While visiting Guatemala over the summer, I heard a lot about the Civil War there. I knew of this conflict but did not realize how brutal, how ugly, it was. Entire villages were wiped out and terrible atrocities were committed; many (indeed, the vast majority) of the victims were non-combatants, including children, women, the elderly. Ultimately, some 200,000 were killed and many thousands more went “missing.” Most of the victims — more than eight out of ten — were Mayan Indians, killed by the Guatemalan army and assorted “death squads” by order of the right-wing military government controlling the county at that time.
Since returning, I have tried to educate myself about “La Violencia,” as it is known in that part of the world. I have finished reading “Silence on the Mountain: Stories of Terror, Betrayal, and Forgetting in Guatemala,” by Daniel Wilkinson. The book is a powerful discription and testimonial of what government sanctioned terror can do to a people. In addition, I currently am reading “Buried Secrets: Truth and Human Rights in Guatemala.” I am not yet ready to express an opinion about the book overall, though thus far it puts me in awe of those who investigate human rights abuses.
The Civil War officially ended in 1996, though problems persist and violence (both political and criminal) continues to plague Guatemalan society. In just a few days (September 9) Guatemala will hold its third national election since the Civil War ended. Regrettably, the lead-up to those elections has also been marred by violence.
Despite all this, Guatemala is, quite simply, a beautiful country. Its people are charming, its landscape unforgettable. I am hopeful that, over time, Guatemala will resolve its problems and begin fulfilling its potential as a nation-state.
