ABSTRACT
The government of Guatemala and its guerrilla opposition fought a civil war off and on from the early 1960s through 1996, causing massive devastation in the rural areas. The Guatemalan case is important because including Non-governmental organizations (NGOs) at a parallel table created a precedent for democratising negotiated settlements. The role of NGOs in the Guatemalan peace process was unique. The Guatemalan experience highlights the need to coordinate the conflicting interests inherent in a participatory forum that encompasses diverse social and economic groups, including marginalized communities. The original Forum continued throughout the days following the autogolpe to develop and circulate documents analysing the consequences of the crisis for all sectors of Guatemalan society. The parties signed a new framework accord, the terms of which created a new institution, the assembly of civil society, to consist of all legitimate, representative, and legal sectors of Guatemalan society.
