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al ra 7 ie STEEP UPHILL CLIMB TO 2012 Messages from the Mayan Milieu offered by Mr Barrios must be consid- alliance" of certain national and ered in the context of the realpolitik of international economic actors, who work his American homeland. The Maya of alongside sectors of the police and Guatemala, their pyramids and their cal- military and common criminals to endar have endured not in a new-age control "black" industries such as drugs, Shambhala of love and light, but ina arms trafficking, money laundering, car milieu of treachery, beatings, torture, theft rings, illegal adoptions and rape and mass murder. kidnapping for ransom". About the great dark shadow that has Decades of Darkness hung over the south-most part of Turtle For 30 long years, right-wing Island, Mr Barrios observed: "These Guatemalan governments—supported injustices began five hundred years ago both overtly and covertly by the US gov- and continue to this very day in all the ernment—waged a terrorist war against Americas. The Indian Wars have never the people of the land, murdering over ended. | think the power-holders in the 200,000 citizens, many of them indige- developed world see it as necessary to nous Mayan people. destroy the indigenous peoples, or at When the war finally wound down in _ least to destroy their culture, because the 1990s, the United Nations Truth _ they are not 'consumers'. The American Commission conducted an 18-month Dream is built on the back of the Third investigation. The UN found massive World. But that is a false distinction, for violations of human rights by the govern- there is no Third World. There is only ment of Guatemala with the complicity One World. We are all part of that one of the US government. The UN report world, and we are all due respect." stated that acts of "aggressive, racist and While Guatemala has ostensibly been extremely cruel" violence descended to at peace for the last eight years, it is a the level of genocide directed against the disturbed peace. The war continues to country's indigenous Mayan population. have a residual impact on the people. When Amnesty International studied Human rights violations still occur regu- the Guatemalan situation in recent years, larly, and even international human- they came to an arresting conclusion. rights monitors have been under threat. They wrote that real peace could come Still, in the view of Mr Barrios, who only through confronting Guatemala's came of age during the war, there have "Corporate Mafia State". They described been improvements. "There are no this corporate Mafia state as an "unholy armed guerrillas, and the police and army n early Autumn 2002, Carlos Barrios endar have endured not in a new-age [iereses north from his home in Shambhala of love and light, but in a Guatemala to the eastern edge of the milieu of treachery, beatings, torture, Four Corners. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, rape and mass murder. at the tail of the Rocky Mountain spine, Mr Barrios spoke in a knowledgeable Decades of Darkness manner about the Mayan tradition and For 30 long years, right-wing the fabled Mayan calendars. Guatemalan governments—supported The Mayan calendars are an object of both overtly and covertly by the US gov- intense interest for many thousands of ernment—waged a terrorist war against people right now, because they focus _ the people of the land, murdering over upon the watershed date of December 21, 200,000 citizens, many of them indige- 2012. Everything changes by then, it is nous Mayan people. said. When the war finally wound down in With a cultural heritage including the 1990s, the United Nations Truth thousands of pyramids and temples, and Commission conducted an 18-month a calendar that has proven itself to be investigation. The UN found massive astronomically accurate over millions of _ violations of human rights by the govern- years, the Maya tradition is widely con- ment of Guatemala with the complicity sidered to be a mystic key to the soul of of the US government. The UN report Turtle Island (North America). stated that acts of "aggressive, racist and In public talks and in a private inter- extremely cruel" violence descended to view, Mr Barrios laid out his account of _ the level of genocide directed against the the history and future of the Americas country's indigenous Mayan population. and the larger world, based on his under- When Amnesty International studied standing of the Mayan tradition as both the Guatemalan situation in recent years, an anthropologist and an initiate. He they came to an arresting conclusion. spoke also about the path he sees ahead They wrote that real peace could come from now until the Winter Solstice of | only through confronting Guatemala's 2012. "Corporate Mafia State". They described The range of teachings and insights this corporate Mafia state as an "unholy NEXUS = 59 © 2002 by Steven McFadden FEBRUARY — MARCH 2003 www.nexusmagazine.com