National Day of Action for Justice in Guatemala Events

APRIL 20, 2007 - NATIONWIDE
National Day of Action for Justice in Guatemala

Human rights activists around the U.S. organized events and meetings at Guatemalan Consulate offices to raise concerns about the ongoing impunity enjoyed by former Guatemalan General R�os Montt.

In Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, San Francisco and Washington, DC, activists met with the Consul General to express support for survivors' efforts for justice and to press Guatemalan officials to either bring R�os Montt to trial in Guatemala or extradite him to Spain to face the charges against him.

In other cities, including Albuquerque, Detroit, Milwaukee, Portland, Seattle, St. Louis, and Steven's Point, WI, activists organized solidarity events to raise awareness and garner support for the AIUSA's campaign.

Below are highlights of the national action on or around April 20, 2007. Thank you to all activists who stood up and spoke out for justice!

**If you organized an event in support of efforts to bring R�os Montt to justice this year and your event is not listed here, please send event information and/or photographs to ija@aiusa.org.

Consulate Visit and Rally: Chicago, Illinois

While a small delegation of activists met with the Guatemalan Consul General to discuss the Guatemalan government's position on the R�os Montt case, a crowd of about forty people rallied in support at a busy downtown Chicago corner below. The rally featured a variety of speakers, a performance by artist and poet Chaniel Clark, and closed with the reading of names of towns in Guatemala where massacres were carried out under R�os Montt's military rule. During the meeting itself, Consul General L�pez promised to take our concerns directly to the Undersecretary of State in Guatemala City and accepted hundreds of red carnations as a symbol of hope and rebirth.

Consulate Visit and Rally: Denver, Colorado

In Denver, April 20th was a big day for Guatemala supporters with a lunch time rally and an afternoon meeting with the Consul General. Organizers projected between 30-50 participants, but an estimated 80 activists came out to express their support for the campaign! The best part about the action was that so many people participated and felt personally connected to the issue after having met with the Consul General. Activists delivered the paper carnations as a powerful, symbolic gesture of the thousands of people whose lives were lost during Rios Montt's military rule.

Consulate Visit: Houston, Texas

Activists part of AIUSA Houston Group 23 met with the Consul General on the morning of April 20 to express their concerns about continuing impunity for R�os Montt. The Consul General was extremely cordial and promised that he would send a letter outlining AIUSA's concerns by diplomatic courier to arrive to Guatemala City the very afternoon of our meeting. Before the meeting wrapped up, Consul General Barillas requested a copy of the group's Human Rights Show CD entitled "La Frontera." Group members promised to follow up with their concerns about justice in Guatemala.

Consulate Visit: Los Angeles, California

A small group of activists in Los Angeles met with the Consul General on April 20. The Consul General opened the meeting by saying that he was amazed and grateful that student activists have such a keen interest in human rights. He said that he was truly hopeful to see the youth working on human rights issues. After a thirty minute meeting, he promised to make our concerns heard in Guatemala. All in all, the meeting was pleasant and a success.

Consulate Visit: Miami, Florida

The meeting with the Consul General in Miami was organized by members of AIUSA Miami Group 248 on April 26. Group members discussed the case against R�os Montt with the Consul General, who said that she was aware of the National Day of Action and expressed admiration for the work of Amnesty International. The delegation presented almost two hundred petition signatures to Consulate staff, and offered red carnations prepared by members of Amnesty International from all of South Florida as a symbol of hope and rebirth.

Consulate Visit and Rally: New York, New York

The rally in New York was part of the twelfth annual Get on the Bus action organized by Boston Amnesty Group 133. With a sea of more than 1,000 activists in front of the building of the Guatemalan Consulate office, activists held posters, cheered and chanted before the rally shifted to a more vigil-like atmosphere. Participants recited the names of the communities that suffered massacres during R�os Montt's rule, as the crowd responded with "�Presente!" During the recitation, participants came forward with their carnations to place them in a basket. The carnations were presented to the Consul General at the end of the meeting.

A very special thank you to Kelly Turley and Amnesty International Local Group 133 in Somerville, MA, to make the 12th annual Get on the Bus action such a success!

Consulate Visit: San Francisco, California

High school activists in San Francisco created an altar for human rights, decorated a poster board, handed out flyers and collected petition signatures at their school. They even got a little donation money for Amnesty! They also set up their altar at an immigrant rights protest in Santa Rosa to collect even more signatures and support. After collecting more signatures, activists will meet with the Consul General in San Francisco to present their petition.

Consulate Visit: Washington, D.C.

On April 20, 2007 a group of activists and staff from Amnesty International USA met with members of the Guatemalan embassy in Washington, DC to discuss the case of R�os Montt. In addition to discussing the ongoing impunity for crimes committed under R�os Montt's rule from March 1982-August 1983, the delegation also raised concerns about the ongoing issue of violence against women in Guatemala.

Solidarity Event: Detroit, Michigan

The Detroit Metro Amnesty International group held a postcard action drive and vigil at Clark Park in southwest Detroit on Saturday, April 21. It was a beautiful but windy day, and volunteers had a table set up in the park to collect signatures and make carnations as people passed by to learn about the case against R�os Montt. The group posted fliers in English and Spanish around town, which will stay posted for the weeks to come.

Solidarity Event: Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Activists organized a film screening and discussion on Sunday, April 22 as part of the Latin American Solidarity Committee's Latin American Film Festival at UW-M. About fifty people attended the screening of "When the Mountains Tremble", a film centered on the story of Rigoberta Mench�, the Nobel Peace Prize Laureate who filed the case against former General R�os Montt in Spanish courts in 1999. Following the event, the group was inspired to action by local activists, wrapping up over one week of tabling and petition signing about the case at UW-M?s annual Latin American Film Series.

Solidarity Event: Portland, Oregon

Thursday, April 19th, activists at Portland Community College held a film screening of "When the Mountains Tremble" followed by action in support of survivors' efforts to bring R�os Montt to justice. It was a small screening, but a great opportunity for activists to learn more about the situation in Guatemala and what activists in Portland can do to support international justice.

Solidarity Event: Seattle Washington

Amnesty International Local Group 4 and University of Puget Sound AIUSA members planted a field of red paper carnations at Green Lake Park, in memory of those murdered in Guatemala as part of a National Day of Action to bring former General Rios Montt to justice. Those passing through the park participated by making a carnation and placing it with over 500 other carnations on the hillside.

Solidarity Event: St. Louis, Missouri

Amnesty activists in St. Louis hosted photographer and activist Jonathan "Jon�s" Moller for a discussion and booksigning event which highlighted the international campaign to bring R�os Montt to justice. Following the event, Amnesty activists and supporters got together for a "meet and greet" happy hour to meet the photographer and get to know one another. During his whirlwind tour of St. Louis, Jon�s spoke with over 150 students and community members about his work in Guatemala and AIUSA's campaign. An exhibit of his photography is on display at the St. Louis University Pius XII Memorial Library through June. Learn more about Jon�s's photography »

Solidarity Event: Stevens Point, Wisconsin

On April 20, Stevens Point area activists held a solidarity event in which they watched "When the Mountains Tremble", created paper flowers to send to Guatemalan government authorities, and signed postcards to support efforts to bring R�os Montt to justice. Over 150 people attended the event, with another 60 people coming out for a second screening the following week.