Latest news with #Q'eqchi
Yahoo
30-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Guatemalan ex-paramilitaries sentenced to 40 years each in Maya Achi rape trial
By Sofia Menchu GUATEMALA CITY (Reuters) -A top Guatemalan court on Friday sentenced three former paramilitaries each to 40 years in prison after they were found guilty of raping six Indigenous women between 1981 and 1983, the bloodiest period of the Central American nation's civil war. The trial against the former members of the so-called Civil Self-Defense Patrol, armed groups recruited by the army, began four months ago. "The soldiers arrived late at night, threw me onto the ground and raped me," Paulina Ixpata, a Maya Achi woman, said during the trial, recounting how she was held for 25 days by the military patrol. "That's how the whole night went." This is the second trial in the so-called Maya Achi case, and follows reports of sexual violence filed between 2011 and 2015 by 36 victims against former military personnel, military commissioners and civilian self-defense patrol members. The first trial, which took place in January 2022, saw five former patrol members sentenced to 30 years in prison. They remain incarcerated. In 2016, a Guatemalan court sentenced former two military officers for holding 15 women from the Q'eqchi community, who are also of Maya origin, as sex slaves at the Sepur Zarco military base, a landmark case that marked the first convictions in Guatemala of military officers for wartime rape. Both officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison, where they remain incarcerated. The court also stipulated a reparations program, whose progress remains limited despite advocacy by the 15 women who were at the trial, known as the "Grandmothers of Sepur Zarco."
Reuters
30-05-2025
- General
- Reuters
Guatemalan ex-paramilitaries sentenced to 40 years each in Maya Achi rape trial
GUATEMALA CITY, May 30 (Reuters) - A top Guatemalan court on Friday sentenced three former paramilitaries each to 40 years in prison after they were found guilty of raping six Indigenous women between 1981 and 1983, the bloodiest period of the Central American nation's civil war. The trial against the former members of the so-called Civil Self-Defense Patrol, armed groups recruited by the army, began four months ago. "The soldiers arrived late at night, threw me onto the ground and raped me," Paulina Ixpata, a Maya Achi woman, said during the trial, recounting how she was held for 25 days by the military patrol. "That's how the whole night went." This is the second trial in the so-called Maya Achi case, and follows reports of sexual violence filed between 2011 and 2015 by 36 victims against former military personnel, military commissioners and civilian self-defense patrol members. The first trial, which took place in January 2022, saw five former patrol members sentenced to 30 years in prison. They remain incarcerated. In 2016, a Guatemalan court sentenced former two military officers for holding 15 women from the Q'eqchi community, who are also of Maya origin, as sex slaves at the Sepur Zarco military base, a landmark case that marked the first convictions in Guatemala of military officers for wartime rape. Both officers were sentenced to a combined 360 years in prison, where they remain incarcerated. The court also stipulated a reparations program, whose progress remains limited despite advocacy by the 15 women who were at the trial, known as the "Grandmothers of Sepur Zarco."
