NGO Letter to President of Guatemala Alvaro Colom

Constitutional President of the Repúblic of Guatemala
Ingeniero Álvaro Colom Caballeros
Casa Presidencial
6 a. Avenida, 4-18 Zona 1
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Fax: 011-502-2-383-8390

To the Honorable President Colom:

As organizations working for social and environmental justice around the world, we have been following the verification and negotiation process for the communities affected by the Chixoy Dam, as represented by COCAHICH. We understand that on September 7, 2004, the government and communities affected by Chixoy Dam established a negotiation process in order to reach an agreement on a Reparations Plan for the damages and injustices suffered as a result of the project.

As part of this process, we also understand that a Development Plan was produced to attend to the needs of the communities.

We are writing to ask you for information and updates about the following:
• As it has been almost five years since it was established, we would like to know the outcomes of the negotiations process with respect to reparations for the communities, and a timeline for finalizing the process
• What promises for reparations have the State of Guatemala made and
• What is the status of the implementation of the Development Plan?

The case of the communities affected by the Chixoy Dam is well-known internationally, and there is general international awareness about the extreme poverty that is found in these communities. We are very concerned for the well-being of the affected communities and are looking forward to the day that a reparations agreement is signed. On that day, your government will be known internationally as one that had the courage to accept historical responsibility for the impacts of the dam and to finally take steps to resolve the situation once and for all.

Sincerely,

Monti Aguirre
International Rivers

Antonio Tricarico
CRBM

Sylvia Romo
NISGUA
Cc:
Dr. Jose Guillermo Castillo, Embajador de Guatemala, Washington D.C.
Excelentísimo Rafael Espada, Vice Presidente de la República
Mr. Juan Jose Daboub, Managing Director, World Bank
Señor Juan de Dios Garcia, COCAHICH,
Dr. Roberto Menendez, Organización de Estados Americanos
Mr. Luis Alberto Moreno, President of IDB
Dr. Sergio Fernando Morales Procurador de los Derechos Humanos PDH
Representante de la Oficina de la Naciones Unidas para los Derechos Humanos en Guatemala
Sr. Embajador de la embajada de Suiza en Guatemala
Sr. Embajador de la embajada de los Paises Bajos en Guatemala
Comisión Europea de la Unión Europea