Guatemalan Groups Hopeful of Seeing Their Country Heal

The following post was written by Will Russell, of the Unitarian Universalist Church in Arlington, Va. Russell writes from Guatemala, where he is participating in a UUSC JustJourney.

We arrived in Guatemala on Saturday, February 16, and traveled to Antigua. A small group of us walked to the main square looking for video-recording media and a SIM card for my phone. We were amazed that no one seemed aware of the lawlessness in the state. We felt quite safe, although this may have been wishful thinking.

The next day, we were briefed on the current political and economic situation, as viewed through the lens of history. We learned about the ongoing effects of the Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA) and mining activities. We realized that to improve conditions more organizations and advocates are needed, as well as an assertive advocacy program back home. Parts of Antigua show the disastrous effects of earthquakes, which reduced the number of churches in the area from 38 to just 8.

On Monday, we took a bus to Guatemala City, where we visited the Center for Human Rights Legal Action (CALDH). They shared with us their insights and challenges, including their need for more effective prosecutors. They suggested we organize a letter-writing campaign to the Bush administration to call for better investigations. Their youth program seemed well intertwined and important. As with members of the organization who briefed us yesterday, CALDH personnel had been threatened and/or had lost family members. Yet, they had hope and a strong will to help heal their country. Their optimism was infectious.

After a lunch and a tour of the main square, we went to the forensic institute FAFG (La Fundación de Antropología Forense). We watched a video that graphically showed the process of mass-grave exhumation. Afterwards, we toured the lab, where specialists examined remains, including some of a small child, trying to establish his or her identity and cause of death. Although FAFG is experiencing financial difficulties, they hope to incorporate DNA techniques into the investigations. Beyond funding issues, their progress is also being delayed by prosecutors who are slow to authorize and accept their offers of assistance. Still, they have examined the remains of 5,000 to 7,000 individuals.

Later on, our group came together in a group-reflection session to share our feelings about what we had witnessed.