Makrina Gudiel: Seeking Justice for Crimes of the Past in Guatemala

Makrina Gudiel's brother, before he disappeared in Guatemala during the country's 36-year civil war.

The Office of Multicultural Affairs, the Department of Latin American Studies and Women's Studies, and Education for Justice are hosting Makrina Gudiel Monday night at 7pm in Brennan 509 on the campus of the University of Scranton.

Many Guatemalans lost loved ones during that country’s civil war. For Makrina, it was her brother, who was disappeared in 1983 by state forces and is included in the infamous Military Diary, a logbook that documented the kidnap, torture, and murder of 183 people considered to be linked to anti-government activity. 

Her family brought her brother's case to the Inter-American Commission in 2004, and just days later, her father was murdered. The government never carried out an adequate investigation into the crime, and on February 5, 2014, Makrina testified before the Inter-American Court about the case.

In 2003, Makrina ran for a seat in congress with the Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity Party and has combated corruption as a member of her city council in the town of Cruce de la Esperanza, Escuintla. She serves as a member and coordinator of the Network of Guatemalan Women Human Rights Defenders.

Makrina will explain why her family has fought for justice for these crimes, despite ongoing death threats against them. She will also discuss international solidarity with Guatemala over the last 30 years, including the sanctuary movement of the 1980s and the decades-long struggle to end US military support for repressive regimes in Guatemala. GHRC staff will provide interpretation and background information.

Founded in 1982, the Guatemala Human Rights Commission/USA (GHRC) is a non-profit, grassroots, solidarity organization dedicated to promoting human rights in Guatemala and supporting communities and activists who face threats and violence. GHRC documents and denounces abuses, educates the international community, and advocates for policies that foster peace and justice.

There's some good buzz on campus regarding the event and we should also have some guests from the community representing Marywood University, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, and SOAW Scranton. I'm excited about meeting Makrina and Kathryn from the GHRC as well.

The event is free and open to the public so drop on in if you can.

Stop human trafficking. Push for "safe harbor" laws.

The following is a post reproduced from Twitter friend and photographer John Sevigny. See more of his work at www.gonecity.blogspot.com.

Friends.

Imagine being kidnapped and forced into prostitution or drug sales.

For years.

Then imagine being "rescued" by law enforcement only to be prosecuted for prostitution and drug sales and possibly sent to prison.

For years. Imagine having that happen to your child, sister, nephew or grandchild.

It's something perhaps hundreds of thousands of victims of human trafficking face in states where there are no "safe harbor" laws to protect those who should be treated as victims, not criminals.

My personal experience with this problem is isolated to Central America, where I have known many young men and women who have gone to prison for refusing to testify against gang members and other people against whom they were justifiably afraid to testify. In fact, a 24-year-old friend in San Salvador has recently -- under pressure from a gang as well as prosecutors -- pleaded guilty to drug possession charges. The catch? She was forced to sell drugs. She is awaiting a sentence of up to eight years, a sentence which will make her young daughter an orphan.

There's nothing I can do for my friend in Central America. But we can do better in the States than they do in El Salvador. Once upon a time we enacted tough laws against domestic violence. They have helped. This time around, we need to protect a different kind of victim.

Today I'm using this blog, as well as social media accounts, to ask you to sign this petition by the Polaris Project to push state lawmakers to enact safe harbor laws.

I want to ask you for three favors.

First, sign this petition.

Second, post the petition to Facebook or on Twitter.

Third, consider giving a donation to Polaris Project, a straight-up organization tackling what is becoming an all-too-frequent 21st Century form of injustice all over the world.

Let's start in the States and hope that the example we set spreads to other countries.

Keep watching this blog. I'll be spreading to word about human trafficking issues all week.

Thanks for your hope, faith, and most importantly, your action.

JS