Troubled nation trying to be at peace with itself

the symbol of all that was western in the eyes of the easterners --

representing the things they wanted most but could not have.

Guatemala, the original banana republic and the most vicious little

regime in central America, is now reaping the benefits of the fall of

the wall. Banana sales are booming, but more importantly, the longest

running civil war in Central America may be drawing to a close.

More than 130,000 people have been killed and one million refugees

created in Central America's most persistent confrontation between

peasants demanding freedom from repression and the US's fear of

Communism in its back-yard. Now, the fear of Communism has been replaced

by a drift towards regional trading blocs and a need to tie Canada,

Mexico, and central America into a bloc to rival the European Union and

Japan.

The fundamental shift in international politics may therefore herald

relief for Guatemala's long-suffering peasants and native Indians. Last

week's MON 10/1/94 announcement that peace talks are to be resumed

between the newly-democratic government of President Ramiro de Leon and

the leftist Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unit (URNG) will be

welcomed by human rights activists.

Guatemala has been at war with itself for more than 30 years. In 1954

a CIA-sponsored military coup brought an end to democratic government

and ushered in an era of unrivalled terror and cruelty. Guatemala became

victim to America's paranoia and its test bed for counter-insurgency

techniques.

After the coup, a peasant rebellion came to nothing until the soldiers

rebelled in 1962 forming Guatemala's first guerrilla force. That revolt

was quickly crushed, the military becoming all powerful -- even setting

up its own bank and insurance company.

The linchpin of the military's campaign to maintain control was the

forced movement of the native Indian population from their homelands

into the so-called model villages. These allowed a close watch to be

kept on the population and separated men from their families.

The men were then drafted into civilian patrols -- essentially an

extension of the army. Anyone who refused would be regarded as a rebel

and beaten or tortured along with his family. However, in spite of

ruthless repression, the native Indian population has refused to give up

hope of a peaceful end to their struggle.

In 1992 Rigoberta Menchu, a Guatemalan Indian, was awarded the Nobel

peace prize -- effectively bringing the government's human rights

violations to international attention.

Ms Menchu symbolised the long-suffering people of Guatemala, having

seen her family systematically tortured and then murdered by death

squads.

Since Ms Menchu was awarded the prize, international attention has

focused on Guatemala and the appalling privations of the peasant

population. However, more than international attention is required to

bring a fundamental change.

Next month's Mexico City talks between the Guatemalan government and

the URNG will be a welcome step forward for many central American human

rights monitors. The Government and URNG have been talking sporadically

since April 1991. Negotiations between the rebels and the Government

broke down in May 1993 after failing to agree on who was to blame for

the atrocities during the military regime.

Last October a new peace plan was presented by the Guatemalan

president to the URNG. It aimed to limit the talks to purely military

matters and to confine social issues to a Guatemalan-based public forum

-- the rebels wanted independent monitors -- and was therefore rejected

by the rebels.

Even before the two sides reached the negotiating table to agree an

agenda for the February talks, disagreements began to emerge. The URNG

objected to the Government's insistence that social and military

negotiations be separated. The Government subsequently abandoned this

position and allowed the talks to proceed.

''There won't be any separation,'' Pablo Mansanto, URNG commander,

said. Under the preliminary agreeement, signed by both sides, the talks

will be moderated by one UN observer.

Despite the outstanding disagreements, the government hopes the talks

will succeed. Edmundo Nanne, Guatemalan ambassador to the UK, said: ''I

think for a long time there has been the will -- I can't speak for the

URNG -- but certainly the Guatemalan Government wants peace.''

MEMO

I'm fairly certain photographs are available from The Independent by a

photographer called Craig Easton. They were taken in August/September

1992.