U.N. Help for Crime in Guatemala
Guatemala's 36-year civil war ended in 1996, but some former soldiers and paramilitary allies have turned to drug trafficking, the smuggling of immigrants, kidnappings and theft. They also attack human rights advocates, journalists and judges who attempt to bring them to account.
The world is just beginning to recognize the links between armed conflicts and organized crime, a problem in places as different as Northern Ireland, Bosnia and Cambodia. In Guatemala, the influence, resources and weapons held by former combatants make them stronger than the state's justice system. So Guatemala recently signed an agreement to set up a United Nations office that would investigate and, if necessary, prosecute this organized crime.
The accord would set up a special prosecutor's office employing Guatemalan and international police officers, investigators and prosecutors. They would have the power to go anywhere in Guatemala, even showing up unannounced at a military base.
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U.N. Help for Crime in GuatemalaFree Registration Required