By: Daniel Nardini
In Montevideo, Uruguay, the Uruguayan State Assembly voted overwhelmingly to scrap the general amnesty put in by those generals who ruled Uruguay as a dictatorship from 1975 to 1983. Now ordinary Uruguayan citizens can bring charges of crimes against humanity against these former generals and junior officers who were responsible for the murder and disappearance of loved ones during their brutal military rule. Now the generals will have to answer for their crimes just like any ordinary citizen. and no longer will the crimes of these generals be swept under the rug by the government. More important, this repudiation of the general amnesty means that Uruguayans will now be able to openly talk about this terrible period in their history and their children and grandchildren will learn the truth about a period that has been blacked out for too long. Not only do Uruguayans hope that justice will be served by this but that such a period in their history will never be repeated.
This comes in contrast to what is happening in Guatemala. The trial of Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores has been postponed indefinitely due to Mejia’s heart condition. It is unfortunate that such a person should be given a chance to cheat justice considering how many people he slaughtered regardless of their circumstances. From 1983 to 1986 he ruled Guatemala with an iron fist, and was responsible for killing thousands of indigenous Mayans. For this he has been indicted both in Spain and Guatemala for crimes against humanity. No one is sure if and when he will face justice for his crimes, and no one is sure if he will survive to face the charges leveled against him. Ironically, Mejia, although he had led a coup, was also responsible for allowing national elections that elected a democratic constituent assembly and also allowing for presidential elections that ended his rule.
The man who should be tried more than any other person in Guatemala is Jose Efrain Rios Montt. Montt seized power in a military coup and was responsible for killing far more people than did Mejia. From 1982 to 1983, Montt started a campaign of mass murder through his rightwing death squads that went from Mayan village to Mayan village. The death squads killed an estimated 70,000 under his rule, and torture was widespread. There is no question that Montt is guilty far more than Mejia of genocide and crimes against humanity, although both in my book are equally guilty no matter which man killed more than others. In a weird twist of fate, Montt remains free because he is a member of the Guatemalan Congress (which means he is immune from prosecution) while Mejia may (or may not) stand trial. Since Montt is 85 years old, and Mejia is 80, both men stand a good chance of dying before they will ever see the inside of a court room. Montt, more than Mejia, is considered one of the worst butchers in the history of the Americas. Will he ever face justice? Perhaps the Guatemalan government should look at what has happened in Uruguay as a model.
Justice and Injustice
By: Daniel Nardini
In Montevideo, Uruguay, the Uruguayan State Assembly voted overwhelmingly to scrap the general amnesty put in by those generals who ruled Uruguay as a dictatorship from 1975 to 1983. Now ordinary Uruguayan citizens can bring charges of crimes against humanity against these former generals and junior officers who were responsible for the murder and disappearance of loved ones during their brutal military rule. Now the generals will have to answer for their crimes just like any ordinary citizen. and no longer will the crimes of these generals be swept under the rug by the government. More important, this repudiation of the general amnesty means that Uruguayans will now be able to openly talk about this terrible period in their history and their children and grandchildren will learn the truth about a period that has been blacked out for too long. Not only do Uruguayans hope that justice will be served by this but that such a period in their history will never be repeated.
This comes in contrast to what is happening in Guatemala. The trial of Oscar Humberto Mejia Victores has been postponed indefinitely due to Mejia’s heart condition. It is unfortunate that such a person should be given a chance to cheat justice considering how many people he slaughtered regardless of their circumstances. From 1983 to 1986 he ruled Guatemala with an iron fist, and was responsible for killing thousands of indigenous Mayans. For this he has been indicted both in Spain and Guatemala for crimes against humanity. No one is sure if and when he will face justice for his crimes, and no one is sure if he will survive to face the charges leveled against him. Ironically, Mejia, although he had led a coup, was also responsible for allowing national elections that elected a democratic constituent assembly and also allowing for presidential elections that ended his rule.
The man who should be tried more than any other person in Guatemala is Jose Efrain Rios Montt. Montt seized power in a military coup and was responsible for killing far more people than did Mejia. From 1982 to 1983, Montt started a campaign of mass murder through his rightwing death squads that went from Mayan village to Mayan village. The death squads killed an estimated 70,000 under his rule, and torture was widespread. There is no question that Montt is guilty far more than Mejia of genocide and crimes against humanity, although both in my book are equally guilty no matter which man killed more than others. In a weird twist of fate, Montt remains free because he is a member of the Guatemalan Congress (which means he is immune from prosecution) while Mejia may (or may not) stand trial. Since Montt is 85 years old, and Mejia is 80, both men stand a good chance of dying before they will ever see the inside of a court room. Montt, more than Mejia, is considered one of the worst butchers in the history of the Americas. Will he ever face justice? Perhaps the Guatemalan government should look at what has happened in Uruguay as a model.