Monday, May 13, 2013

Additional Evidence on Perez Molina


General Otto Perez Molina, the President of Guatemala, didn't want his name coming up during the Rios Montt trial. (See post of April 18).

But one witness implicated Perez Molina in the atrocities, and today's Wall Street Journal notes that additional testimony may be available.

Nicholas Casey reports: "Another witness in the [Rios Montt genocide] trial, a Mayan peasant named Tiburcio Utuy, also testified in a separate investigation against Mr. Rios Montt in Spain that Mr. Perez Molina ordered him to be tortured in the 1980s.  Mr. Utuy wasn't asked about Mr. Prez Molina in the Guatemala trial because the current president wasn't the trial's focus... 

In a 2010 article* about human rights crimes related to torture accusations against Mr. Perez Molina during 1982 and 1983, The Wall Street Journal interviewed six other villagers from towns he commanded who accused him and soldiers he commanded in killing civilians whom the witnesses said had nothing to do with rebels.  Among those who named Mr. Perez Molina in the killings were two of the men he commanded at the time." (Nicholas Casey, "Guatemala Genocide Case Pressures Leader," The Wall Street Journal, May 13, 2013). 

Rios Montt is in prison but those who carried out his plan are still free.  

If serious investigations are permitted, there will be no shortage of evidence.


Allan Nairn


*The Wall Street Journal has corrected its piece to note that the witness article ran in 2011, not in 2010.


NOTE TO READERS: News and Comment is looking for assistance with translating blog postings into other languages, and also with fund raising and distributing the blog content more widely. Those interested please get in touch via the e-mail link below. NOTE TO READERS RE. TRANSLATION: Portions of News and Comment are now available in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, French, German, Russian and Spanish translation (click preceding links or Profile link above) but translation help is still needed -- particularly with older postings, in these and all other languages. NOTE TO READERS RE. POTENTIAL EVIDENCE: News and Comment is looking for public and private documents and first-hand information that could develop into evidence regarding war crimes or crimes against humanity by officials. Please forward material via the email link below. Email Me

Still Alive

One of the many profound ramifications of the genocide conviction of Rios Montt is that there is now new incentive for additional witnesses to come forward.

It's one thing to risk your life when the chance of justice seems remote, but it's another when it starts to look like a fair hearing might indeed be possible.

After Judge Jazmin Barrios delivered the verdict in the Rios Montt trial, the Maya Ixil survivors in the audience -- many of whom had given testimony -- stood up, crossed their arms across their chests, and bowed to the court, saying "Thank you."

Any uncaught murderer watching that had to feel a sudden chill.

His victims are safely dead and gone.  

But those who know what he did?  Still alive.


Allan Nairn


NOTE TO READERS: News and Comment is looking for assistance with translating blog postings into other languages, and also with fund raising and distributing the blog content more widely. Those interested please get in touch via the e-mail link below. NOTE TO READERS RE. TRANSLATION: Portions of News and Comment are now available in Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese, Danish, French, German, Russian and Spanish translation (click preceding links or Profile link above) but translation help is still needed -- particularly with older postings, in these and all other languages. NOTE TO READERS RE. POTENTIAL EVIDENCE: News and Comment is looking for public and private documents and first-hand information that could develop into evidence regarding war crimes or crimes against humanity by officials. Please forward material via the email link below. Email Me