Like many countries, Guatemala has a long, sad history of human right violations, including the disappearance of 6 indigenous Mayan villagers in the mid-80s. Mario Minera, a civil rights lawyer in Guatemala, says that these 6 disappearances are just the beginning — that there were actually more than 600 incidents, all of which are currently unresolved. Most killings took place between 1982 and 1996, under the rule of Jose Efrain Rios Montt and Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores. This was period of military rule for Guatemala, and many many secrets were kept from the public eye during this time of civil war.
The span of the country’s civil war was 36 years, and more than 40,000 cases of disappeared individuals has been recorded.
Relief came earlier this year, when a Guatemalan court ruled that these cases were not subject to a statute of limitations — which means that these men, who had been living and working in government with impunity, could finally be brought to justice. And there have been convictions.
The first to be convicted was Felipe Cusanero, accused in the cases of 6 disappearances. He has been sentenced to 150 years for the part he played in those disappearances.
Other cases are ongoing, with conviction being the likely outcome.
This huge step is being hailed by human rights organizations worldwide, with many saying this is a chance to heal the wounds of the civil war.
What do you think? Is this a positive move? Will it have the effect we all hope it ill? What will it take for these actions to successfully bring a sense of healing back to the country?
