Yesterday, The Washington Post published an article highlighting the opening of Guatemala’s police archives. The archives — which contain documentation of Guatemala’s internal armed conflict that killed approximately 200,000 people — could provide long awaited justice to families who never got answers about disappearances and murders of their loved ones.
The article continues with a comment from Amnesty International: “I don’t think anyone truly believed this day would come,” said Barbara Bocek, the Guatemala country specialist for Amnesty International USA. “It’s an incredible achievement, especially for Guatemala. In other countries these records would be buried underground, shredded, destroyed.”
However, AI has expressed concern about intimidation of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office, the agency credited with discovering the warehouse of documents: “The wife of the Director of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office was kidnapped on Wednesday and tortured. One official was beaten up, whilst a number of threats have been made against other officials of the Human Rights Ombudsman’s Office. These include a bomb threat and a threat against the life of the Director of the Office. ”
WIth such an incredible opportunity in Guatemala comes the familiar forces of intimidation and secrecy. Do you think the opening of Guatemala’s police archives will bring long awaited justice to the families of the disappeared?
Hello, I just read the article inSeafaring magazine about a fellow american boater Buddy and Melissa Stockwell and there unfair fiasco in Rio Dulce. Thier story of being terrorized and robbed with no justice and payed off judges is apalling. The murder of Dan Dryden another fellow boater. In my opinion your country and its people will get what they deserve. To the police and government ,the US people will not stand for this, or any other boater. You have declared maritime war on inocent boaters.I am on my way to your country and will bring US boaters against injustuce. Your police better shape up your people better run and INGUAT will disapear soon. Reform is on the way.
Hello, I just read the article inSeafaring magazine about a fellow american boater Buddy and Melissa Stockwell and there unfair fiasco in Rio Dulce. Thier story of being terrorized and robbed with no justice and payed off judges is apalling. The murder of Dan Dryden another fellow boater. In my opinion your country and its people will get what they deserve. To the police and government ,the US people will not stand for this, or any other boater. You have declared maritime war on inocent boaters.I am on my way to your country and will bring US boaters against injustuce. Your police better shape up your people better run and INGUAT will disapear soon. Reform is on the way.
It would be a wonderful thing if the names of those responsible and also of those disappeared were to be published for those who are no longer in Guatemala to be notified.
It would be a wonderful thing if the names of those responsible and also of those disappeared were to be published for those who are no longer in Guatemala to be notified.