Central Campesina Chortí Nuevo Día
Nuevo Dia Ch’orti Indigenous Association (Central Campesina Chortí Nuevo Día, CCCND) works alongside indigenous Ch’orti communities in the region of Chiquimula, Guatemala. The organisation provides legal support and visibility to these communities, who face threats and human rights violations due to the implementation of hydroelectric and mining projects on their territories.
Since Otto Pérez Molina assumed the role of President in January 2012, cases of harassment and threats against HRDs have been on the rise. Human rights defenders (HRDs) in Guatemala are subjected to death threats, physical attacks, acts of harassment, surveillance, stigmatisation, judicial harassment, arbitrary detention, forced disappearance and killings. Many of the violations are carried out by clandestine security structures and illegal groups. The exceptionally high level of impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators increases the risk exponentially for HRDs.
