Rigoberta
Menchú Tum is an indigenous Guatemalan who was the first indigenous person and
the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Rigoberta Menchú
won the prize in 1992 for her efforts to bring the plight of indigenous people
living in Guatemala to the international community's attention. In 1982, a book
was written about Rigoberta Menchú after she was interviewed by the Venezuelan-French
author, Elizabeth Burgos. The book gained widespread attention after it was translated
into English under the title, "I, Rigoberta Menchú." The book told about
the harsh life indigenous peasants faced during the civil war that continued to
ravage Guatemala since it started in 1962. Mayan peasants were caught in the middle
between leftist guerillas and the military government. The indigenous peasants
had very few rights and many thousands of innocent people were murdered by the
government, including Rigoberta Menchú's father after he had formed an
organization to peacefully protest the government's demands that he give up his
land to the state. Later, Rigoberta's mother and brother were also murdered. Rigoberta
joined the Committee of Peasant Union and helped to organize a peaceful peasant
resistance movement to carry on her father's efforts. After her own life was threatened
numerous times she went into hiding in 1981 and then fled to Mexico where she
continued to advocate for her people, cofounding the United Republic of Guatemalan
Opposition. She returned to Guatemala several times over the years to advocate
for Guatemalan peasants, but each time had to flee again because of death threats,
and continued to reach out to the international community.
After
receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992, the United Nations declared 1993 as the
International Year of the Indigenous Peoples and 1994-2003 as the International
Decade of Indigenous Peoples. Rigoberta Menchú was appointed as 'Goodwill
Ambassador' for the year and as the official spokeswoman for the decade. She became
and continues to be internationally recognized as a leader in promoting peace
and indigenous rights for all indigenous peoples.
In 1994 the UN began moderating peace talks and in 1996 a peace accord was signed,
ending the civil war after 34 years. However unrest still persisted and it wasn't
until 2004 with the election of a new president that Rigoberta was able to return
to Guatemala. She was asked to join the new administration as a "goodwill
ambassador to the peace accords." In 2007, a new political movement led by
indigenous Guatemalans was formed and Rigoberta Menchú was the party's
presidential candidate.
