Anniversary of Guatemala's peace accords
December 29th marks the twentieth anniversary of the peace accords that ended the Guatemalan civil war. In reflecting upon the peace agreement recently concluded in Colombia, Nomada's Martin Rodriguez Pellecer writes about 10 ‘lecciones’ de 20 años de paz en Guatemala. They are not really lessons about what to do or not to do, but simply reflections on what Guatemalans know today that they didn't know, or didn't appreciate, at earlier points in time.
I wrote about the similarities between the civil wars and peace processes in Guatemala and Colombia 2 1/2 years ago in Anyone get the feeling Colombia is like Guatemala? At this point, we can add the failed vote on the Colombian peace process to the mix as it somewhat resembles the 1999 referendum in Guatemala. Martin touches on the implications of the failed referendum for peace in Guatemala in his article. It's too soon to tell what lasting damage the no vote has done in Colombia.
I would be more optimistic about next year in Guatemala if it weren't for Trump's victory in the US election. I fear he will downplay US support for CICIG, the MP's office, and civil society in that country, three entities that have given the country a fighting chance.
Will Guatemala be able to build upon (once again) this year's reductions in homicides?
1. La ‘paz’ de antes de la guerra no era buena
2. Buscar la verdad
3. Los guerreros siguen siendo guerreros
4. La lucha contra la impunidad (es la más importante)
5. La corrupción es el talón de aquiles de las mafias
6. Es una oportunidad para reescribirnos como país
7. Construir la paz cuesta dinero (o no reduce la pobreza)
8. Rehacer al ejército
9. Atacar el gran problema
10. Abrirse a ideas globalesThe overarching lesson seems to be don't waste this opportunity. Guatemala had two postwar truth commissions that uncovered the atrocities committed during the war, mainly by the military. Yet, there was little effort at holding soldiers, and guerrillas, accountable for the human rights violations they committed. Instead, many of those same individuals seamlessly transitioned into a postwar environment in which they continued to abuse their fellow citizens.
I wrote about the similarities between the civil wars and peace processes in Guatemala and Colombia 2 1/2 years ago in Anyone get the feeling Colombia is like Guatemala? At this point, we can add the failed vote on the Colombian peace process to the mix as it somewhat resembles the 1999 referendum in Guatemala. Martin touches on the implications of the failed referendum for peace in Guatemala in his article. It's too soon to tell what lasting damage the no vote has done in Colombia.
I would be more optimistic about next year in Guatemala if it weren't for Trump's victory in the US election. I fear he will downplay US support for CICIG, the MP's office, and civil society in that country, three entities that have given the country a fighting chance.
me preguntan sobre comparabilidad con período previo a la Firma de la Paz... única fuente es el INE #20AñosDePaz pic.twitter.com/C3a15TL0GM— Carlos Mendoza (@camendoza72) December 29, 2016
Will Guatemala be able to build upon (once again) this year's reductions in homicides?
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