The University of Oregon releases book and documentary on human rights in Guatemala

• By: admin
• On: 10/15/2013 11:59:16
• In: Institutional News & Research Grants

The Latin American Studies Program is proud to announce the release of two products of our collaboration with Guatemala's Archivo Histórico de la Policía Nacional (AHPN).
The report Del silencio a la memoria. Revelaciones del AHPN, originally published in Spanish in 2011, has been translated and published with a preface by Kate Doyle. The book will be freely distributed in digital format and will be available here.
The publication in Spanish of the report Del silencio a la memoria was unanimously praised as a step forward in both making the work and mission of the AHPN widely known and offering a synthesis of its potential to understand how systematic state repression worked. The story told in this report is an exemplary case of commitment with the past and the future of a society still recovering from the wounds of violence and social injustice. Making this report available in English will amplify the reach of this story and will allow for increased international attention to the amazing work the AHPN is doing. We are very proud to be able to offer this translation to students, scholars, human rights activists, and everyone else with an interest in the connections between history, memory, archives, human rights, and power.
Gabriela Martínez's documentary Keep Your Eyes On Guatemala (RT 54 min.) tells the story of the AHPN intertwined with the complexities of past human rights abuses, the dramatic effects they had on specific individuals, and present-day efforts to preserve collective memories and bring justice and reconciliation to the country. The film will premiere on October 24 (6 pm, 221 Allen Hall) and will be made available to educators, students, human rights advocates, archivists, and the general public free of charge.
The funding for these two productions was generously provided by the University of Oregon Libraries, the Network Startup Resource Center, Phil and Jill Lighty, the School of Journalism and Communication, and the Americas in a Globalized World Initiative.