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Menchú weighs the cost of war

By Christian Schmidt
The Daily Cougar

Nobel Peace Prize recipient Rigoberta Menchú spoke out against the war on Iraq and promoted the rights of indigenous peoples around the world in a speech Wednesday at UH.

Menchú spoke in both Spanish and English after an opening statement asking for the blessing of the creator in her native language, the traditional Mayan Quiche. Marc Zimmerman, chairman of the Department of Modern and Classical Languages, translated for Menchú.

The audience packed into auditorium 2 of Agnes Arnold Hall, filling every seat and leaving several dozen spectators standing.

Menchú rose to prominence after the publication of her book, I, Rigoberta Menchú, which chronicled her work helping the native people of Guatemala. The book was written in Paris and first published in French, then Spanish.

The youngest person to ever receive the award, she was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992 at the age of 33. At the time, Menchú was in exile from her native Guatemala following the deaths of her parents and siblings, who were killed by Guatemalan soldiers after they supported guerrilla fighters.

She stopped at UH on her way to the Latin American Studies conference later this week in Dallas. Menchú spends most of her time in southern Mexico and Guatemala, attempting to improve the lives of Mayan peoples in the area. She was born in Chimal, a small village in the mountains of Guatemala.

"We just got the first (electric) lights in my village," Menchú said. "Some people would say it is shameful that a Nobel Peace Prize winner could not get light to her village for so long. But that is the reality of our world. People ask for your support, your signature, but concrete solidarity is hard to get."

Menchú spoke out more against war in general than specifically about the United Statesi war against Iraq.

"Itis very important that you struggle against the war," Menchú said.

Menchú said wars have changed in the last 50 years. Then, 10 soldiers died for every civilian casualty of war. Now, there are 10 civilian deaths for every soldier who dies.

Menchú spoke about her home country and the plight of children there who have heart disease and sit on waiting lists to use the only heart machine at the National Institutional Hospital.

"How much is a heart machine? How much is a bomb for Iraq?" Menchú said.

Menchú also discussed at some length her efforts to help indigenous peoples around the world since she received the Peace Prize.

She has teamed up with other Nobel Prize winners including Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama to promote the rights of indigenous peoples. She was given the Freedom Award by the National Civil Rights Museum in 2002.
 

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