Farmers, Indigenous Protest in Guatemala
Thousands of farmers and indigenous people marched to Guatemala City Central Park on Thursday to demand their right to the land and a cessation of mining concessions.

The demonstration paralyzed most of the city on the 11th anniversary of the signing of the Agreement on Indigenous Peoples' Identity and Rights, still pending materialization.

"This march is to express discontent with the government's failure to keep its promises to solve the land issue," president of the Maya Farmers Association, Santiago Itzep Chibalan told Prensa Latina.

There are at least 50 unresolved land conflicts in Guatemala, with that of Nueva Linda farm one of the most serious, as nine farmers were killed and hundreds of families were violently evicted from it nearly two years ago.

At least 600 Nueva Linda families are camped at Constitution Square demanding answers to their demands for a place to resettle and compensation for their losses.

"We will not leave here until the government pays attention to us," a demonstrator warned, and added that farmers are claiming their right to land that belonged to their ancestors.