April 2013

Contested authorities alternatives to State law and order in post-conflict Guatemala

This study analyzes the contested authorities that deal with land and criminal conflict in the Ixil Region of Guatemala. We studied the local laws, customs and actors governing the use of violence, conflict resolution and justice. Actors included indigenous NGOs, individual leaders (community and municipal), youth gangs, armed security patrols, and organized criminal networks. Findings suggest that the Guatemalan State...

Author(s): Ami C. Carpenter, Anu Lawrence and Milburn Line