 |
December 2000
A property owner in Guatemala awoke one morning recently to find that someone had cut down trees on his property. A few days later, another resident got fed up with the buses that parked in front of her house each day, filling her living room with diesel fumes and earsplitting noise. But what could they do? Whom could they call to get action? In Guatemala, the answer is: Teléfono Verde, or Green Line. By dialing 1599, Guatemalans who need help with environmental problems will reach an attorney who will listen to their complaint and, for no charge, advise them how to resolve it.
 Illustration by Allan Núñez ("Nano") |
Mosquera and an assistant handle the calls, which average 55 per month. For example, the hotline received 50 calls in October 2000. Twenty-two were from people with general questions about conservation, from a request for the telephone number of a national park to a question about reforestation. Eight calls related to trash, including: "There's a dead pig in the road." Six calls concerned air pollution: "My neighbors burn plastic all day long." Five were about noise: "The bar next door plays loud music at night."
IDEAD's scrupulous records show that most of the callers are homemakers in Guatemala City, many of whom are bothered by noise pollution. "Sometimes people call who are very upset about noise, a serious urban problem that can cause feelings of aggression and desperation," Mosquera says. "We believe we are helping because they have found someone who will listen to them, who will explain their rights and how and where to file a legal complaint."
Callers from outside the city most often want to report deforestation or the illegal sale of wildlife and are usually directed to a section of the police force responsible for protecting natural resources. But most callers are referred to the judicial consultancy unit of the natural resources ministry. Mosquera recognizes that the ministry has just four people to handle allegations from throughout the country. While not every caller may receive a satisfactory response from the ministry, she nonetheless thinks the act of registering a complaint has value. "Gradually citizens are becoming more aware that contamination is a crime," she says. "If enough people put pressure on state institutions, these agencies will be forced to respond."
Attorney Rubén Bran Ortíz, chief of the judicial consultancy unit, agrees that Teléfono Verde provides an important service nationwide. "We receive many denunciations in which the information that IDEADS initially provided was indispensable in allowing us to initiate an investigation," he says.
IDEADS hopes to expand Teléfono Verde, which is supported by grants from the Dutch group, Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries. The group will increase publicity about the hotline, so that more citizens know about it and use it. Mosquera says she also plans to follow-up on calls, to see how IDEADS can best ensure that Guatemalans who file complaints [denuncias] receive satisfaction.
Teléfono Verde's number -- 1599 -- is a tollfree call throughout Guatemala. The line is open from 8 am until 5 pm, Monday through Friday.
Contact:
Raquel Mosquera
IDEADS
3a Av 4-68
zona 1
Segundo Nivel
CP 01001
Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala
Tel: 502/253-1987
Fax: 502/220-8785
ideads@intelnet.net.gt
Ministerio de Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, coordinacion@conama.com.gt
Read more about this project on the Eco-Index www.eco-index.org
Illustrations by Allan Núñez ("Nano").
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| About | News | Join | Market | Kids | Resources | Links |
Contact the Rainforest Alliance: canopy@ra.org
 |
 |
|