| Military archives spanning nearly four decades of civil war in Guatemala will be opened to the public, the country's President Alvaro Colom has announced. | Military archives spanning nearly four decades of civil war in Guatemala will be opened to the public, the country's President Alvaro Colom has announced. |
| Some 250,000 civilians were killed or disappeared in the 36-year conflict, which was ended in 1996 by a UN-sponsored peace agreement. | Some 250,000 civilians were killed or disappeared in the 36-year conflict, which was ended in 1996 by a UN-sponsored peace agreement. |
| Mr Colom made Monday's announcement from the balcony of the National Palace overlooking Guatemala's Central Square. | Mr Colom made Monday's announcement from the balcony of the National Palace overlooking Guatemala's Central Square. |
Demonstrators had gathered from all over the country to hear the news. | Demonstrators had gathered from all |
| over the country to hear the news. |
| "We are going to make all of the army's archives public so we can know the truth, to start building on a foundation of truth and justice," Mr Colom told the hundreds-strong crowd. | "We are going to make all of the army's archives public so we can know the truth, to start building on a foundation of truth and justice," Mr Colom told the hundreds-strong crowd. |
| They represented all the Guatemalans seeking justice for crimes committed during the war. | They represented all the Guatemalans seeking justice for crimes committed during the war. |
| Those crimes include the killings of an estimated 200,000 civilians and 50,000 forced disappearances. | Those crimes include the killings of an estimated 200,000 civilians and 50,000 forced disappearances. |
| Scepticism voiced | Scepticism voiced |
| A UN truth commission in 1999 established that the army and state security apparatus were responsible for more than 90% of the deaths. | A UN truth commission in 1999 established that the army and state security apparatus were responsible for more than 90% of the deaths. |
| Questions remain over how any discovery would be used as evidence in court against serving or retired officers | Questions remain over how any discovery would be used as evidence in court against serving or retired officers |
| But until now, no government has been willing to commit itself to further investigations. | But until now, no government has been willing to commit itself to further investigations. |
| Human rights organisations welcomed Monday's announcement as a positive step but some have voiced scepticism about how any investigation might proceed. | Human rights organisations welcomed Monday's announcement as a positive step but some have voiced scepticism about how any investigation might proceed. |
| Questions remain over how any discovery would be used as evidence in court against serving or retired officers. | Questions remain over how any discovery would be used as evidence in court against serving or retired officers. |
| Reaction from the powerful military establishment, meanwhile, has been swift. | Reaction from the powerful military establishment, meanwhile, has been swift. |
| The opposition leader. retired general Otto Perez Molina, who lost the presidential election to Mr Colom only three months ago, called the announcement a political stunt. | The opposition leader. retired general Otto Perez Molina, who lost the presidential election to Mr Colom only three months ago, called the announcement a political stunt. |
| He said there would be no evidence in the archives of orders to kill innocent people. | He said there would be no evidence in the archives of orders to kill innocent people. |
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