Public Statement

In Guatemala, those responsible for genocide are still in power. They must be brought to justice!

This is the public statement the followed the launch of Mary Ellen Davis's Haunted Land.

Since of january 2002, many canadian organizations and thousands of canadians, from coast to coast, signed up this to show their support to this declaration.

Preamble

36 years of war have torn Guatemala apart. The indigenous Maya have been the principal victims of the murderous campaign hatched by the Guatemalan State and carried out by the army, encouraged and supported by the United States wishing to defend its economic and strategic interests.

In 1996 after a long negociation the Guatemalan State and the guerrillas finally signed the Peace Accord, ending the civil war. Nevertheless 5 years later the record is discouraging and the agreements concluded on paper have not been applied. The accords were meant to bring about economic, social, political and cultural reforms.

Meanwhile Guatemala has seen the emergence of a civil movement that claims justice for past horrors. Exhumations in clandestine cemeteries are revealing to the world the true story of the war. The Truth Commission (CEH) established that the ultimate responsibility for 93% of violations committed during the conflict lies with the State. Witnesses and human rights organizations have denounced the former military chiefs and their associates as responsible for the abuses.

In June 2001 the survivors of the obliterated village of Petanac and 10 other victimized indigenous communities initiated a collective lawsuit against General Efrain Rios Montt and his entire military command for war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide. Rios Montt, current President of Congress, became President of Guatemala in 1982 after a coup, and during his bloody regime hundreds of massacres were committed in rural areas. By going to the courts, witnesses are putting their lives at risk. Other Guatemalans who help defend the right to historical memory also live in danger of reprisals.

The courts seem incapable of bringing those responsible to justice. The slowness, indeed paralysis, of the justice system equates to a war of attrition against the plaintiffs already up against poverty and for whom judicial steps require real sacrifice. They need long term international support. Unfortunately foreign governments, including Canada, see the fight against impunity as one of the second order. At a time of mobilization against terrorism, our nations abandon the victims of State terrorism that had U.S. backing.

Public Statement

We the undersigned, including Mateo Pablo, survivor of the Petanac massacre (July 14th 1982, department of Huehuetenango) whereas recognizing the important decision of Canada in signing and ratifying the statute of the International Criminal Court and for reforming internal criminal law to adapt to the principles of said court (allowing for judgement of war criminals and crimes against humanity) do nonetheless demand Canada revise its clause which imposes the condition that war criminals have to be living in Canada before they can be judged.

Crimes such as genocide, ethnocide, rape, State terrorism, torture, and others have been and will continue to be committed until such time as perpetrators are judged. We demand the Government of Canada pursue its efforts to assure the functioning of the International Criminal Court and demonstrate its opposition to crimes against humanity and war crimes that may be committed in future.

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