Guatemala civil war archives help find missing

Guatemala civil war archives help find missing

Records of torture, kidnapping and murder committed by national police give clues to fate of victims.

Last Modified: 07 May 2013 20:31

Guatemala's civil war archives, hidden by the former Guatemalan National Police, are shedding light on some of the atrocities committed and the disappearance of many citizens.

More than 200,000 Guatemalans went missing during the 36-year-long civil war.

The documents, which were opened up to the public in 2009 and are currently being digitised, have helped more than 1,500 Guatemalans find information about their loved ones.

Thanks to the archive, more than 50 criminal investigations are now pending over alleged abuses committed by the police.

Al Jazeera's Rachel Levin reports from Guatemala City.

Video at link:
http://www.aljazeera.com/video/americas/2013/05/20135720350580150.html