Table of Contents

Country Reports

LM Report 2004

Guatemala

Key developments since May 2003: Clearance operations were completed in the departments of Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu, Totonicapán and Huehuetenango. In August 2004, Guatemala stated that clearance operations throughout the country were scheduled to end by June 2005. In 2003, mine risk education reached an estimated 110,189 people in 374 communities. Guatemala has served as co-chair of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction since September 2003. In October 2003, Guatemala participated in the First Regional Congress on Economic Reintegration for People with Physical Disabilities in Latin America and the Caribbean, in El Salvador.

Key developments since 1999: Guatemala ratified the Mine Ban Treaty on 26 March 1999, and it entered into force on 1 September 1999. A domestic ban had already been enacted in 1997, and Guatemala declared it never stockpiled antipersonnel mines. Guatemala submitted its initial Article 7 transparency report, due by 27 February 2000, on 2 March 2001. Guatemala served as co-rapporteur of the Standing Committee on Stockpile Destruction from September 2002 to September 2003 and as co-chair since then. Clearance operations were reported completed in the departments of Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu and Totonicapán in October 2003, in the San Marcos department in December 2002, in El Quiché department in June 2001, and in Ixcán in January 2000. Between 1998 and March 2004, a total of 4,011 mines and UXO were cleared and destroyed. From 2000-2003, mine risk education was provided to more than 300,800 people.

Mine Ban Policy

Guatemala signed the Mine Ban Treaty on 3 December 1997, ratified on 26 March 1999, and the treaty entered into force on 1 September 1999. In 1997 Guatemala passed Legislative Decree 106-97, which prohibits the production, purchase, sale, importation, exportation, transit, use or possession of antipersonnel mines, or their composite parts.^[1]

Guatemala’s support for the antipersonnel mine ban dates back to September 1996, when its Foreign Minister endorsed a call to make Central America mine-free. The country fully participated in the Ottawa Process and it has since attended every annual Meeting of States Parties as well as every intersessional Standing Committee meeting, including those held in February and June 2004. Guatemala has voted in favor of every pro-ban United Nations General Assembly resolution since 1996, including UNGA Resolution 58/53 on 8 December 2003.

Regionally, Guatemala has supported annual mine action resolutions of the Organization of American States (OAS), including those in support of integrated mine action in Central America. It has also participated in regional landmine meetings in Ecuador (August 2004), Colombia (November 2003), Perú (August 2003), Nicaragua (August 2002), the United States (December 2001), and Argentina (November 2000).

On 12 May 2004, Guatemala submitted its fourth Article 7 report, for the period from March 2003 to March 2004.^[2] Guatemala submitted its initial Article 7 report on 2 March 2001, more than one year after the treaty deadline of 27 February 2000.

Guatemala has not engaged in the extensive discussions that States Parties have had on matters of interpretation and implementation related to Articles 1, 2, and 3. Thus, it has not made known its views on the issues of joint military operations with non-States Parties, foreign stockpiling and transit of antipersonnel mines, antivehicle mines with sensitive fuzes or antihandling devices, and the permissible number of mines retained for training.

Guatemala is a State Party to Amended Protocol II (Landmines) of the Convention on Conventional Weapons (CCW) and attended the annual conferences of States Parties to Amended Protocol II in 2000-2003, including the fifth annual conference in November 2003. It submitted its Article 13 national measures report in November 2003.

Production, Transfer, Stockpiling and Use

Guatemala reports that it has never produced, imported, stockpiled or used antipersonnel landmines, that it does not have production facilities and that it has no antipersonnel mines for training or development purposes.^[3]

The guerrillas of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union (URNG, Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca) made relatively limited use of crude, homemade mines or improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during the 36-year armed conflict that ended with the peace accords of December 1996. The URNG also used homemade directional mines, which functioned similarly to Claymore mines. URNG guerrillas reportedly used these mines and IEDs for perimeter defense of their main base camps. The URNG produced their landmines out of locally available materials, including plastic tubing, potassium nitrate and sulphur, and flashlight batteries. Most of these mines were pressure-detonated, though some were set as booby-traps. URNG occasionally made booby-traps with hand grenades.^[4] The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) also reported that some local military commanders occasionally deployed improvised explosive devices, often involving hand grenades set to trip wires, for base perimeter defense.^[5]

