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Transition Initiatives: Guatemala

PROGRAM NOW CLOSED
Dates of Program: January 1997 - December 1998

Bringing The Peace To Life *

In December 1996, thirty years of violent turmoil in Guatemala ended with the signing of a peace accord that established immediate plans for the demobilization and initial incorporation of the rebel forces, the Unidad Revolucionaria Nacional Guatematelca (URNG), and reduction of the Guatemalan army. OTI's objective was to provide emergency support to facilitate completion of the demobilization process within the tight timeframe set up by the accords.

Between the signing of the peace accords and OTI, through USAID, was also one of the first donors to pledge support for an ambitious re-training program for 1,722 ex-combatants of the Guatemalan government's Mobile Military Police units--as part of the downsizing of the national military. As a result of OTI's $730,000 contribution and its ability to leverage additional support, the $3.4 million project is now fully funded.

Reductions in the size of the Guatemalan military could have been disastrous if training programs had not offered legitimate alternative employment opportunities. These former military combatants are learning how to become tailors.

OTI, the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), and the European Union divided costs and responsibilities for a coordinated, collaborative response to demobilization and incorporation needs. This agreement covered the construction of the demobilization camps and was extended to include coverage of other activities, including microenterprise grants to ex-combatants.

Alternatives to Crime

Demobilization processes are often accompanied by sharp increases in crime. For this reason, careful attention has been paid to criminal activities of ex-combatants, both former government soldiers and ex-rebels. When OTI closed its program in support of initial integration in Guatemala, none of the ex-combatants trained by its programs had been implicated in criminal activities. Possibly as a result of this relatively stable process of incorporation, Guatemala has thus far successfully avoided retaliation against ex-combatants.

In addition, OTI funding helped resettle families who had been internally displaced deep into the mountains, due to fighting between the army and the guerrillas. OTI also provided small infrastructure improvements on the lands where these families were being settled.

Significant collaboration occurred with the International Organization for Migration, UNDP, the government of Guatemala, URNG, the Organization of American States, USAID/Guatemala, the World Bank, and the European Union.

OTI Assistance in FY 1997: $4,706,000
OTI Assistance in FY 1998: $2,031,000
Total OTI Assistance to Date (FY 97-98): $6,737,000

* OTI closed its Guatemala program in December 1998.