Our Guatemalan coffee producers need some help

Dave The Roaster 54 posts Mar 01, 2010 7:47 AM	from the website:http://vimguatemala.wordpress.com Hurricanes on the West Coast of Canada February 24, 2010 by vimguatemala February 20, 2010 Dear Friends, As this note flies through the air, or the wires, or whatever it does, the Juracan family are settling in after flying, fleeing, north. Canada, as in its glory days, before it became an apologist for the mine, facilitated the flight, and opened the door, and yesterday Leocadio, Paty, Naydy, Allan and Johny arrived in Vancouver. It has been a rushed and harrowed week for the family, and for their faithful Canadian companions, who never once left their side. Now they’re gone, and safe, and we are bereft. Guatemala is smaller, nastier, back to the olden days, which have never left, the always days of meanness, violence and horror. Now that they are safe, the time has come to raise the stink, not only about this particular family, but about what their persecution means in the wider story of Guatemala. We see and know the truth, which is not allowed to be spoken here. We know who they are, the traditional and mutated-traditional powers that run this country: the oligarchy, the army, the neo-rich, and their industry and mines, the drug traffickers, the agro-industry, coffee barons, perpetrators of genocide and still roving death squads. It is time now to speak, to write, to say, this is not permissible, we see, and we stand with this family, with these our beloveds, the forgotten ones of Guatemala. Please write so that we can create a network of awareness, so that our other friends in Quixaya, the other leaders of the CCDA, will be a little safer. Please write so that the horror of the psychological torture of Leocadio and his family does not get forgotten. Please help us fight for the conditions where coffee farmers and indigenous rights activists are allowed to excersise these rights for dignity and decent living. And help us create the conditions for the return of Leocadio, and the Hurricanes, to Guatemala. Soon. And please write to Jen Gutierrez at Cafe Justicia and order more coffee. Also Leo asked me to ask around — does anyone have space to host the family for a few months. They are five adults, so it’s a lot to ask . . . Over to you everyone in Canada. The Juracans left, bewildered, heart-broken and furious, like all refugees. Yet as never before, determined to carry on in this struggle. Canada, Guatemala, Quixaya, Cerro de Oro, we haven’t seen the end of Hurricane Leo, not yet . . . URGENT ACTION BC CASA Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Solidarity Network Wednesday, February 17, 2010 ISSUE: The National Coordinator of the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA), Leocadio Juracán, And his family have been forced to go into hiding following a series of threats against them in the past week. Background Since May 1, 2008, the CCDA has denounced several acts of violence against the organization, and has yet to hear a response from the appropriate authorities. On May 1, 2008, national coordinator of the CCDA, Leocadio Juracán Salomé, and other associates were threatened when the car they were driving in was shot at six times, following the signing of the Rural Development Framework Agreement with Alvaro Colom, the President of Guatemala. In February, 2009, after a press conference where the CCDA criticized the Guatemalan State’s refusal to proceed with the draft of the Integrated Rural Development Law, the Coordinator received a death threat by phone. Most recently, following a series of actions at the national and international level to pressure the Guatemalan Congress regarding the Integrated Rural Development Law, in November, 2009 27 bags of green coffee were stolen from the CCDA (Café Justicia) processing centre in Cerro de Oro, Santiago Atitlan. These acts have all been reported to the National Civil Police, but to date, no investigation has been carried out. Recent Attacks On February 2, 2010, the Campesino Committee of the Highlands, (CCDA), as a member of the Labour, Indigenous and Peasant Movement of Guatemala (MSICG) presented the report: “Guatemala: The Price of Labour Freedom,” and denounced the numerous attacks and violence directed toward the labour, indigenous, and campesino sectors. One week later, on the morning of Wednesday, February 10, CCDA staff became aware that 182 100-pound bags of coffee (worth approx. CAD$35,000) had been stolen from their processing centre during the previous night. The processing centre is where small coffee producers, and associates of the organization, sell their fair-trade coffee to the CCDA. The National Civil Police were immediately called. Nonetheless, the Criminal Investigation Division did not arrive on the scene until five days later. At the scene of the crime, a circle with cement blocks had been made. In the middle of the circle half-full bottles of liquor and beer were left along with cigarettes that had been lit but not smoked. In the days that followed the robbery, the CCDA, with the support of MSICG, publicly denounced the incidents both nationally and internationally. On Saturday, February 13, the CCDA received letters that threatened the National Coordinator of the CCDA, Leocadio Juracán, at both the coffee processing centre where the robbery had occurred, and at their office in the community of Quixaya. The same letter was received at both locations. Given the severity of the threats, and to ensure the physical safety of the Juracán family, Leocadio, his wife and children fled their home and took refuge near Guatemala City. On Sunday, February 14, another letter, written in a similar style, was left under the door of the house in Guatemala City where Leocadio’s daughter was living. The letter threatened both Leocadio and his daughter. The letters and the coffee robbery are seen as attempts to destabilize the organization, weaken its base and debilitate the labour, indigenous and campesino movement. These acts are seen as a strategy to weaken the CCDA, through the destruction of its economic sustainability, Café Justicia, which is the source of income to strengthen its work in rural communities. A. Please send a letter (sample letter below) to the Guatemalan authorities to ask 1. That the life, safety and physical integrity of the leadership and associates of the CCDA be guaranteed, as well as all members of the Juracán Family. 