Rigoberta Menchú Tum
(1959-)

Guatemalan Indigenous Rights Activist
1990 UNESCO Prize for Peace Education
1992 Nobel Peace Prize Winner
2002 National Freedom Award

birthdate: January 9
birthplace:
Chimel, Guatemala

Rigoberta Menchú Tum is an indigenous Guatemalan who was the first indigenous person and the youngest person ever to win the Nobel Peace Prize. Rigoberta Menchú won the prize in 1992 for her efforts to bring the plight of indigenous people living in Guatemala to the international community's attention. In 1982, a book was written about Rigoberta Menchú after she was interviewed by the Venezuelan-French author, Elizabeth Burgos. The book gained widespread attention after it was translated into English under the title, "I, Rigoberta Menchú." The book told about the harsh life indigenous peasants faced during the civil war that continued to ravage Guatemala since it started in 1962. Mayan peasants were caught in the middle between leftist guerillas and the military government. The indigenous peasants had very few rights and many thousands of innocent people were murdered by the government, including Rigoberta Menchú's father after he had formed an organization to peacefully protest the government's demands that he give up his land to the state. Later, Rigoberta's mother and brother were also murdered. Rigoberta joined the Committee of Peasant Union and helped to organize a peaceful peasant resistance movement to carry on her father's efforts. After her own life was threatened numerous times she went into hiding in 1981 and then fled to Mexico where she continued to advocate for her people, cofounding the United Republic of Guatemalan Opposition. She returned to Guatemala several times over the years to advocate for Guatemalan peasants, but each time had to flee again because of death threats, and continued to reach out to the international community.

After receiving the Nobel Peace Prize in 1992, the United Nations declared 1993 as the International Year of the Indigenous Peoples and 1994-2003 as the International Decade of Indigenous Peoples. Rigoberta Menchú was appointed as 'Goodwill Ambassador' for the year and as the official spokeswoman for the decade. She became and continues to be internationally recognized as a leader in promoting peace and indigenous rights for all indigenous peoples.

In 1994 the UN began moderating peace talks and in 1996 a peace accord was signed, ending the civil war after 34 years. However unrest still persisted and it wasn't until 2004 with the election of a new president that Rigoberta was able to return to Guatemala. She was asked to join the new administration as a "goodwill ambassador to the peace accords." In 2007, a new political movement led by indigenous Guatemalans was formed and Rigoberta Menchú was the party's presidential candidate.

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