81. US Government Responsible For Genocide And Terror In Guatemala Christian Tomuschat described the Guatemalan government s policy during the years 1981 to 1983 as acts of genocide against groups of the Mayan people. http://www.wsws.org/articles/1999/feb1999/guat-f27.shtml

Enter email address to receive news about the WSWS Add Remove SEARCH WSWS English German ON THE WSWS Donate to the WSWS! Contact the WSWS ... Books Online OTHER LANGUAGES German French Italian Russian ... Indonesian LEAFLETS Download in PDF format WSWS Human rights report documents massacres by military regime US government responsible for genocide and terror in Guatemala By Martin McLaughlin 27 February 1999 The United States government played a major role in supporting and assisting genocide and state terrorism in Guatemala, according to a UN-sponsored report, "Guatemala, Memory of Silence," which was issued Thursday. The nine volumes made public by the Historical Clarification Commission document the systematic torture and murder of 200,000 people, the vast majority of them Mayan Indians, during a 34-year civil war which ended in 1996. The commission consisted of a German jurist, Christian Tomuschat, and two Guatemalans, Edgar Balsells, a lawyer, and Otilia Lux Coti, a Mayan teacher, acting under the terms of the cease-fire agreement supervised by the United Nations three years ago. Although the report was partially financed by the US Agency for International Development, and it was barred from naming any individuals, including US government officials, implicated in the genocide, its findings were a devastating indictment of both the Guatemalan and American state. After taking testimony from 9,200 witnesses on all sides in the civil war, and investigating the circumstances surrounding the deaths of 42,000 people, the commission concluded that 93 percent of the deaths were caused by human rights violations on the part of the military and the Guatemalan government, while only 3 percent were caused by the actions of the leftist guerrillas of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Union, who laid down their arms in 1996. In 4 percent of the cases it could not be determined who was responsible.

82. USTR Ends Trade Probation On Guatemala, 7-97 The Guatemalan government and business sector applauded while labor unions and In the first step taken by the Guatemalan government to investigate this http://www.usleap.org/trade/GSPEnded'97.html

USTR Ends Trade Probation on Guatemala July 1997 Newsletter On May 2, 1997, as had been expected, the U.S. government ended a nearly 5-year old trade probation on Guatemala that had been in place because of a lack of progress on worker rights. The action by U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky came just before President Bill Clinton flew to Costa Rica to meet with Central American presidents on "free" trade issues as well as others. The Guatemalan government and business sector applauded while labor unions and US/GLEP sharply criticized the decision. The probation applied to duty-free trade benefits provided to Guatemala under the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP) trade program, and was initiated in response to a "worker rights" petition filed with the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in June 1992 by US/GLEP, the AFL-CIO, the Union of Needletrades, Industrial and Textile Employees (UNITE!), the International Labor Rights Fund (ILRF), the Washington Office on Latin America, the National Council of Churches, and other organizations. USTR's Defense In defense of its decision, USTR issued a press release identifying a number of steps taken by the Guatemalan government to improve respect for worker rights. For example, USTR cites as progress a doubling of labor inspectors, the establishment of a Tripartite Commission (TPC) representing labor, business and government, a process to suspend export licenses of worker rights violating exporters, a promise to open new labor courts, and a reduction of intimidation against workers and union leaders.

83. Guatemala Begins A New Chapter In Its History By Bryna Brennan In guatemala, at the government s request in 1994, PAHO opened a satellite office in the highconflict western highland area of Huehuetenango and helped http://www.paho.org/English/DPI/Number4_article1.htm

