21 September, 2000

Communiqué #3: A summary of sections of the United Nation's "Truth Commission" report, as related to the Rio Negro massacres and the Chixoy Dam

CHIXOY DAM / RIO NEGRO MASSACRES REPARATIONS CAMPAIGN: to get full compensation and just reparations from the World Bank & the Inter-American Development Bank for indigenous (Mayan-Achi) survivors of the Rio Negro community destroyed by construction of the Chixoy Dam in Guatemala

I. Background: the "pueblo viejo-quixal" hydroelectric project and the resistance by the community members from being evicted from their lands (this page)
II. The facts: the massacres and the elimination of the community
III. The acts that followed: more massacres, displacement and resettlement
IV. Conclusions, contact info

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• Contact: Grahame Russell 416-654-2074 grussell@rightsaction.org
  more contact info

Communiqué #4 is a call for a formal UN investigation into the Chixoy Dam and the responsibility of the World Bank to compensate and provide reparations to the surviving members of the Rio Negro community.

Communiqué #5: Interview with Carlos Chen, a survivor of the Rio Negro community, and one of the principal activists working for human rights, compensation and reparations.

As lead up to the forthcoming Annual Meetings of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund in Prague (Czech Republic), Rights Action is releasing this series of articles and other information concerning the Chixoy Dam Project and Rio Negro massacres of 1982. RA staff-person Annie Bird is in Prague, addressing this issue in educational and advocacy forums. She is available for interviews and participation in public events. [anniebird@hotmail.com]

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1. BACKGROUND: THE "PUEBLO VIEJO-QUIXAL" HYDROELECTRIC PROJECT AND THE RESISTENCE BY THE COMMUNITY MEMBERS FROM BEING EVICTED FROM THEIR LANDS

The Rio Negro community, located on the bank of the Chixoy River in the municipality of Rabinal, in the Baja Verapaz department, sustained itself with agriculture, fishing and commerce with the neighboring community of Xococ. In the 1970s, Rio Negro had a population of approximately 800 people, all indigenous Mayan Achis.

The lives of the Rio Negro inhabitants, and the people that lived by the Chixoy River, changed with the construction of the Pueblo Viejo-Quixal hydroelectric plant. One inhabitant of the region recognizes: "We were peaceful in the community before; many problems arose after the construction of the dam."

In 1975, the National Electrification Institute (INDE) presented the project for the construction of a hydroelectric plant in the Rio Chixoy basin, "man's greatest work in Central America," to solve the problem of electric energy in the country, under the auspices of the Interamerican Development Bank (IDB), the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), and the World Bank (WB). "The plan contemplated the flooding of more than 50 kilometers along the river and its branches, which would affect around 3,445 people in the communities settled on its periphery." The affected communities had to be displaced and settled in another area.

In June 1978, the Guatemalan government declared the region an emergency area, since it would be flooded by the dam's construction. The INDE promised to look for and give the displaced people similar or better lands than those that were to be flooded. The Rio Negro community did not accept the State's proposal.

The authorities tried to settle the villagers of Rio Negro in Pacux, an arid place, in houses that destroyed their cultural life vision. The campesinos resisted leaving their lands. A declarant to the CEH explained that Rio Negro "was the model community of the area, the most well organized, the most prosperous in the region; this was one of the reason that this community was so difficult to cheat like the others." In 1978, many people from the community moved their houses to higher lands so the water would not flood them.

Given this situation, the INDE accepted that "the problems that took place during the resettlement were: a) the affected population's incomprehension of the need to construct this project, b) the affected population's ties to their region and their land, c) the difficulties in obtaining the necessary lands in the affected region so the resettlements could occur."

The "ties to their region", that the INDE referred to, are due to the fact that the Chixoy River area has been inhabited since the Classic Maya period (330 years BC -- 900 years AD) by indigenous populations. Furthermore, in the area there were several ceremonial religious centers. The INDE determined that over 50 archeological sites were distributed along the valley, and that because they were on low lands and in the closest areas to the river, the majority wound up flooded.

The dam's construction was imminent. One of the survivors related that the INDE representatives explained the situation to the villagers in the following terms: "If you do no want to leave, the President of the Republic has already signed the contract anyway, and the construction cannot be abandoned because the project is already approved. Even if you oppose, the project will continue and one day you will have to leave."

An INDE legal advisor affirmed, referring to the communities, that "to be able to get them out, it was necessary to use force and will, those that wanted to negotiate, were negotiated with and those that did not, force was used with them."

At this time, the Committee for Campesino Unity (CUC) gave literacy and human rights classes, supported and aided the Rio Negro villagers in their claims against INDE.

In 1979, the Guerrilla Army of the Poor (EGP) arrived in Rio Negro, held meetings with the community leaders affiliated with CUC and spoke to them about the revolution. One declarant commented: "They said that it was necessary to struggle to throw out the government and the Army because they were governing, that it was necessary to struggle with machetes, with hot water and we would take the large plantations if we won the revolution." The members of the EGP lived in the mountains and visited the community every once in awhile.

In 1980, the hydroelectric project continued and the Rio Negro villagers continued to resist abandoning their lands.

I. Background
II. The facts >
III. The acts that followed >>
IV. Conclusions, contact info >>>