Rebuilding from tragedy
In 1996 the government of Guatemala and the URNG guerrilla forces signed the Accords for a Firm and Lasting Peace , thus bringing to an end one of the longest-running and bloodiest conflicts of the 20 the Century. Since the early 1960s, successive authoritarian governments had struggled to repress various insurgent groups, acting with increasing brutality. A truth commission established under the terms of the Peace Accords found that 200,000 people had died in the conflict, with the army responsible for at least 93% of atrocities. Significantly, the commission also declared that in the process of repressing the guerrillas the army committed acts that reached the level of genocide against the indigenous Maya population, who made up 83% of the victims of the conflict. The report located the main roots of the conflict in three factors- deep-rooted economic exclusion, racism, and the structures of authoritarian rule. As such, the Peace Accords set specific social and economic targets to help secure long-term peace.
Unfortunately, the years since 1996 have been disappointing in these terms. Although democratic rule seems quite secure, poverty and inequality levels remain amongst the highest in Latin America . The indigenous population also remains the most likely to suffer from economic exclusion. Although the ending of the conflict remains an unmitigated good, the majority of the population has yet to receive the promised social benefits. This makes the development work that takes place in the country all the more crucial, to guarantee a peaceful and just future for Guatemala .
Suggested Reading:
Jean-Marie Simon: Guatemala:Eternal Spring, Eternal Tyranny.
David Stoll: Between Two Armies in The Ixil Towns of Guatemala
CEH (1999):Guatemala : Memoria del Silencio. Tomo 1. Causas y Orígenes del enfrentamiento armado interno.
Stephen Schlesinger & Stephen Kinzer: Bitter Fruit- The Story of the United States Coup in Guatemala |