The Pan American Health Organization Promoting Health in the Americas Search Home Page Health Data Topics List Media Center Information Products PAHO Publishing Knowledge Resources Media Center Press Releases Perspectives in Health Magazine PAHO Today ... Contact Us Volume 2 - No.2 - 1997 Guatemala Begins a New Chapter in its History By Bryna Brennan, Photo by Scott Sady The treaty, called the Firm and Lasting Peace Agreement, put an end to Central America's longest war, which claimed 140,000 lives, mostly among the indigenous Mayans of Guatemala. The signing ceremony came just two days before the 1997 new year, and tens of thousands of Guatemalans, dignitaries from the Americas, Europe, and many other parts of the world gathered in Guatemala City to mark the historic event. The event blended men and women wearing traditional brightly embroidered and woven fabrics, dark suits, and uniforms, and military music and marimba bands. The message was clear: we can't forget the past, but we celebrate the future. A Decade Of Discussions During 1996, agreements were reached on social, economic, and land issues; ways to strengthen civilian power; the role of the army in a democratic society; and constitutional and electoral reforms. Negotiators worked on details, general operating procedures, and technical aspects to end the armed conflict.

84. IFEX :: The Guatemalan government has announced plans to reopen a public auction for the On 5 May, the Guatemalan government suspended the controversial http://www.ifex.org/en/content/view/archivefeatures/98/

SEARCH: Advanced Entire site In HOME REGIONAL NEWS CAMPAIGNS HOT TOPICS ... RELATED SITES COMMUNIQUE: Sign up now for your weekly bulletin of free expression news. CLICK HERE TO REGISTER COMMUNIQUE ARCHIVE MEMBERS ONLY Home ... Mexico and Central America Guatemala FEATURES ARCHIVE: CERIGUA DOCUMENTS ATTACKS ON GUATEMALAN JOURNALISTS CERIGUA (Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre Guatemala) has released a new report on the state of free expression in Guatemala which shows how dangerous it continues to be for journalists in the country. 13 September 2005 FULL STORY GUATEMALA: CONGRESS LEADER SUPPORTS ACCESS TO INFORMATION BILL The head of Guatemala's Congress has declared his support for a law guaranteeing citizens and journalists the right to access government information, reports the Center for Information on Guatemala (Centro de Reportes Informativos sobra Guatemala, CERIGUA). 27 July 2005 FULL STORY GUATEMALA: TOP COURT RULES AGAINST INSULT LAWS Guatemala moved a step closer towards decriminalising press offences last week with a decision by the country's top court to temporarily suspend "desacato", or insult, provisions in the Penal Code, report the Guatemalan Association of Journalists (Asociación de Periodistas de Guatemala, APG), the World Press Freedom Committee (WPFC) and the Inter American Press Association (IAPA).

85. AlterNet: Rights And Liberties: Free Trade And Resistance In Guatemala The Guatemalan government ratified International Labor Organization Convention The US government in turn has rewarded the Guatemalan government for its http://www.alternet.org/rights/21913/

@import url("/css/master.css"); Home Archive Columnists Blogs ... About Advertisement Search: Guantanamo Human Rights Did you know that there was a Guantanamo Human Rights Commission dedicated to ending all forms of internment without trial? Founded in January 2004, the site provides information on the latest on what's going on with the military tribunals, how to write to civil liberties organizations, and action you can take daily to support civil liberties. Restoring Checks and Balances A group of conservative and progressive organizations have come together to revise the USA Patriot Act. Calling themselves Patriots to Restore Checks and Balances , the group's mission is to revise those elements of the Patriot Act that come up for renewal in 2005. Chaired by former Republican member of Congress Bob Barr, the group also includes some strange bedfellows, including the ACLU, the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons, and a number of groups focused on deregulating gun control. Background The National Network for Immigrant and Refugee Rights NNIRR provides educational, activist, and legal resources on immigration, migration, and refugee rights in the United States. New ACLU Report Say Surveillance Society Becoming Reality The United States has now reached the point where a total "surveillance society" has become a realistic possibility, the American Civil Liberties Union warned in a report released this week.

