Introduction
Guatemala has been in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons, as many would want to think; however, this beautiful Central American country has a dark past that might pass the ordinary eye in the contemporary times. The indigenous people in Guatemala are the Mayan people. Between 1960 and 1996, Guatemala underwent civil war between the military government of Guatemala and ethnic guerilla opposing the government with various acts of violence against the civilian population.
The civil war pitted the military government and the various guerrilla groups leading to mass emigration of Guatemalans to the neighboring countries like the US, Honduras and Mexico to seek for asylum. The emigrants included political leaders and professionals evading the autocratic regime. High emigration rates were experienced during the 1980’s, when there was much fighting going on.
In 1981, the Guatemala army attacked Mayan villages causing mass genocide following a non-violent protest march by Mayan leaders. The US involvement in Guatemala civil war occurred in the 1950’s, when the US aided in the removal from power of Guatemalan leader because of his communist beliefs. Trans-nationalism involving the immigrants to the North America has contributed to economic development of their native countries.
Causes of Emigration in the 1980’s
In the 1980’s following a protest march by the Mayan leaders, the Guatemalan army attacked Mayan villages and committed mass genocide in which over 200,000 people died or went missing (Stoll 48). Earlier on in the 1950’s the US assisted in the removal from power of the Guatemalan leader Arbenz Guzman and his Government because of his harboring of communist ideals, as perceived. This led to civil war between the military government and insurgencies opposed to the military rule.
One of the causes of Guatemalan civil war was the opposition to communist ideas supported by Russia. To get US support the military government alleged that the Mayan people supported communism. The US aided the military during the civil war by provision of weapons and training them at the US Army School of the Americas. People used the training skills and weapons later against the Mayan people leading to the 1980’s genocide.
The atrocities committed in the 1980’s were fuelled by anticommunist beliefs held by Marxist guerilla organizations. In the 1970’s the guerilla groups supported by the indigenous people, who represent the majority of Guatemalan people, rearranged to regain control of the government.
They demanded equality for the culture with the non-indigenous ladino. However, this led to many acts of atrocity to civilians performed by the military government against insurgents and civilians alike. The military planned an offensive to wipe out the revolutionaries opposing the government. They burned down houses and farms in regions supporting the guerillas. Many people, mostly civilians were murdered in the process or taken into internment camps called ‘modal villages’ or forced to join the military.
The military targeted civilian population where the rural inhabitants were subjected to extreme violence. Human rights violations involving the civilian population were enormous with both the military government and the guerillas being responsible. The US support involving intelligence services from the CIA and military training helped the military government to commit crimes against humanity against the civilians in the 1980s.
Effects of the Genocide
Executions, abductions, and disappearances of Mayan population each day, characterizes the Guatemala’s genocide (Mainz 135). This acts of atrocity led to mass migration of the civilian population to the neighboring countries for political reasons. The immigration of people from Guatemala to other neighboring countries was fueled by many causes.
The migration can majorly be attributed to political unrest experienced during the civil war, economic hardships and natural disasters. The civil war in the 1980’s in Guatemala led to emigration of several people to Honduras. Most of the migrants from the neighboring countries shared cultural and historical background with the natives Honduran Miskitos.
In addition, the United States had an agreement with the Honduran government to stage anticommunist battles in its territory against countries supportive of communism in Central America. Honduras was thus relatively stable politically and this attracted migrants running away from violence from Guatemala. The location of Honduras centrally in Central America made it easy for migrants to access it through the borders with conflict torn countries.
Honduras also adopted the policy of eradicating insurgents or guerilla threats within its borders. This policy was supported by the United States, aiming at promoting National security within the Honduran territory. This made Honduras relatively stable and a safe haven to refugees fleeing war and violence from their countries including Guatemala.
In the 1980’s the United States used the Honduran territory with the purpose of eliminating the influence of communism following the events of the Cold War. In an attempt to stem out any elements supporting the idea of communism, the US government promoted the adoption of the National security doctrine within Honduras. The doctrine enabled security personnel to deal with external threats of communism and internal subversive influence supporting communism.
The United States government also influenced the Honduran military to establish democratic governance through constitutional amendments. Through these constitutional changes, a civilian president, Roberto Suazo Cordiva governed between 1982 and 1986.
This democratic government did not have the full control of the military but adopted policies to expand the democratic space as supported by the United States. Much of the Honduras, as controlled by the military, responsible for the internal security of Honduras, Suazo Cordoba and the successors of the democratic rule supported the national security doctrine promoted by the United States.
In 1984, the commander in chief of the Honduran military, General Gustavo Martinez was overthrown by an internal coup. This led to unprecedented human rights violations by the military. The national security doctrine resulted into torture and murder of alleged supporters of communism beliefs including students and religious figures.
Migration Experiences
The Maya migrants faced many difficulties when they migrated to other peaceful neighboring countries. They encountered a hostile political environment with anti-immigrant and exclusionary policies developed in Georgia. They feared deportation to their war torn countries from the country of exile. The Maya migrants from Guatemala could not practice their culture and traditions in the foreign countries for fear of discrimination and even deportation.
