The August 31, 2008 the Movimiento Pro-Justice Nueva Linda marked the fourth anniversary of a violent eviction and the fifth anniversary of their struggle to demand justice for the disappearance of the former administrator of the estate Nueva Linda Hector Reyes. Since his disappearance in 2003, the family of Hector Reyes and the Movimiento Pro-Justice Nueva Linda have pressured the State of Guatemala to shed light on the case. In 2004, occupation of the farm by the movement as a measure of pressure resulted in one of the most violent evictions in recent years during which they killed nine farmers and three policemen, when the safety of the farm and the state security forces evicted the peasants on 31 August of that year. Subsequently, the movement was installed in some huts at the edge of the road opposite the entrance to the Finca Nueva Linda to continue demanding justice in the case of Hector Reyes and the case of eviction.
On 30 August this year came together to mark the anniversary at the edge of the road, the day after celebrating a Mass to pay tribute to those who died during the evacuation of 2004. On September 1, hundreds of people marched in the provincial capital of Retalhuleu to demand justice from the authorities.
Throughout his stay on the roadside, the group has been the victim of threats and intimidation by the farmer and farm safety. ACOGUATE has been with the group since 2006.
ACOGUATE: These are years that are leading this fight. What is your impression of this long struggle?
BRT: I [we] four years of struggle on the road. Nothing is easy to be there in the struggle to resist, but we say that we are going to take us where we want to see that we clarify the disappearance of my father. They've been 5 years from the date on which it was taken away and we know nothing. For these reasons, we are still there on the roadside. We do not take off from there to shed light on the disappearance of my father, what they did with him, until justice is done.
ACOGUATE: Apart from the case of Hector Reyes, there is also the case of the slaughter [the eviction in 2004]. How is the other case?
BRT: As it is, does not advance the case of 31 [August]. Several colleagues were killed and who was responsible? [The farmer] and the authorities came to him [the security of the property]. There's nothing here you go. There has been nothing for justice.
ACOGUATE: Can you tell us the activities of the anniversary?
BRT: were in the August 31 anniversary of that was done. It was an activity there. He got a movie where you look at what happened on 31 August. There were many people supporting, remembering what happened on 31 August when the comrades were killed during an eviction. It seemed nice. The march on Monday also [was nice] because there were many people. That may pressure the Public Ministry to enable them to streamline and make the case that progress. If we do not see us that yes, they will never take the papers to the hand and say we're doing. Such After making these marches can take them that we are still watching us, we are still demanding justice.
ACOGUATE: What is the relationship with the authorities, such as the Public Ministry, the Office of Human Rights and the current government of President Alvaro Colom?
BRT We have not seen progress in the prosecution. We have not seen what has been done. We have not seen that they are willing to do something, to make them catch those responsible. If they were investigating and had been developed but there is something about the case, is running five years ... It is not fair they do not shed light on the disappearance of
he know that those responsible are still on the loose and we have proof that they went to get [the farmer] and [a member's private security] and there is nothing that can capture them. The Attorney General does nothing to expedite justice done. In the PDH
[Human Rights Office] have not had no information, maybe there will to continue supporting the group Nueva Linda. There
change of government and [to] the change was not seen anything. We at regime change who is Alvaro Colom, with him we have no hope either. We have never had meeting with them. We have listened to us.
ACOGUATE: What has been the relationship with the alleged assailants, and with the safety of the farm?
BRT: has been a bit difficult with them because we are on the edge of the road, we almost at par. There are moments that the assurances we have taken off. They have been pressing us. They tried to poison the tap water. Eight days before we went to Europe, were to throw some candy with poison at the ranch for the creatures eat. It's very hard. We are threatened by the farmer, also the safety of [farmer] ... we fear that we may come to do something. We can not relax. They know that we are fighting the first leg of my dad and for them is not easy for us to be following this fight, then we fear that someday we can come to do something.
ACOGUATE: How is the group's situation, how is the mood of the group to follow? What kind of support have you received?
BRT: We have been supporting various organizations that we are throwing hand, giving us support. On the other hand we have been supporting people watching us in this situation. Maybe there will be more people, so maybe there will be more pressure. Right now we feel more happy, because there is more support with so many people come to support us. They have also decided to take this fight [until] there is justice.
ACOGUATE: It has also made a few trips. How does this make public the case internationally?
BRT: We tour in Europe. I was there for almost a month. We tried to go to disclose all the impunity that is being experienced here in Guatemala ... the truth is that not just one but there are plenty of cases. We want to bring this case to clarify who was not all cases go unpunished. Such
Once through there all the countries where we were able to pressure the government here in Guatemala for a speedier trial, so that not everything goes unpunished ... we have made clear that they were responsible, namely the support of the people around us, we can achieve what we are asking that justice be done.
ACOGUATE: And you personally how it has affected this fight?
BRT has been difficult for us five years that he has not been. It's hard to have done this with him because with all the people he was friendly, never was mean to people. He was good with all ...
is hard to lead a fight than five years, being on the roadside. We have children and you have to give them an education and being a one there is not going to be able to give the children studies. There are times that a child gets sick, you do not [can] say I have on hand around so that it can take to a doctor. We do not have ...
But we do our best to fight for the kidnapping, the murder of my father not go unpunished. We are ready to continue to see where you get justice. Came to believe that one day he will clarify what they did to him.
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Interview: ACOGUATE
Photo: ACOGUATE
