Guatemala

COMPPA has worked with various organizations in several regions of Guatemala, including:

The Verapaz Union of Campesino Organizations (UVOC): 

Radios:

• Radio Kamolbé Chamtaq’a
• Radio Caminante

The UVOC was founded in the 1980s and includes over 200 campesino communities in the departments of Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Izabal, and El Quiché in Guatemala. It works principally on access to land for indigneous and

campesino communities and to provide support in the process of legalisation of the communities’ land titles. The organization also offers training to communities affiliated to the UVOC and supports development projects within those communities.

COMPPA has worked together with UVOC to build and strengthen their community radio stations, Radio Kamolbé Chamtaq’a and Radio Caminante UVOC.

 

Communities of Population in Resistance, Sierra (CPR-Sierra):

Radio:Radio Union La Voz de la Resistencia

COMPPA was approached by the CPR – Sierra during the March 2005 national demonstrations against the CAFTA (Central American Free Trade Agreement) that took place in Guatemala City.

COMPPA was asked to provide the support necessary to create and launch a micro-power FM Radio station in the CPR – Sierra as a means to reactivate their local “animadores” – motivators.  They told us that in the Sierra region, radio has proven to be one of the most effective ways to get news and information to the communities, due to a lack of access to print material, high illiteracy rates, restricted coverage of electrical services and a near void in radio services that reach this extremely remote and historically repressed region inside the “Ixil Triangle”

The CPR-Sierra is made up of mostly Mayan Ixil campesinos that established themselves after years of hiding in the mountains fleeing the persecution of indigenous peoples in the 80’s during Guatemala’s bloody civil war.

 

The Alliance for Life and Peace (APVP):

Radio: Radio Libertad

In Guatemala, we have supported the communication efforts of The Alliance for Life and Peace, APVP. The APVP is a coalition of more than 26 organizations and groups that have come together to join forces against common problems and threats like the Plan Puebla Panamá (PPP) and Free Trade Agreements (FTA’s).

The APVP works in consciousness raising efforts in approximately 250 communities in the state of Petén and have relied on a wide variety of methods to mobilize and voice their rejection to the destruction of their communities. In March 2004 they held demonstrations and road blockades during the International Day Against Dams. They also publish a bulletin called “Alerta Petén Despierta” – On Alert Petén, Wake Up – where they cover regional information on the current dam situation, reports on globalization issues, as well as national and international mobilizations.

In 2004 we installed the Alianza’s Radio Libertad in the Communities of Population in Resistance (CPR-Peten) and in 2005 we installed three satellite internet systems including one for direct use in the radio.  COMPPA has worked closely with the APVP and Radio Libertad and hosted regional popular communications gatherings at Radio Libertad.

 

Association for the Integral Development of San Miguel Ixtahaucan (ADISMI).

Radio: Radio La Voz del Pueblo