The Guatemalan military's counterinsurgency efforts resulted in widespread civilian casualties and displacement. To sever the insurgents' ties with the civilian population, the army executed mass killings, burned villages and crops, and slaughtered livestock, depriving survivors of their livelihoods. The human rights office of the Catholic Church estimated that 11,000 people, mostly indigenous peasants from the highlands, died in 1981 alone. Other sources put the death toll from government repression that year between 9,000 and 13,500.
The Guatemalan military's counterinsurgency efforts resulted in widespread civilian casualties and displacement. To sever the insurgents' ties with the civilian population, the army executed mass killings, burned villages and crops, and? slaughtered livestock, depriving survivors of their ?livelihoods. The human rights office of the Catholic Church estimated that 11,000 people, mostly indigenous peasa?nts from th.e highlands, died in 1981 alone. Other sources put the death toll from government repression that year betwee?n 9,000 and 13,500.