Preventive Resettlement of Populations at Risk of Disaster - GFDRR

and was endorsed, as legally required, by the Ministry
of the Environment and Natural Resources. The study
found that the environmental impacts of the 915-house
project, along with services and facilities, were “not significant”
and satisfied an urgent need of the affected and
at-risk populations, while creating jobs and lowering
the country’s housing deficit. Finally, it certified that any
negative impacts could be mitigated, provided the project
complied with the recommendations in the environmental
security, contingency and human safety plans.
16. Characteristics of the
New settlement
At the time, no precedents existed in Guatemala for
the kind of participatory project design adopted for the
new settlement. Given the complex nature of the discussions,
the Human Rights Prosecutor’s Office was invited
to participate as an observer and mediator. With the
participation of the community and various stakeholders,
a balance was found between the indigenous and
Western visions of what was needed, resulting in the
first successful integration of urban development with
indigenous traditions, culture and customs and Western
technology. Thus, the Chuk Muk resettlement came to
be called the first Tz’utujil city of the 21st Century.
Following lengthy negotiations, and based on the studies
by the University of San Carlos de Guatemala, participants
agreed to the criteria with regard to community
features, location of the lots, characteristics of the
houses, access to services, infrastructure, and sources of
income generation, as detailed below.
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Community organization. The project recognized
the existing form of community organization,
based on extended families. Thus, the spatial
planning allowed for groups of houses, equal to the
number of families in the extended family pool,
built around a small square or patio, with a tree in
the middle and a common area for various activities.
■■
Size of lots. The basic lot was 150m2 , 7.5m
wide and 20m deep (irregularly shaped lots had
to have the same total area). The lot size was designed
to accommodate a house (56 m 2 ), an area
for breeding poultry (35 m 2 ), a traditional steam
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bath house (temazcal 1 ) (3.5 m 2 ), land for growing
fruits and vegetables (40 m 2 ), a stack of firewood
(2.5 m 2 ), a shed (3 m 2 ) and an area for drying
laundry (10 m 2 ).
Houses. The housing designs were made according
to the population’s socio-cultural characteristics,
which require specific areas for daily activities.
The design was developed based on the concept of
a house that is adequate, modular, and can be expanded.
Through a sensitization process, information-sharing
and assistance, the community made
informed decisions, generated proposals and negotiated
solutions. The decisions were based on inputs
from the professional team and the community.
Income generation. The resettlement was conceived
as a “productive habitat” for the communities’
economic revival and as a way to raise their
income levels, which were very low prior to the
disaster. Thus, space was allotted for stalls and
the sale of staple goods, handicrafts and locally
woven cloth. Also, a strategic area for restaurants
was reserved that would allow for enjoying beautiful
views and cultural activities.
Communal areas. These areas were also designed
to blend with the architecture and art of the
region. The open public area was designed to be
used for various activities such as markets, civic
gatherings, sports and cultural events, including an
open-air theater with a capacity for 1,125 people.
1
A temazcal is a type of sweat lodge use as part of a curative ceremony to clean the mind, body and spirit.
Chapter 6 The First Tz´utujil City of the Twenty-First Century | Guatemala |
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