Guatemala City, August 7th 2001
Carlos Camacho: land issues and agricultural development
· Land issues: one of the main problems in Guatemala
o 1998: 0.15% of people own 70% of the land (around 2000 families)
o 76% of the population owed 20% of the land
· Biggest land difference distribution in LA
o Land issue is related to social difference in Guatemala
· Report Interamerican Development Bank in 1998: biggest wealth concentration in the world
o The product of stripping away indigenous lands started during the conquista
· After 1870: worsening of confiscation: no recognition of indigenous ownership (land was taken for coffee producers)
· Judicial system was built to strip away indigenous lands
· Great deficiencies in land registry have endured
o The peace accords of 1996 envisions land issues/ownership/registry rights
· Context of lack of registry/ownership/judicial establishment; land conflicts abound
· Study shows more than 2000 registered land conflict of 17 different types (prior to accords)
· After accord: Dependencia Presidecial de Asuntos de Tierras => set to resolve land conflicts. (1700 resolved to date)
· Minugua: verification of land-issue.
o TO this date: priority in studies is of judicial or political bias
o Lack of academic experience in study of land issues- even less so in state institutions: result is the absence of sustainable solutions
o Minugua has selected areas in Guatemala for in-depth study of land conflicts.
· Publication of manual for study of conflict, and understanding its structural aspects. It is available for all. Provides no solutions but is a guide for research.
· Research is supported by Danish aid money – results to be published soon.
o Studies show:
· Indigenous land is non-exchangeable => any solution based on the market-mechanisms does not take indigenous view into account
· Judicial system is still biased against indians, as well as political/ideological discrimination.
Q: is Minugua scaling down and what will happen with land-issues when it is?
-In the near future no solutions are obvious, and there is little political will form the government
-lack of ressources for dependencia presidencial on land; but it is not because there is no money, soince budget for the military increases anyway.
Q: Why are you in Guatemala? (what is the mandate?)
-the peace accord sets up verification mission for the UN (Minugua in 1994 for verification of HR accord)
-From 1997 Minugua is to verify all accords
Q: Do you feel that your work is sometimes a waste?
-Maybe. It is sad.
-Advance in implementation of accords is purely superficial. There is no will to carry out accords. Minugua hopes to stay till 2008.
Q: follow up of former question: Copmagua scared of Minugua leaving
-General Assembly of the UN decides if Minugua is to stay
-Sustainability of the peace accords depends on demilitarization.
Q: Hopw did the land fund work after the peace accords?
-started 1997 to buy land
-ley del fondo de tierra
-bought land for 6-7000 familes; however, they are not usually beneficiares.
-does not accord with peace accords
-Technically it works very well. Fullfillment leaves a lot to be desired.
Q: Security/peace dilemma with justice/development?
-ask the chief of mission =>it is a political issue.
Thank you very very nice