86. Online NewsHour: Peace In Guatemala -- December 30, 1996 Guatemalan Peace Rebel leaders and government officials signed the peace accord in Guatemalan Peace The coup toppled a leftist government led by Jacobo http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/latin_america/december96/guatemala_12-30.html

GUATEMALA'S FUTURE DECEMBER 30, 1996 TRANSCRIPT Yesterday, government and rebel officials signed a peace agreement ending 36 years of civil war. Charles Krause looks at the war, its impact, and the future road to peace. A RealAudio version of this NewsHour segment is available. Browse the Online NewsHour's Latin America Index External Links: The CIA Factbook on Guatemala contains maps and statistical information about the country's people and geography. The Guatemalan embassy to the U.S. supplies links to government information. An American woman searches for the killers of her Guatemalan husband. She believes there was government and CIA complicity. As recently as 1995, the group Amnesty International had still been keeping records of people who its members believe have reason to fear the Guatemalan government. A photo essayist catalogues the destruction of a Guatemalan village in the 1980s. JIM LEHRER: Finally tonight, the peace accord in the Central American nation of Guatemala. The Guatemalan government and leftist rebels signed a treaty yesterday. Charles Krause has the story. CHARLES KRAUSE: Yesterday's signing ceremony in Guatemala City marked the formal end to 36 years of conflict, what was the longest and bloodiest civil war in Latin America's recent history.

87. SignOnSanDiego.com > News > World -- Guatemala's Three Branches Of Government Ap guatemala s three branches of government apologize for state role in human rights Last year, guatemala s government formally accepted responsibility for http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/world/20040422-1457-guatemala-slainactivist.h

Weather Traffic Surf Maps ... Webcam Choose Category All of SignOnSanDiego News Sports Entertainment Classifieds Yellow Pages Community Events Web News Metro North County Tijuana/Border ... Internet Access Guatemala's three branches of government apologize for state role in human rights activist's slaying By Sergio De Leon ASSOCIATED PRESS 2:57 p.m. April 22, 2004 The somber ceremony at the Presidential Palace in the center of the Guatemalan capital came at the urging of the Costa Rica-based Inter-American Court on Human Rights, which recommend that the three branches of government hold a ceremony honoring Mack's memory as well as her surviving family members. "In the name of the state, I ask for the forgiveness of the Mack family and of the people of Guatemala for the murder of this young anthropologist," Berger said. Mack was stabbed 27 times outside her downtown Guatemala City office on Sept. 11, 1990. The 39-year-old allegedly angered the military when she wrote a groundbreaking report blaming government anti-insurgency campaigns for killing Mayan civilians during the country's 1960-1996 civil war. In October 2002, Col. Juan Valencia, an assistant director of Guatemala's presidential guard, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for ordering a fellow member of the guard to kill Myrna Mack.

88. Luis Gustavo Morroquín V. Guatemala, Case 8075, Report No. 54/96, Inter-Am.C.H. As for exhaustion of domestic remedies, the government of guatemala has never By means of a note dated July 22, 1996, the government of guatemala http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/cases/1996/guatemala54-96.htm

I. II. habeas corpus III. 4. The Commission began to process the complaint on October 7, 1982, registering it as case 8075. 5. That same day, pursuant to Article 48.1.a of the American Convention, the Commission forwarded to the Guatemalan Government the pertinent parts of the complaint, with the request that the Government provide information on the facts reported in that communication, in accordance with Article 34 of its Regulations (then Article 31). 6. When it received no response from the Guatemalan Government, the Commission repeated its request on May 17, 1984, and gave the Government another thirty days in which to reply, mentioning the possible application of Article 42 (then Article 39) of the Commission's Regulations, whereby the facts denounced are presumed to be true if no reply is forthcoming. 7. On February 19, 1985, since no information had been received from the Government of Guatemala, the Commission once again requested information on the case, and gave the Government another thirty days, again mentioning the possible application of Article 42 of its Regulations. 8. When the Guatemalan Government failed to reply, the Commission reiterated its request to the Government on June 15, 1985 and once again warned of the possible application of Article 42 of its Regulations. Again, the Commission received no response from the Guatemalan Government in connection with this case.