Because of the suspicious treatment, the Maya people were forced to blend in with Latino communities in order to avoid identification by the authorities. Cases of discrimination and marginalization led to some Maya immigrants adopting the Latino culture. In addition, the children bore of Maya parents in the United States face difficulties in learning their native language and preserving their cultural identity. This is because of anti-immigrant conditions to the foreign country and poverty faced by the immigrants.
The Maya emigrants also underwent through traumatic experiences during their migratory process to the neighboring countries. The Guatemala Mayans first migrated to Mexico before moving north to the United States. Mexicans forced them to change their ethnic and cultural identity to avoid stereotyping experienced.
The men used Mexican style boots and cowboy hats while the women had to wear makeup to appear different from traditional Mayans. The Mayans also had to learn ladino or Mexican language to be able to communicate with the natives in Mexico and the United States Mexican migrants. To avoid discrimination and ethnic prejudice, the Mayans had to adopt anonymity and secrecy in practicing their culture and traditions.
Guatemalans migrants to the United States face difficulties in acquiring a refugee status as the laws do not recognize them. Apart from restrictive US immigration policy, the Mayan migrants face discrimination in the job market and cultural discrimination as the Latino religious institutions in the US dominate them.
Transnational Cultural Identities
The international migration of the Maya led to the pan-Mayan movement that is associated with economic change. The pan-Mayan movement started in Guatemala after the civil war with an aim of promoting indigenous scholarship, Mayan traditions regarding dressing and improvement in agricultural activities in their land (Foxen 69).
The movement fights against discrimination in education, employment and in politics. The pan-Mayan movement also enhances self-awareness through promotion of linguistic groups e.g. kanjobales living in different municipalities.
The pan-Mayan movement adopts strategies that promote trans-nationalism through the establishment of connections that allow different indigenous communities to stay in touch. This allows the different indigenous groups spread across the American continent to share cultures through meetings. Through the Labor Organization convention 169, the Indigenous and Tribal peoples from different countries are able to express their demands in the global media.
This acts as an instrument for ensuring that human rights are followed and reports any violations of individual rights of the indigenous people. The Agreement of Identity and Rights of Indigenous peoples of Guatemala in 1995 further ensure proper protection of individual’s rights.
Economic and Cultural Contribution of the Immigrants
The Guatemala influence on the cultural patterns on the residents of the foreign country is evident. An example is in the honoring of the patron saint that is characteristic of the Guatemala culture (Loucky and Moors 77). The occasion is accompanied with social dances found in Guatemala indigenous highlands.
There is also the re-emergence of Mayan culture in conducting of patron saint activities among the traditional Catholic Mayan immigrant community in Los Angeles. The transnational communities provide labor in the North and give remittances that help promote Guatemala’s economic development.
The Guatemalan immigrants to the US start up businesses and provide labor to the industries. The immigrants also contribute taxes increase the National budget. The Guatemala immigrants fuel the US economy provision of labor force. They work in agricultural, construction and service industries. They have invested through the transnational network in the US in various sectors helping to stimulate economic development.
Migration to the US by the Guatemalans has led to the transfer of capital and has accelerated the exposure of the traditional communities to modern knowledge and education through the trans-nationalism (Daniells 118). The immigrants invest in Guatemala in large enterprises creating opportunities to those who did not migrate.
There was a transfer of the new knowledge and innovations acquired by the immigrants to the natives. This has helped to bolster economic development in Guatemala. The Maya ethnic communities in the US facilitated the cultural exchanges and created cultural awareness.
Socio-cultural transnational activities reinforced self-image of tribes like the pokoma Mayans who could not identify themselves as Mayans. The socio-cultural activities like collective solidarities among the indigenous Mayan migrants led to the economic and social improvement of the natives in Guatemala.
The members of the Mayan community have also been assimilated into the other ethnic groups through education. In the US, the process of acculturation stands out where the Mayan children born in US embrace the norms and cultures of the native Mexicans.
Conclusion
The Guatemalan genocide of 1980 led to mass migration of the Guatemalans notably the Mayans to politically stable countries including Honduras, Mexico and northward to the US. The fear of perceive communist ideals held by the Mayan people led to acts of brutality that culminated into the 1980 genocide.
The genocide led to emigration of the Guatemalans running away from war and economic hardships to seek asylum in other neighboring countries. During their migratory process, they underwent racial discrimination and political hostility from residents of the host country.
Fearing reproach and other forms of discrimination, the immigrants never disclosed their cultural identities in public. However, through trans-nationalism, the Mayan people have been able to establish social and cultural identity and regained cultural identity. The immigrants have contributed immensely to the socio-cultural and economic development to the host countries including the US and their ancestral countries too.
Works Cited
Daniells, Roger. Coming to America: A history of Immigration and Ethnicity in American Life. New York: Haper Collins publishers, 1990.
Foxen, Patricia. In Search of Providence: Transnational Mayan Identities. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2007.
Loucky, James, and Moors, Marilyn. The Maya Diaspora: Guatemalan Roots, New American lives. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 2000.
Mainz, Beatrice. Refugees of a Hidden War: The Aftermath of Counter-Insurgency In Guatemala. New York: State University of New York press, 1988.
Stoll, David. Between Two Armies in the Ixil Towns of Guatemala. New York: Columbia University Press, 1993.