This paper analyzes and compares two testimonials from Victor Montejo and Domitila Barrios de Chungara about human rights issues in Latin America. Both accounts highlight human rights abuses and unstable governments. Victor describes torture by the Guatemalan army, while Domitila discusses exploitative working conditions in Bolivian mines. Their stories also show how frequent changes in government led to continued oppression. Both Victor and Domitila had a significant impact by giving voice to the disadvantaged and advocating for reforms.
The document summarizes the novel "The Underdogs" by Mariana Azuela about the Mexican Revolution. It focuses on the impacts of the revolution on ordinary Mexicans, following the stories of Demetrio Mecias, a peasant fighter who joins Pancho Villa's forces, and women who joined the revolution. Key themes explored in the novel include landscapes, pride, ignorance of the revolution's goals, and betrayal by corrupt government forces.
The book "The Underdogs" by Mariano Azuela tells the story of Demetrio Macias, a peasant who joins the revolutionaries after being forced to flee his home. Demetrio and his small group of 21 men engage in battles with the federal soldiers, managing to kill all the soldiers despite being outnumbered, though Demetrio is wounded. The book depicts Demetrio as both a brave and intelligent revolutionary leader, but also as a human with flaws as he pursues a young woman while married. The character of Anastasio Montanez, Demetrio's loyal friend, provides comic relief through his intellectual conversations, while the arrival of medical student Luis Cervantes proves important for caring for
The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela follows the story of Demetrio Macias, a fearless rebel leader during the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, as he battles against the Federals of Mexico with his brave rebel forces. Throughout the story, Demetrio withstands a bullet wound while directing his troops against hardships, with only Luis Cervantes, a journalist who joined the rebels, surviving along with Demetrio by the novel's end.
Ursprungsfolk kämpar för sin överlevnad - I en ny rapport kritiserar Amnesty den ökning av attacker mot ursprungsfolk i Colombia som skett under 2009. Organisationen lägger skulden för övergreppen på gerillagrupper, säkerhetsstyrkor och paramilitära grupper.
The Crisis of Imperialism and the Future of Humanityapscuhuru
Analysis of root causes of today's economic crisis and the way forward. This presentation was developed by Penny Hess, Chairwoman of the African People's Solidarity Committee (APSC), white people organizing solidarity with the African liberation movement. APSC works under the leadership of the Uhuru Movement, led by the African People's Socialist Party. For more information, visit http://www.apscuhuru.org or http://www.uhurunews.com.
Review of Franz Fanon's argument on violence Wai Lap Michael
The document discusses the causes and justifications of revolutions in third world countries. It examines several theories on what causes revolutions, including economic exploitation, psychological factors like relative deprivation, and weaknesses in state structures. It also analyzes Frantz Fanon's view that violence is necessary and justified in anti-colonial revolutions to remedy the psychological effects of colonization and dehumanization when non-violent options are not available. However, some critiques argue that Fanon's view assumes violence is the only means and does not consider the potential negative consequences of an escalating conflict. There is no clear consensus on whether democracy can emerge from a violent revolution.
1. This document discusses the political and social movements in the early 19th century, including liberalism, revolutionary movements, and utopian socialism.
2. Liberalism promoted both economic freedom and individual liberty. Early revolutionary movements in the 1820s included the Carbonari in Italy and the Greek Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The Revolution of 1830 in France ousted the Bourbon monarchy.
3. Utopian socialists like Fourier, Cabet, Owen, and Blanc imagined alternative social systems to address the problems of early industrialization, including workers' rights and the emancipation of women.
The document summarizes the novel "The Underdogs" by Mariana Azuela about the Mexican Revolution. It focuses on the impacts of the revolution on ordinary Mexicans, following the stories of Demetrio Mecias, a peasant fighter who joins Pancho Villa's forces, and women who joined the revolution. Key themes explored in the novel include landscapes, pride, ignorance of the revolution's goals, and betrayal by corrupt government forces.
The book "The Underdogs" by Mariano Azuela tells the story of Demetrio Macias, a peasant who joins the revolutionaries after being forced to flee his home. Demetrio and his small group of 21 men engage in battles with the federal soldiers, managing to kill all the soldiers despite being outnumbered, though Demetrio is wounded. The book depicts Demetrio as both a brave and intelligent revolutionary leader, but also as a human with flaws as he pursues a young woman while married. The character of Anastasio Montanez, Demetrio's loyal friend, provides comic relief through his intellectual conversations, while the arrival of medical student Luis Cervantes proves important for caring for
The Underdogs by Mariano Azuela follows the story of Demetrio Macias, a fearless rebel leader during the Mexican Revolution in the early 1900s, as he battles against the Federals of Mexico with his brave rebel forces. Throughout the story, Demetrio withstands a bullet wound while directing his troops against hardships, with only Luis Cervantes, a journalist who joined the rebels, surviving along with Demetrio by the novel's end.
