Guatemalan
Genocide
The Guatemalan Genocide (also known as the Silent Holocaust) was an atrocious murder of Mayan and guerilla people from 1981-1983. The leader of this genocide was General Efrain Rios Montt. The Guatemalan government was in a civil war against the guerrillas, and the Mayans were guerrilla allies. Montt invaded 626 villages in the Mayan community, including the Chij Mayans, Ixil Mayans, Q’anjob’al Mayans, Achi Mayans, and more. Their troops destroyed crops, houses, land, livestock, water, sacred places, and cultural symbols. Over 200,000 Mayans died. The Mayan people were devastated.
The methods of the anti-terrorist force were extremely cruel. Mayans were beaten against walls, thrown into pits filled with dead bodies while still alive. They were also tortured, raped, amputated, impaled then left to die slowly, set on fire, disemboweled, shot repeatedly, tortured then left alone to die. In addition, pregnant women's’ wombs would be cut open; those who lived could barely survive the trauma.
The Mayans sought refuge in Mexico, and the Guatemalan government did not go after them. The genocide stayed in Guatemala only.
The methods of the anti-terrorist force were extremely cruel. Mayans were beaten against walls, thrown into pits filled with dead bodies while still alive. They were also tortured, raped, amputated, impaled then left to die slowly, set on fire, disemboweled, shot repeatedly, tortured then left alone to die. In addition, pregnant women's’ wombs would be cut open; those who lived could barely survive the trauma.
The Mayans sought refuge in Mexico, and the Guatemalan government did not go after them. The genocide stayed in Guatemala only.
Today, Mayans have more rights and more land. People who participated were tried for murder. The guatemalan government has stronger justice systems as well.
This genocide is very important because it teaches governments and government like powers that they shouldn’t kill a race of people just because some of them are helping an anti-government group non-violently. |