[Aztlan] Sierra del Lacandon and Piedras Negras Threatened

[eschele at mail.utexas.edu]

Hi David,

It would be nice if were as simple as what you wrote below, but unfortnately,
there are no simple answers.  If you read the article in Prinsa Libre, you can
see that lawlessness and unaccountability is the real issue and anyone who
works in the area or cares about Guatemala and its people can be concerned.

Elaine

Quoting David Becraft <david_becraft at hotmail.com>:

> Are these European Invaders like those that have been coming since 1492?  if
> Not, then are they people from Asia or Africa?  If NOT, then these are
> INDIGENOUS PEOPLE who have been displaced for the last 514 years from their
> Aboriginal lands.  Think about it Listeros.  These are Indigenous people
> from North America...FINALLY reclaiming their land.
>
> David F. Becraft
>
> >From: "Dave Pentecost" <dave.pentecost at gmail.com>
> >To: aztlan at lists.famsi.org
> >CC: Charles Golden <cgolden at brandeis.edu>
> >Subject: [Aztlan] Sierra del Lacandon and Piedras Negras Threatened
> >Date: Mon, 7 Aug 2006 23:32:03 -0400
> >
> >Listeros
> >
> >There has been no coverage in the American press, but the situation in
> >the Sierra del Lacandon, on the Usumacinta River in Guatemala, has
> >been deteriorating. Large groups of invading settlers, many backed by
> >narcotraffickers, are destroying the jungle in this critical protected
> >area.
> >
> >The Maya site of Piedras Negras is in the Sierra del Lacandon Park.
> >The guard post for that site (at El Porvenir, and two other posts were
> >burned to the ground and the guards evacuated recently. This is part
> >of an ongoing battle that in June of this year resulted in 8 hostages,
> >two of them injured by gunfire. The invaders are demanding title to
> >the land, which is a protected area, administered by the Defensores de
> >la Naturaleza and CONAP in Guatemala.
> >
> >You can read my site for updates on this situation:
> >
> >http://www.gomaya.com/glyph
> >
> >Or go directly to these recent news reports
> >
> >http://www.noti7.com.gt/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=8930
> >http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2006/agosto/06/148671.html
> >
> >Earlier, guard posts at Yaxha were burned in a similar dispute, and
> >last week three guards at Tikal were ambushed and killed:
> >
> >http://www.prensalibre.com/pl/2006/agosto/06/148671.html
> >
> >I am preparing a report for Frontline on the situation in the
> >Usumacinta watershed, but it is quickly going beyond anything I have
> >the power to record and present. What we are seeing is the complete
> >ungovernability of large areas of Guatemala, and these are areas with
> >high biodiversity and great cultural treasures.
> >
> >Dave
> >--
> >The Daily Glyph http://www.gomaya.com/glyph
> >Usumacinta         http://www.gomaya.com/dams
> >Cell  917 312 9733
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>
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