Intro letter
Explanation of transcript
TRANSCRIPT: Conversation between Heads of IMF, World Bank and American University
Rights Action's Comments

RIGHTS ACTION'S COMMENTS

The reference to the "Chixoy Indians" is incorrect. They are Maya Achi people.

The person who came to the US and Canada in March-April, 2000 was Carlos Chen Osorio, a survivor of the four Rio Negro massacres. His pregnant wife and two infant children were amongst the 177 women and children massacred in the 2nd Rio Negro massacre, on March 13, 1982.

When James Wolfensohn (president of the World Bank) comments "and they'll then blame us for the problems of Guatemala", he is distorting the argument that Rights Action, and others, are making about the role of the WB (and the IDB) with respect to the Rio Negro / Chixoy Dam massacres. The role and responsibility of the Banks is direct and it is contributory. By choosing to provide close to $300,000,000 to a military regime that was carrying out widespread repression across the country [including genocide in Mayan-dominated regions], the Banks became partially responsible for the actions of that military, particularly as pertains to the particular project they were funding: the Chixoy Dam Project.

James Wolfensohn (president of the World Bank) continues: "… and we'll say that there was a civil war for 32 years, and tens of thousands of people were killed down there, and this probably had nothing to do with the project, …"

Firstly, one is obviously bothered by how casual the President of the WB can admit that the WB knew it was dealing with a military government in a country where tens of thousands of people were being killed. The United Nations Truth Commission confirmed that the total number of people -mainly Mayan-killed was over 200,000. Most of these deaths occurred between 1978-1983 - the same years of the Chixoy Dam project.

However, more importantly, Wolfensohn's point is clearly a major point in dispute. The WB is attempting to argue that their massive support for the Chixoy Dam Project (being carried out by a military regime) had nothing to do with the repression surrounding the Chixoy Dam Project.

Without going into detail here, it is worth reminding the WB of the investigation done by the United Nations Truth Commission for Guatemala (Comision para el Esclarecimiento Historico). The Commission featured the March 13, 1982 "Rio Negro" massacre as one of its unfortunately exemplary cases. The Commission drew a direct link between the repression suffered by those who opposed displacement

(Rio Negro was the only community which consistently opposed being forcibly displaced) and the construction of the Chixoy Hydroelectric Project. A Guatemalan official, legal advisor to the Chixoy Dam Project, was interviewed by the Truth Commission concerning the Chixoy Dam. He said: "[I]n order to get them out, they had to use either force or persuasion: negotiate with those who wished to negotiate, and use force with those who did not." The Truth Commission report concludes that Rio Negro's pacific resistance to the Chixoy Dam project was resolved through violent repression.

James Wolfensohn (president of the World Bank) continues: "… and then they agree, which they did, and we solved the whole thing, and now there's another Chixoy Indian coming /'out' or 'now'/ saying 'Well, we appreciated what you did, but now we want reparations and damages.'"

This is a terrible comment. Wolfensohn suggests, firstly, that a manipulation is taking place, with different local representatives coming at different times. This is not the case.

Secondly, Wolfensohn claims that the "[WB] solved the whole thing." Categorically, Rights Action rejects this unfounded statement. While the WB has taken a few initial steps (since the 1996 release of the Witness for Peace publication "A People Dammed") to rectify the terrible situation in which the surviving victims are living, the surviving victims of the four Rio Negro / Chixoy Dam massacres are not even close to living in conditions comparable to how and where they lived before they were forced to leave their home community of Rio Negro.

And it is only obvious that the surviving community members want full and just compensation and reparations. Had Wolfensohn himself been a survivor of the massacres and forced displacement, he would want and demand nothing less for himself and his surviving family members.

James Wolfensohn (president of the World Bank) continues: "… And these indigenous people, I'm not suggesting they didn't have problems, but they're also very smart. [AU: Sure.] So they come up and they think, 'it's a pretty good way to make a few bucks', ah."

This crass comment speaks for itself. We can only but invite Wolfensohn, and any other WB official, to come to Rabinal, to speak with and listen to the survivors of the Rio Negro massacres. We invite WB officials to open your hearts and hear their story of massacre, torture, flight and survival, and then ask yourselves again if the survivors are simply interested in "[making] a few bucks."

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Intro letter
Explanation of transcript
TRANSCRIPT: Conversation between Heads of IMF, World Bank and American University
Rights Action's Comments