Seeking justice in Guatemala: dignifying the 'disappeared' in a context of impunity

Following Guatemala’s internal armed conflict (1960-1996), the Commission for Historical Clarification (CEH 1999) estimated that 200,000 people were killed and 40,000 ‘disappeared.’ The ‘disappearances’ left relatives in permanent uncertainty and ambiguous loss, while perpetrators maintained positions of power, protected by impunity and sometimes political immunity. I examined perceptions of justice related to the ‘disappeared’ in a context of long-term impunity, as experienced by the surviving family members and staff members of forensic and archival organizations. This research was inspired by postcolonial and feminist critical geographic methodologies, emphasizing and valuing the voices of the interviewees and their experiences. I conducted fieldwork in Guatemala from May to July 2012. Based on my analysis of 17 in-depth interviews, I argued that the successful future of the country and its people relies on the continued search for justice, being: truth-seeking in its various forms; positive political change; acknowledgement of grave crimes, and legal accountability.