– army constructed and controlled settlements for people displaced by the war, often built on or near the ruins of communities that had been massacred by the army. oppression

a war within a country rather than between countries; it may be between two or more ethnic groups, political parties, regions or socio-economic interests. Recent civil wars in Central America have bee [..]

also coup d’état; sudden, violent and illegal seizure of political power from a government. death squad

a practice used by repressive regimes to kidnap political opponents and make them disappear without a trace. Sometimes the victims are held in clandestine prisons; more often they are killed. It is a [..]

the digging up of something, especially a dead body, out of the earth. Farabundo Martí Front for National Liberation (FMLN)

 – the intentional murder of women (or girls) because of their gender. free, prior and informed consent (FPIC)

the deliberate and systematic intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial or religious group. Guatemalan National Revolutionary Unity (URNG)

rebel or insurgent; people who are fighting with non-traditional tactics against a standing army. Guerrillero

 – generating electricity by using the gravitational force of flowing water. impunity

people who have long-standing historical roots in the area where they currently live, i.e. the Maya people are indigenous to Guatemala. Ladino