Documenting the sometimes devastating human, environmental  and social effects of the policies and practices of the US government, multinational corporations, and international financial institutions is the core mission of Witness for Peace.

Released in October, 2007, this document examines the root causes of Latin Americans' immigration to the United States. Estimates suggest that there are over 11 million Mexican-born immigrants in the United States, more than ten percent of the total Mexican population, along with approximately two million Central American-born immigrants. Forced From Home takes the reader deep into the heart of Mexico and Nicaragua to hear directly from farmers and community leaders, exploring the impact of U.S. trade deals contributing to the flow of immigrants north. 28 pages. ($5)

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Is Cuba destined for a future of McDonaldization? Or will Cuba be able to manage trade and investment with the United States without falling in the same traps of neoliberalism and deepening poverty into which so many Latin American countries have fallen? Those are the questions that From Isolation to Integration seeks to examine. 8 pages. 2004. ($5)

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Released in May, 2002, this document examines the cycles of military and economic violence through the lens of US intervention in Latin America. This study follows the destructive trends in US military and economic policy from the Platt Amendment to the debt crisis to the Colombian war. A comprehensive guide for any activist trying to make the important links between the current realities at home and abroad, and US behavior over the last century. 48 pages. ($10) — Click on photo for larger image

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Released in April, 2001 in time for the Free Trade Agreement of the Americas negotiating meeting in Quebec, this document provides activists, students and concerned individuals an in-depth look at the human realities of free trade. Using Mexico's experience with NAFTA as a primary example of what happens when a rich and poor nations engage in unmitigated free trade agreements, this document tells a cautionary tale of the perils of unfair trade relationships. Looking at different models of trade relationships, and providing a trade history of Mexico and other Latin American nations, Hemisphere for Sale is both a primer on trade, and a guidebook for activists working on the issue. 26 pages. Available in English and in Spanish. ($10) — Click on photo for larger image

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Behind the Seams: Maquilas and Development in Nicaragua

Released in April 2001, this document describes the immense obstacles facing textile assembly workers in Nicaragua and elsewhere in the "developing" world who strive to organize for a living wage and safe and humane working conditions. This document addresses all aspects of these challenges, from the macroeconomic pressures facing Nicaragua, to the intimidation of the workers, to the daily struggles of the impoverished workers. Behind the Seams also looks at the international solidarity efforts, and traces the triumphs and defeats of these cross-border organizing efforts. Complete with action steps and tips for organizing, this 32 page document is an action-oriented guide to international labor solidarity in the 21st century. ($7.50) — Click on photo for larger image

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Released in April, 2000 this document provides an introductory, but comprehensive look at the complex realities of the debt crisis in Nicaragua. Providing information about the roots of the global debt crisis and the draconian solutions of the international donors, this document looks at both the debt crisis in general, and the crisis in in Nicaragua specifically. 32 pages. ($10) — Click on photo for larger image

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Demanding Economic Justice in Guatemala A 12-page guide to economic justice issues in post-war Guatemala, seen through the lens of Bishop Juan Gerardi's legacy of active peacemaking. Released on April 26, 2000 — on the second anniversary of the Bishop's martyrdom, this document serves as a primer and an action tool for activists concerned about a lasting peace in Guatemala.

(OUT OF PRINT – Call 202-547-6112 to request a photocopy)

Based on field research in the Petén province of Guatemala, this Witness for Peace publication exposes yet another World Bank project that fails to meet the Bank's own standards for environmental protection and public participation. A Crude Awakening reveals how the International Finance Corporation (the private lending arm of the World Bank) twice funded the construction of an oil pipeline through pristine rainforest, rendering incalculable damage on the local environment and shutting out Guatemalan civil society from meaningful participation in the project's design. The publication also shows how the pipeline project violates both the spirit and the letter of the 1996 Peace Accords, which call for a new vision of sustainable development for the war-torn Central American country. ($5) — Click on photo for larger image

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Breaking down the global economy into layperson's terms, this 15 page document provides a basic question-and-answer analysis of neoliberalism and free trade. It debunks common misconceptions about these economic phenomena and lays bare their impact on the poor in Guatemala, Haiti, and Nicaragua. In addition to its generalized look at the international economy, People and the Profit margin covers a range of specific issues. These include the effect of global economic integration on labor and the environment and the role played by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in the current economic order." ($5) — Click on photo for larger image

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Based on original research in Guatemala, this 12-page booklet takes a critical look at the prospects for peace with justice in Guatemala, given the difficulties Guatemala faces as it integrates into the world economy and the trend toward neoliberal solutions. Includes a summary of the accords and the government's implementation plans, a critique of the Socio-Economic Accord, views of the peace process from the perspectives of returned refugees and from residents of an urban squatter community, and how Guatemalans are organizing to demand social justice.

(OUT OF PRINT – Call 202-547-6112 to request a photocopy)

A 36-page book that makes visible the hidden victims of economic structural adjustment. The personal stories and data reflect the tremendous toll that adjustment has taken on the women of Nicaragua - on their workloads, on their psychological well-being, on their health. It also portrays ways that Nicaraguan women are organizing to confront the economic crisis and explores alternatives to current economic policies. ($2.50) — Click on photo for larger image

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A An in-depth case-study of the World Bank in action, A People Dammed tells the story of Rio Negro: a Guatemalan indigenous community displaced by the Chixoy hydroelectric project; a community which suffered through a year of terror in which half the population was slaughtered--possibly as a result of their resistance to the dam. Written by the Witness for Peace International Team in Guatemala, 1996 (OUT OF PRINT--available online for free)— Click on photo for larger image

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Free to all Witness for Peace members, the WFP Newsletter is released 3 times per year, and includes detailed analyses of the human effects of US policies from around the hemisphere. Packed with information, the WFP Newsletter is an excellent resource for all activists.

If you are not already a member, you may signup for membership, and a Newsletter subscription--online. All web visitors are invited to view our online archive of past Newsletters Click on photo for larger image

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This 20 page popular education resource details and documents World Bank and International Monetary Fund economic policies that are devastating the poor in Latin America and around the world. "Bitter Medicine" was written by the Witness for Peace long term team in Nicaragua. Click on photo for larger image.

(OUT OF PRINT – Call 202-547-6112 to request a photocopy)

There is strength in numbers, so stand-up and be identified as an individual who cares about the effects of U.S. policy in the third world. "Acción Permanente por la Paz" on the back. Be a part of "Solidarity in Action." 100% Cotton - Blue - Sizes: S, M, L, XL ($15) — Click on photo for larger image

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As we confront the so-called "War on Terrorism," let the world know how you feel about issues of peace and social justice with this brief, to-the-point message. ($3 each, or ten for $12)

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