Landmine and UXO Problem

Guatemala reports that it has a problem with unexploded ordnance (UXO) and mines dispersed in areas where the internal armed conflict took place, but does not have actual minefields.^[6] There is no registry landmines and UXO in Guatemala.^[7] In its September 2003 and May 2004 Article 7 reports, Guatemala reported that landmines, including antipersonnel mines and Claymore mines, continued to be cleared and destroyed.^[8] In July 2001, the OAS national coordinator reported that most of the UXO-contaminated land was agricultural, though explosive artifacts had been found within communities. The economic impact of UXO was reflected in the low level of agricultural productivity in high-risk departments.^[9]

In July 2001, the OAS national coordinator told Landmine Monitor that thirteen of Guatemala's twenty-two departments were considered as high-risk for civilians because of landmines and UXO: Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, Petén, Retalhuleu, San Marcos, Sololá, Suchitepéquez and Totonicapán.^[10] Two other departments were considered as low-risk for civilians: Jutiapa and Santa Rosa. In June 2002, Guatemala reported that it was carrying out its national mine clearance plan in those fifteen departments.^[11]

Mine and UXO clearance operations have been completed in the departments of Huehuetenango, Quetzaltenango, Quiché, Retalhuleu, San Marcos and Totonicapán. Jutiapa and Santa Rosa departments are no longer believed to be at risk.^[12] In 2004-2005, clearance operations are expected to focus on the departments of Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapa, Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Petén, Sacatepéquez, Sololá, Suchitepéquez.^[13] Sacatepéquez has only recently been viewed as mine/UXO-affected.^[14]

Mine Action Coordination and Planning

In August 1995, Guatemala’s National Congress issued Decree 60-95 establishing a coordination committee for the “program for the reduction of risks to inhabitants of zones affected by the armed conflict, through the sweeping and deactivation of mines and other explosive artifacts.” The committee is commonly known as the Comisión Coordinadora del Desminado (CCD).^[15] As of January 2004, the CCD had representatives from the Engineer Corps of the Guatemalan Army (in charge of destruction of UXO), the Volunteer Firefighters Corps (Cuerpo de Bomberos Voluntarios) representing civil society, reintegrated former guerrillas of the URNG, members of the Guatemalan army (responsible for clearance and risk education), and representatives of the OAS/AICMA mine action program (responsible for logistics).^[16]

In June 1997, the CCD was reformed by Decree 46-97 and a small Executive Coordinating Unit (Unidad Coordinadora Ejecutiva, UCE) was established within the National Congress to manage mine/UXO action operations in Guatemala.^[17] The UCE has a coordinator and representatives from the Volunteer Firefighters Corps and the Engineer Corps of the Army, while reintegrated former URNG combatants joined the process in August 1998.^[18] In 1997, the UCE prepared a national mine clearance plan, which was annexed to the June 2002 Article 7 report.

On 14 September 1998, Guatemala and the Organization of American States (OAS) signed an agreement on assistance to mine action in Guatemala, in order to assist implementation of the national clearance plan.^[19] The OAS Unit for the Promotion of Democracy, through its Program for Integral Action against Antipersonnel Mines (AICMA, Acción Integral contra Minas Antipersonal) is responsible for coordinating and supervising the Assistance Program for Demining in Central America (PADCA, Programa de Asistencia al Desminado en Centro América), with the technical support of the Inter-American Defense Board (IADB). The OAS IADB is responsible for organizing a team of international supervisors in charge of training and certification, known as the Assistance Mission for Mine Clearance in Central America (MARMINCA, Misión de Asistencia para la Remoción de Minas en Centro América). Supervisors from OAS MARMINCA began training Guatemalan personnel in June 1998.

Landmine and UXO Clearance

Reintegrated URNG guerrilla members and members of the Volunteer Firefighters Corps carry out mine risk education and at the same time gather information on suspected mine- and UXO-affected zones from local inhabitants, using Global Positioning Systems and portable radios in their work.^[20] The Engineer Corps of the Guatemalan Army (CIEG, Cuerpo de Ingenieros del Ejército Guatemalteco) provides survey and clearance of mines and UXO, with technical assistance from OAS MARMINCA supervisors.^[21] As of January 2004, the team responsible for clearance and mine risk education consisted of 72 personnel, including 34 Army engineers, 18 members of the Volunteer Firefighters Corps, and 20 reintegrated URNG members.^[22]

