Klippensteins and Waddell Phillips statement regarding repressive raids against clients Angelica Choc and German Chub Choc in Guatemala
October 27, 2021
https://waddellphillips.ca/klippensteins-and-waddell-phillips-statement-regarding-repressive-raids-against-clients-angelica-choc-and-german-chub-choc-in-guatemala/
We are alarmed and distressed to receive word that our Mayan Q’eqchi’ clients in Guatemala, Angelica Choc, German Chub Choc, and many other Mayan Q’eqchi’ community leaders, were subjected to unjustified raids of their homes by Guatemalan Police and military earlier today.
The raids appear to be a heavy-handed, targeted and retaliatory response to ongoing protests against the illegal operation of the Fenix mine now owned by Swiss company Solway Investment Group (formerly owned by Hudbay Minerals). Despite the existence of a Guatemalan Constitutional Court order suspending all operations at the Fenix mine, Guatemalan police and military have been deployed to the region to allow Solway to continue mining.
Angelica Choc and German Chub are plaintiffs in lawsuits in Canada against Hudbay Minerals regarding past human rights abuse at the Fenix Mine, including the killing of Adolfo Ich and the shooting of German Chub by mine company security personnel in 2009, and they may have been targeted for that reason.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms these unjustified raids and demand that:
The Guatemalan police and military immediately stop all raids of private homes and return all property seized during the raids conducted to date;
Solway Investment Group immediately complies with the Guatemalan Constitutional Court order suspending operations at the Fenix mine until proper consultations are completed.
For more information regarding the situation on the ground, please see: http://www.rightsaction.org/ or contact Grahame Russell at info@rightsaction.org.
Canadian Lawyers for Angelica Choc and German Chub
Murray Klippenstein, Klippensteins Barristers & Solicitors, murray.klippenstein@klippensteins.ca
Cory Wanless, Waddell Phillips PC, cory@waddellphillips.ca
Urgent Action, October 27, 2021
Mining repression against Angelica Choc, German Chub and 100s of Maya Q’eqchi’ land / human rights defenders, https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/repression-against-angelica-choc-german-chub
Send urgent 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
More information
Grahame Russell, info@rightsaction.org, @RightsAction
News updates: @PrensaComunitar, https://www.prensacomunitaria.org/
Constitutional Court decision suspending mine operation: Lawyer Rafael Maldonado, areapoliticalegal@gmail.com
Rights Action archives (Hudbay Minerals, INCO, Skye Resources, Solway Investment Group): https://rightsaction.org/hudbay-minerals-archives
TESTIMONIO: Canadian Mining in the Aftermath of Genocides in Guatemala
Edited by UNBC’s Professor Catherine Nolin & Rights Action’s Grahame Russell
“In Guatemala, it is not possible to operate a large-scale mine (let alone just about any large-scale economic “development” project in the sectors of hydroelectric dams, garment sweatshops, for-export production of African palm, sugar cane, bananas, and more) without participating in and benefiting from human rights violations and repression, corruption, and impunity.”
Order books: https://btlbooks.com/book/testimonio
Bulk purchases: Karina Palmitesta, karina@btlbooks.com
Watch book launch, Oct. 25, 2021, hosted by Between The Lines: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T7ZeNaMaFtk
Emergency Response Fund
Rights Action is sending emergency human rights funds to people we have long worked with in the region, including German Chub, Angelica Choc and the Ich-Choc family, the Gremial de Pescadores y Campesinos; the Ancestral Council of Q’eqchi’ people. Funds are used to:
Help people flee El Estor, many by land into the mountains
Replace iphones and communication devices
Get funds to families whose bank accounts are frozen
Provide food and shelter for people forced to leave El Estor
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