““LA VIDA NO TIENE PRECIO”: LA VIDA NO TIENE PRECIO”: Lessons Learned in GuatemalaLessons Learned in Guatemala

Course: Truth and Reconciliation: Politics and Course: Truth and Reconciliation: Politics and Possibilities of MemoryPossibilities of Memory

Interfaith Institute for Peace, Justice, and Social Interfaith Institute for Peace, Justice, and Social MovementsMovements

Burnaby, BC, Aug 14, 2008 Burnaby, BC, Aug 14, 2008

Unit presented by Angela Contreras-ChavezUnit presented by Angela Contreras-Chavez

Reconstructing the Social Fabric is like Reconstructing the Social Fabric is like ……

Weaving a Mayan TextileWeaving a Mayan Textile

Unit Description

Brief overview of the transformation of the recommendations made by Guatemala’s REHMI

report in terms of Reparation

Objective

Make you reflect on

one small thing that you can do

---individually, collectively; internally, externally--

to transform reconciliation into action.

CASE: Guatemala

Recommendations of the (1997) REHMI Project:

REPARATIONS!!!!

1. Material restitution2. Humanitarian assistance for victims/survivors3. Collective Memory4. Statement of Government Responsibility5. Official History6. Investigations of Cases7. Honoring the Victims (ceremonies, monuments, legal

procedures)8. Exhumations9. Restoring Memory to the People

NATIONAL PROGRAM OF REPARATION (PNR)

Measures

1. Psycho-social2. Cultural3. Dignity4. Health5. Bursaries

Tangible: housing, social dev projects, land titles.

Intangible: universal health, psycho-social, culture.

Tangible-intangible: elementary education (T tuition), dignity (T monuments, T houses of prayer Nimajay), social dev projects (T literacy for women), universal health (T pharma-care, T prosthesis)

Holistic Mechanism for Material Reparation (PNR)

BRINGING IN MAYAN VALUES

Relevant to Truth and Justice

• Harmony

• Respect the elderly

• Coexistence

• Solidarity• Binary complements: young-old, men-women, cold-hot,

present-past…

• Tetra complements: water, animals, air, people…

MAYA KEM: WEAVING A TEXTILE

1. [Tangible + intangible]

2. [(Long-term + short term) & (tangible + intangible)]

3. Tangible intangible

4. Intangible tangible

5. Accumulative and not exclusive

6. Intangible even when if victim doesn’t ask for it

7. Bursaries and universal health only after 3 yrs

8. All collective victims will receive intangible compensation

Workshops for Psychological-Social Reparation (tangible)

Psycho-social workshop is a pre-requisite for receiving material compensation (intangible tangible)

Psycho-social workshop after receiving monetary compensation (tangible intangible)

FROM TRUTH TO REPARATION: PHASES

1. Community preparation2. Interviews, diagnosis3. Analysis, prescription 4. Initiation: economic, material, projects5. Closing: economic, material6. PNR leaves community7. Monitoring8. Lessons learned

PREPARING THE COMMUNITY: Ceremony in front of military base The Q’ueqchi’es People of Verapaz

CLOSING: Inaugural Ceremony of Cross in Sahakok, Alta Verapaz

CLOSING: Inuagural Ceremony of Cross in Sahakok, Alta Verapaz

TANGIBLE + INTANGIBLE: The Cross at SahakokPast-present

Ceremony at The Xalab’e Cross, Alta Verapaz

CLOSING:

How can I participate in the movement towards restoring balance between Aboriginal and

non-Aboriginal relations?

• Educate yourself and/or others on human dignity and challenges many people must face to enjoy basic indigenous rights to culture, self-determination, citizenship.

• Tangible or intangible acts of solidarity that help eliminate prejudices and inequalities