What is FHRG?
The Foundation for Human Rights in
Guatemala is located in Chicago. It was founded in May, 1993, by a group of
North Americans and Guatemalans concerned about the human rights situation in
Guatemala. The organization was created with a mission to educate, make known,
monitor and be vigilant for the full respect of human rights. Now our principal
objective is to work for the complete fulfillment of the Global Accord on Human
Rights, signed between the Guatemalan Revolutionary National Unity (URNG) and
the government of Guatemala. Another objective of FHRG is to help demolish the
wall of impunity that continues to exist in Guatemala.
It is a group of volunteers who actually make up the Foundation for Human Rights
in Guatemala. They contribute part of their time and resources in order to
accomplish each of these activities, according to a work plan put forth at the
beginning of each year. FHRG carries out its plans in coordination with other
organizations, including groups in Guatemala, such as the Mutual Support Group (GAM)
or the Commission on Human Rights in Guatemala (CDHG). Among the organizations
in Chicago are Casa Guatemala and Konojel Junam. We also work at a national
level in the United States, coordinating with organizations such as the
Guatemala Human Rights Commission (GHRC/USA), the Coalition for the Missing, the
National Network Atanacio Tzul and the United Representation of Guatemalan
Opposition (RUOG).
What is the principal agenda of the FRHG?
Our primary activities are to hold forums and to make presentations in places
such as colleges, universities, churches, community groups concerning the human
rights situation in Guatemala. We also publish a monthly newsletter dealing with
the political, social and economic situation in Guatemala. We organize
delegations to Guatemala of people from North America, to learn about the
Guatemalan situation. They visit places and organizations in Guatemala which
might show a slice of the life that many Guatemalans face.
The FHRG supports and responds to urgent actions initiated by different popular
organizations in Guatemala. One way of providing this kind of support is through
FHRG's World Wide Web page. FHRG monitors Guatemala news sources and
communications from different organizations and posts semi-weekly news clippings
concerning human rights in Guatemala. The Web site also contains FHRG
newsletters and links to other information on human rights and Guatemala.
Special, among legal cases for which FHRG offers its support, is that of Carlos
Gomez, who is the coordinator of FHRG. Carlos suffered an attempt on his life on
February 25, 1993 in Guatemala. He was dragged from a bus by a group of heavily
armed men, shot and left for dead. Their dress and weaponry showed them to be
members of the Guatemalan army. Carlos was brought to an intensive care unit in
a Guatemalan hospital where he was operated on four times. But another attempt
was made on his life in the hospital, forcing him to leave the country. He
finally recovered in a hospital in Chicago.
Carlos, with the support of the FRHG, has initiated and pursued a legal case
against the Guatemalan government before the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights of the Organization of American States (OEA). He holds the Guatemalan
Army responsible and demands punishment of those involved. In June of 1997, the
Commission ruled in favor of Carlos and found the government of Guatemala
responsible.
Annual activities of the FRHG
Some of this year's planned activities include:
-
Two Symposiums on Human Rights in Guatemala
-
A political rally or demonstration, depending on events in Guatemala
-
Fund raising activities for the FRHG as well as for organizations in
Guatemala, such as the Guatemalan New Democratic Front (FDNG) and the
National Confederation for Human Rights in Guatemala (CONADEHGUA)
-
Public education and formation activities concerning human rights
Principal personalities who have participated in FHRG activities
-
Nineth Montenegro - Congresswoman for the Guatemalan New Democratic Front
(FDNG)
-
Nery Barrios - Representative of the Unity of Trade Union and Popular
Action (UASP)
-
Mario Polanco - Director of the Mutual Support Group (GAM)
-
Raul Molina - Member of the Unitary Representation of Opposition in
Guatemala (RUOG)
-
Douglas Cassell - Director of the International Institute on Human Rights
of DePaul University, Chicago
-
Jennifer Harbury - Human rights activist and attorney
-
Sister Alice Zachman - Director of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission (GHRC/USA)
-
Daniel Matul - Director of the Guatemala Maya League, with headquarters in
Costa Rica
-
Orlando Blanco - Representative of the Guatemalan New Democratic Front (FDNG)
-
Oswaldo Enriquez - Representative of the Commission on Human Rights in
Guatemala (CDHG)
-
Francisco Ortega - Representative of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary
Unity (URNG)
How you can help participate in the work of the FHRG
We welcome your participation in the FHRG. We are always looking for people
willing to contribute to the construction of a new Guatemala. The FHRG is led by
a collective and the decisions made are by consensus. We work as a collective,
meeting every two weeks, seeking solutions to problems and carrying out our work
plan. You can become part of this collective or at least part of the network of
people who work in collaboration with the FHRG. Some might want to get involved
with urgent actions. Others might want to help economically in the development
of our work.
Please contact us and tell us how you would like to participate.
Where is Guatemala located?
Guatemala is located in Central America. It has ten and one half million
inhabitants, with one of the highest levels of poverty in Latin America.
Guatemala registers the highest rate of illiteracy in the American continent.
According to data of the World Health Organization, Guatemala is one of the
countries with the most alarming levels of infant mortality and malnutrition,
with one of the most entrenched systems of exploitation and uneven distribution
of wealth.
Guatemala lived in armed conflict for 36 years, which amounted to the longest in
Latin American history. It cost Guatemala more than 150,000 lives, 45,000
"disappearances" and created a countless number of orphans.
On December 29, 1996, the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG) and the
Guatemalan government signed a global Peace Accord, seeking to resolve the
problems generated by the internal armed conflict in Guatemala.
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