Ursprungsfolk kämpar för sin överlevnad - I en ny rapport kritiserar Amnesty den ökning av attacker mot ursprungsfolk i Colombia som skett under 2009. Organisationen lägger skulden för övergreppen på gerillagrupper, säkerhetsstyrkor och paramilitära grupper.
The Crisis of Imperialism and the Future of Humanityapscuhuru
Analysis of root causes of today's economic crisis and the way forward. This presentation was developed by Penny Hess, Chairwoman of the African People's Solidarity Committee (APSC), white people organizing solidarity with the African liberation movement. APSC works under the leadership of the Uhuru Movement, led by the African People's Socialist Party. For more information, visit http://www.apscuhuru.org or http://www.uhurunews.com.
Review of Franz Fanon's argument on violence Wai Lap Michael
The document discusses the causes and justifications of revolutions in third world countries. It examines several theories on what causes revolutions, including economic exploitation, psychological factors like relative deprivation, and weaknesses in state structures. It also analyzes Frantz Fanon's view that violence is necessary and justified in anti-colonial revolutions to remedy the psychological effects of colonization and dehumanization when non-violent options are not available. However, some critiques argue that Fanon's view assumes violence is the only means and does not consider the potential negative consequences of an escalating conflict. There is no clear consensus on whether democracy can emerge from a violent revolution.
1. This document discusses the political and social movements in the early 19th century, including liberalism, revolutionary movements, and utopian socialism.
2. Liberalism promoted both economic freedom and individual liberty. Early revolutionary movements in the 1820s included the Carbonari in Italy and the Greek Revolt against the Ottoman Empire. The Revolution of 1830 in France ousted the Bourbon monarchy.
3. Utopian socialists like Fourier, Cabet, Owen, and Blanc imagined alternative social systems to address the problems of early industrialization, including workers' rights and the emancipation of women.
The document discusses the Inter American Press Association's (IAPA) project on unpunished crimes against journalists. Over the past decade, more than 200 journalists have been murdered for doing their jobs reporting the news. Many of these crimes remain unsolved, allowing impunity to prevail. The IAPA's project aims to draw attention to this problem and bring perpetrators to justice in order to discourage future crimes against journalists and protect freedom of the press. The document outlines some of the IAPA's investigations and efforts to engage other international organizations in supporting this cause.
Violence can disperse power rather than concentrate it. While violence may initially seem to expand one's power through domination of others, it ultimately serves to divide individuals and weaken unified power. Two examples discussed are the Aztec use of warfare to gain influence, which created internal class divisions and led to their collapse, and Fanon's view that completely destroying colonial influence could further destabilize newly independent states. A better approach to gain power is through progressive movements that appeal to people and encourage unity around a shared cause or identity. Gloria Anzaldua's concept of "tolerance for ambiguity" offers one such model, embracing contradictions to form a new pluralistic culture after colonialism.
This document provides an analysis of how two protagonists, Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman and Tommy Wilhelm from Seize the Day, experience the disintegration of the American Dream. It discusses how both characters pursue the dream of success through business prosperity but ultimately find disillusionment as the dream proves elusive. The document examines how Willy Loman's misguided beliefs about success lead to his downfall, while Tommy Wilhelm is able to rise above the difficulties imposed on him by society. It analyzes how the two works portray the negative consequences that can result from blindly chasing an illusion of the American Dream.
This document summarizes a study comparing the long-term impacts of British and French colonial rule in Cameroon. Cameroon was originally a German colony but was divided after WWI between British and French control. The arbitrary colonial boundary cut across ethnic and linguistic groups. The researchers use this discontinuity to compare outcomes today along the former border. Their results show that rural areas under British rule have higher wealth and better access to water, but there are no differences for urban areas or centrally-provided goods like education. The authors hypothesize this is due to differences in colonial-era institutions and policies between the British and French, as well as post-independence country policies.
The document provides a detailed analysis and summary of the television series Spartacus and episode 13. It discusses how the show depicts violence and oppression similarly to how it occurred in ancient Roman culture. It analyzes specific characters like Spartacus and Crixus using the concepts of round and flat characters from narrative criticism. The author argues the show effectively conveys timeless appeals about humanity's ongoing struggles with violence and the need for social change through its compelling narrative.
