Become a Human Rights Accompanier in Guatemala
............................................................................................

Who participates in G.A.P.?

Guatemalan communities, individuals and organizations: A written request for accompaniment is submitted to G.A.P. For example, in 2000 the witnesses to the two genocide cases, who are all members of the Association for Justice and Reconciliation (AJR), presented a request to a number of international accompaniment organizations in the name of the Association. The witnesses are responsible for defining how accompaniment will happen in their community, providing housing and coordinating meals. Human rights, social justice, and similar nongovernmental organizations also submit requests for short-term accompaniment. The Long-Term accompaniment team responds to this and other requests for accompaniment in the regions where we work with the AJR. In addition, human rights, social justice, and similar nongovernmental organizations also submit requests for short-term accompaniment. These are evaluated and responded to by G.A.P.’s Guatemala City-based Short-Term Accompaniment team. All NISGUA/G.A.P. accompaniment is done in conjunction with the ACOGUATE project, an international collaboration of 9 countries and 8 organizations.

A Sponsoring Community in the U.S. responds to alerts about human rights violations and gives financial, political and personal support to the accompanier. During the years G.A.P. accompanied communities of returned refugees and displaced peoples, the Sponsoring Communities (which may be religious groups, committees or organizations concerned about Guatemala), developed deep relationships with their sister Guatemalan community. Sponsoring Communities maintain those ties through regular visits, letter exchanges and phone calls, while supporting an accompanier who is working on the genocide cases. Members of the Sponsoring Community are committed to learning about Guatemala and the communities where the accompanier they support is working.

They think of creative ways to educate the public about the current Guatemalan reality and participate in lobbying efforts to promote just U.S. policies towards Guatemala. The Sponsoring Community raises funds to support the accompanier. Some Sponsoring Communities have supported small-scale grassroots development projects and scholarship funds in their sister community in Guatemala.

Accompaniers provide a dissuasive presence, a link to the international community, and a measure of moral support. Trained as human rights observers to participate in the ACOGUATE accompaniment project, the majority of G.A.P. accompaniers, working in teams of two, are focused on a particular region where they monitor and gather information at the regional and local levels, accompanying between one and three different accompaniment cases. They travel regularly toGuatemala City and other locations for meetings, public activities, and, less frequently, for court appearances. ACOGUATE’s Short-Term accompaniment team is based in the capital. Accompaniers write reports and letters to be used for education and advocacy work. (Short-Team team accompaniers must have previous accompaniment experience in Guatemala and an understanding of the complex political situation. Because of the prior experience required, first-time accompaniers are directed to the Long-Term accompaniment team.)  

G.A.P. Staff Coordinators in Guatemala provide support and guidance for the accompaniers, U.S. sponsoring communities, and Guatemalans with whom we work. Coordinators are responsible for training and recruiting accompaniers, and maintaining relationships with the Sponsoring Communities, as well as orientation, support, and supervision of the accompaniers, and collaboration with other international accompaniment organizations. NISGUA staff closely monitor the situation in Guatemala to ensure the accompaniers’ safety. 

What are the requirements for becoming an accompanier?

A candidate should have:

• An understanding of the history of Central America/U.S. relationships and the current situation in Guatemala

• A basic understanding of accompaniment and nonviolence, and a willingness to continue developing that understanding

• Previous experience in Latin America, especially rural areas (strongly preferred)

• A high level of verbal and written Spanish or the ability to develop it with six weeks of intensive study

• Six months to commit to G.A.P., not including training and language study if needed

• The ability to document and analyze events and conditions in order to prepare reports

• Cultural sensitivity

• Patience and flexibility

• Initiative and a capacity for self-direction

• Excellent judgment skills

• Physical stamina and good health

• Awareness of security issues and willingness to work in a situation which might involve some risk

• A strong connection to a community in the U.S.

• Successfully completed the G.A.P. training

How is accompaniment funded?

Accompaniers, Sponsoring Communities, and the G.A.P. office fundraise independently and collaboratively to cover the expenses of accompaniment. Accompaniers are responsible for some costs themselves, while others are paid by the Sponsoring Community. General operating and staffing costs are sought by the national G.A.P./NISGUA office.

Fundraising provides an opportunity for people who can’t personally accompany to support this important work, and it is a key component of educating others about the political situation in Guatemala and the need for accompaniment. Fundraising strategies are discussed and practiced at training in the U.S.

What kind of training does the accompanier receive?

G.A.P. training is one week long and takes place in the U.S. All accompaniers also receive an orientation upon arrival in Guatemala, as well as an additional seven days of training that focuses on the current state of accompaniment, logistics and other topics. The U.S. training includes the philosophy of international human rights accompaniment; anti-oppression work; role plays that train participants to live and work in rural Guatemalan communities; the history of Guatemala with an emphasis on the recent past; the current reality of Guatemala; security and safety; human rights in Guatemala; and human rights monitoring, reporting, and media work.

.

What are the living conditions like?

The Guatemalan communities provide accommodation for accompaniers. In some places accompaniers stay in community buildings with cement floors and concrete walls, and running water and electricity for a few hours per day. Other communities make available a simple wooden house with a thatched or tin roof and dirt floor. Accompaniers bathe in either a river or at a community sink. Most accompaniers’ houses have latrine facilities close by. Access to many of the communities is difficult, requiring travel by unpaved road, river or on foot. Most communities have a radio or radio/solar operated telephone, and some have satellite phones. The areas in which G.A.P. accompanies range from hot, humid low-lying places where it rains heavily for up to 8 months of the year to cooler highland areas.

Is Guatemala safe?

The human rights situation in Guatemala has deteriorated between 2000 and 2009. There occasionally have been violent incidents in the communities where G.A.P. operates, and a number of the individuals we accompany have received threats or been attacked. Accompaniers should be aware that a human rights violation is possible and be ready to respond in an appropriate manner should one occur. G.A.P. staff monitors the security situation, and operates strict security procedures for accompaniers in the event of a human rights violation. It should also be noted that there is a high level of crime in Guatemala. Armed robbery is a risk, more so when traveling and in Guatemala City, less so in the communities themselves.

What support does NISGUA/G.A.P. offer in-country?

NISGUA has three full-time and one part-time staff members in our Guatemala City office, including the G.A.P. Coordinator, who provides orientation, support and guidance to accompaniers. Each accompanier also has an ACOGUATE coordinator, who may or not be a NISGUA staff person, who acts as their coordinator for regions/cases.  G.A.P. coordinators also participate in ACOGUATE accompanier retreats which take place every other month, which serve as a forum for ACOGUATE accompaniers to support each other and share information. The coordinator is available in the case of any emergency.

Accompaniers stay at the NISGUA office/house, which has a kitchen, living room, dorm-style bedrooms, space for storage, and staff offices. Phones and computers are available for accompanier use.

What Happens After I Accompany?

Upon returning to the U.S., accompaniers engage in education and advocacy work with their local and/or sponsoring communities, supported by the national NISGUA office.  Many sponsoring communities host their G.A.P. volunteers on speaking tours, through which former accompaniers talk with schools, religious groups and activists.  Accompaniers also have the opportunity to join the NISGUA speakers’ bureau and to contribute to NISGUA’s advocacy work by meeting with Congressional representatives and participating in research or writing projects.  Post-accompaniment advocacy is essential in raising awareness in the U.S., expanding international grassroots solidarity, and organizing for long-term change.