On October 13th, McMaster had the honour of hosting Dr Catherine Nolin’s presentation on Transnational Ruptures in a Time of Impunity. Dr. Nolin is an associate professor and chair at the University of Northern British Columbia. She is also a social geographer with two broad areas or research interest: migration studies and justice in Guatemala. Nolin has received various prestigious awards, most recent one being the 2007 UNBC Excellence in Teaching Award Recipient. She organized a trip to Guatemala with graduate students to document the violent development of Canadian mining in Guatemala.
Dr. Nolin explained the conflict Guatemala has dealt with before sharing her journey. Guatemala is recovering from thirty-six years of internal conflict …show more content…
Canadian owned mining companies hired corrupted security to protect their work in Guatemala. Dr. Nolin documented the Canadian mining case with graduate students and journalist James Rodriguez. The sad reality is that without the help of Dr. Nolin and her team, the violent happenings surrounding Canadian mining would not be known to Canadians. The most affected by Canadian mining are the indigenous communities in Guatemala. Dr. Nolin was asked by the Lote 8 community to listen to their version of what happened when Canadian industries began mining in Guatemala. Their community was evicted by the Canadian hired mining security and whoever refused was tear gassed. The families’ home were dismantled and their lives destroyed. The indigenous men feared for their lives and escaped, leaving their wives and children behind. The men believed the security would not touch women and children, but unfortunately they were wrong. Many children and women suffered under the Canadian hired security. Indigenous women were raped and attacked by the military several times. The women endured the agony of being abused in order to save their …show more content…
Nolin and her team to be part of the fire ceremony. At the ceremony, the community asked Nolin and her students to take their experience and share it with Canadians. Dr. Nolin was determined to work with James Rodriguez to take her knowledge of the violence the Canadian mining industry has caused in Guatemala. As Nolin and the students were leaving the community, they passed a sign that read “Development is the New Name for Peace”.
Dr. Nolin and the graduate students traveled back to the mountains of Lote Ocho and asked for true Canadian connection in the attacks. They asked the women who was raped and abused by a private security of Canadian company. Without hesitation, the women raised their hands and stood by their testimony. Knowing this may have consequences, the women who raised their hand agreed to give their names and take a picture to provide evidence for trials. The indigenous women have traveled to Toronto to speak in trials. Several documents must be completed before a verdict can be
Dr. Nolin explained the conflict Guatemala has dealt with before sharing her journey. Guatemala is recovering from thirty-six years of internal conflict …show more content…
Canadian owned mining companies hired corrupted security to protect their work in Guatemala. Dr. Nolin documented the Canadian mining case with graduate students and journalist James Rodriguez. The sad reality is that without the help of Dr. Nolin and her team, the violent happenings surrounding Canadian mining would not be known to Canadians. The most affected by Canadian mining are the indigenous communities in Guatemala. Dr. Nolin was asked by the Lote 8 community to listen to their version of what happened when Canadian industries began mining in Guatemala. Their community was evicted by the Canadian hired mining security and whoever refused was tear gassed. The families’ home were dismantled and their lives destroyed. The indigenous men feared for their lives and escaped, leaving their wives and children behind. The men believed the security would not touch women and children, but unfortunately they were wrong. Many children and women suffered under the Canadian hired security. Indigenous women were raped and attacked by the military several times. The women endured the agony of being abused in order to save their …show more content…
Nolin and her team to be part of the fire ceremony. At the ceremony, the community asked Nolin and her students to take their experience and share it with Canadians. Dr. Nolin was determined to work with James Rodriguez to take her knowledge of the violence the Canadian mining industry has caused in Guatemala. As Nolin and the students were leaving the community, they passed a sign that read “Development is the New Name for Peace”.
Dr. Nolin and the graduate students traveled back to the mountains of Lote Ocho and asked for true Canadian connection in the attacks. They asked the women who was raped and abused by a private security of Canadian company. Without hesitation, the women raised their hands and stood by their testimony. Knowing this may have consequences, the women who raised their hand agreed to give their names and take a picture to provide evidence for trials. The indigenous women have traveled to Toronto to speak in trials. Several documents must be completed before a verdict can be