Genocide in Guatemala and the responsibility of command

Abstract

In this paper I show how selective massacres and state terror strategy systematically changed to a tripartite campaign of genocide that lasted ten years against the Mayan population. I provide evidence to prove: (1) Tat every genocidal campaign that I have identified is a clear violation of the Genocide Convention of the United Nations; (2) Each of these campaigns was designed and built with the intention of genocide; (3) Tat the Army of Guatemala was not unique, but rather falls into the pattern of genocide that the masterminds and perpetrators of the genocide and used key words such as “devastated communists” to withdraw and neutralize their genocidal activities, in their efforts to “make them acceptable within the country and abroad”; and (4) Tat the ex-dictator Romeo Lucas Garcia and Efrain Rios Montt, in collusion with General Hector Gramajo, and General Hector Mario Lopez Fuentes were the masterminds of the massacres against the Mayan people; they designed, implemented and monitored with the intent to commit genocide; (5) At all times, generals and officers had responsibility for command and control hierarchy Vertical armed forces of Guatemala (6) Efraín Rios Montt overall chain of command used to transmit orders to torture, murder, massacres and other human rights violations; and (7) And the fact that he did not use mechanisms such as courts and military to punish offi- cers and soldiers for human rights violations procedures, General Rios Montt provided to Guatemalan military officers and troops organized structure and support armed to run the doctrine of national security that resulted in the genocide.