March 26, 2021
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- Below, an important ‘Open Letter’ to the Biden administration
Not “mistakes”
While the Open Letter includes many valuable policies that can and should be implemented by the Biden administration, it is imperative to understand that the US government has not been making “mistakes” in its policies and actions in Central America - going back generations.
To think they are “mistakes” leads one to think it is easier to ‘change course’. For generations, the US has been implementing policies of political, military and economic control of the region.
Need to transform the dominant, exploitative economic model
‘Changing course’ is harder than the “mistakes” narrative suggests. Wealthy, powerful countries – led by the US, and including Canada and key countries in the EU – have long been implementing policies in Central America that prioritize the interests of North American and western European companies, investors and consumers.
Led by the US, these wealthy, powerful countries have long sacrificed democracy and human rights – particularly in Honduras, Guatemala and El Salvador, so as to keep in place regimes that prioritize North American and western European companies, investors and consumers.
Along with the valuable policy recommendations in the Open Letter, the US (and Canadian) public need to understand and challenge the underlying policies and actions of political, military and economic domination.
Rights Action
[email protected]
www.rightsaction.org
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Open letter to Biden administration
To not repeat mistakes of the past in Central America
https://www.lawg.org/press-release-civil-society-organizations-urge-president-biden-and-vice-president-harris-to-not-repeat-mistakes-of-the-past-in-central-america/
"As the State Department is developing a “root cause strategy” addressing the reasons why so many children, women, and men are fleeing the northern countries of Central America, U.S.-based and international faith, humanitarian, immigrant-led, human rights, environmental, and grassroots organizations called on President Biden and Vice President Harris to support and amplify civil society calls in each country for governments to address the structural and societal causes driving forced migration.
These include pervasive corruption, corrosive levels of human rights abuses and impunity, gang and gender-based violence, poverty and inequality, exclusive economic models, and climate change.
The letter urges the administration to consult with a wide range of civil society organizations in each country as it develops and implements this root cause strategy to ensure that the United States transforms diplomacy and aid so as not to repeat the mistakes of the past, including the ways in which U.S. policy has contributed to human rights violations and forced migration from the region."
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Why do thousands of Hondurans & Guatemalans flee into exile year after year?
The US and Canadian governments, the World Bank and global businesses and investors (in the sectors of mining, dams, African palm, sugarcane, bananas, garment “sweatshop” factors, tourism, etc.) maintain enriching and empowering relations with anti-democratic, corrupt, repressive governments in Honduras and Guatemala, contributing to and benefitting from exploitation and poverty, environmental harms, repression and human rights violations, corruption and impunity.
“Shithole countries”
US government promises pathway to citizenship for 11 million people
But will the US, Canada and “international community” continue to treat Honduras and Guatemala like “shithole countries”, creating ever more forced migrants and refugees?
By Grahame Russell, Rights Action, February 9, 2021
https://mailchi.mp/rightsaction/us-government-promises-pathway-to-citizenship-for-11-million-people
Rights Action (US & Canada)
Since 1995, Rights Action: funds human rights, environment and territory defense struggles in Guatemala and Honduras; funds victims of repression and human rights violations, health harms and natural disasters; and works to hold accountable the U.S. and Canadian governments, multi-national companies, investors and banks (World Bank, etc.) that help cause and profit from exploitation and poverty, repression and human rights violations, environmental harms, corruption and impunity in Honduras and Guatemala.
Act / Stir up the pot / Chip away
Keep sending copies of Rights Action information (and that of other solidarity groups/ NGOs) to family, friends, your networks, politicians and media, asking ‘Why do our governments, companies and investment firms benefit from and turn a blind eye to poverty, repression and violence, environmental and health harms that caused the forced migrancy / refugee crisis in Guatemala and Honduras?’
Follow work of and get involved with other solidarity/NGO groups
Tax-Deductible Donations (Canada & U.S.)
To support land, human rights and environmental defender groups in Honduras and Guatemala – including community groups resisting harms and violations caused by Pan American Silver, make check to "Rights Action" and mail to:
- U.S.: Box 50887, Washington DC, 20091-0887
- Canada: (Box 552) 351 Queen St. E, Toronto ON, M5A-1T8
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