In 2003 and 2004, clearance and risk education activities were conducted in seven departments: Alta Verapaz, Baja Verapaz, Chimaltenango, Huehuetenango, Petén, Sololá, and Suchitepéquez.^[23] Difficulties faced by deminers in Guatemala include rough terrain, poor weather conditions, inaccessible roads during the rainy season, maintenance of vehicles and equipment, and a lack of accurate maps.^[24]

According to OAS PADCA Guatemala, between 1998 and March 2004 a total of 4,011 mines and UXO were cleared and destroyed.^[25] Between March 2003 and March 2004, two antipersonnel mines, two antivehicle mines, two homemade mines, and a Claymore mine were reported cleared.^[26] Between March 2002 and March 2003, ten antipersonnel mines and one Claymore mine were cleared.^[27] Between January 2001 and March 2002, a Claymore mine and 34 UXO were cleared in Chimaltenango, Quiché, and San Marcos departments.^[28] In 2000, the Volunteer Firefighters located 80 UXO which the Army subsequently destroyed. Clearance in Guatemala began in December 1998, and in the first month of operations, ten antipersonnel mines were detected and destroyed.^[29]

Clearance operations concluded in Huehuetenango department on 24 September 2004.^[30] On 8 October 2003, clearance operations in the departments of Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu and Totonicapán officially concluded with a ceremony attended by members of the National Congress, the OAS AICMA Coordinator, diplomatic representatives and media.^[31] Clearance operations in San Marcos department were completed on 15 December 2002 and the official end of operations was announced on 9 May 2003 in a public ceremony.^[32] Mine/UXO clearance in Quiché was completed in June 2001.^[33] Mine clearance in Ixcán was completed and demined lands were handed over for the first time to the local communities in January 2000.

Clearance operations began in Alta Verapaz in July 2004, and are scheduled to start in Baja Verapaz department in November 2004.^[34] In 2005, clearance operations will also be carried out in the departments of Chimaltenango, Escuintla, Sacatepéquez, Suchitepéquez, and Sololá.^[35]

In August 2004, Guatemala stated that clearance operations throughout the country were scheduled to end by June 2005, with the completion of operations in the department of Petén (Tikal) between January and June 2005.^[36] The OAS told Landmine Monitor in early 2003 that completion of the National Demining Plan had been moved forward from 2005 to 2004 due to increased financial assistance.^[37]

Mine Risk Education

In Guatemala, the Volunteer Firefighters Corps and former URNG guerrillas carry out mine/UXO risk education activities and at the same time gather information from the local people on suspected mine- and UXO-affected zones, with financial and logistical assistance provided by the OAS and the government.^[38] MRE messages are disseminated by television, radio and print media, which accommodate local indigenous languages.^[39]

In 2003, risk education activities were carried out in 374 communities in Quetzaltenango, Retalhuleu, Totonicapán and Huehuetenango departments, reaching an estimated 110,189 people.^[40] Between January and March 2004, the UCE reported that MRE reached 26,359 people in 88 communities in Huehuetenango department.^[41]

In 2002, the Association of Volunteer Firefighters carried out risk education in 308 communities in San Marcos department reaching an estimated 60,654 people.^[42] In 2001, MRE was carried out in six communities in San Marcos department reaching an estimated 80,000 people.^[43] In 2000, MRE was carried out in 163 communities in Quiché department reaching 50,000 people.^[44] Thus, from 2000 to 2003, mine risk education was provided to more than 300,800 people.

On 3 October 2000, the OAS PADCA Guatemala program together with a local communications company, Grupo 2, were awarded a UNICEF Award for Communication for the “Let’s not play with death” public awareness campaign. President Alfonso Portillo attended the award ceremony.^[45]

In the mid-1990s, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, facilitating the repatriation of war refugees from México, carried out a mine risk education program that trained Guatemalan civilians among the repatriated community in mine detection and awareness. The program spent $700,000 to assess the initial problem and to train a team of 18 refugees as landmine detection awareness leaders.^[46] That team was later integrated into the Volunteer Firefighters Corps, which enjoys widespread confidence among Guatemala’s civilian population and stands out as a model for civil society involvement in mine action operations.

