Use of images from the collections of the Tom & Ethel Bradley Center is strictly prohibited by law without prior written consent from the copyright holders. The responsibility for the use of these materials rests exclusively with the user. The Bradley Center may assist in obtaining copyright/licensing permission to use images from the Richard Cross collection. http://www.csun.edu/bradley-center/contact
Description
An armed soldier stands outside of a blue building with two members of the civil defense civilians in Zaragoza, Chimaltenango. The soldier is holding an IMI Galil rifle of Israeli origin. The two civil defensemen are holding shotguns and wearing hats and civilian clothing. Behind them there is a sign above a door that reads, "Municipal Hall." Most soldiers forced to patrol as part of the "Patrol of Self-Defense" program in the 1980s were Mayan men. Patrols were used by the military to destroy civil organizing and to control any political networks of rural Mayans. The UN-administered Truth Commission, known as the Commission of Historical Clarification documented more tan 600 massacres committed by government forces against civilians in predominately Mayan areas between 1981 and 1983. Un soldado armado yace parado afuera de un edificio azul con dos miembros de la defensa civil en Zaragoza, Chimaltenango. El soldado porta un fusil IMI Galil de origen israelí. Los dos defensores civiles sostienen escopetas y portan sombreros y ropa de civil. Detrás de ellos sobre una puerta se observa un letrero que lee "Alcadía Municipal". La mayoría de los soldados obligados a patrullar como parte del programa "Patrulla de Autodefensa" en los ochenta eran hombres mayas. Las patrullas fueron utilizadas por los militares para destruir la organización civil y controlar a cualquier red política de los mayas rurales. La comisión de la verdad administrada por la ONU, conocida como la Comisión para el Esclarecimiento Histórico, documentó más de 600 masacres cometidas por fuerzas gubernamentales contra civiles en áreas predominantemente mayas entre 1981 y 1983.
If you're wondering about permissions and what you can do with this item, a good starting point is the "rights information" on this page. See our terms of use for more tips.
Share your story
Has Calisphere helped you advance your research, complete a project, or find something meaningful? We'd love to hear about it; please send us a message.