89. Guatemala: Guatemalan Truth And American "Apologies" When the Guatemalan government signed a peace agreement with the Guatemalan The US sold the Guatemalan government modified fighter planes to fight those http://www.converge.org.nz/lac/articles/news990322a.htm

Latin American Report Killing Hope: US Military and CIA Interventions since World War II Killing Hope (Amazon.com) Jennifer Harbury Web Page Report on the Guatemala Review Intelligence Oversight Board ... Bride of Courage Regional : Politics : X Military : X Environment : Rights : X Education : NZ Links : Aid/Relief : Economics : Indigenous : Health : GUATEMALA: 22 March 1999 Guatemalan Truth and American "Apologies" When the Guatemalan government signed a peace agreement with the Guatemalan rebels in late 1996 [see NW v1, #1], one of the tenets of the treaty was to establish the "Historical Clarification Commission" to investigate what had really happened all those years. The Commission recently released the results of their study. Of the roughly 150,000 people killed and 50,000 disappeared (and perhaps should be presumed dead) since the coup in 1954, the commission estimates that the Guatemalan government was responsible for 93% of the murders (either by the army, by paramilitary forces, or both) the rebels were responsible for 3%, and the remaining 4% are still unaccounted for. The mainstream press has always referred to the strife as a "civil war," but the proportions look more like a massacre. A similar report was issued by the Roman Catholic Church last April. The bishop responsible was killed two days later, presumably by government forces.

90. ADCI Testimony 4/4/95 for a presentation to the guatemalan government in early February 1995. die on the battlefield as alleged by the government of guatemala; rather, http://www.fas.org/irp/congress/1995_hr/s950404s.htm

1995 Congressional Hearings Intelligence and Security ADCI Testimony 4/4/95 Acting DCI William O. Studeman's Testimony to the Senate Select Commitee on Intelligence open hearing. SUBJECT: GUATEMALA Extremely serious allegations have been made regarding CIA's conduct in the events surrounding the murder of the U.S. citizen Michael Devine in June 1990, and the fate of the Guatemalan insurgent leader Efrain Bamaca Velasquez. Let me state emphatically that the CIA is not complicit in the murder of Mr. Devine nor in the apparent killing of Mr. Bamaca. Nor has the CIA deliberately withheld information. On the contrary, CIA information provided important insights into what transpired in these two cases. I have already made available to the oversight committees a comprehensive package of intelligence materials related to them. Let me review the record. CIA acquired its first significant piece of information on the killing of Mr. Devine in August 1990, and promptly sent an intelligence report on the matter to the National Security Council Staff, the Departments of State, Defense, and Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Indeed, this information was a key element in furthering US efforts to press Guatemalan authorities to take decisive steps leading to the arrest and conviction of a number of those directly involved. More than one year later, in October 1991, CIA received information that shed light on the possible presence of an additional GuatemalanLt. Colonel Julio Roberto Alpirezin the interrogation of Mr. Devine. Again we promptly provided this information to the National Security Council, the Departments of State, Defense, and Justice, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation as an intelligence report. We also prepared a formal written "crime report" containing even more detailed information. This report was delivered to the Department of Justice on 19 November 1991.

91. Guatemala The government of guatemala and the US Embassy continue to process We continue to urge the government of guatemala to process all adoption cases as http://www.jcics.org/Guatemala.htm

Guatemala Join JCICS Membership Directory Membership Policies Complaint Policy ... Advocacy For a list of Joint Council agencies working in Guatemala, please consult our Country Programs page. September 19, 2005 The U.S. Department of State released the following notice: Guatemala- Visa Appointments Required in Guatemala (09/19/05) As always, adoptive parents are urged not to travel to Guatemala until the “pink slip” has been issued, and until they have confirmed the date and time of their child’s immigrant visa interview. The U.S. Embassy is confident that scheduling specific immigrant visa appointments will assist in maintaining a transparent and efficient processing of adoption immigrant visa cases, as well as providing predictability for the adopting parents and minimizing waiting time at the U.S. Embassy. July 11, 2005 The US Department of State released the following notice regarding adoptions in Guatemala. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala announces a change in the timing of delivery of issued immigrant visas to adopted children and all other immigrant visas. Due to new biometric security enhancements, all immigrant visas including those for adopted children will be available for issuance at 3:30 pm the next workday following the immigrant visa interview. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala regrets that that it is no longer able to offer same day immigrant visa issuance. The U.S. Embassy in Guatemala remains committed to providing accurate, timely, and transparent service to U.S. Citizens adopting Guatemalan children.

