Guatemala: A Legacy of Racism, Genocide, and Impunity

Former Northfielder Thaddeus Hinnenkamp, who spent 14 months as an international human rights worker in Guatemala, will discuss his work  at an open meeting at the Athenaem, Carleton's Gould Library Thursday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m.

Simply by accompanying indigenous Mayan people, Hinnenkamp helped to protect them as they publicly testified against former Guatemalan dictators regarding the events  of the early 1980s, in which hundreds of Mayan villages were exterminated and over 200,000 innocent civilians were murdered.

Only after the 1996 Peace Accords did survivors  attempt to bring charges against the most serious abusers.  According to Hinnenkamp, despite hundreds of eyewitness testimonies, forensic evidence, and international pressure, no military man responsible for the genocide in Guatemala has yet been prosecuted in a Guatemalan court of law. The government states that the evidence is not strong enough to arrest the suspects.

Mayans who are still attempting to bring the perpetrators to justice  through their testimony fear for their safety. The presence of international accompaniers such as Hinnenkamp helps to prevent violence against them. Hinnencamp's talk is in response to the plea of  Dona Maria Teresa on his last day in Guatemala:   "Tell the world what happened, so that our story is known....So that we do not die in vain."

The talk is cosponsored by Northfield People for Peace and Goodwill; and Carleton’s Gould Library, Office of the Chaplain, and Career Center. For further information, contact Prof. Joel Weisberg at Carleton College:  507 222 4367,  jweisber@carleton.edu