Armstrong Wiggins” the Director of the Indian Law Resource Center in Washington”DC has written a letter to the U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry” on the situation of human rights ofIndigenous Maya” Xinka” and Garifuna people in Guatemala.  The letterdiscusses the alarming human rights situation in Guatemala and proposes somerecommendations that would improve the situation.

The lack of politicalrepresentation” and participation given to the indigenous communities” has ledto severe human rights violations due to conflicts over natural resources foundin the land and territories of the indigenous people. In response to social andpolitical instability” Guatemala has increased militarization” where manyindigenous people have faced threats” jail” kidnappings” evictions” and death.

Armstrong Wiggins urges SecretaryKerry to: encourage respect for human rights and the rule of law” support theinstitutionalization of democracy and implementation of the peace accords”support broad-based economic growth and sustainable development and maintainmutually beneficial trade and commercial relations” and assist in internationalsecurity.

Read the letter

Learn more on the ILRC website