THIS FUNDRAISER

This fundraising campaign is for the Achi-Maya hamlet of Los Encuentros, village of Rio Negro, in Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala. The people of Los Encuentros are seeking support to construct a memorial to remember loved-ones who perished during the Guatemalan genocide. More on their story, below.

UPDATE (2)

Thanks to your generous donations, the survivors from Los Encuentros are able to build a chapel in memory of their loved ones killed by the Guatemalan state during the 1981-1983 genocide. I've uploaded some pictures of local men and Jesus Tecu Osorio, the director of the People's Law Firm, clearing the space for the chapel. I will add updates as the construction begins. Many thanks, muchas gracias, maltiox!

UPDATE (1)

The New York Times Magazine published a photoessay of the Achi women who brought their rape-as-a-weapon-of-war case to court and won convictions against the perpetrators. It was published on Sunday 23 August, but you can access it here: https://shorturl.at/khvbE

The women are represented by The People's Law Firm (Asociación Bufete Jurídico Popular -ABJP), the same group representing the beneficiaries of this fundraiser. The ABJP's funding vanished abruptly when USAID was shut down.

About Los Encuentros

Along with complainants from other indigenous communities, Los Encuentros is represented in another historic criminal case against 14 high-level ex-military officers who have been indicted for crimes against humanity for running Latin America's largest detainment center to detain, torture, kill, and bury "the disappeared."

The Achi-Maya of Los Encuentros want to construct a permanent memorial to preserve historical memory, to remember the victims, and their own struggle for justice.

My name is Kathy Dill. I am an anthropologist. Thirty years ago, when I was conducting fieldwork with local Achi-Maya human rights defenders in Rabinal, Baja Verapaz, Guatemala, I met Jesus Tecú Osorio, the founder and director of The People's Law Firm (Asociación Bufete Jurídico de Rabinal - ABJP - abjprabinal.org).

The ABJP's success in national and international courts delivers justice to families and supports the protection of human, indigenous, and women's rights.

Any small donation to help the survivors of Los Encuentros and the ongoing struggle for justice for the Achi women, would be tremendously appreciated.

Thank you!

Muchas gracias!

Maltiox!