Mine Action Funding

In May 2003, the OAS projected that Guatemala’s mine action funding requirements for 2003-2005 would be $2.1 million: $900,000 for 2003; $900,000 for 2004; and $300,000 for 2005, when clearance is to be completed.^[47] In August 2003, the OAS reported that clearance and mine risk education in seven departments in 2004 would require approximately $871,666.^[48]

Guatemala contributes funding to its mine action efforts. It reported to the Mine Ban Treaty Resource Mobilization Contact Group that it provided $1.41 million from 1999-2003: $317,443 in 1999; $282,903 in 2000; $280,394 in 2001; $257,158 in 2002; and, $275,107 in 2003.^[49] An official told Landmine Monitor that in 2004, the Guatemalan government provided $120,000 for mine action.^[50]

Most international donors contribute to the OAS regional mine action program, which benefits Guatemala. Some contributions are provided explicitly for Guatemala. On 6 June 2003, the OAS announced a Norwegian contribution of NOK4.6 million (approximately $670,000) for clearance in Guatemala.^[51] Canada donated US$185,640 to the OAS for post-rehabilitation job-training for landmine/UXO survivors in Guatemala in 2003.^[52] In 2003, Taiwan provided $80,000 to the OAS to fund mine/UXO clearance projects in Guatemala.^[53]

According to a May 2003 presentation by the OAS, sixteen governments and the European Union have contributed to the regional mine action program benefiting Guatemala. This included donors that have provided long-term support and/or have provided support for specific units (Canada, Norway, Sweden, UK, USA, and the European Union), donors that have provided general support (Denmark, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and Spain), and smaller donors (Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, and Russia).^[54] The program received more than $24.5 million from 1998-2002.^[55] In June 2004 the OAS reported that total contributions over the course of 2003 and the first quarter of 2004 amounted to approximately $8.2 million.^[56]

On 26 July 2004, Guatemala signed an agreement on cooperation and technology transfer for mine clearance with Colombia, during an official visit by Guatemalan Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Briz Abularach to Bogotá.^[57]

In September 2003, Guatemala reported that OAS MARMINCA supervisors from Brazil, Colombia, El Salvador, Honduras and Venezuela participated in Guatemalan clearance operations.^[58] Guatemala has contributed eighteen military mine action supervisors to OAS IADB since 1993, including two in 2002, two in 2003 and two in 2004.^[59] In 2002 and 2003 two Guatemalan supervisors participated in clearance efforts in Nicaragua and Perú; in 2004, two Guatemalan supervisors are participating in clearance efforts in Nicaragua.^[60]

Landmine Casualties and Survivor Assistance^[61]

No landmine casualties were reported in Guatemala in 2003. Since 1999, only one UXO incident has been identified by Landmine Monitor. In December 2001, four brothers aged six, eight, ten and fourteen were killed in Salama, Baja Verapaz Department when they handled a grenade.^[62] However, it is possible that mine and UXO incidents have occurred, but not been reported to the Volunteer Firefighters.^[63]

The total numbers of landmine casualties in Guatemala is not known. According to the OAS, landmines and UXO have killed 23 people and injured 20 others since 1994.^[64] However, UNICEF and ASCATED (Asociación de Capacitación y Asistencia Técnica en Educación y Discapacidad) have identified 177 mine and UXO survivors injured between 1972 and December 2002.^[65] Guatemala estimates that there are 3,500 war-wounded in Guatemala, including 1,600 Army veterans, 650 former URNG combatants, and 1,250 civilians.^[66] It is not known how many of the war-wounded are mine survivors.

UNICEF, in cooperation with ASCATED and the University of Valle, has been supporting community-based rehabilitation and socio-economic reintegration of mine and UXO survivors in Guatemala since 1999. Since then, the centers have provided direct assistance to 670 people, including the 177 mine/UXO survivors identified.^[67]

The Guatemalan Red Cross project “Derribando Barreras” (Removing Barriers), started in September 2001 in cooperation with the Spanish Red Cross, provides assistance including prosthetics and rehabilitation services to war-wounded and persons with disabilities.^[68]

The Guatemalan NGO Transitions provides rehabilitation services, education programs, job training, and sports training for persons with disabilities. From May 2003 to April 2004 Transiciones provided direct assistance to 30 persons, including two UXO survivors.^[69]

Guatemala submitted the voluntary Form J attachment with its annual Article 7 report in September 2003, with detailed information on assistance to mine survivors and other persons with disabilities, including information on a national plan for the care of persons with disabilities (PRADIS, Programa Nacional de Atención a Personas con Discapacidad). The national program aims to improve the provision of services to persons with disabilities, which are considered inadequate to meet the needs.^[70]

