Mayan activists 'purify' sacred site in Guatemala after Bush's visit

March 16, 2007

Published: Thursday, March 15, 2007 | 6:00 PM ET

Canadian Press

IXIMCHE, Guatemala (AP) - A whiff of incense, a sputter of candles, a

hum of prayer. Mayan Indian activists on Thursday offered the gentlest

protest yet to the Latin American tour of U.S. President George W.

Bush as they held a purification ceremony to drive out the " bad

spirits " they said he had left behind during a stop at their ancient

pyramid.

Bush visited Iximche, capital of the prehispanic Kaqchiqueles kingdom,

during his daylong trip to Guatemala as part of a five-nation tour of

Latin America.

The activists said the bad spirits were roused by Bush's policies,

including the U.S.-led war in Iraq and an immigration raid last week

in Massachusetts that netted several Guatemalan immigrants and left

dozens of their children stranded at schools.

" Today is a special day on the Mayan calendar, " said Jorge Morales,

director of the Young Mayan Movement. " That's why we are taking

advantage to do this special event to clean and get rid of the bad

spirits and re-establish this sacred place's harmony. "

The group of about a dozen ascended a partially restored stone pyramid

to a central altar, where they burned incense, scattered holy water

and bowed to the ground in prayer.

The organizers of the protest are leaders of Indian rights

organizations associated with the left-leaning National Indian and

Peasant Co-ordinating Committee.

" NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency may

have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this

without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse nor

protection save to call for the impeachment of the current President. "

March 16, 2007

last week, when Bush was in Brazil, at least 170 000 ppl went through the streets in protest against some american things. I really don't understand why many brazilian fellow are anti-american. I think there are more important things to be regarded as dangerous. In a country of starving children don't they have anything better to do? How did their outcry (Bush, get outta Brazil) help the society? I really don't worry too much about the current American Empire. I just regreet the influence of "the american way" for a few reasons I think must not be mentioned. Take a look at the picture I sent. This is the Brazil we're losing due to our selfishness and capitalism, as we're going the same way americans did. I feel realyy bad in seeing that our trees are being cut for the money reasons and the air is getting more polluted each month. I really miss the old and natural

Brazil we had, with lush trees everywhere you looked. I miss the monkeys and the singing birds of the small cities that existed when these cities were really small. I miss the time when children could go barefoot until 10 years old or even more. I miss the time everyone had at least one tree aside home. I miss the variety of fruits I could freely find when I was a child. A brazilian poet said, some decades ago, something like that: "oh, I really miss the morning of life - the childhood time that will never come back again. What beautiful dreams, and natural love, and real flowers! At the sunset I felt nature touching me, while I was set beneath fruitful trees". (sorry for my poor english) Sincerely, Silas Brazilian Vegetarian Society coordinator for the Espirito Santo estate www.svb.org.br Animal Rights activist in www.amaes.org.br Vegan http://www.guiavegano.com.br/galeria/displayimage.php?pos=-5230 Translator and member of the International Vegetarian Union www.ivu.org Volunteer for the Vegan

Society - UK www.vegansociety.com Add me (MSN messenger): silasco fraggle <EBbrewpunx escreveu: Mayan activists 'purify' sacred site in Guatemala after Bush's visitPublished: Thursday, March 15, 2007 | 6:00 PM ETCanadian PressIXIMCHE, Guatemala (AP) - A whiff of incense, a sputter of candles, ahum of prayer. Mayan Indian activists on Thursday offered the gentlestprotest yet to the Latin American tour of U.S. President George W.Bush as they held a purification ceremony to drive out the "badspirits" they said he had left behind during a stop at their ancientpyramid.Bush visited Iximche, capital of the prehispanic Kaqchiqueles kingdom,during his daylong trip to Guatemala as part of a five-nation tour ofLatin America.The activists said the bad spirits were roused by Bush's policies,including the U.S.-led war in Iraq and an immigration raid last weekin Massachusetts that netted several Guatemalan immigrants and leftdozens of their

children stranded at schools."Today is a special day on the Mayan calendar," said Jorge Morales,director of the Young Mayan Movement. "That's why we are takingadvantage to do this special event to clean and get rid of the badspirits and re-establish this sacred place's harmony."The group of about a dozen ascended a partially restored stone pyramidto a central altar, where they burned incense, scattered holy waterand bowed to the ground in prayer.The organizers of the protest are leaders of Indian rightsorganizations associated with the left-leaning National Indian andPeasant Co-ordinating Committee."NOTICE: Due to Presidential Executive Orders, the National Security Agency may have read this email without warning, warrant, or notice. They may do this without any judicial or legislative oversight. You have no recourse nor protection save to call for the impeachment of the current

President."