Guatemalan Widows Rise

Massive displacement and genocide have been inflicted on indigenous communities in Guatemala for centuries. The women you’ll hear today experienced that genocide in the 20th century and set about to reclaim their peoples’ heritage and rights. Featured guests are Rigoberta Menchu, Nobel Peace Laureate and successful activist for the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples; and, Rosalina Tuyuc Velasquez, organizer of CONAVIGUA (Coordinadora Nacional de Viudas de Guatemala) and the National Coordination of Widows of Guatemala (a powerful peace and rights group).

Credits: Menchu recording from her speech at the University of Minnesota in 1994, courtesy Monika Bauerlein; documentary on Rosalina Tuyuc produced by Maria Martin, originally released in the Spiritual Edge series of KALW-FM.

The Women’s International News Gathering Service (WINGS) has been covering the global women’s movement and related issues for community radio since 1986. WINGS may be contacted at  [email protected].


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