---

[1] This and a range of other national implementation measures are described in the March 2001 Article 7 report. Article 7 Report, Form A, 2 March 2001; Article 7 Report, Form A, 5 June 2002.
[2] Guatemala submitted Article 7 reports on: 3 September 2003 (for March 2002 to March 2003), including voluntary Form J; 5 June 2002 (for March 2001 to March 2002); and 2 March 2001 (for 1999-2000).
[3] Article 7 Report, Forms B, D, and E, 12 May 2004. Guatemala reported this information to Landmine Monitor in February 1999.
[4] ICRC, Antipersonnel Mines in Central America: Conflict and post-conflict, Geneva, January 1996, p. 18.
[5] Ibid.
[6] Article 7 Report, Form I, 12 May 2004.
[7] OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 20.
[8] See “Artefactos Explosivos Destruidos por el Grupo de Desminado, 9 al 20 de Septiembre 2002, 10 al 29 de Marzo 2003,” Article 7 Report Annexed Tables, 3 September 2003.
[9] Interview with Guillermo Pacheco, Guatemala Coordinator, OAS PADCA, Guatemala, 24 July 2001.
[10] Ibid.
[11] Article 7 Report, Form C, and National Demining Plan attached to report, 5 June 2002.
[12] Telephone interview with Jhony Cabrera, Coordinator, UCE, Guatemala, 5 October 2004.
[13] Ibid.
[14] Local authorities requested MRE from the government to carry out due to the suspected presence of UXO in the department’s main urban center of Antigua. Telephone interview with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 7 October 2004.
[15] OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 19. See also Antipersonnel Mines in Central America, January 1996, p. 22.
[16] Interview with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 21 January 2004.
[17] Interviews with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 14 and 26 January 2004; OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 19. The UCE Coordinator is based at the OAS PADCA office. Email from William McDonough, Coordinator, OAS AICMA, 26 July 2001.
[18] OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 19.
[19] Ibid, p. 20.
[20] Two GPS receivers and five portable radios were reported in use by the Volunteer Firefighters. National Demining Plan attached to Article 7 Report, 5 June 2002.
[21] OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 22.
[22] Interview with Jhony Cabrera, Coordinator, UCE, Guatemala, 21 January 2004.
[23] OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, pp. 23-25.
[24] National Demining Plan attached to Article 7 Report, 5 June 2002.
[25] Interviews with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 12 and 22 April 2004.
[26] Article 7 Report, UCE, “Rendimiento de las operaciones en Guatemala,” annexed table, 12 May 2004.
[27] Ibid, 3 September 2003. It was also reported that in 2002, 8,342 square meters of UXO-contaminated land was cleared in San Marcos department and 56 UXO destroyed. Interview with William de León, Coordinator, Cuerpo Voluntario de Bomberos, Guatemala, 4 December 2002.
[28] National Demining Plan attached to Article 7 Report, 5 June 2002. It was also reported that in 2001 the Volunteer Firefighters located 26 UXO and the Army cleared an area covering 7,749 square meters. Interview with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 24 January 2003.
[29] Organización de Estados Americanos, “El Programa de Asistencia al Desminado en Centroamérica,” 4 February 1999.
[30] Telephone interview with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 5 October 2004.
[31] Interviews with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 11, 19 and 26 January 2004.
[32] Ibid, 16 May 2003.
[33] Interview with Guillermo Pacheco, OAS PADCA, 24 July 2001.
[34] Telephone interview with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 5 October 2004.
[35] Ibid.
[36] Landmine Monitor (MAC) notes taken on presentation by Guatemala, Regional Mine Action Seminar, Quito, 12 August 2004. See also “Palabras del Viceministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Guatemala, Gabriel Aguilera Peralta,” V Conferencia de los Estados Partes de la Convención de Ottawa, Bangkok, September 2003.
[37] Interview with Guillermo Pacheco, OAS PADCA, 7 January 2003. The OAS reported in August 2003 that clearance and risk education activities in Huehuetenango department would finish in early 2004, and activities would begin in Alta Verapaz and Baja Verapaz. In the second half of 2004, clearance and risk education would be completed in Chimaltenango, Petén, Suchitepéquez and Sololá departments. OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 21.
