EDUCATION FOR ARMS

by Georgina Lippiatt

Even at four in the morning we had to laugh as we boarded the bus that said, “Gracias a Dios”, which was the end of the line, not too far from the Finca Chaculá where we were going to visit a community of returned refugees. Fortunately, we had Jacinto and Benjamin to accompany us for a tortuous 6 hours of bumps back to their new home on the finca.

Jacinto told us he’d only been back from Mexico since January where as other refugees had been back for two years. As we walked down the muddy road to their home we could see that in two years they had made a lot of progress. There were two large buildings for schools, a medi center and also each house had running water. His face appeared anxious for not having accomplished more. But we were amazed by their efforts.

After a much needed siesta and a filling meal of rice and beans, we ventured out with Jacinto to get a view of the finca. We walked through fields of corn, beans and coffee plants and came upon some large boulders. Jacinto pointed to them and said that not too long ago the guerrillas hid behind them. Then he pointed in the other direction to another pile of rocks where the army had hid. We asked if he’d seen either group lately, he said they were no longer present, but within a 20 minute walk you could find land mines and ammunition.

When we finally arrived at the look out, the view took our breaths away. We could see across the mountains into Mexico and on to the little, growing community of Chaculá. Sitting on the hill top we asked why the refugees wanted to return to Guatemala. He said in his gentle voice, that Guatemala is magical and holds a special place in the souls of the Mayan people. He said that they had always hoped to return one day and did a lot of planning in preparation for their return. For example, the children were educated in the refugee camps in Mexico and they realized they needed to continue this as it was to be their weapon to win the fight against poverty, to reclaiming land, and equal human rights. He pointed to the long buildings that were schools and said the children are here to continue their education, because they are the future.

Exhausted from our journey, we laid our sore bodies down on the wooden beds the children so generously donated. A short time later we heard singing and laughing and got up to see what we were missing. We sat down to dinner and the faint glow of candle light flickered on our faces as our conversations gradually merged into one. But our attention turned to Jacinto. He spoke softly but with passion.

He said it started around 1978. First, the army targeted leaders of unions, students, and the church. According to the army this wasn’t effective enough to get rid of the communist/guerilla element. The more efficient method known as the scorched earth policy was implemented. Four hundred and forty villages were wiped out, including Jacinto’s and Benjamin’s. They fled into the mountains to hide from the terror. Those who returned discovered their crops burned and animals killed. The army hoped they would starve to death or surrender. Those caught were tortured and murdered. Jacinto’s and Benjamin’s families decided to escape to Mexico. Many others were displaced within Guatemala City, hoping to remain anonymous.

They lived on the border in Chiapas, Mexico for a while until the army crossed and invaded their communities. The Mexican government decided to move the refugees when the Guatemalan army dropped a 500 LB bomb on the refugees and the Mexican’s who were protecting them. But by the grace of God, it didn’t explode. The refugees were moved away from the border to Campeche, Chiapas, and Quintana Roo, Mexico where Jacinto lived for 14 years and Benjamin lived for all but 1 year of his life. Continuing, he said some tried to come back in 1992 but the army captured them and herded them into Model Villages telling them they were subversives. They were not allowed to leave. The boys 14 years and up were forced to work in civil patrols and were brain washed into believing their fathers, brothers or uncles were subversives and had to be killed. So not until January of this year did Jacinto return to Guatemala.

Although he was afraid to return, he wanted to go ahead and build schools in order for the children to continue with their education which they were fortunate enough to have while living in Mexico. Last year the Rigoberta Menchu Foundation ( winner of the Nobel Peace Prize), gave all 37 children scholarships to attend school, buy food and clothing. Suddenly this money stopped coming and many people had to return to Mexico. Now there are only 12 children. Their parents went either to Coban or back to Mexico. A couple months ago the Foundation started to give each child 75 cents per day, definitely not enough to pay for rice and beans, let alone education, and he hoped that children from other communities would come to the school and people would come from the surrounding areas would make use of the medical center providing a source of income. They were thinking of other plans to pay off their debt and make money. There was so much to plan for the future.

He was happy to share his experiences with us so we could understand their world, and then with a gentle smile, he picked up the guitar and started strumming as the kids joined in with ballads of the Mayan people, their experiences and their hopes. Sorry to leave, we said good-bye to the sleeping Finca Chacula and walked to the road and waited in the darkness to once again board the bus from “Gracias A Dios”.

© Copyright 1996 by Juan Carlos Aguilar and Casa de Español Xelajú