Brief History

In the early 1980’s military repression rose to unprecedented levels in Guatemala. During this time, the U.S. government was supplying the Guatemalan government with military aid.  200,000 people were killed or “disappeared” and 626 massacres occurred in which whole villages were often completely destroyed.  The indigenous majority was a target as the government believed their farming communities were bases for rebel groups.  Thousands fled the country, crossing the border into Mexico.  In 1992 these refugees negotiated with the government to allow a safe return to Guatemala. They began to return in organized groups in 1993 and have since been working to reestablish their communities in their homeland.

Sponsoring Communities

The 1992 accords signed by the Guatemalan government and representative refugee groups ensured respect of their rights, assistance to begin again, and international accompaniment by human rights observers.  The Guatemala Accompaniment Project (G.A.P.) was created to meet the needs of the returned communities. KGAP is one of many U.S. communities responsible for recruiting and financially supporting human rights observers (accompaniers) as they live for a minimum of 6 months in the affected Guatemalan communities.  From 1995 through 2004, KGAP placed 13 human rights accompaniers in Nueva Esperanza.  In 2004 it was determined that long term accompaniment in returned refugee villages was no longer necessary.  However, KGAP continues to collaborate with NISGUA to provide accompaniment where most needed.  KGAP sponsored 10 more trained human rights accompaniers in Guatemala from 2004-2012.

 Recently we have been called upon to provide accompaniment for threatened individuals and organizations in other parts of Guatemala. More information about NISQUA'S G.A.P.  program can be found here.  Currently we send an annual donation to NISGUA’s general accompaniment support fund.