Last week, Haydee Dijkstal of 33 Bedford Row Chambers, and member of the BHRC Executive Committee, travelled to Guatemala to be part of the International Delegation of Independent Lawyers examining the situation of forced evictions of indigenous communities from their ancestral land in the Alta Verapaz region, and the widespread criminalisation of human rights defenders advocating for indigenous communities’ collective and individual rights.
The delegation conducted meetings and interviews with indigenous communities in Alta Verapaz, civil society, local lawyers, detained individuals, community advocates, government and security officials, and the private sector. The information is being examined in the context of Guatemala’s domestic and international legal obligations; particularly its human rights obligations.
As a result of the information gathered during the meetings, the delegation held a press conference on Friday 31 March to communicate its initial concerns, areas it will continue to monitor and next steps. The delegation expressed initial concern and the intent to further examine, the following:
- Apparent ‘systemic failures’ in the protection of Indigenous rights.
- Indigenous land defenders in the firing line after opposing extractive projects and unsustainable agricultural developments.
- The need to guarantee access to justice.
- Widespread criminalisation of human rights defenders proving an obstacle to ensuring accountability and the rule of law.
- The International Delegation of Independent Lawyers will continue its analysis, and intends to issue a final report in September 2023 with conclusions and recommendations.
Further detail on the delegation’s work and next steps, including media coverage, can be found here: