On March 25, Join Activists Across the Country to Demand that the Guatemalan Government Fulfill Their Promises of Peace.

Twenty years ago, on March 23, 1982, General Efraín Ríos Montt seized control of Guatemala and initiated a 'scorched earth' policy that resulted in the deaths or disappearances of more than 19,000 people. And his control was not limited to the early 1980's; he is currently the president of Congress and considered to be the most powerful man in Guatemala. His reign was the most violent period in Guatemala's 36-year civil war, which claimed almost 200,000.

Five years ago, the Peace Accords offered Guatemala a glimmer of hope, officially ending the bloody war and laying the groundwork for a real democracy. However, with most of the accords not yet fulfilled, many are wondering if the peace process has stagnated. In December 2000, Guatemala again extended the timeline for compliance but, over a year later, little progress has been made. What is most frightening is the oppressive impact that all of this has on civil society: an increasing military presence, unrelenting poverty, and escalating threats to human rights.