92. Governments On The WWW: Guatemala Links to websites of governmental institutions and political parties in guatemala. http://www.gksoft.com/govt/en/gt.html

Governments on the WWW: Guatemala Home Table of Contents List of Countries Signs and Symbols ... Feedback Guatemala [ Guatemala ] Official language: Spanish National Institutions: [Secretariat of Planning and Programming] [Secretariat of the Peace] [Congress of the Republic] [Ministry of Agriculture, Cattle and Food] Ministerio de Comunicaciones, Infraestructura y Vivienda (MICIV) [Ministry of Communications, Infrastructure and Housing] [National Geographic Institute] Superintendencia de Telecomunicaciones (SIT) [Superintendence of Telecommunications] [Ministry of Education] [Ministry of Labour and Social Provision] [Ministry of Public Finance] [Superintendence of Tax Administration] [National Institute of Statistics] Instituto Guatemalteco de Turismo (INGUAT) additional site Superintendencia de Bancos [Superintendence of Banks] [National Council of Science and Technology] Banco de Guatemala [Bank of Guatemala] Representations in Foreign Countries: [Embassy of Guatemala in Taipei, China (Republic)] [Embassy of Guatemala in Madrid, Spain] Mision Permanente de Guatemala ante las Naciones Unidas en Nueva York [Permanent Mission of Guatemala to the United Nations in New York] Political Parties: Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatemalteca (URNG) Partido de la Ley Natural (PLN) [Natural Law Party] Additional Information: General Information: The World Factbook (by the CIA) Atlapedia Online (by Latimer Clarke Corporation) Information Please: Countries of the World (by Information Please LLC) Political Information:

93. UN Truth Commission Finds US In describing the abuses committed by the Guatemalan government, Truth Commission chairman Christian Tomuschat rejected excuses that violations were the http://www.icomm.ca/carecen/page36.html

94. Efraín Ríos Montt Killer File In April the Guatemalan government and the URNG sign the Accord on the Identity and The Guatemalan government was ordered to make the apology by the http://www.moreorless.au.com/killers/montt.html

@import URL(../css/core_style.css); more or home heroes killers background ... contact killer file AKA 'The General'. Country: Guatemala. Kill tally: About 70,000 Mayan peasants and political dissidents. Background: An outbreak of protests against the now military-aligned government in March and April of 1962 marks the beginning a 34-year civil war between leftist guerrilla groups and the government for control of the country. The Mayan peasants are caught in the middle and suffer the brunt of the violence and killings. More background Mini biography: Born 16 June 1926. Ríos Montt begins his career in the Guatemalan Army in 1946 as a cadet, rising to the rank of brigadier-general in 1972. His training includes a period at the notorious US Army School of the Americas (SOA - since renamed the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation). Dubbed the "school of assassins" and the "school of coups" at the time, the SOA provides instruction in counterinsurgency strategies and tactics, psychological warfare, torture and assassination. Ríos Montt takes a "special course" at the school in 1950. A "born-again", evangelical Protestant, Ríos Montt cultivates ties with US Christian fundamentalists.

