Guatemala before the Commission

[by jeremy, on 10-18-03]
This week, I attended a day of hearings at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. The hearings took place in a small room off a back stairway in the Washington, DC headquarters of the Organization of American States. Guatemala was the subject. The first complaint heard by the 2 presiding justices (and assistants) was from an indigenous woman and a forensic anthropologist who told of decades of murders largely perpetrated by the government. Only one murder has been investigated.

IACHR hearing


Judge Goldman, who is Argentine, thought that was a disgrace. “Compare this to Argentina,” he said. “Many more human rights offenders have been brought to justice there, and more are going on trial now.” How, he asked, had Guatemala only prosecuted one person?

The defense was then given a chance to speak. They complained about small budgets and a lack of technology. Mostly, though, they passed the blame off on the legislature: “There are amnesty laws in place,” they said. “We are barred from prosecuting these people.” The Guatemalan government told the Commission that if they were to proceed, “the legislature will have to get rid of these amnesty laws, like the congress recently did in Argentina.”

I was amazed: Argentina had become the example of good behavior, the bright light on the hill which other governments are unfavorably compared. How can this be?

previously there was running alone
afterwards you have one year in buenos aires

comments

Manuel
Fuimos unos de los pocos paises en el mundo que enjucio y lo seguimos haciendo, a sus dictadores (ni si quiera España lo hizo), ¿porque no puede ser un ejemplo? [submitted on 20 Oct 03]
max
hola jeremy, hace mucho que no escribo aqui, aunque leo en general los articulos que escriben vos y david. mi pregunta es : que pais puede ser la luz brillante de la que hablas? estados unidos? en ese caso deberian someterse al tribunal penal de la haya, y dejar que juzguen a bush & compañia por crimenes de guerra. [submitted on 29 Oct 03]
jeremyp
Hola max - que bueno escuchar de vos otra vez. Es una buena pregunta que tenés; realmente no hay ningún pais con es un ejemplo perfecto. Por seguro no es los EEUU. Realmente estoy en acuerdo que lo que hace Argentina recién es bueno. Es solo que me da sorpresa como Argentina se convirtió tan rapidamente desde un ejemplo de mál en un ejemplo bueno. Me parece que realmente Argentina falta mucho antes de ser ejemplo para el mundo.

A pesar de todo, tu país es mucho más cerca de ser un ejemplo que es mio. [submitted on 22 Nov 03]

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