible risks involved with this delegation, before people decide to join or not.

 FOR MORE INFORMATION

Grahame Russell

[email protected]

www.rightsaction.org

www.facebook.com/rightsaction.org