Action needed by 10:00am Monday 9/20/21!
The US government continues to support the repressive Guatemalan military and police despite (or because of) their systematic repression of indigenous communities and human rights defenders. Thanks to Rep. Rahida Tlaib we have a chance to block this “aid,” but only if we take action immediately! Rep. Tlaib’s amendment will only pass if we contact members of the US House immediately. Cosponsors must sign on by the end of this week! Below are suggested scripts for calling and emailing member of the US House. Feel free to personalize your calls/emails.
The US-backed Guatemalan military is primarily used to oppress civilian populations to support access to cheap labor and theft of natural resources by multinational corporations. This is a picture from GSP-partner community Dos Fuentes after the military and police attacked the community in December, 2019 to support the illegal expansion of hydroelectric dams.
USE THIS CALL SCRIPT TO ENCOURAGE A REP TO CO-SPONSOR REP. TLAIB’S NDAA AMENDMENT
Look up your US House Representative (not Senators) on google or call the US Congressional switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
Hello my name is _______________ and I am calling regarding human rights issues related to Guatemala in the National Defense Authorization Act. Could I please speak with a staff member working on foreign policy, defense or human rights?
If they give you a name, please take the name and email address and follow up with an email. However it is easy to ignore emails but less easy to ignore phone calls! So please also request to leave a message on voicemail or with the person you are talking to.
A brief message:
I am calling to request that your office cosponsor an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act introduced by Rep. Tlaib that would withhold Defense capacity-building funds to security forces in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. Our government’s continued support for corrupt militaries in Central America is fueling forced immigration from the region. Please contact Andrew Myslik in Rep. Tlaib’s office for more information or to add your office as a co-sponsor.
That is enough, but If you want to say more here are some suggestions:
Unfortunately, the democratic crisis in Guatemala has only continued to escalate, with the administration of President Giammattei recently firing and issuing arrest warrants against anti-corruption prosecutors who were investigating presidential corruption.
Though the Biden administration has made some good statements, they are largely empty so long as the U.S. continues to support, train and equip the military and police forces that Giammattei is using to intimidate and repress the population.
UDEFEGUA (Guatemala Human Rights Defenders Unit) is the leading organization tracking violence against human rights defenders in Guatemala. They documented 20% more attacks on human rights defenders in 2020 than in any of their previous 20 years tracking such statistics, and 2021 is likely to be worse. The UN Special Rapporteur has stated that “the national police, the military police, and the armed forces [have continued to be identified] as the main perpetrators of human rights violations and attacks against [human rights] defenders.” As recently as June 16 of this year, in an area we work in El Estor targeted by mining and African Palm industries, US-donated “Counter-illicit drug trafficking operations” military vehicles were used in evictions of indigenous communities from their ancestral lands.
To co-sponsor the amendment, please email Andrew Myslik in Rep. Tlaib’s office. This amendment would make an immediate and significant impact in terms of reducing political violence and human rights abuses in the region by halting Defense training and equipment for repressive state security forces. I hope your office will take this important stand against US-backed human rights abuses.
USE THIS EMAIL TO ENCOURAGE A REP TO CO-SPONSOR REP. TLAIB’S NDAA AMENDMENT
Dear _____________________,
My name is ___________________ and I am writing to request that your office cosponsor an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act introduced by Rep. Tlaib that would withhold Defense capacity-building funds to security forces in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala. The deadline is Friday!
Unfortunately, the democratic crisis in Guatemala has only continued to escalate, with the Giammattei administration recently firing and issuing arrest warrants against anti-corruption prosecutors who were investigating presidential corruption.
Though the Biden administration has made some good statements, they are largely empty so long as the U.S. continues to support, train and equip the military and police forces that Giammattei is using to intimidate and repress the population.
Congress has an important opportunity to end U.S. complicity with human rights abuses in the region by supporting an amendment to the NDAA introduced by Rep. Tlaib that would withhold Defense capacity-building funds to security forces in El Salvador, Honduras and Guatemala.
We encourage Rep. _______________ to co-sponsor it. [IF APPLICABLE BECAUSE REP IS CO-SPONSOR OF BERTA CACERES ACT: I know he/she is already a co-sponsor of the Berta Caceres Act for Honduras, which is great. This amendment is entirely consistent that legislation but extends the area of concern to Guatemala and El Salvador, where there are many parallel concerns)
The proposed NDAA amendment reads as follows:
PROHIBITION ON USE OF FUNDS TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE TO EL SALVADOR, GUATEMALA, OR HONDURAS. None of the funds authorized to be appropriated by this Act or otherwise made available to the Department of Defense to carry out section 333 of title 10, United States Code, may be made available to El Salvador, Guatemala, or Honduras.
This amendment would make an immediate and significant impact in terms of reducing political violence and human rights abuses in the region by halting Defense training and equipment for repressive state security forces.
UDEFEGUA (Guatemala Human Rights Defenders Unit) is the leading organization tracking violence against human rights defenders in Guatemala. They documented 20% more attacks on human rights defenders in 2020 than in any of their previous 20 years tracking such statistics, and 2021 is likely to be worse. The UN Special Rapporteur has stated that “the national police, the military police, and the armed forces [have continued to be identified] as the main perpetrators of human rights violations and attacks against [human rights] defenders.” As recently as June 16 of this year, in an area we work in El Estor, Guatemala being targeted by mining and African Palm industries, US-donated “Counter-illicit drug trafficking operations” military vehicles were used in evictions of indigenous communities from their ancestral lands.
To co-sponsor the amendment, please email Andrew in Rep. Tlaib’s office: Andrew.Myslik1@mail.house.gov.
Many thanks and please let me know if Rep. _____________ plans to support.
Sincerely,
YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS