Sister Parish, Inc.

Sister Parish, Inc. is a solidarity-focused nonproft organization that exists to foster mutual understanding and a commitment to peace and justice among people in the United States and Central America by linking churches and Christian communities in the U.S. and in Central America , so that they may experience the realities of each others' lives and cultures on religious, political, social, and economic levels. Visit our website to learn more!

Maya Art and Calendar at Xultun stun Archaeologists

Read full article on BBC News website-

The site, in Guatemala, includes the first known instance of Maya art painted on the walls of a dwelling.

A report in Science says it dates from the early 9th Century, pre-dating other Maya calendars by centuries.

Such calendars rose to prominence recently amid claims they predicted the end of the world in 2012.

The Mayan civilisation occupied Central America from about 2000BC until its decline and assimilation following the colonisation by the Spanish from the 15th Century onwards. It still holds fascination, with many early Maya sites still hidden or uncatalogued.

The ruins at Xultun were first discovered in 1912 and mapping efforts in the 1920s and 1970s laid out much of the site's structure.

Three of the four walls of the structure are remarkably well preserved

Archaeologists have catalogued the site's features, including a 35m-tall pyramid, but thousands of structures on the 30 sq km site remain unexplored.

14th of April: A Day Without Death

Check out photos on The Guardian website-

El Salvador, a country heavily dominated by gangs, is in the continual struggle to win back the sovereignty of its citizens. On April 14, 2012, the gangs Mara Salvatrucha and Mara 18 acting under a truce, reflected on a day which no-one was murdered in all of EL Salvador. Ironically, the same leaders who are responsible for the high murder rate are now responsible for this historic day. In the dog eat dog world of gang life the truce may not last, however, April 14th demonstrates the positive effect gangs can have on the future of El Salvador.

Guatemalan Military Funding

Read full article Guatemalan Human Rights Commission website-

As over 10,000 peaceful marchers gathered in Guatemala City's central plaza, soldiers stationed on the tops of the surrounding buildings pointed their machine guns down at the crowd. Police on the ground penned in men, women and children, leaving them nowhere to flee. The marchers had walked for nine days to meet with their elected leaders and ask for an end to the violent evictions terrorizing their communities and for the passage of a law to promote true rural development to alleviate the crushing poverty suffered by the majority of Guatemalans.

  

In their arms they carried only their children and in their hearts they carried a conviction that another Guatemala is possible. Yet they were met with military force in a scene horrifyingly similar to that in which their family members were gunned down by Guatemalan soldiers in the Panzós Massacre of 1978.

Today, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee released it's draft Appropriations Bill, and it does not include the ban on funding to the Guatemalan army which has been in place for three decades. The U.S. Senate Appropriations Committee is expected to release it's draft Appropriations Bill any day, at which time members of the House and Senate will come together to create a final, compromise bill. Please, contact your Representatives and Senators and ask them to make sure the ban is in place in the final bill. 

 

The government of Otto Pérez Molina claims that U.S. aid to the Guatemalan military is necessary to combat the narco-trafficking and violent crime wracking the country, but the truth is that the military is being used to intimidate and silence the Guatemalan people. Army bases are being opened not in regions where drugs are trafficked, but where indigenous communities dare to stand up to large corporations taking over their land. In addition, the Guatemalan military funds organizations such as the Association of Military Veterans (AVEMILGUA) which threaten and intimidate human rights defenders and those trying to push forward cases of grave human rights violations, such as genocide, in the Guatemalan justice system.

 

There are alternatives to military solutions to fight crime and violence! Instead of further funding to the military, the U.S. should support efforts to strengthen institutions such as the police and the courts, and to arrest and prosecute members of clandestine criminal networks. Committing to continue our financial support of the UN-backed Commission Against Impunity in Guatemala (CICIG) is a great place to start.

Most Guns Used by Criminals in Mexico Traced to the U.S.

