Breaking the Silence (BTS) is a voluntary network of people in the Maritimes who began to organize in 1988 to support the efforts of Guatemalans struggling for political, social, economic and environmental justice.
The Fredericton chapter of the Guatemala-Maritimes Breaking the Silence network is currently developing a long-term plan to forge legal solidarity links between the UNB Law School and the Rabinal Community Legal Centre in Guatemala. This idea was inspired by a presentation in the spring of 2009 at the UNB Law School by indigenous Rabinal lawyer Maria Dolores Itzep. This legal solidarity project would be an extension to the existing bonds between Rabinal and Fredericton and the Maritimes.
The Rabinal Community Legal Centre provides free legal services to those seeking justice for human rights abuses, land conflicts and cases of violence against women. The Centre can benefit greatly from the wealth of English-language resources to which students at UNB Law have access.
Breaking the Silence in Fredericton is seeking to develop a permanent relationship between the Community Legal Centre in Rabinal and the UNB Law School. Ideas include a future student placement at the Legal Centre, an information exchange program, fundraisers and awareness on campus of the genocide, current femicide and legal responses in Guatemala. The ultimate goal of the project is to assist the Rabinal Community Legal Centre with its legal ambitions to address genocide at the international level.
Student involvement is welcomed and encouraged. Please join us! For more information, please contact nbpirg [at] gmail.com