95. National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 11 US Vaky argues that the Guatemalan government’s use of counterterror is Excised Possible Guatemalan government Involvement in Recent Capital Violence http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB11/docs/

National Security Archive Electronic Briefing Book No. 11 U.S. POLICY IN GUATEMALA, 1966-1996 Kate Doyle, Project Director Carlos Osorio, Project Associate Document 1 U.S. Counter-Terror Assistance to Guatemalan Security Forces January 4, 1966 United States Agency for International Development, Secret cable U.S. Public Safety Advisor John Longan, on temporary loan from his post in Venezuela, assists the Guatemalan government in establishing an urban counter-terrorist task force in the wake of a rash of kidnappings for ransom by insurgent organizations. During meetings with senior military and police officials, Longan advises how to establish overt and covert operations in Guatemala, to include designing "frozen area plans" for police raids, setting up new road blocks within the capital, and creating a "safe house" in the Presidential Palace to centralize information gathered on the kidnappings. Longan also addresses the role of U.S. military advisors, the sale of U.S. supplies and equipment to the Guatemalan armed forces and Col. Peralta’s national address offering cash rewards for top communist leaders dead or alive. [Note: CAS is an acronym for "Covert Action Section," the operational arm of the CIA Station.] Document 2 Death List March 1966 Central Intelligence Agency, Secret cable

96. The Inter-American Court Condemns Guatemalan Government For 1982 Massacre And Fo The InterAmerican Court recently condemned the Guatemalan government for The Guatemalan government is currently seeking military aid from the United http://www.genocidewatch.org/GuatemalaCourtCondemnsStateforGenocide23july2004.ht

The Inter-American Court Condemns Guatemalan Government for 1982 massacre and for the First Time in its History Condemns a Member State for Genocide By Victoria Sanford Vdlsanford@aol.com Exactly 10 years ago, anthropologist Kathleen Dill and I were digging up bones in the exhumation of a clandestine cemetery of massacre victims in Plan de Sanchez, an isolated, indigenous mountain village of Guatemala. This third exhumation in the country took place before the Guatemalan army and guerrillas had signed peace accords, before the Guatemalan army’s civil patrols had been demobilized and before the United Nations Mission in Guatemala or any international NGOs had arrived. In the midst of the exhumation, the Guatemalan Forensic Anthropology Foundation, the Human Rights Ombudsman and the survivors received threats – “Leave the Dead in Peace, Sons of Whores or the Violence of the Past will Return.” The survivors were undeterred. They knew the exhumation had to continue or they would lose what little political space they had. Mostly, they were concerned for our safety because the local army commander had publicly stated that all the “anthropologists, internationals and journalists in Plan de Sanchez are guerrillas.” As we were brushing the earth away from the skeletons of their wives and children, I remember Erazmo, who had lost his wife, eight children and his 80 year old mother in the massacre, pointing to the open graves and saying, “There, there is no lie. There you are seeing the truth.” I asked what importance the truth could have 12 years after the massacre. Juan Manuel, who had also lost his wife and family, said, “We want peace. We want people to know what happened here so that it does not happen again - not here, not in some other village, department or country.”

97. Consortiumnews.com By the end of the year, the Guatemalan government was bold enough to request US Apparently confident of Reagan’s sympathies, the Guatemalan government http://www.consortiumnews.com/2005/011005.html

Make a secure online contribution Keep up with our postings: register for Consortiumnews.com email updates Click here for print version Home Links Contact Us ... Books Search WWW Search consortiumnews.com Order Now Archives Imperial Bush A closer look at the Bush record from the war in Iraq to the war on the environment 2004 Campaign Will Americans take the exit ramp off the Bush presidency in November? Behind Colin Powell's Legend Colin Powell's sterling reputation in Washington hides his life-long role as water-carrier for conservative ideologues. The 2000 Campaign Recounting the controversial presidential campaign Media Crisis Is the national media a danger to democracy? The Clinton Scandals The story behind President Clinton's impeachment Nazi Echo The Dark Side of Rev. Moon Rev. Sun Myung Moon and American politics Contra Crack Contra drug stories uncovered Lost History How the American historical record has been tainted by lies and cover-ups The October Surprise "X-Files"

98. Americas.org - Support Indigenous Opposition To Gold Mine backed by the Guatemalan government and the World Bank. BACKGROUND In the last five years, the Guatemalan government has granted over 250 mining http://americas.org/item_17818

