THE GUATEMALA COVER-UP --
OPINION PIECE
Rigoberta Menchu has long been recognized as an outstanding
advocate for peace and human rights in Guatemala. However, after
winning the Nobel Peace Prize, Rigoberta has suddenly become, as the
Miami Herald puts it, "a controversial Guatemalan indian."
Such statements have come as a result of the Guatemalan
government's efforts to discredit Rigoberta by accusing her of being
linked to the United National Revolutionary of Guatemala (URNG).
When pressed about these allegations, the Nobel Committee made
the unfortunate error of describing their decision as "somewhat
controversial."
That only played into the hands of a government that continuously
deceives public opinion and feigns concern. Undoubtedly, Rigoberta
has on occasion met with members of the URNG leadership or members
of its diplomatic team. To imply that she should have ignored the URNG
all along is to say that she should shut the door on conciliation. Even
if Rigoberta were to implore the URNG to lay down its arms, what would
be the point? She knows that the army and death squads would continue
the repression; to protect the status quo of corruption and exploitation.
Instead, she supports a negotiated settlement as a solution to these
very problems.
The media must be reminded that Guatemala is still struggling with
its process of democratization. Political assassinations have driven
the Left out of contention, while forcing a state of submission for the
two centralist parties. Conflict between the numerous Right and
Extreme Right parties have also resulted in death squad hits. Maya
leaders are regularly assassinated or "disappeared", leaving no choice
for the indigenous majority, which, in turn, largely refrains from
voting. Guatemala's ruling ladinos do not represent the majority of
frustrated ladinos that live in conditions of poverty and oppression,
and who are largely apathetic towards elections. This leaves a small
minority the of middle and upper class, which represent the vote in
the Guatemalan elections. In 1991, the evangelical vote was strong
enough to carry evangelist Jorge Serrano, a former member of the
extremist National Liberation Movement and President of the State
Council under the genocidal dictatorship of General Ros Montt.
Needless to say, Serrano leads an administration that acquiesces to
the hard-liners in the military, while covering up their murderous
policies.
An objective media should be able to recognize this. But in examining
the Canadian media's response to the Nobel Prize, one has to wonder
if the award is "too controversial" for our media to come out in favour.
Only a few newspapers have written favourable editorials about the
decision. In fact, the Regina Leader Post, after accounting for the
Guatemalan government's position, predicted that there will be more
criticism since the Prize "requires more justification than a rela-
tionship to a historical event 500 years old." Of the few editorials
in the U.S. and Canada, most steered clear of Guatemalan politics,
opting instead to recognize the award as acknowledgement of the
struggles of America's Indigenous.
This award is more than a recognition of the last 500 years of
survival. Rigoberta speaks for all Guatemalans who suffer from
poverty and institutionalized violence. From the United Nations
to small communities around the world, Rigoberta has indeed played
a vital role in establishing the international pressure that is
largely responsible for the current peace process and fledgling
democratization efforts.
Guatemala's indigenous and ladino alike are very proud to have a
voice in Rigoberta Menchu. In Guatemala, it will be the Serrano
administration's disparaging of Rigoberta that history will record
as controversial. As for the North America mainstream media, there
is no excuse for its ignorance at such a crucial time in Guatemalan
history.
-- Gordon McIntyre, Guatemala Solidarity Committee