Guatemala: Land of injustice?: Appeals cases

Guatemala: Land of injustice?: Appeals cases

Index Number: AMR 34/002/2006
Date Published: 28 March 2006
Categories: Americas, Guatemala

In January 2004 a new government came to office. The new administration began a widespread policy of resolving land disputes by systematically evicting campesinos (rural workers) occupying land. Between January and November 2004, 36 evictions took place, more than half of which were violent. AI believes that failure to resolve the underlying causes of agrarian disputes will prevent rural communities from exercising their right to a decent standard of living, including adequate food and housing. This effectively leaves them in poverty and vulnerable to violence. The case studies included in this document illustrate different types of agrarian disputes in Guatemala.