CBC
13-02-2025
- General
- CBC
How one community in Guatemala lives off the forest, while protecting it for the future
The sound of chainsaws rips through the air. A tree falls to the ground. This may sound like the usual destruction of our environment, but this time, it's not what it seems. These loggers at work actually live in the forest — and want to protect it. Within the Maya Biosphere Reserve, part of one of the largest tracts of rainforest in Central America, are more than 80,000 hectares of land cared for by the villagers of Uaxactún. This clip from the "Forest" episode of Shared Planet, a series from The Nature of Things, Uaxactún mayor Erwin Maas shows how the community lives off the forest, while protecting it for the future. A member of the Q'eqchi', Maas sees the forest as a part of himself. "For me, the forest is part of who I am," he says. "When you go into the forest, you connect with nature." Walking through the underbrush, Maas and his team of loggers are looking for a tree they can cut down. Uaxactún relies on the forest's resources for its exports — sustainable lumber, palm fronds for floral arrangements, tree nuts sold as a superfood — and One mahogany tree, for example, can fetch roughly $23,000 — a significant sum in a country where the annual income is close to $10,000. But it's not just humans that rely on the forest. Looking up at one prospective tree, Maas notices a flash of red. The canopy is a refuge for the fewer than 200 scarlet macaws left in Guatemala. Lacking the beautiful plumage of its parents, a baby macaw is nestled in a hollow high above the forest floor. This fledgling is the future. To protect the trees is to protect the species. Maas designates this tree as a "seeder." It will be left standing to propagate other trees while also providing a home for wildlife. In doing so, Maas and his community are thinking long-term. "What do you gain from clear cutting?" he said. "In one year, it can be very lucrative. But you are stealing from future generations." Not everyone agrees. On the edge of the community's forest, a pile of leaf litter is set alight, threatening extensive damage to the community's forest. Drug cartels want to clear the land for illegal cattle ranching — a way of laundering money. In this part of the Maya Biosphere Reserve, designating an area as a national park is not the most effective way of safeguarding the forest. It's Maas and his community, who live and work there and are committed to protecting it. Watch the video above for the full story.
Associated Press
28-01-2025
- Associated Press
Historic Launch: Universal Mayan Keyboard Now Available for Microsoft Windows
HOUSTON, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / January 28, 2025 / The Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project, supported by MasterWord Services, announces the release of its first Universal Mayan Keyboard for Microsoft Windows. This new tool represents a pivotal step toward advancing digital accessibility for more than seven million Mayan language speakers, building on earlier Google Android offerings and expanding the ways Mayan speakers can write and communicate Universal Keyboard for Mayan Languages is a First for Windows Mayan woman using a laptop Ingrid Pacay, project contributor and Q'eqchi' speaker, explains, 'Li tz'iib'leb'aal jwal ajel li ru jo' k'anjelob'aal li ta'tenq'anq reheb' naab'aleb' li qakomon jwal nake'cha'ajko' chi ru roksinkileb' li ulul ch'iich' sa' kaxlanchi'.' 'The keyboard is a necessary tool that will help our people who struggle to use a computer in Spanish.' José Miguel Tzib'oy Yat, teacher at the CTB Bilingual School in Guatemala, adds, 'Li xyiib'ankil re jun tz'iib'leb'aal windows jwal us xb'aan naq naxkawob'resi li qaatinob'aal Q'eqchi', natenq'ank qe chi xseeb'ankil li q'a k'anjel.' 'The creation of a keyboard for Windows in our language is extremely positive because it strengthens the Q'eqchi' language and allows us to work in a more effective way.' Optimized for Microsoft Windows Users Publishing through the Microsoft Store allows Windows users to install and seamlessly use the Universal Mayan Keyboard across Microsoft Office and other desktop applications. The layout is optimized for Mayan languages, preserving familiar Spanish keyboard elements while adding special Mayan characters. Expanding Access and Empowering Communities This release of the Universal Mayan Keyboard for Windows is just one part of a broader effort to promote linguistic and cultural continuity: Additional Keyboards: Versions tailored to specific Mayan languages like Kaqchikel and Mam are currently in development, reaffirming the project's commitment to equitable digital access. Open-Source Tools: All software is being developed as open-source to ensure sustainable long-term support and community-driven improvements. How to Download The keyboard is free to download at where users can also find installation instructions and other resources. The website is fully localized in K'iche' and Q'eqchi', demonstrating the project's commitment to linguistic inclusion and cultural authenticity. The keyboard can also be downloaded directly from Microsoft at About the Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project Launched in 2023 in alignment with UNESCO's International Decade of Indigenous Languages, the Mayan Languages Preservation and Digitization Project is a community-driven initiative that safeguards the linguistic and cultural heritage of Mayan speakers. With over 100 contributors from local communities, the project creates open-source tools that bridge the digital divide and elevate indigenous voices.
