The REMHI project of the San Marcos Diocese was part of an inter-diocesan project that produced the report, “Guatemala: Never Again,” a documentation of human rights violations in the country. The goal of the project is to motivate the organized participation of the people in the construction of a new Guatemala and the development of a more human and dignified life. REMHI is a response at the community level and emphasizes exposure to history, mental health training, and human rights for the people of San Marcos, which has a primarily indigenous population.

In 2004, the project will continue with the work of exhumations and reburials of victims of the violence, which help family members gain closure and cope with the overwhelming fear of reprisal. It will continue to commemorate important anniversaries to prevent the obliteration of the past, and to support the training of community leaders to give workshops that contribute to reconciliation. It will publish a regional report of testimonies gathered from the San Marcos area through which survivors have been able to document the stories of violence, remembering the past to work together to build a better future. This report will be distributed widely through the department and beyond, contributing to furthering community work with San Marcos and serving as a model for other communities undergoing similar processes within Guatemala.