Fundamaya, The Maya Foundation

Fundamaya, The Maya Foundation, (also known as Fundación Maya) is part of Frente Nacional contra la Mineria, the National Front against Mining, which campaigns to raise awareness of the potential environmental damage caused by mining and the negative impact it can have on indigenous communities living close to the mines.  Carlos Humberto Guarquez is Fundamaya’s representative to the National Front coalition.  His brother, Alfonso Guarquez, is a journalist who works for the national information service, Cerigua, and has reported on the effects of the mining and the strength of local opposition.  Dominga Vasquez is the wife of Alfonso Guarquez and is also the first female Indigenous Mayor of Sololá.

In addition to her role as mayoress, she is director of the Guatemalan Indigenous Mayor and Authority Association, which works for greater indigenous participation in government, and coordinator of the Mayan Women’s Association, Oxlajuj’e, which provides workshops and human rights education.  As a member of Fundamaya she has often spoken out against the mining projects.  After one such speech, which she gave on 5 January 2005, she received an anonymous telephone call.  The caller told her she would

“que debía atenerse a las consecuencias por haber encabezado [esto]…ten cuidado con lo que te puede pasar" (suffer the consequences for having led [this] …and be wary of what will happen to you).

She was later accused of inciting a protest against the transportation of mining equipment on 11th January 2005.  The equipment, which belonged to Montana Exploradora, a subsidiary of the Canadian-US firm Glamis Gold, was being transported through the villages of indigenous communities who were already opposed to the mining projects.  The protest was quelled by the police and the army, leaving one person dead and several wounded.  Subsequently five arrest warrants were issued against indigenous leaders including Dominga Vasquez, Carlos Humberto Guarquez and Alfonso Guarquez.  The local Prosecutor has filed criminal charges but the investigations are still ongoing.

Fundamaya were undeterred but did request protective accompaniment from PBI.  Dominga Vasquez has been accompanied since February 2005.  Helen Woodcock, who has been with Dominga since the beginning, said of the experience: “I never felt that she would not have carried on her struggle without my presence, as she is so determined to continue the struggle for justice. But she felt that she was still there because I was there with her."

The following month the stakes were raised again.  On 25th March 2005 villagers found a burning vehicle which turned out to be a car owned by Fundamaya, the one used by Carlos Humberto Garquez.  Five death threats were found placed around the car.  One of them stated: "Eso te pasa Señor Carlos Humberto por estar metido en babosadas de la sociedad, mañana llegará tu día de desaparecer en este mundo, a todo coche [cuche] se le llega su sábado, tambien a la Señora Dominga y su esposo Alfonso Guarquez". (The same will happen to you Mr Carlos Humberto for interfering in these stupid social issues, tomorrow will be your day to disappear from this world. Every pig eventually gets slaughtered, also Ms. Dominga [Vasquez] and her husband Alfonso Guarquez.)

Following this incident, all three became the subject of an Amnesty International Urgent Action.  PBI have remained with Fundamaya and it is hoped that the combined international support will prevent the death threats from ever becoming a reality.