Internally Displaced Persons: Accord for a Firm and Lasting Peace

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Internally Displaced Persons: Accord for a Firm and Lasting Peace

Implementations

Internally Displaced Persons – 1997

In order to help displaced persons return to a normal life, the Congress adopted the Temporary Special Act on Personal Documentation of the Population Uprooted by the Internal Armed Conflict, which took effect on 16 October 1997. Some municipalities refused to implement it, however, and the Ministry of the Interior for its part failed to ensure the law was properly observed across the country.1 It was reported that there were more than 200,000 IDPs in 1996 and 242,386 in 1997 according to governmental figures.2

  1. “Eighth Report on Human Rights of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala,” United Nations General Assembly (A/52/946), June 15, 1998.
  2. “Guatemala,” IDMC, 2009, accessed 29 May 2012, http://www.internal-displacement.org/idmc/website/countries.nsf/(httpEnvelopes)/EE4DEA6CC40B5692802570B8005A7316?OpenDocument.

Internally Displaced Persons – 1998

Hurricane Mitch disproportionately affected Guatemala’s poor and displaced populations, and caused thousands of new displacements.1 The 1998 estimate of IDPs was about 250,000. In June 1998, representatives of more than 100,000 IDPs signed the accord “Accord on the Resettlement of Populations Uprooted by the Armed Conflict.” The accord had called for fulfilling the needs of displaced persons, such as land and basic infrastructure for the IDPs in areas where they intended to relocate.2

  1. “Disaster Biased against Poor,” The Irish Times, City Edition (November 5, 1998, 13.
  2. “Guatemala,” IDMC, 2009, accessed 29 May 2012, http://www.internal-displacement.org/idmc/website/countries.nsf/(httpEnvelopes)/EE4DEA6CC40B5692802570B8005A7316?OpenDocument.

Internally Displaced Persons – 1999

There were still more than 250,000 IDPs waiting for resettlement according to IDMC.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2000

While the Government made plans to improve education, health and housing programs for resettled persons, it did not actually allocate funds to the projects.1 An organized collective of IDPs, Comunidades de Pueblos en Resistencia (with a total of 15,000 members), was able to gain international attention and purchase new land. Nevertheless, the resettlement of the much larger number of non-organized IDPs was not adequately addressed. The UNHCR maintained its position that there were no IPDS in Guatemala. Given the cyclical nature of displacement in Guatemala, it was difficult to determine who were or were not conflict induced IDPs.2

  1. “Report of the United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala (MINUGUA) for the Consultative Group Meeting for Guatemala,” United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala — MINUGUA, January 18, 2002.
  2. “Guatemala,” IDMC, 2009, accessed 29 May 2012, http://www.internal-displacement.org/idmc/website/countries.nsf/(httpEnvelopes)/EE4DEA6CC40B5692802570B8005A7316?OpenDocument.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2001

No significant progress was made toward comprehensive rural development, and displaced persons especially suffered from social exclusion and were denied access to land. Whatever projects were being implemented were piecemeal and short-sighted.1

  1. “United Nations Verification Mission in Guatemala: Report of the Secretary-General,” United Nations General Assembly (A/55/973), June 1, 2001.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2002

An estimated 400,000 people remained displaced in 2002.1

  1. “Guatemala,” IDMC, 2009, accessed 29 May 2012, http://www.internal-displacement.org/idmc/website/countries.nsf/(httpEnvelopes)/EE4DEA6CC40B5692802570B8005A7316?OpenDocument.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2003

It was estimated that between 250,000 to one million remained displaced in 2003.1 The Peace Secretariat (SEPAZ) and the National Council of Displaced People in Guatemala estimated that there were around 100,000 IDPs due to economic problems or lack of economic opportunities and also due to the internal conflict.

  1. Ibid.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2004

The Peace Secretariat (SEPAZ) and the National Council of Displaced People in Guatemala estimated found difficulty in establishing the exact number of IDPs. In 2004, these two organizations identified about 8,000 IDPs and assisted 3,500 by July 2004.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2005

The IDP issue is still unresolved in Guatemala. No developments observed this year.

Internally Displaced Persons – 2006

No further developments observed.