Daniel Choc Pop is an indigenous and campesino human rights defender from the community of San Juan Tres Ríos in Cobán, which he represents at the General Assembly of the Highlands Campesino Committee (Comité Campesino del Altiplano – CCDA). The CCDA is a national organisation committed to defending local sources of water used by indigenous communities and supporting the implementation of the Comprehensive Rural Development Law (Ley de Desarrollo Rural Integral). The CCDA Committee in San Juan Tres Ríos has petitioned the Land Fund (Fondo de Tierras) to grant them legal ownership of land disputed with the owner of the estate Rancho Alegre.
While general violence and insecurity are a serious concern, HRDs continue to experience targeted threats and attacks against their homes and offices, which are frequently subject to illegal raids and break-ins.A climate of impunity in regard to human rights violations still prevails in the country, few attacks against HRDs are investigated and even fewer result in convictions.
