Myrna Mack

Who was Myrna Mack?

Myrna Mack Chang was a Guatemalan anthropologist. In 1990 she was murdered by a military death squad because of her criticism of the Guatemala government's treatment of the indigenous Maya, and its human rights abuses against the people.

Due to her sister's pursuit of justice, Mack's killer was convicted and upper-level superiors tried in precedent-setting cases before the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica. In 2004 the government of Guatemala acknowledged its responsibility and paid her family financial compensation.