On-going Solway Investment Group / Guatemalan Nickel Company (CGN) mining repression in Guatemala
targeting Maya Q’eqchi’ land and environmental defenders, including 3 of 13 plaintiffs in Hudbay Minerals lawsuits
On November 13, 2021, Pablo Choc was arrested by police in El Estor. As of Monday morning, Nov. 15, his whereabouts are unknown. Pablo Choc is married to Amalia Coc Tiul, one of 11 women raped in January 2007, by Guatemalan soldiers and police, and security guards working for CGN mining company (then owned by Hudbay Minerals, now by Solway Investment Group).
Amalia –in the video below- is one of 13 Q’eqchi’ people suing Hudbay Minerals and CGN in Canada for mining-related repression they suffered in 2007 and 2009.
Video: Angelica Choc and Lote 8 women denounce
mining repression linked to Solway Investment Group
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Nfys7sHMIU
This most recent detention occurs during a military state of siege imposed by the corrupt government of Guatemala on behalf of Swiss company Solway Investment Group (and subsidiary CGN) that is illegally operating the ‘Fenix’ nickel mine in Q’eqchi’ lands and communities in eastern Guatemala.
Recent repression
Mining repression explodes against Q’eqchi’ people. The “Fenix" mining operation in Guatemala is ILLEGAL (Oct. 20, 2021), https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/fenix-mining-operation-in-guatemala-is-illegal
Mining repression against Angelica Choc, German Chub and 100s of Maya Q’eqchi’ land / human rights defenders (Oct. 27, 2021), https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/repression-against-angelica-choc-german-chub
Angelica Choc and Lote 8 women speak out (Oct. 28, 2021), https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/angelica-choc-and-lote-8-women-speak-out
Canadian lawyers for Angelica Choc & German Chub speak out about repressive raids against their clients in Guatemala (Oct. 28, 2021), https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/canadian-lawyers-for-angelica-german-speak
Arbitrary detention of son of Angelica Choc and the deceased Adolfo Ich Chaman, https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/detention-son-of-angelica-choc-and-adolfo-ich
Keep your sending letters to
Solway Investment Group: Baarerstrasse 8, 6300 Zug Switzerland, +41417400400, bd@solwaygroup.com, media@solway.ch, www.solwaygroup.com
Embassy of Switzerland, Guatemala: +502 2367 5520, guatemalacity@eda.admin.ch, sanjose@eda.admin.ch
Embassy of Switzerland, Canada: +1 613 235 1837, ottawa@eda.admin.ch
Embassy of Switzerland, US: +1 202 745 7900, washington@eda.admin.ch, washington.media@eda.admin.ch, washington.chancery@eda.admin.ch, washington.visa@eda.admin.ch
European Union Human Rights in Guatemala: jennifer.echeverria@eeas.europa.eu
TESTIMONIO: CANADIAN MINING IN THE AFTERMATH OF GENOCIDES IN GUATEMALA
The Solway Investment Group/ Hudbay Minerals/ INCO related resistance struggle is one of four community defense struggles documented and analyzed in TESTIMONIO, edited and co-written by UNBC’s Professor Catherine Nolin & Rights Action’s Grahame Russell.
Watch Book Launch, Oct.25, 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ZeNaMaFtk
Order books: https://btlbooks.com/book/testimonio
Bulk purchases: Karina Palmitesta, karina@btlbooks.com
More information: www.testimoniothebook.org
More information at Rights Action archives: https://rightsaction.org/hudbay-minerals-archives
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Emergency Response Fund
Rights Action is sending emergency human rights funds to people we have long worked with in the Solway Investment Group impacted region, including the plaintiffs in the Hudbay Minerals lawsuits, the Gremial de Pescadores y Campesinos, and the Ancestral Council of Q’eqchi’ people.
Funds are used to:
Help people who have fled the military state of siege in El Estor
Replace iphones and communication devices that were lost or illegally confiscated
Support families whose bank accounts are frozen or family members were forced to flee military crackdown
Help mobilize human rights activists to try and reach El Estor to bear witness
Prepare for legal defense costs related to abusive-trumped up criminal charges
Make checks payable to "Rights Action" and mail to:
U.S.: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
Canada: (Box 552) 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
Credit-Card Donations: http://rightsaction.org/donate/
Donations of securities in Canada and U.S., write to: info@rightsaction.org
E-transfers and wires, write to: info@rightsaction.org
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