- Title: GUATEMALA: VIGILANTE VIOLENCE CONTINUES TO SWEEP GUATEMALA.
- Date: 13th July 2000
- Summary: HUEHETENANGO, GUATEMALA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. GV: VARIOUS OF MAN BEING CAPTURED BY MOB, THEY BEAT HIM AND POUR POOR GRAIN ALCOHOL ON HIM (2 SHOTS) 0.18 2. GV: VARIOUS OF MAN BEING CHASED BY CROWD, SET ON FIRE 0.38 3. GV: BURNT BODY BEING UNCOVERED 0.46 4. MV: POLICE HOLDING STOLEN BACKPACK NEXT TO BODY 0.55 5. GV: POLICE LOOKING AT BURNT MATERIAL 1.01 GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (JULY 11, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 6. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SOCIOLOGIST FOR THE ASSOCIATION OF INVESTIGATION AND SOCIAL STUDIES (ASIES), ERWING GARZONA, SAYING: "It is possible that in some cases the act of lynching is thought of as a deterrents. I mean, the population thinks 'well if the state does not provide security well then I will take the security and the law into my own hands and with that I will provoke a deterrent effect in other possible assailants or other people committing crimes.' I don't necessarily think that in all cases the people captured were guilty." 1.30 XALBAQUIEJ, GUATEMALA (RECENT) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 7. GV/MV/PAN: VARIOUS OF BURNT BODIES IN MORGUE (2 SHOTS) 1.53 8. MCU: FAMILY MEMBERS OUTSIDE MORGUE 2.06 9. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) UNIDENTIFIED RESIDENT SAYING: "Yes, because God gave us hands and feet in order to work. We are working and it is not just that these people rob us." 2.20 10. MV: RESCUE WORKERS WITH BODIES (2 SHOTS) 2.45 GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA (JULY 11, 2000) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 11. MCU: (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) MEMBER OF CONGRESS, EMILIO SACA, SAYING: "In the absence of authority, to see that their minimum demands of food, work, clothes and education are not being met and then there are people abusing, robbing, assaulting well the society enters a state of desperation and takes the law into their own hands. It is a very delicate situation." 3.15 12. VARIOUS: VARIOUS OF POLICE CONFISCATING WEAPONS AT CHECKPOINTS (7 SHOTS) 4.22 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th July 2000 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: HUEHUETENANGO, XALBAQUIEJ, AND GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA
- Country: Guatemala
- Reuters ID: LVAEFAC1Q4Y0G47K9KA1TNCEYYP7
- Story Text: A wave of vigilante violence has swept through some
parts of Guatemala with at least eight lynchings in the past
two weeks and police reporting a rise in illegal gun
ownership.
A wave of vigilante violence swept through parts of
Guatemala in recent weeks with police reporting at least eight
lynchings.
"It is possible that in some cases the act of lynching is
thought of as a deterrents. I mean, the population thinks
'well if the state does not provide security well then I will
take the security and the law into my own hands,'" said
sociologist, Erwing Garzona.
In Huehuetenango, located 350 kilometers northwest of
Guatemala City, an angry mob chased a man suspected of
stealing a backpack, doused him with grain alcohol and set him
on fire.
In the western village of Xalvaquiej, located about 200
kilometers west of the capital, seven people, including two
teenagers, were burned to death.
The victims, whose ages ranged from 16 and 17 to 60, were
accused of stealing by neighbours, who held them for six hours
before dousing them with gasoline and burning them.
"God gave us hands and feet in order to work. We are
working and it is not just that these people rob us," said one
villager after the lynchings.
Some Guatemalan leaders said Guatemala's lack of resources
explains the behavior of the villagers.
"In the absence of authority, to see that their minimum
demands of food, work, clothes and education are not being met
and then there are people abusing, robbing, assaulting well
the society enters a state of desperation and takes the law
into their own hands. It is a very delicate situation," said
Congressman Emilio Saca.
In Guatemala City, in an effort to prevent violence,
police have set up checkpoints for illegal weapons. Their
goal is to take them out of circulation so they can't be used
in any crimes.
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