The 1968 Memphis sanitation strikes were a pivotal moment in the fight for civil rights and economic equality. Led by Martin Luther King Jr., sanitation workers, many of whom were African American, went on strike to protest poor working conditions, low pay, and a lack of benefits and union recognition. The strikes faced strong opposition from Memphis mayor Henry Loeb but gained widespread support from the black community. King's assassination in April 1968 galvanized further support for the strikes, and Loeb eventually signed an agreement granting the workers' demands. The Memphis strikes inspired similar sanitation worker strikes across the country and helped advance the civil rights movement's goals of desegregation and fair treatment in the workplace.
Athens and Sparta were two powerful city-states in ancient Greece that had different forms of government and culture. Athens developed a direct democracy where citizens participated in governing, while Sparta was an oligarchy ruled by a military elite. Spartan culture was entirely focused on military strength and discipline, with strict social controls. Athens is renowned for establishing western ideals of democracy, though Athenian democracy excluded many groups.
The document summarizes the horrors of communism throughout history, particularly in Ukraine and other Eastern European and Asian countries in the early 20th century. It describes how communist governments oppressed and killed millions of their own citizens, especially those from the middle and lower classes. Under communist rule, people had no freedom of speech or rights. If people revolted, they faced severe punishment or death. However, the original ideas behind communism promoted equality, but in reality communist regimes used their power to control people and prioritized the government agenda over citizens' needs. The document provides examples of millions of people starving to death in Ukraine due to the government withholding food and believing 10% of the population needed to be killed. Today, communist countries still oppress
Martial law was declared in the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos on September 21, 1972. Marcos suspended civil rights and imposed military authority, claiming it was necessary to quell rising violence from communist and rebel groups that threatened national security. Martial law allowed the military to enforce government rule and address instability in the absence of civil governance. It remained in effect for over a decade until 1981.
The document discusses the Inter American Press Association's (IAPA) project on unpunished crimes against journalists. Over the past decade, more than 200 journalists have been murdered for doing their jobs reporting the news. Many of these crimes remain unsolved, allowing impunity to prevail. The IAPA's project aims to draw attention to this problem and bring perpetrators to justice in order to discourage future crimes against journalists and protect freedom of the press. The document outlines some of the IAPA's investigations and efforts to engage other international organizations in supporting this cause.
Violence can disperse power rather than concentrate it. While violence may initially seem to expand one's power through domination of others, it ultimately serves to divide individuals and weaken unified power. Two examples discussed are the Aztec use of warfare to gain influence, which created internal class divisions and led to their collapse, and Fanon's view that completely destroying colonial influence could further destabilize newly independent states. A better approach to gain power is through progressive movements that appeal to people and encourage unity around a shared cause or identity. Gloria Anzaldua's concept of "tolerance for ambiguity" offers one such model, embracing contradictions to form a new pluralistic culture after colonialism.
This document provides an analysis of how two protagonists, Willy Loman from Death of a Salesman and Tommy Wilhelm from Seize the Day, experience the disintegration of the American Dream. It discusses how both characters pursue the dream of success through business prosperity but ultimately find disillusionment as the dream proves elusive. The document examines how Willy Loman's misguided beliefs about success lead to his downfall, while Tommy Wilhelm is able to rise above the difficulties imposed on him by society. It analyzes how the two works portray the negative consequences that can result from blindly chasing an illusion of the American Dream.
This document summarizes a study comparing the long-term impacts of British and French colonial rule in Cameroon. Cameroon was originally a German colony but was divided after WWI between British and French control. The arbitrary colonial boundary cut across ethnic and linguistic groups. The researchers use this discontinuity to compare outcomes today along the former border. Their results show that rural areas under British rule have higher wealth and better access to water, but there are no differences for urban areas or centrally-provided goods like education. The authors hypothesize this is due to differences in colonial-era institutions and policies between the British and French, as well as post-independence country policies.
The document provides a detailed analysis and summary of the television series Spartacus and episode 13. It discusses how the show depicts violence and oppression similarly to how it occurred in ancient Roman culture. It analyzes specific characters like Spartacus and Crixus using the concepts of round and flat characters from narrative criticism. The author argues the show effectively conveys timeless appeals about humanity's ongoing struggles with violence and the need for social change through its compelling narrative.
