[Sust-mar] BTS Recruiting Two Human Rights Accompaniers - May 1

[Janelle]

*Please distribute widely

**Apologies for cross-postings

 

 

Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) is

Recruiting Two Volunteer Human Rights Accompaniers

 

Application Deadline: February 28, 2014

Position Start Date: May 1, 2014 in Tatamagouche, Nova
Scotia

Travel to Guatemala: May 25th, 2014

Six-month minimum, with possibilities for longer-term
placements.  

 

Interested candidates should download the application
form here, and submit a completed application together with their resume
to btsaccompaniment[at]gmail.com no later than February 28th, 2014. 

 

The role of human rights accompaniers:

Accompaniers work as human rights observers, providing an
international presence to Guatemalans organizing in defense of their rights in
a variety of contexts, including precedent-setting genocide cases and local
opposition to transnational resource extraction projects. Accompaniers work in
pairs, travel between the capital and an assigned region, share in rural life,
observe and report on conditions, monitor the human rights situation and
provide a crucial link to the international community. The Maritimes-Guatemala
Breaking the Silence Network (BTS) trains volunteers and matches them with BTS
Local Committees that support the accompanier’s stay both financially and
personally. BTS Accompaniers work with an international team of accompaniers in
Guatemala through the ACOGUATE International Human Rights Accompaniment
Project.

 

Candidates should have:

• The ability to document and analyze events and
conditions in order to produce quality written reports and educational
materials

• Cultural sensitivity; excellent judgment skills;
physical stamina; ability to work flexibly in dynamic, changing situations;
resourceful in self-care and relational dynamics

• A high level of verbal and written Spanish

• A familiarity with the history of Central America and
the relationships of both the U.S. and Canada to the area, the current
situation in Guatemala, and a basic understanding of human rights/accompaniment

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

• Awareness of security issues, a willingness to work in
a situation which might involve risk, and an interest in individual and team
analysis

Two accompaniers will be chosen in early March 2014 and
begin training at Tatamagouche Centre on May 1, 2014. The pre-departure
orientation at Tatamagouche Centre is from May 1 – May 10. Accompaniers must be
in Guatemala on Monday, May 26th, to begin their training with ACOGUATE.

 

Benefits: 


Pre-departure and re-entry training costs at Tatamagouche
Centre (travel to Tatamagouche Centre not covered), accommodation and food in
Guatemala covered by a small monthly stipend. Accompaniers are responsible for
fundraising $1500 to contribute to program costs, although BTS can help
accompaniers fundraise this portion of their expenses.

 

About BTS Accompaniment:

Since the early 1990s, BTS volunteers have participated
in an human rights accompaniment program in Guatemala, acting as international
observers and witnesses to human rights violations and threats.

The first BTS accompaniers were involved in accompanying
the return of refugees to Guatemala during the signing of the peace accords,
and today, volunteers accompany a number of human rights organizations and
individuals working against impunity and for truth and justice, the defense of
territory and natural resources, and labour and union rights.

The people asking for accompaniment are aware of the
great risk that they are taking by speaking out about the truth, not as
anonymous victims or witnesses, but as public actors with names and
faces. International accompaniers act as observers, document any
intimidations, threats or acts of violence against those being accompanied, and
quickly disseminate that information through their networks at an international
level.

Human rights accompaniment can help dissuade violent
action and help create a space whereby Guatemalan human rights defenders can
work safer.

http://www.breakingthesilenceblog.com/accompaniment

 

 

-- 

Human Rights Accompaniment Program Coordinator

Maritimes-Guatemala Breaking the Silence Network

E-mail:
btsaccompaniment at gmail.com 

www.breakingthesilenceblog.com