Here are an interesting couple of links, this one and then this one to two documents leaked to the press in Guatemala. They tell of how the Constitutional Court of the country asked two respected universities to investigate as to whether indigenous Xinca peoples (as well as other tribes and/or cultures) live in the zone around the Tahoe Resources (TAHO) (THO.to) Escobal mine, San Rafael Las Flores. The issue is an important one, because the case on whether TAHO needs to run a prior consultancy and get permission from locals to operate the mine largely rests on whether local inhabitants are indigenous (they claim they are, which means they must be consulted) or not (the company claims that they are not, which means they wouldn’t need locals’ permission).
The two universities came to the same conclusion and reported as such to the Constitutional Court; Yes, Xinca indigenous peoples live in the zone. These reports were handed into the court in April, since then they were kept secret from one and all. However they were leaked last week and we on the outside have now found out what the court has known for nearly four months.