Return of Guatemala's Refugees

The so called peace accords were signed in 1998. In theory, the accords ended a war of almost 40 years. This book focuses on the "scorched earth" campaign waged by the Guatemala army, which resulted in the displacement of over 2 million indigenous Mayans--many of whom were forced from the country and lived as refugees in Mexico for over a decade, while others made accomodations with the Army, or joined the guerrillas in resistance.This book documents the after-effects of that decade-long displacement, as these three groups seek to recreate their pre-war community, in a country still subject to periodic out breaks of violence, while struggling with extreme poverty.Clark provides an excellent analysis of both the effects of the scorched earth campaign, and the ongoing problems that campaign is causing at the village level. Anyone who is interested in the effects of war on ordinary people should read this book.As an aside, it is interesting how much the Guatemala Army learned from the U.S. experience in Vietnam. The entire "scorched earth" campaign is clearly based on the concept of "free fire zones" first practiced by the US in the Mekong Delta, and recently made famous by the confessions of Senator Kerry.Highly recommended to combat the idea that war can be faught without long term damage to a country.

Very accessible account of the history of Guatemala's civil war and refugee population. This book tells of the horrors of the war and of the work involved in "reweaving" Guatemala's torn society. Taylor focuses on one particular village as a lens into the horrid situation lived by hundreds of thousands of Guatemalans during 36 years of armed conflict. Taylor compares the experiences of people who fled the country during the war to those who stayed behind and faced brutal army repression. The 2 groups eventually reunite back in their original village and Taylor observes their interactions after 12 years of separation. He finds differences in viewpoint and attitude between the 2 groups as they come together to form a community again. He includes a chapter on development and material aid with different critical perspectives which is good for anyone considering involvement in an "aid" project. He also looks at psychological afteraffects of the war and considers the role of the army in peacetime.