Rosa Elbira Coc Ich and ten other indigenous Mayan women recently filed a lawsuit against Canadian mining companies HMI Nickel, and its owner HudBay Minerals, for gang rape committed by the company.

On January 17, 2007, mining company security personnel, police and military gang-raped the eleven women during the forceful expulsion of families from their homes for mining projects on the north shores of Lake Izabal, Guatemala.

The lawsuit further reveals the corruption surrounding mining endeavors in Guatemala and demonstrates the culture of widespread violence against women.

So far in 2011, 200 women have been officially killed, though judges are not documenting all cases in an attempt to artifically lower the death rate. The lawyer for the 11 Guatemalan women said, “For the women, this isn’t about the money. It’s about accountability, it’s about truth and it’s about justice.”

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Mayan victims of gang rapes announce lawsuit against Canadian mining company, rabble.ca, 30 March 2011.

Guatemala gang-rape lawsuit names Canadian mining company, Vancouver Sun, 29 March 2011.