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6 September 2001 by Xavier Castellanos, Guatemala City It takes approximately four hours from the capital city of Guatemala to drive to the department of Chiquimula, in the west of Guatemala. Once there, to reach the municipalities of Jocotán and Comatán takes another 45 minutes by car and almost 30 more minutes walking, if weather conditions permit. The Guatemala Red Cross supported by the American Red Cross, have been offering humanitarian aid after hurricane Mitch, to some 15,000 people there, since 1999. This time, the journey to the six communities (Pacrén, Chupá, Caparjá, El Guayabo, Filincas, Carrisalitos) has another objective. "We are not here to work on our water and sanitation project, neither for the latrines program nor for the community education activities", said Doctor Mario Sierra, water and sanitation delegate from the American Red Cross. "This time we come to evaluate the food situation that is affecting these municipalities, where we have been working with since cyclone Mitch struck the region." The Guatemala Red Cross, supported by the American Red Cross has already distributed 7 tonnes of maize, 2,4 tonnes of beans and 2,4 tonnes of rice, in the communities of El Guayabo and Filincas, both in Comotán municipality. Communities in the municipality of Jocotán have also received food aid. Two collection centres to receive donations have been opened by the Guatemala Red Cross, one in the capital and a second one in the branch of Chiquimula. According to Dr. Sierra, the announcement of the death of 41 people and reports of famine carried by the media, have brought to public attention the chronic economic problems in these communities, due to the coffee crisis that has increased the level of unemployment and destroyed the economy. In the past, these areas have suffered from epidemics. For example, some ten years ago, they were affected by one of the most severe cholera epidemics in Guatemala which took the lives of many people. Additionally, frequent diarrhoea and respiratory problems among the population increased their vulnerability. According to the Minister of Agriculture, Jorge Soto, the chronic malnutrition in the municipalities of Chiquimula, Jocotán y Camotán is due to poverty and not to drought. Even though the rainy season has not been very good, it has rained in this region where the main agricultural production is maize and beans. There is, however, a severe lack of clean water. Anabela de Roca, Vice president of the Guatemala Red Cross says that the current Red Cross assessment, done by volunteers in co-ordination with the authorities, is the first step to evaluate the health and malnutrition problems in this area. This will allow the Red Cross to define a plan of action to support the most vulnerable population. |
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