The Idea of an Essay, Volume 2

115 provide all the assistance needed. An outside source must step in, or these indigenous people will continue to suffer in Guatemala. The United States has the responsibility to step in, not only as the traditional humanitarians of the world, but also as offenders of the civil war. Change for these indigenous people is possible. Experts consider the negative changes seen in Latin America in recent decades to be “limited, incomplete and perhaps even reversible” (Wiarda and Kline 611). Latin America in general seems to be doing well. In the last few decades “Latin America has gone from 70 percent rural to 70 percent urban, and from 70 percent illiterate to 70 percent literate” (Wiarda and Kline 611). These changes are averages across Latin America. Each country in Central America has its differences, but all five have similar histories and cultures. Perhaps Guatemala could mirror the improvements seen in other Latin American countries in recent decades. The indigenous Mayan people may be the last to see these improvements, but it is not out of the question to see significant change for the Mayan people in the next few decades. The United States should aid theMayan people of Guatemala who continue to suffer from the recent civil war that the United States was partially responsible for starting and continuing as the Guatemalan government targeted and murdered indigenous people and forced them out of their homes, which led to increased poverty and decreased education of the indigenous people. The Mayans have not received sufficient assistance in order for their lives to go back to normal. It has been difficult for the indigenous people to assimilate into the society. Although it has been difficult, the Mayan people have not given up. One victim of a violent attack during the war says, “Even though you never forget, you have to live always with the memory, but we have come together as a community” (Wilkinson 213). The people are not sitting there feeling bad for themselves, not doing anything to improve their lives. They are building their towns back and re-claiming their lives. The Mayan people are doing the best they can but cannot undo everything that the war has done on their own. The United States could provide a stipend for each family that suffers from the war. If it is too difficult to identify the families that are suffering, the American government could pay a sum of money to the country of Guatemala to provide