From a report on Insight Crime-

In a finding that will do little to slow the debate about the origin of weapons used by Mexico's bloody drug cartels, Justice Department data shows that close to 70 percent of firearms recovered in Mexico over the last five years can be traced back to the US. Of 99,000 trace requests submitted by Mexican authorities over the past five years for firearms suspected of being used in crimes, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) traced 68,000 to US manufacturers or importers, according to data published on its website,

Mexico's government insists the US is not doing enough to shore up its border and slow the purchase and illegal transfer of weapons into criminals' hands. The criticism is warranted. The ATF's release of data comes amid news that the US House of Representatives voted to cut funding for the bureau's multiple long guns sale reporting program. The program -- the only measure the Obama administration has put in place to curb the flow of guns south -- requires Federal Firearm Licensees (FFLs) in the border states of Texas, California, New Mexico and Arizona to report the sale of two or more rifles within five business days, if the rifles accept detachable magazines and ammunition of higher than .22 caliber...

This is something that we need to Take Action on! As you know, gun violence has huge impacts on our brothers and sisters in Guatemala and El Salvador. Write to your elected officials and tell them it is time to take responsbility for the guns the U.S. is exporting to criminals!

Living the Language: Mayan Languages

Al Jazeera put together this great 20 minute documentary about the struggle to maintain Mayan languages and identity in Guatemala, as part of their "Living the Language" series. This video is a great introduction to both Guatemala, and issues of colonization of language. Check it out and let us know what you think!

Summit of the Americas: A Recap

Read the brief article on the Organization of American States website-

The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, today spoke of the main results and conclusions of the Sixth Summit of the Americas held in Cartagena, Colombia on April 14 and 15, noting that the hemispheric meeting revealed that the Americas have a common agenda, although there is no common policy on how to address the issues.

Urgent Action on the Marlin Mine- Sign the Petition TODAY

Let's join our friends at NISGUA in a campaign to hold Goldcorp responsible-

Canadian mining company with U.S. investors could leave indigenous communities with multi-million dollar bill to pay. We need your support to help defend the rights of indigenous peoples affected by mining in Guatemala's western highlands.

On April 26, Goldcorp will hold its Annual General Meeting (AGM) of shareholders in South Porcupine, Ontario.  During the meeting, shareholders will have the opportunity to vote on a resolution asking the company to ensure an adequate and fully funded closure plan for the Marlin mine and to consult with affected communities throughout the process. 

Only shareholders can officially vote on the resolution, but we need you to take action today.  Please cast your symbolic vote in favor of the resolution by signing Amnesty International's petition.

Click here for a photo essay by James Rodriguez about other Goldcorp activity in Guatemala.

El Salvador Gang Truce Continues, Government Tries to Make the Most of it

Read the article from Insight Crime-

After a truce between warring gangs cut murders in El Salvador by half last month, the government is moving to consolidate its security gains through work opportunities for ex-gang members -- but this will prove more difficult than brokering the peace deal...

Occupation of San Salvador Cathedral Comes to an End

Read the full article on Waging Nonviolence-

In central San Salvador this morning, members of three organizations representing veterans of the historic FMLN guerrilla forces and labor rights leaders handed over the Metropolitan Cathedral after three months of occupation, in exchange for assurances that sincere dialogue addressing the groups’ demands with the Salvadoran government will begin immediately. Their struggle will continue at the negotiation table, mediated by a permanent commission promised this morning by the director general of human rights for the Salvadoran government, Oscar Luna, who will serve as a mediator along with representatives of civic and faith-based organizations.

Sister Parish Guatemala Representatives' Meeting, April 2012

The weekend of April 14th and 15th, the Sister Parish communities in Guatemala gathered at the center in Guatemala City for the bi-annual Representatives' Meeting for a time of fun and fellowship- sharing, learning, and worshipping together.

Click here for a report and photos from the meeting. Download Sister Parish Guatemala Representatives Meeting April 2012 Report

See our previous blog post for a summary of the educational presentation about the rights of indigenous communities.