Indigenous community radio stations in Guatemala have found themselves in the midst of a hopeful period regarding their legalizations, as the new government entered in January 2016. Bill 4087, Community Media Law, which was brought to the table in Congress after years of lobbying, has achieved significant advances as it passed its first and second readings in Congress.
La Red Centroamericana de Radios Comunitarias Indígenas, la cual esta conformada por radio comunitaria indígenas de los siete países de Centroamérica (Belice, Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica y Panamá), ha pronunciado su apoyo y respaldo para la iniciativa 4087, la Ley de los Medios Comunitarios, en Guatemala. En una carta poderosa, urgen que el Congreso de la Republica de Guatemala apruebe la ley para cumplir con su compromiso como un Estado Democrático.
Cultural Survival apoya a la iniciativa 4087, Ley de Medios Comunitarios, la cual esta siendo considerada en el Congreso de la Republica de Guatemala. El voto para la iniciativa podría estar programado para el martes, 9 de febrero, 2016 a lo mas pronto y para ser aprobado, 105 de los 158 miembros del congreso tienen que votar a favor de la ley. La Iniciativa 4087 modificaría la ley existente de telecomunicaciones guatemalteca para permitir acceso a frecuencias radiales para radios comunitarias sin fines de lucro en cada municipio del país.
Cultural Survival stands in support of Bill 4087, Community Media Law, which is currently being considered in the Guatemalan Congress. A vote on this bill could be scheduled for as soon as Tuesday, February 9, 2016 and in order for it to pass, 105 of the 158 members of congress must vote in its favor. Bill 4087 would modify the existing Guatemalan telecommunications laws to allow access to non-profit community radio licenses for each municipality in Guatemala.
Riding the tides of Guatemala’s recent political uprising, congressional allies in Guatemala have managed to insert the Community Media Bill 4087 onto the agenda in Congress this week in Guatemala City.
La Iniciativa de Ley 4087 de Medios de Comunicación Comunitaria finalmente está avanzando en el Congreso de la República con el apoyo de la diputada Sandra Moran, (Bancada Convergencia) y el diputado Amílcar Pop, (Bancada Winaq). La Iniciativa 4087, que legalizaría la radio comunitaria en el país, fue presentado originalmente en 2009, pero se ha estancado durante años.
From January 16-18, 2016, Cultural Survival in partnership with Sobrevivencia Cultural, AMARC, Voces Indigenas Panama, and Fundacion Comunicandonos will host the first ever Central American Indigenous Community Radio Conference in Narganá, Comarca Guna Yala, Panamá. The conference will gather over 40 Indigenous community radio volunteers from all over Central America to discuss and share their experience with community media in their respective countries.
On December 15, 2015 Naleb, a well recognized Indigenous group, gathered over 30 Guatemalan Indigenous organizations for their 10th workshop in Antigua, Guatemala. The previous nine workshops have focused on drafting a document of demands and recommendations from Indigenous Peoples to their government in order to bring to light these ongoing issues to the newly elected president. This last gathering brought to the table the ambassadors of Spain and Canada to discuss their role in Guatemala.
On November 20 and 21, 2015, Cultural Survival Executive Director Suzanne Benally visited three Indigenous community radio stations in Guatemala. After participating in several panels during the VII Continental Meeting of Indigenous Women of the Americas, Benally traveled to three Indigenous communities to learn about the efforts and initiatives they are undertaking in maintaining their community radios.
Reconocimiento de tierra
Reconocemos que nuestra sede está en la tierra de Massachusetts, en Cambridge, MA, y agradecemos a los administradores Indígenas pasados, actuales y futuros de este territorio.
