TAA/MLA Talks with Government to a Grinding Halt

On the phone: Cristina Coc

According to Coc, the Toledo Alcaldes Association and the Maya Leaders Alliance, representatives of the indigenous community, demand full recognition and protection of customary land rights in accordance with the decision of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

On the phone: Cristina Coc, Spokesperson, MLA/TAA

“It’s an attempt to completely reverse the fundamentally affirmed rights that we have struggled for for three decades and we felt that until the government is ready to come to good faith dialogues, until they are serious about talking to us respectfully, through the proper channels as respectful partners, we don’t believe that we will continue to allow them to build this kind of public misconception because it is wrong.

Isani Cayetano

“Does the walkout earlier today now signify a breakdown in dialogue between the indigenous community and the government?”

Cristina Coc

“I would have to say that yes, that’s what it reflects insofar as we made it abundantly clear to the government that we are prepared to come back to the table, we are prepared to come back to good faith dialogue when they are ready to in fact have meaningful dialogue, when they are ready to act respectfully and in good faith.  But short of that, you know, we would be wasting our time and the time of the court and the time if the government.  So the ball is in their court and when they are ready to treat this matter of implementation with some seriousness, with some genuine good faith dialogue then we are prepared to come back to the table.  Yes, I would say that the talks have broken down.”