The University of Chicago, in conjunction with Rights Action presents

"BUILDING ALTERNATIVES IN GUATEMALA"



Jesus Tecu Osorio in Chicago

Presentations open to the public

Wednesday, February 19, 2003
Hyde Park, Chicago

(see below for details).

We are honored to bring Jesus Tecu Osorio, a Maya-Achi man from Guatemala, on this speaking tour, with Jessica Pupovac (from the Guatemala office of Rights Action).

Video: we will show a 30 minute documentary video about the life and work of Jesus Tecu Osorio.

Book release: we will be selling copies [Spanish and English] of the recently published "Memoria de las Masacres de Rio Negro", written by Jesus Tecu Osorio. (If you can't make either event, you may order a copy of the book from Rights Action: abird@rightsaction.org ).

WHO IS JESUS TECU OSORIO?

Survivor of, and eye-witness to the March 13, 1982, massacre of 177 women and children in the village of Rio Negro.

This and 3 other Rio Negro massacres were committed by the Guatemalan Army and paramilitaries, all backed by the USA military, in part because Rio Negro villagers opposed forced resettlement to make way for Chixoy Dam Hydro-Electric Project, funded by World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank. Jesus lost his parents and all but one sibling to the massacres.

Winner of international human rights award for his work:

• Participant in legal case of genocide, in Guatemalan courts, against military generals of the early 1980s.
• Leader in struggle for reparations from World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank for damage and death due to Chixoy Dam Project.
  Author of auto-biographical testimony of years of repression, enslavement, survival and protagonism to build a just and fair country.
• Co-founder of ADIVIMA, a local human rights group at forefront of exhuming mass graves, building monuments to commemorate the lives of the victims of the genocide.
• Co-founder of Rabinal Legal Clinic, offering legal support to Achi population that has never received legal support.
• Co-founder of Rabinal Community Museum, documenting the genocide in Rabinal and Achi history and culture.
• Founder of the "New Hope Foundation/March 13" providing primary school and scholarships for Achi and impoverished youth, and building a bi-lingual and multi-cultural Middle School.

Jessica will be interpreting for Jesus and answering questions regarding her work with Rights Action.

WHEN AND WHERE:

WED, FEBRUARY 19, 2003 MC CORMICK THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY 5555 S. Woodlawn (map) in Hyde Park, Chicago - 773-947-6300 1 pm more info: Trina Ward, TrinaW16@aol.com

UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO, Hyde Park, Chicago NOTE THE CHANGE IN TIME AND LOCATION! Cobb Lecture Hall 5811 S. Ellis (map1 map2) 7 pm more info: Margaret Hagan, mdhagan@midway.uchicago.edu

For more information, call Jessica at 202.306.2180