The Latest: UN calls on Mexico, US to respect migrants
Source: Associated Press
Updated 4:34 pm CDT, Friday, October 19, 2018
TECUN UMAN, Guatemala (AP) — The Latest on a caravan of Central American migrants hoping to reach the United States (all times local):
4:30 p.m.
The U.N. special investigator on the human rights of migrants has a message for the Mexican and U.S. governments: Respect the human rights of every person on the caravan heading from Central America and consider each case individually.
Felipe Gonzalez Morales told a news conference at U.N. headquarters in New York on Friday that "there cannot be massive collective expulsions, for instance, in violation of international law."
Some 3,000 migrants are currently trying to enter Mexico from Guatemala and hope to get to the U.S.
Read more: https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/The-Latest-Migrants-prepare-to-cross-into-Mexico-13320295.php
Looked up the name of the town, Tecún Umán, where the migrants are, learned the town was named after the last K'iche-Maya king and leader who was murdered by the conquering Spanish military.
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Tecún Umán (Tecún Umaán, Tecúm Umán, Tecúm Umam, or Tekun Umam) (c. 1500 - December 20, 1524) was the last ruler and king of the K'iche-Maya people, in the highlands of what is now Guatemala. According to the Kaqchikel annals, he was slain by Spanish Conquistador Don Pedro de Alvarado while waging battle against the Spaniards in the grasslands of El Pinal (Valley of Olintepeque) on February 20 1524. Tecún Umán is considered the most representative of his people for his bravery and dignity because he fought to protect his land and his people.
He was declared Guatemala's official national hero on March 22, 1960, and is commemorated on February 20, on the anniversary of his death. Tecún Umán has inspired a wide variety of activities ranging from the production of statues and poetry to the retelling of the legend in the form of folkloric dances to prayers. Despite this, Tecún Umán's existence is not well documented, and it has proven to be difficult to separate the man from the legend. In the process of the European Colonization of the Americas much history was lost due to the destruction of Pre-Columbian artifacts and the suppression of any indication that civilization pre-existed the arrival of the European conquerors and settlers.
More:
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Tec%C3%BAn_Um%C3%A1n
Here's part of a dance concerning the Spanish war upon the native people: