Did Guatemala's President Try to Shut Down the Genocide Trial?

[Catherina]

2. Notes about the Ixil Maya from the trial

Xeni Jardin Xeni Jardin Verified account ‏@xeni

-- Ixil women in court include survivors of mass killings, sexual violence in Chajul, Nebaj, Cotzal, other aldeas.





-- Many traditionally-dressed Ixil women in 3 first court rows are barefoot. Crowned in translation headphones+txij (colorful woven head wrap).

-- Hearing from local press that Guatemalan president went to Nebaj, was greeted with banner: “Ixil survivors demand justice for genocide.”


-- Marco Tulio Álvarez will now testify (expert witness for prosecution) on the forced displacement of Ixil children during armed conflict.... Álvarez Bobadila, writer, journalist, former director of Peace Archives currently testifying about military displacement of Ixil children.

-- “Displacement of Ixil youth during armed conflict wasn't an isolated event but a political policy executed by military institution.”—Álvarez

-- The military routinely changed last names of displaced Ixil children, hid their ethnic/family roots or cultural origins, says Álvarez.

-- Alvarez: These children were denied their identity…the social fabric was destroyed, was an attack against Ixil culture.”

-- Álvarez is relating detailed story of one Ixil man who was orphaned when Army occupied his aldea, killed his mother before him. He escaped.

-- Jacinto Lupamac was separated from community, taken to orphanage in Guate where no other children spoke Ixil. Was given new name, papers.

-- The army occupied Ixil villages; children were either executed or captured & given new identities then given up for int'l adoption.— Álvarez

-- “In Plan Sofia, an entire civil population (Ixil) was defined as internal enemy regardless of political affiliation.”—Álvarez.

-- Álvarez: Army objective in displacing Ixil children from families/identities was to “destroy seeds...prevent creation of future guerrillas.”

-- Álvarez: This (displacement & de-acculturation of Ixil children) wasn't an isolated act (or accident) but the Army's operational plan.

-- Álvarez: Boys & girls were removed from their Ixil culture; no preventative measures were taken to protect this vulnerable population.


== Ramón Cadena of Intl. Commission of Jurists is testifying on violations of internationally recognized human rights against Ixil Maya.

-- Cadena references Plan Sofia (http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB297/) which stated that “100% of Ixil population supported the subversives.”

-- Cadena: The Army's operational plans included the creation of what amounted to Ixil concentration camps, totally controlled by military.

-- Cadena: the concentration camps included psy-ops and psychological "rehabilitation" of Ixil.

-- Cadena: Systematic sexual violence against Ixil by Guatemalan Army was intended to terrorize and is an aspect of genocide.

-- Cadena: The question the military was dealing with was how to eliminate the Ixil population; how to control the unarmed civil population.

-- Related to ongoing Guatemalan genocide trial: president Otto Perez Molina is visiting the Ixil region today. http://www.elperiodico.com.gt/es/20130411/pais/226816/?tpl=61874 …