Life Is Priceless: Mayan Q'eqchi' Voices on the Guatemalan National Reparations Program

Abstract

1Little in-depth research has been conducted on or attention paid to the experience and opinions of survivors regarding issues such as reparation, justice, reconciliation and truth in dealing with the aftermath of atrocities. Less still has been said of the way in which victims' identities impact on these views or are considered in the design of programs aimed at redress for past violations. This article focuses on Guatemala's National Reparations Program (PNR) as critically viewed by Mayan Q'eqchi' victims. The Q'eqchi' are the secondlargest Mayan group in the country and among the most severely affected by the internal armed conflict of 1960 to 1996. In Guatemala, the dominant culture is nonindigenous, although the majority of the population is indigenous Maya. This raises the complex issue of the actual and potential role of cultural context in dealing with grave human rights violations. In this regard, it is pertinent to establish how reparation is understood in different cultural contexts and to question how governmental reparations programs take these contexts into account. The results of extensive ethnographic field research conducted between 2006 and 2009 reveal the need for a locally rooted and culturally sensitive PNR.

Amplifying voices of development: Insights from Indigenous Maya leaders of El Quiche, Guatemala.

“…The majority of the Guatemalan population is Indigenous Maya who have survived conquest, racism, suppression and attempted extermination since the Spanish arrived in 1492 (Anckermann, Dominguez, Soto, Kjaerulf, Berliner & Naima Mikkelsen, 2005;Keeling, 2004;Imai, Mehranvar & Sander, 2007;Jonas, 1991;Lovell, 1988Lovell, , 2000NISGUA, 2010;Steinberg, 2006;Viaene, 2010). Today, this majority population is forced to meet the needs of institutions and corporations in the Global North, along with elite business interests internal to the country, rather than meet the desires of their own communities (Lovell, 1988 and since then, they continue the struggle for their rights (Bastos, 2010).…”

“…Today, this majority population is forced to meet the needs of institutions and corporations in the Global North, along with elite business interests internal to the country, rather than meet the desires of their own communities (Lovell, 1988 and since then, they continue the struggle for their rights (Bastos, 2010). Doyle & The National Security Archive, n.d.; Handy, 2008;Imai et al, 2007;Jonas, 1991;NISGUA, 2010;Nolin, 2006;Nolin Hanlon & Shankar, 2000;Ogle, 1998;Reade & Nolin, 2008;REHMI, 1999;Taylor, 2007;Viaene, 2010). In 1999, the Recovery of Historical Memory Project (REHMI) was brought forward by Guatemala's Catholic…”

“…The physical conflict between the militarized government and the Indigenous population did not formally come to an end until the signing of the Peace Accords in 1996 (Arana, 2001, Abell, 1999, Imai et al, 2007, REHMI, 1999, Viaene, 2010 the Guatemalan state was responsible for 93 percent of the conflict's human right's violations, while the guerrillas were responsible for just 3 percent Furthermore, the [CEH] located the root causes of the conflict in historical stiuctural injustice toward and economic exclusion of the indigenous population (Aylward, 2010, Viaene, 2010, p 6, Manz, 2008, Ross, 2004 Today, Guatemala is still ravaged with violence and psychological warfare that divides the population in fear (Anckermann et al, 2005, Campaign for Peace and Life in Guatemala, 1999a, Green, 2004, Zur, 1998 The human rights violations that are defined in the REHMI and CEH all happened under the watchful eyes of the Global North, as institutions and international governments pushed for economic advancements in Guatemala (Nohn, 2006) As contemporary 'development' agendas emerged from the Global North at the end of World War Two, Guatemala was being shaped by decisions made in the United…”

“…No matter a person's gender, social status, or occupation, the Maya believe that the community is only healthy, if its population remains in harmony (Falla, 2001;Viaene, 2010). No room exists for greed or jealousy within the community.…”

“…They believe that the actions of a single person have an effect on others and all elements on earth play a role in maintaining balance (Viaene, 2010) As OSMUNDO points out,…”