CONAVIGUA

The National Coordinator of Widows of Guatemala (Spanish: Coordinadora Nacional de Viudas de Guatemala), also known as CONAVIGUA, is a women-led organization that denounced and demanded justice for human rights violations against women in Guatemala. This movement marked history in Guatemala as it became the first movement where indigenous women had formed their own organization. The CONAVIGUA organization was founded by Rosalina Tuyuc in 1988 amidst the Guatemalan Civil War by indigenous rural women who had experienced loss by the hands of this war. This includes women whose husbands, daughters, and sons had either "disappeared" or were killed by alleged authorities of Guatemala. Aside from looking for the "disappeared" and fighting for their rights, the main work of the CONAVIGUA women included supplying rural villages with economic aid and assistance where Mayan women operated the formation of food and craft cooperatives. By taking a stand and voicing their opinions, the CONAVIGUA women were soon seen as a threat. These indigenous women worked on a national level as well as a local level to advocate for their loved ones who were taken from them as well as for their own rights. As one of the more prominent movements for women in Latin America, CONAVIGUA's legacy continues to remain persistent in Guatemala.

Origins

The origins of the conflict that led to the formation of this movement first began hundreds of years prior, when mayan civilization was colonized by the Spaniards transitioning to a new society. This colonization ended in 1821 when Guatemala achieved independence, however with this independence came militaristic dictatorship with an economy fueled by agriculture, which benefitted off of the forced labor of indigenous and poor people. This changed in 1944 with the democratic election of President Jacobo Arbenz who passed laws and reforms which conflicted with the desires of international corporations. As a result of this, the C.I.A. assisted in organizing a coup in 1954 leading to the replacement of president Jacob Arbenz with Castillo Armas. In Castillo's rule he passed laws that inhibited illiterate Guatemalans from being able to vote and regressed previous reforms made by Jacobo Arbenz that benefited the indigenous and poor farmers of the region. This action acted as a catalyst leading to a civil conflict between left-winged guerrilla groups and the military which lasted until 1996. During this conflict, indigenous men were often tortured or killed while indigenous women faced slavery and sexual assault by the military. This could be seen in the military outpost in Sepur Zarco where the women who survived these actions have gotten justice for the crimes committed by military men through the court systems in 2016. The civil war that occurred in Guatemala was one of the deadliest conflicts in its region and depicted the lasting impact wars such as this can have on women. It was not until 1994 that the UN stepped into peace talks incorporating a coalition of women groups into said talks which eventually led to peace accords being signed by president Álvaro Arzú in 1966. As a result of this conflict that arose in 1960 resulted in "more than 200,000 lives" being lost where "83 percent" of who were of indigenous Mayan descent, leaving 50,000 women as widows and over 500,000 children as orphans.

It was the resulting widowing of indigenous women during this conflict and the atrocities committed by military men on indigenous women that led to the CONAVIGUA being formed in 1985.

Founder

Rosalina Tuyuc

Rosalina Tuyuc was born in Chimaltenango, Guatemala, in 1956. At a young age, Tuyuc began her work with the Indigenous community as she aided underprivileged women who were not provided with the ability to further themselves. This resonated with Tuyuc as she did not receive an education past the sixth grade due to her duties as the eldest daughter. In her adult life, she served as an auxiliary nurse which persuaded her into becoming an activist for Indigenous women. To assist these women, Tuyuc organized and established the CONAVIGUA, making it one of Guatemala's fastest growing activist organization led by women. She served as the general coordinator for CONAVIGUA since its founding in 1988.

Throughout her time in the organization, she represented Indigenous rights for women as well as spoke out against the authorities threats to the Mayan identity. As the founder and general coordinator of CONAVIGUA, Tuyuc was constantly advocating for the rights of Indigenous women and delegating the organizations tasks as it grew not only locally, but nationally as well. Aside from founding one of Guatemala's leading human rights organizations, Tuyuc also held a governmental position. From 1996 to 2000, she was elected and served in Congress. As a political leader as well as a social leader, Tuyuc continued to elevate Indigenous women and Mayan culture. In 2012, she went on to win the Niwano Peace Prize, an acclaimed title that is rewarded to an individual who has embodied and spread peace throughout the world.

Mission

CONAVIGUA's mission has been to support the families and victims of gender and racial oppression in Guatemala, primarily focusing on widows and orphans of women who were kidnapped and killed. The agency promotes advocacy for justice, particularly for the Mayan people who were disproportionately affected by the Guatemalan Genocide. The organization played a notable role in legal proceedings against critical figures responsible for the atrocities, such as local militia leaders and corrupt law enforcement. Beyond legal advocacy, CONAVIGUA has openly addressed and protested the human rights abuses that occurred during the war, shedding light on the various forms of violence, including physical, psychological, and structural, that plagued Guatemalan society. In the post-war era, CONAVIGUA has been a crucial player in addressing the lingering effects of the conflict, including the continued instances of massacres, gender violence, and genocide. Its efforts have been integral in shaping how Guatemalan society and the government perceive and tackle issues of human rights and gender equality. The organization's advocacy has had a transformative impact on Guatemalan society, aiding the nation's healing process and helping to restructure societal norms and governmental policies toward more equitable and just practices. This transformation is a testament to CONAVIGUA's significant role in Guatemala and Latin America's broader human rights narrative. CONAVIGUA stands as a symbol of resilience and empowerment for oppressed groups in Guatemala. The organization has influenced Guatemalan society and contributed significantly to the regional discourse on human rights. Its continued efforts in fostering healing, justice, and empowerment are vital, making CONAVIGUA a pivotal entity in Latin America's ongoing struggle for human rights. The organization's legacy is its achievements and the enduring hope and change it represents for communities long affected by violence and injustice.