[38] Article 7 Report, Form I, 12 May 2004. OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 22.
[39] Article 7 Report, Form I, 12 May 2004.
[40] Interviews with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 11, 19 and 26 February 2004.
[41] Interviews with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 12 and 22 April 2004.
[42] Interview with William de León, Cuerpo Voluntario de Bomberos, 4 December 2002.
[43] Interview with Guillermo Pacheco, OAS PADCA, 10 July 2002.
[44] Interview with Miguel Antonio Panadero, Director of Public Relations, Cuerpo Voluntario de Bomberos, Guatemala, 24 July 2001.
[45] OAS News, “Guatemala mine-clearing program wins UNICEF award,” October 2000; OEA, “Informe del Secretario General sobre la implementación de las Resoluciones 1745 (Apoyo a PADEP) y 1751 (Apoyo a PADCA),” CP/doc.3432/01 rev.1, 7 May 2001.
[46] Antipersonnel Mines in Central America, January 1996, p. 21.
[47] See OAS, “Mine Action Program: Making the Western Hemisphere landmine-safe,” Resource Mobilization: Projection of Financial Resources/Requirements 2003-2007, p. 6. Presented at the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 12 May 2003.
[48] OEA AICMA, “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 26.
[49] Resource Mobilisation Contact Group, “A review of resources to achieve the Convention's aims,” table 2: Mine Action Funding 1997-2003 (Mine-Affected States Parties), p. 7, presented by Norway at the Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, Geneva, 25 June 2004.
[50] Interview with Jhony Cabrera, UCE, 21 January 2004.
[51] OAS press release C-115/03, “Noruega dona al programa de Acción contra Minas de la OEA en Guatemala,” 6 June 2003; “Norway donation helps to clear Guatemala of war-era ordnance,” EFE, 7 June 2003.
[52] See Canada country report in this Landmine Monitor Report 2004.
[53] Letter from Department of Central and South American Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 17 March 2003.
[54] See OAS, “Projection of Financial Resources/Requirements 2003-2007, p. 6; presentation by OAS, Standing Committee on General Status and Operation of the Convention, 12 May 2003.
[55] OAS press release E-248/02, “France contributes to OAS mine-clearance operations,” 18 December 2002.
[56] OAS, Update of the OAS Mine Action Program (AICMA) to the Standing Committee on Mine Clearance, MRE and Mine Action Technologies, June 2004.
[57] “Canciller de Guatemala inició visita official a Colombia,” AFP (Bogotá), 26 July 2004; “Guatemala ayudará a Colombia en la eliminación de minas antipersonales,” El Tiempo (Bogotá), 27 July 2004.
[58] “Palabras del Viceministro de Relaciones Exteriores de Guatemala, Gabriel Aguilera Peralta,” V Conferencia de los Estados Partes de la Convención de Ottawa, Bangkok, September 2003.
[59] The 16 supervisors include two in 1993, 1998, and 1999, three in 2000 and 2001, and two in 2002 and 2003. “Contribution Countries (International Supervisors) to the OAS Program of Demining in Central America,” table provided by email to Landmine Monitor (HRW) from Carl Case, OAS, 18 June 2002; email from Carl Case, 23 July 2003.
[60] Interview with Guillermo Pacheco, OAS PADCA, 28 January 2004.
[61] For more details on Survivor Assistance activities see Landmine Monitor Report 2003, p. 274; Landmine Monitor Report 2002, p. 284.
[62] Interview with William de León, Volunteer Firefighters, 10 July 2002.
[63] Telephone interview with Sergio Vásquez, Public Relations Officer, Voluntary Firefighters, Guatemala, 3 April 2000.
[64] OEA Programa de Asistencia a la Acción Integral Contra las Minas Antipersonal (AICMA), “Portafolio 2003-2004,” August 2003, p. 23.
[65] Interview with Ramiro Quezada, Project Officer, UNICEF, Guatemala, 8 January, 2003.
[66] Article 7 Report, Form J, 3 September 2003.
[67] Interview with Rolando Flores, Project Manager, ASCATED, Guatemala, 14 February 2004.
[68] Article 7 Report, Form J, 3 September 2003; interviews with Dr. Arturo Valdes, National Secretary of Health, Guatemalan Red Cross, Guatemala, 15 January and 11 June 2003.
[69] Interview with Flor de María Canis, Assistant Director, Transiciones, Guatemala, 20 April 2004.
[70] Article 7 Report, Form J, 3 September 2003.