Opinion: Guatemala’s president wants to let war criminals go free
Indigenous activist Rosalina Tuyuc leaves photographs of victims of Guatemala's civil war outside the Congress in Guatemala City on March 13. By Frida Ghitis Contributing columnist April 4 at 3:43 PM As a society, we have agreed that some crimes are so horrific that they belong in a separate category. These are acts in which the perpetrators victimize not only their immediate target but all of us — which is why we label them “crimes against humanity.
Like other transitional justice arrangements, that agreement demanded painful sacrifices from a country that had suffered greatly. Guatemalans decided to look unflinchingly at what they had done but, for the sake of peace, to forgive almost all crimes committed in the course of the war. The state would punish anyone found guilty of the worst atrocities, including crimes against humanity, massacres and kidnapping.
The amnesty legislation has faltered in the face of domestic and international condemnation, but it has not been fully withdrawn. At any moment the Guatemalan Congress could make a push, and by then it would be too late to stop it. The commission found that “agents of the state committed acts of genocide,” and that 93 percent of the documented violations had been committed by the government and its backers, while 3 percent were carried out by the Marxist rebels.
Then, in a landmark case, Guatemala indicted the military dictator who led the country during some of the most brutal parts of the war. In a trial that transfixed the nation, the former strongman, Gen. Efraín Ríos Montt, was convicted of genocide and crimes against humanity. Government supporters have a majority in Congress, and the amnesty legislation easily passed the first of three required readings. The changes would immediately free dozens of prisoners convicted of grave human rights violations and stop the prosecution of about a dozen more already indicted and awaiting trial. The legislation would also foreclose the possibility of any more prosecutions over mass killings for which far too few have been held to account.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Opinion | The press can’t let Sanders duck the hard questionsOpinion: The press can’t let Sanders duck the hard questions
Read more »
Analysis | Power Up: Let the subpoena wars begin between Trump and House DemocratsAnalysis: Let the subpoena wars begin between Trump and House Democrats
Read more »
California wages war against illegal weed farms; Gov. Newsom wants Trump to pay some costsCalifornia is waging war against unlicensed pot shops and redoubling efforts to stamp out illegal marijuana farms using National Guard troops.
Read more »
Let's go. Start investing todayStop making these 4 excuses not to invest, says karenfinerman on CNBCTheExchange. Even putting $50 a month towards investing can make a big difference. investinyou (in partnership with Acorns.)
Read more »
Opinion | Trump wants to kill Obamacare because it's more popular than he isOpinion | Robert Schlesinger: Trump wants to kill Obamacare because it's more popular than he is. - NBCNewsTHINK
Read more »
Opinion | Who Wants to Be Bernie’s Nurse?Opinion: U.K.’s experience overseas tells us that BernieCare is a threat to both the availability and quality of American medicine, writes FreemanWSJ
Read more »
David Duke wants 'Jewish Zionist supremacist' Kushner removed from White House to end 'foreign Zionist wars'Duke has repeatedly criticized President Trump for putting the interests of Israel above America.
Read more »
Grab A Drink And Let's Go Through All The Drama From This Week In Australian PoliticsA week of getting on the sauce and James Bond magazines.
Read more »
Mexican president wants to 'bring order' to Central American migration to U.SMexico will help to regulate the flow of Central American migrants passing throu...
Read more »
Mexico wants to 'bring order' to Central American migration to U.S.: presidentMexico will help to regulate the flow of Central American migrants passing throu...
Read more »