NATIONAL DAY OF ACTION
TO DEMAND IMPLEMENTATION OF PEACE ACCORDS

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

+++ National Action Sheet +++

+++ Chicago March 25 Action +++

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.

On the 20th Anniversary Ríos Montt's Coup, Join the Network in Solidarity with the People of Guatemala (NISGUA), Amnesty International USA, and the Guatemalan Human Rights Commission (GHRC-USA), and to Demand that the Guatemalan Government…

• De-Militarize: While the military budget for 2001 met Peace Accords standards, additional alterations resulted in an 85% increase by the end of the year. The Guatemalan government must keep its 2002 budget within approved limits.
• Abolish the EMP: The Presidential General Staff (EMP), which was to be dismantled immediately, continues to operate and to be implicated in serious human rights abuses.
• Implement Real Judicial Reforms: Human rights violations and other crimes are left unsolved due to the State's inability to investigate and prosecute. The system is corrupt and rife with impunity, and witnesses, judges, lawyers, and prosecutors are continuously subject to threats and attacks. We are especially concerned about the current genocide lawsuits against Efraín Rios Montt and Romeo Lucas Garcia, which offer communities an opportunity to commemorate their victims, but place the witnesses and their legal support in great danger.
• Protect Human Rights Defenders: Guatemalan and international human rights workers increasingly have been the victims of politically motivated threats, attacks, and killings.

Action Suggestions:

• Join consulate demonstrations taking place in Washington, DC, Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and other locations.
• Call or fax the Guatemalan Embassy - (202) 745-4952 fax: (202) 745-1908
• Express your concern over the deteriorating and oppressive conditions that civil society is facing. Demand that they protect human rights defenders, implement real judicial reforms, and address Peace Accords requirements about the military and EMP.
• Call or fax your Members of Congress - (202) 224-3121 (US Capitol Switchboard).  Ask them to support for the witnesses and legal teams involved in the upcoming genocide cases against Rios Montt and Lucas Garcia.

For More Information:

NISGUA	Amnesty International USA	Guatemala Human Rights Commission-USA
202-518-7638	202-544-0200	202-529-6599
nisgua@igc.org		ghrc-usa@ghrc-usa.org
www.nisgua.org	www.amnesty-usa.org	www.ghrc-usa.org