2. That the Public Prosecutor carry out an immediate and effective investigation regarding these new attacks against the CCDA and the Jurcán family, which leads to the identification, capture and prosecution of the material and intellectual authors of these crimes. Letters should be sent in Spanish, or your own language, to: Lic. Jose Amílcar Velásquez Zárate Fiscal General de la República y Jefe del Ministerio Público 8ª avenida 10-67, Antiguo Edificio del Banco de los Trabajadores, Zona 1 Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala Telefax: (011) 502 2411 9124 / (011) 502 2411 9326 Ministro de Gobernación Señor Raúl Velásquez Ramos 6a.Avenida 13-71, zona 1 Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala ministro@mingob.gob.gt Telefax: (011) 502 2413 8658 Doctor Sergio Morales Procurador de Derechos Humanos de Guatemala Telefax: (011) 502 2424 1717 E-mail: opdhg@guatenet.net.gt Ruth del Valle Directora Ejecutiva, Comisión Presidencial Coordinadora de la Política del Ejecutivo en materia de los Derechos Humanos (COPREDEH) 2a Avenida 10-50 zona 9 Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala Ruth_delvalle@copredeh.gob.gt B. Please send a copy of your letter, with a personal note thanking Ambassador Leeann McKechnie for her support of Leocadio and his family and ask her to contact the appropriate authorities. It is also appropriate to add a sentence or two indicating your own history with Leocadio or with BTS/Café Justicia coffee.Please send to: Her Excellency Ambassador Leeann McKechnie Embassy of Canada in Guatemala leeanne.mckechnie@international.gc.ca C. Please send a copy of your letters to the Guatemalan authorities to the Campesino Committee of the Highlands (CCDA): El Comité Campesino del Altiplano ccda_cafe_justicia@yahoo.com Sample Letter (in Spanish below) Date Dear , I write this letter with great concern regarding the most recent attacks against the Comité Campesino del Altiplano (CCDA), in particular the robbery of over 18,000 pounds of green coffee (café pergamino) and letters that have threatened the physical integrity of Leocadio Juracán, the National Coordinator of the CCDA and his family. Since 2008, the CCDA has denounced attacks against its members and to date, no investigation has been carried out by the Public Prosecutors Office (Ministerio Público). Given the severity of the recent events, I strongly urge the Ministerio Público to fully investigate these crimes in order to arrest and prosecute the material and intellectual authors of these events. I also strongly urge the appropriate State Authorities to ensure the life, safety and physical integrity of the leadership and associates of the CCDA be guaranteed, as well as all members of the Juracán family. I strongly urge the Ministerio Público and the Ministerio de Gobernación, with the support of the PDH and COPREDEH, to investigate these acts against the CCDA, and the Juracán family, so that those defending human rights in Guatemala can work free of persecution and that aggressions against human rights defenders do not remain in impunity. Sincerely, Texto de muestra Fecha Estimado Le escribo con mucha preocupación por los recientes ataques en contra del Comité Campesino del Altiplano – CCDA – en particular, el robo de más de 18,000 libras de café pergamino, y cartas que han amenazado la integridad física de Leocadio Juracán, el Coordinador Nacional del CCDA, y a su familia. Desde el 2008, el CCDA ha denunciado ataques en contra de sus miembros, y hasta la fecha, el Ministerio Público no ha llevado a cabo ningún investigación. Dado la severidad de los eventos recientes, insto que el Ministerio Público investigue a fondo estos crimines para detener y enjuiciar a los autores intelectuales y materiales de estos eventos. Insto también que las Autoridades Estatales apropiadas garanticen la vida, seguridad e integridad física tanto del liderazgo y miembros del CCDA como de la familia Juracán. Insto fuertemente que el Ministerio Público y el Ministerio de Gobernación, con el apoyo de la PDH y de la COPREDEH, investigue a estos actos en contra del CCDA y de la familia Juracán, para que los que defiendan los derechos humanos en Guatemala puedan trabajar sin persecución o agresión, y que las agresiones en contra de los defensores de los derechos humanos no quedan en la impunidad. Last Edited on 1-Mar-2010 3:54 PM
Dave The Roaster 58 posts Mar 20, 2010 2:44 AM	THIS JUST IN!!! The General Coordinator of the CCDA (the co-op operating Cafe Justicia) is coming to The Roastery on March 31st to spend an evening with us! You are invited to participate in this wonderful oportunity, courtesy of Fire Roasted Coffee, True Taco, and (YESSSSS!!!!!!!) the Railway City Brewing Company! This is a wonderful opportunity to learn how your buying practices are helping the origin countries, and enjoy a night of food and fun while you're at it. The cost is $20, and more details (as well as tickets in our online store) can be found to your right, on the menu bar, at "An Evening with Justicia". All proceeds go to the CCDA, to help them recover from a recent theft of coffee from their warehouse (aimed at dettering them from empowering their people, and furthering their cause).
Dave The Roaster 59 posts Mar 23, 2010 5:44 PM	Bump it up!
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