The 1968 Memphis sanitation strikes were a pivotal moment in the fight for civil rights and economic equality. Led by Martin Luther King Jr., sanitation workers, many of whom were African American, went on strike to protest poor working conditions, low pay, and a lack of benefits and union recognition. The strikes faced strong opposition from Memphis mayor Henry Loeb but gained widespread support from the black community. King's assassination in April 1968 galvanized further support for the strikes, and Loeb eventually signed an agreement granting the workers' demands. The Memphis strikes inspired similar sanitation worker strikes across the country and helped advance the civil rights movement's goals of desegregation and fair treatment in the workplace.
Athens and Sparta were two powerful city-states in ancient Greece that had different forms of government and culture. Athens developed a direct democracy where citizens participated in governing, while Sparta was an oligarchy ruled by a military elite. Spartan culture was entirely focused on military strength and discipline, with strict social controls. Athens is renowned for establishing western ideals of democracy, though Athenian democracy excluded many groups.
The document summarizes the horrors of communism throughout history, particularly in Ukraine and other Eastern European and Asian countries in the early 20th century. It describes how communist governments oppressed and killed millions of their own citizens, especially those from the middle and lower classes. Under communist rule, people had no freedom of speech or rights. If people revolted, they faced severe punishment or death. However, the original ideas behind communism promoted equality, but in reality communist regimes used their power to control people and prioritized the government agenda over citizens' needs. The document provides examples of millions of people starving to death in Ukraine due to the government withholding food and believing 10% of the population needed to be killed. Today, communist countries still oppress
Martial law was declared in the Philippines by President Ferdinand Marcos on September 21, 1972. Marcos suspended civil rights and imposed military authority, claiming it was necessary to quell rising violence from communist and rebel groups that threatened national security. Martial law allowed the military to enforce government rule and address instability in the absence of civil governance. It remained in effect for over a decade until 1981.
2. 1
Introduction
This paper first discusses the two testimonials broadly. Then it specifically highlights one
example each from the testimonials that showcases two fundamental issues. These two issues –
human rights abuse, and the nature of unstable governments – become apparent in both
testimonials. Victor and Domitila encounter multiple human rights abuses, with Domitila’s
occurring over many years. The two testimonials also show the problems with unstable
governments. Victor deals with the military arm of the Guatemalan government, and Domitila’s
comes from multiple governments. In conclusion, this paper shows how these two individuals
ultimately impacted their respective societies through these accounts.
Broad Overview
The two testimonials from Victor Montejo and Domitila Barrios de Chungara show two
different people with different problems going on in their respective countries. Victor deals with
the massacre of his village because of an attack on it by Guatemalan army forces. Domitila deals
with the frequent oppressive measures put into place by multiple governments over a couple
decades. Despite differences in circumstances, some of the issues they deal with bridge both
accounts. Both share issues of human dignity and personal freedoms. Victor deals with these in
the context of his village. Domitila deals with issues within the Siglo XX mine her husband
works in, and issues of capitalism, socialism, and communism. Victor, on the other hand, deals
with more local issues of indigenous rights since his Mayan group becomes targeted. The each
try to reach a different audience. Whereas Victor speaks to the indigenous and his country in
general, Domitila speaks to women, capitalists, socialists, communists, and her country.
Gender also plays a significant role in their respective stories. Although a man, Victor
still undergoes intense persecution and torture. In general, no matter your gender you become
3. 2
subject to torture or end up killed in Victor’s village. In Domitila’s story, women become the
central part of her struggle. She helps in the leadership of a women’s organization to push for
mine reform, general reform, and women’s rights. Men and women both share defined and
traditional roles in the Bolivian society of her time period, and the same becomes evident in
Victor’s village.
The role of the family also shares similarities and differences in the stories. While both
share traditional roles for men and women, Domitila’s story shares much more of the interactions
between her and her family. Family, while there, remains distant for Victor because of his
separation from them after the army captures him. He interacts with them at the end only after
the army releases him. Family life defines much of Domitila’s story. She tries hard to provide for
her family. Basic needs like shelter become difficult to maintain. If certain conditions like death
of her husband, accident at the mine, or termination from work befall them then housing goes
away. This situation strains the relationship between her husband and her husband. He seldom
agrees with her socialist tendencies, often blaming those views for his struggle to find work.
Lastly, the interactions between these people and their governments show the
commonality both testimonials share. In Victor’s account, the government becomes represented
in the army that attacks, captures, and kills many residents of his indigenous village. In
Domitila’s account the government really spans many governments during the time of her story.
She mentions how most governments oppress the poor and disadvantaged, conspire with foreign
interests and investors, and hurt the lower classes through inflation and denying basic human
rights like food, water, shelter.