September 22, 2005 Advanced Search Resource Center of the Americas 3019 Minnehaha Ave Minneapolis, MN 55406-1931 Support Indigenous Opposition To Gold Mine Support Indigenous Opposition To Gold Mine February 4, 2005 SOURCE: Global Response (www.globalresponse.org) In the Central American country of Guatemala, which recently emerged from decades of devastating civil war, indigenous peoples are now facing another assault on their lands and their rights. The threat comes from powerful multinational mining companies, backed by the Guatemalan government and the World Bank. BACKGROUND: In the last five years, the Guatemalan government has granted over 250 mining concessions, covering roughly ten percent of the country. Ninety percent of this land is occupied by indigenous peoples, who are demanding immediate cancellation of the mining permits. HUMAN AND ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS: In this semi-arid region where water is a scarce and critical resource for subsistence farmers, the Marlin mine will use 250 cubic meters (66,000 gallons) of water per hour. Ore will be sprayed with cyanide to leach out the gold, risking downstream contamination with cyanide and other toxic chemicals. Scientists warn that acid mine drainage is very likely to be a long-term problem. As the sulfide-rich ore is exposed to air and water, acid will be released into the environment, affecting water and soil quality for generations to come. RECOMMENDED ACTION: ADDRESSES:

99. The Murder Case Of Bishop Juan Gerardi In light of all this, we demand that the Guatemalan government assume its responsibility in the case, and investigate all angles, including the political http://www.peacebrigades.org/ern/ern99-04.html

Peace Brigades International ERN ALERT – GUATEMALA April 21, 1999 PBI Emergency Response Network – English version. Contents Letter of Introduction Background Information Sample Letters April 21, 1999 Dear Friends, While PBI withdrew its team from Guatemala in March, its interest and concern continues. One of the promises we made in our farewell is that we would indeed continue being watchful of the Guatemalan scene and accompanying from a distance. Certainly one of the questions that most concerned the project in the last year was the question of impunity and its effects on the peace process – an issue that it often tried to signal in its writing. The anniversary of Gerardi's assassination and a recent incident directed against Ronalth Ochaeta, Director of the Archbishop's Office for Human Rights and in charge of carrying out the REMHI program envisioned by Bishop Gerardi, makes this a propitious moment to once again signal the importance of resolving the impunity issue. And that the clarification of Gerardi's assassination along with an end to the harassment of those who have pushed for this clarification is an important first step. We hope you will help us to do this by: 1.) Responding with calls and faxes asked for in the alert that follows.

100. Refugees International: Articles: Forgotten People: Internally Displaced Persons The Guatemalan government has not lived up to key agreements with the In 1996, the Guatemalan government and the rebel groups newly united as the http://www.refintl.org/content/article/detail/6344/&output=printer

Forgotten People: Internally Displaced Persons in Guatemala Contact: Yodit Fitigu ri@refugeesinternational.org; 202-828-0110 Although the bitter 36-year civil war has come to an end, approximately 250,000 people remain internally displaced within Guatemala. While returning refugees and the displaced organized during the war as Communities of People in Resistance (CPRs), who numbered 50,000 have been given government assistance to resettle, the government and international organizations have ignored or been unable to access a substantial portion of the internally displaced population. The UN Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA), mandated to monitor and verify compliance with the peace accords, ended its work in 2004. The Guatemalan government has not lived up to key agreements with the insurgents related to displaced populations, most importantly those related to support for resettlement, restitution of property, and economic reintegration. The internally displaced themselves are reluctant to press for their rights and prefer to remain anonymous for fear of triggering a further round of displacement and violence. Living in the shadows of cities and in the inaccessible highlands, the remaining internally displaced persons are in danger of becoming completely forgotten by the Guatemalan government and by the world beyond. Their neglect by the government reflects historic patterns of marginalization of the indigenous peoples of the country. International involvement waned with the signing of the peace accords, which signaled to international organizations and others who might be active in Guatemala that the conflict had been resolved and that vigilance and active support and solidarity were no longer needed as they were in the 1980s and early 1990s.

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