Learn Spanish Online Enmasse

In August I reached at the halfway point of a 3 year contract with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Bogotá, Colombia working with advocacy, development and peace projects. I have very mixed feelings about this – time is flying too fast! But for 6 weeks in July and August I was taking a break from regular work, brushing up on my Spanish and learning about a whole new political context: A language School in Western Guatemala (Proyecto Linguistico Quetzaltenango, particularly the rural campus Mountain School). But it wasn’t a break from political talk, nor difficult and challenging topics: Guatemala’s 36 years of civil war, oppression, torture, massacres, resistance movements, peace accords, indigenous populations and the continuing struggle for access to land and human rights all came out in classes, presentations, weekend trips and even walks around the farms near the Mountain School. Living in Colombia and previously in Rwanda many of my friends and colleagues past and present wereand continue to be directly impacted by effects of violence and war: sustaining physical or emotional injuries, losing loved ones in horrific ways, witnessing massacres, experiencing sexual violence, losing land or a home, and much more. But amongst stories of grief and sadness also come stories of hope: rebuilding of communities and homes, reconciliation, resilience and perseverance, accompaniment and walking alongside people who have suffered, and the ongoing struggle for truth and justice. Often the hope is mixed with grief, but it is still there. I have been fortunate enough to see both sides, but usually the negative dominates as the trends of violence and cruelty repeat across countries, regions and continents. Usually you have to look a lot harder for the hope, but it exists: in Rwanda, in Colombia, in Guatemala and around the world. And I would argue that movements and individuals that inspire hope also exist in almost, if not every context, across the continents. In Guatemala,like many countries in Latin America, the roots of conflict can be linked to economic and political repression. After 10 years of economic reform known as the Spring (1944-1954) which included wide distribution of land to small scale peasant farmers (or campesinos), the US Government, the CIA, and major companies became involved in governance, supporting parties and policies that would roll back many of these reforms, putting the land and control back into the hands of the few. A number of communities and individuals protested the changes leading to the assassination of many activists and community leaders. As a result, many Guatemalans took up arms and joined a guerrilla movement that led to a civil war of 36 years (1960-1996), which finally ended with the signing of peace accords on December 29, 1996. But the conflict wouldn’t end before hundreds of massacres and hundreds of thousands of deaths. Many times communities that were organizing to defend land other rights were labeled asguerillas and then massacred.  These atrocities especially took place in the era of President Rios Montt in the early 1980s.  Rios Montt was recently tried and convicted of genocide, although the conviction was overturned just after a few days. In my short time in Guatemala, I was directed immediately to a book called “Guatemala Nunca Más” (Guatemala Never Again), documenting the experiences of victims of the conflict. The book is a work of the Inter-diocesan Project of the Recuperation of Historical Memory (REMHI). The project included many leaders and members within the Roman Catholic Church such as Monsignor Juan José Gerardi Conedera, a longtime spokesperson for the rights of communities to organize and demand their rights. Gerardi was also a promoter of Liberation Theology (as were many Roman Catholics in the region) which, in short, teaches the union of Christ with those struggling under unjust economic, political or social conditions.   Through hundreds if not thousands ofinterviews, this book boldly describes the events and particularly the gross violations of human rights that took place during the 36 year civil war, including naming the parties responsible. The State or military were responsible for 93% of the 400+ massacres listed, the guerillas were responsible for 3% and in 4% of the cases responsibility could not be determined. Reading through the accounts of torture, murder, rape, and other vicious acts was all too familiar and all too horrible. But the gathering of these statistics and stories was a huge act of courage in itself, and caused me to look deeper into the people behind this project, notably Monsignor Gerardi. From the beginning of the war, Gerardi was outspoken and heavily involved in campesino movements, encouraging and supporting communities forming cooperatives in search of better economics and a better future. For this, he was dubbed by many as a guerilla sympathizer. But even as Gerardi witnessed colleagues within the church betortured and murdered, he refused to support the guerrilla movement and the conflict as a means to bring peace. Gerardi instead focused his energy on exposing the truth of what was happening. As the conflict was drawing to an end, he was highly involved with the REMHI project, bringing the truth to light in search of justice. His bravery, however, would cost him his life. Just two days after he officially launched “Guatemala Nunca Más,” he was brutally beaten to death in his home. And yet, does death and hopelessness prevail? I would say no. The courage to stick to one’s principles in dire circumstances to defend others, as well as risk one’s life publishing the truth, no matter how controversial and provocative speaks louder- although it is certainly mixed with grief. Today, the struggle against impunity continues. And also many communities, especially indigenous communities, are facing the challenges of mega projects – mining and hydroelectric initiatives (many multinationalprojects, including Canadian companies). Communities are facing displacement, destruction of land and necessary resources, such as water, and increases in violence, especially against human rights activists. But the resistance movement is strong, and organized. And despite the risk, communities are voicing their concerns publicly. A difficult situation for sure, but the hope remains in the struggle for truth and justice. References: , Guatemala; and the . Without reservations, I highly recommend both schools, particularly the Mountain School! Read more about the from MCC colleagues in Guatemala. . Rebekah Sears graduated from UNB with a degree in History in 2006. She currently works as a Policy Educator and Advocacy Worker with the Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) in Colombia. MCC is an international Christian NGO founded on Anabaptist principles of non-violent service in working to meet basic human needs and to promote peace, justice, and compassion in the name of Christ.