Human Rights Abuses
4. 3
First, human rights abuse from each account. Early in Victor’s account while inside the
local church, a place where he frequents and teaches at, the army attacks his village and it
quickly becomes apparent that they target anyone and everyone who gets in their way. It also
becomes apparent that they target those who accused of dealings with guerilla forces. A person
named Manuel accuses Victor of alliance with guerilla forces. During the they question Victor,
the army officers torture Manuel. It mentions that a sergeant “began jumping up and down,
coming down hard on [Manuel’s] lungs and chest…he kicked him…until more blood flowed
from his nose and mouth.”1 Although Manuel gave the information regarding guerilla
sympathizers, he ends up tortured. This speaks to the indiscriminate brutality of those involved
with this army trying to eradicate this village of indigenous Mayan. They resort to any measures
necessary in order to strike fear in the hearts of the villagers.
In Domitila’s account she also writes about human rights abuses. When speaking about
the types of people who work in the mines, she mentions a group called the veneristas or
“veiners.” This group consists of some two thousand mine workers. They remain independent of
the other workers and any ore they mine they sell back to the company for a small profit. This
group often goes very deep into the mines where little to air circulation exists. Prolonged
exposure deep in the mines becomes required in order to get the maximum needed ore, usually in
the form of tin. The mine hires these “veiners” because these retired mine workers previously
contracted “silicosis, the occupational disease of the mines.”2 A few problems arise with this
situation. First, they hire already sick workers. Second, those in charge of the mines allowed
these people to continue to work, and in the worst areas imaginable in the mines. This situation
1 Victor Perera, trans., Testimony: Death of a Guatemalan Village (Willimantic, CT: Curbstone Press), 44.
2 Victoria Ortiz, trans., Let Me Speak!:Testimony of Domitila, a woman of the Bolivian mines (New York, NY:
Monthly Review Press), 22.
5. 4
shows blatant human rights abuses. The elites that controlled the mines displayed no regard for
protection against occupational safety hazards. Also even more importantly it shows the
exploitative nature of capitalism in the opinion of Domitila. She advocates for worker’s and
women’s rights, with this situation serving as a case study in the problems with profit-driven and
greedy capitalism.
Unstable Governments
Second, the nature of unstable governments. In Victor’s story this takes the form of the
army that attacks his home village. In almost every instance during his story Victor encounters
army officials with a disposition to quickly change their minds. One such incident occurs when
Victor nearly leaves the area around his village by helicopter, with the assumption that this
meant certain death for him. As they lead Victor to the helicopter it quickly leaves with others
but not him. After this happened twice, the army commander dragging him to the helicopter
angrily remarks that “now it looks like you’ve remained in our hands.”3 Reading through his
entire account, one understands that everything changes spontaneously for Victor. Nothing
becomes certain and everything remains unpredictable. He ended up moments from boarding the
helicopter to his death, but it quickly left without him.
This theme also plays a significant part in Domitila’s story. Throughout her twenty-year
storyline she interacts with and endures oppression by multiple governments. Each government
shares one thing, their unpredictable and unstable nature. However, no matter the government in
place, she fights for socialist and communist reforms. She comments near the end of her story
that they “already had all kinds of governments, ‘nationalist,’ ‘revolutionary,’ ‘Christian,’ with
all kinds of labels.”4 The very fact that she interacts with so many different types of governments
3 Perera, Testimony, 54.
4 Ortiz, Let Me Speak!,228.
6. 5
ultimately revealed her main issue throughout the book. While standing up frequently as the head
or participant of the committee of housewives, nothing ever comes of their reforms due to
unstable governments. Domitila wants a communist revolution that seeks for large scale
structural changes instead of dealing with the status quo from each new form of government.
Instability causes nothing but continued oppression in her story, something she detests.
Conclusion
Both the stories of Victor and Domitila show how these two people impacted their
various communities and countries. Two key contributions arise from both of these people. In the
case of Victor, he impacted his community through his perseverance. Everything he endured,
from beatings to torture, to never knowing from one moment to the next his fate, confirms his
fortitude. More importantly he provided a voice for the Mayan people during this time of
genocide. That remains his greatest contribution. Domitila brought two issues to light frequently
throughout her story, women’s rights and socialist reform. She constantly campaigns for the
rights of her fellow women in Bolivia, not only in that country but abroad. Whether trying to
help the mine workers obtain better working conditions and more pay, or fighting to end what
she deems foreign occupation of Bolivia to the interests of capitalist foreign investors, her
greatest contribution to her society becomes determination to stand for the betterment of her
people. Both exemplify the disadvantaged person in a society unwilling to continue to allow such
people continue to exist.