Hardships

As CONAVIGUA evolved and grew as an organization, more people joined in search of demanding justice for those who "disappeared" and the eradication of human rights violations of the women in Guatemala. As members increased in numbers and the numbers of protests increased, many of their members began to face threats, torture, and, at times, death for their affiliation. Pablo in 1993 was participating in a peaceful protest regarding forced patrolling when he was shot and killed by civil patrollers in Colotenango, Huehuetenango. María Mejia was shot and killed in 1990 in Parraxtut, El Quiche, by two military commissioners due to her association with CONAVIGUA. Searching for the "disappeared" as a member of CONAVIGUA resulted in being noticed by civil patrollers, which was the case with Juana Calachij. Calachij faced attempted kidnapping and was placed on constant surveillance for her exhumation of a mass grave which held the bodies of five deceased, including her husband, in Pacoc, El Quiche. Catarina Terraza Chávez in La Laguna, Nebaj, faced harassment by a supposed military intelligence member in March 1995, and Manuela Tiño experienced death threats from a military commissioner chief and the civil defense patrol chief of San Rafael Chico, Joyabaj. The threats CONAVIGUA members faced not only impacted them but their families as well. Tomás Sug Cañil and Jerónimo Morales Tiriquiz were both active members of CONAVIGUA and because of their association with their organization, they received death threats from the civil patrollers, leading them to uproot their family and flee in 1993. As those who participated in the organization faced disruption, CONAVIGUA offices were also raided and searched. On July 28, 1991, police and civil patrollers raided CONAVIGUA offices, doubling as quarters and homes for many members. The women in those homes, such as María Morales, were charged with disturbing the peace, and María was warned and instructed to cease her involvement in the organization. Due to the implementation of the Immediate Tranquility for Citizenry national security program, public security officers were given the authority to enter a property without a warrant, which allowed the civil patrollers to enter CONAVIGUA offices with no consequences. Due to this program, those associated with CONAVIGUA lost their privacy and security in their homes and organization offices.

Outcomes and impacts

The emergence of CONAVIGUA came about in the aftermath of Guatemala's civil war (1960–1996), which was marked by widespread human rights abuses and violence. The organization has had a lasting impact on various fronts, including the way widows and families addressed the challenges of state repression and long standing abuse, its advocacy for widows, social and economic empowerment, memory and truth preservation, and human rights advocacy. CONAVIGUA advocated for the rights of widows, recognizing their unique struggles, such as economic hardship and social marginalization. The organization significantly contributed to raising awareness about the human rights violations that occurred during Guatemala's civil war, and by shedding light on the struggles of widows and victims, CONAVIGUA fostered a greater understanding of the injustices that took place during this time in Guatemala's history. CONAVIGUA'S advocacy, along with the efforts of other human rights organizations, has contributed to legal actions against individuals responsible for human rights abuses during the civil war. This pursuit of justice has resulted in some cases being brought to trial, marking a step toward accountability. For instance Maya Achi women filed a court case against six men for raping them in a military base in the early 1980s, and on February 13, 2019, CONAVIGUA coordinator Rosalinda Tuyuc and other group members protested outside Congress against an amnesty bill that would set war criminals, like those six individuals on trial, free.

The organization has significantly worked towards empowering widows by providing support networks, addressing the socio-economic challenges they have faced, and by advocating for their rights. This empowerment has contributed to breaking the cycle of vulnerability and marginalization. The CONAVIGUA movement has also garnered international attention and support. Through collaboration with global human rights entities, it has successfully fostered solidarity and drawn attention to Guatemala's post-conflict challenges on the international stage. In summary, CONAVIGUA's outcomes and impacts are multifaceted, encompassing legal advancements, reparations, policy influence, and social transformation. The organization's resilience in the face of challenges underscores its commitment to justice and the betterment of the lives of widows and victims in post-conflict Guatemala.

Legacy

The CONAVIGUA has set a precedent for indigenous motherist organization in Guatemala. Today, the organization still carries out their work on the local and national level. On a local level, CONAVIGUA works especially with rural indigenous women in Guatemala through developmental projects with the purpose of creating a social consciousness about issues impacting indigenous rights. Another important aspect of the organization's work is the exhumation of mass graves of those lost to armed conflict during the Guatemalan Civil War, with the hopes of finding the remains of the disappeared and providing them a proper burial, as well as giving closure to the widows. With this, CONAVIGUA also provides mental health services for widows and women who had suffered sexual violence during the war. The psychological torment of being brutalized, along with not getting any closure for the disappeared prevails years after the Peace Accords were signed in 1996, so being able to provide support and community is an integral part of CONAVIGUA as an organization. On a national level, CONAVIGUA's founder, Rosalina Tuyuc, has been heavily involved in legislative government and the international stage. Tuyuc held office as a congressional deputy in 1995 and later on in 2004, when she was elected as the national reparations to investigate crimes committed during the 36-year-long civil war in Guatemala. Tuyuc has spoken at both the UN Women's general assembly on September 23, 2014 to advocate for the rights of indigenous women and girls, and again in 2020 for the 20th anniversary of the adoption of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on Women, Peace, and Security which was created to empower women internationally. CONAVIGUA continues to demand accountability from the Guatemalan government and condemnation for the impunity of the perpetrators of violence against women during the civil war. They've also made additional demands in relation to education for children, economic support, and international aid.