| Recommendations
I. Introduction The Accord of Oslo establishes as one of the three objectives of the CEH that it: “Formulate specific recommendations to encourage peace and national harmony in Guatemala. The Commission shall recommend, in particular, measures to preserve the memory of the victims, to foster a culture of mutual respect and observance of human rights and to strengthen the democratic process.”
As expressly noted in other agreements, such as the Comprehensive Agreement on Human Rights, the Agreement on the Implementation, Compliance and Verification Timetable for the Peace Agreement and the Agreement on the Basis for the Legal Integration of the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity, the CEH should also outline recommendations for reparatory measures for the victims of the armed confrontation.
The CEH regarded it as imperative to formulate its recommendations taking into consideration the contents of the Peace Accords. The rigorous application of the Accords, and likewise their broad dissemination, are essential elements in establishing the foundations of a democratic rule of law. For this reason, the CEH believes it vital to emphasise and reiterate certain commitments already established in the Accords.
The methodology followed in preparing the recommendations was based on findings that arose from the investigation carried out by the CEH and from the extensive process of consultation of various sectors of civil society. The National Forum on Recommendations, convened by the CEH and held on 27 May 1998, was attended by 400 people, belonging to 139 organisations from civil society, and has been a useful source of reflection on those proposals of fundamental importance to the CEH. The needs and suggestions expressed in the personal testimonies given to the CEH and during the aforementioned process of consultation were a source of constant reference in the formulation of this chapter.
The CEH believes it necessary that its recommendations be implemented so that the mandate entrusted to it within the framework of the peace process achieves its objectives. To accomplish this, the joint participation of the State and civil society is necessary, as every Guatemalan without distinction should benefit from the recommendations.
On this basis, the CEH presents its recommendations laid out under the following sections:
The effects of the armed confrontation and the violence connected with it were not limited solely to the two factions. Neither do the victims come only from certain sectors of the population. Almost all Guatemalans have been affected in one way or another by the violence that has been so widespread and lasted for such a long period of time. For this reason, the CEH’s recommendations are fundamentally designed to facilitate unity in Guatemala and banish the centuries-old divisions suffered. Reconciliation is the responsibility of everyone.
The CEH is convinced that construction of peace, founded on the knowledge of the past, demands that those affected by the armed confrontation and the violence connected with it are listened to and no longer considered solely as victims, but as the protagonists of a future of national harmony.
The violence and horrors described in the Report should leave no room for despair. Subsequent generations in Guatemala have the right to a brighter, better future. Guatemalans can, and must, encourage a common project of nationhood. To bring about a reconstruction of Guatemala’s social fabric, based on lasting peace and reconciliation, it is vital to foster an authentic sense of national unity among the diversity of peoples that make up the nation. By means of its recommendations, the CEH aims to help strengthen the hope of the people of Guatemala that its violent history will never be repeated. |