denounce the crimes before the Guatemalan authorities prior to 1993 due to the acts of intimidation and violence to which they had been subjected and their resulting fear. The State has not expressly controverted these allegations. The petitioners allege that the survivors did everything possible to exhaust the remedies they had invoked prior to filing their petition with the Commission in October of 1996 (in English), and February of 1997 (in Spanish). Pursuant to the foregoing analysis, and under the specific circumstances, the Commission finds that the petitioners invoked domestic remedies when it was possible for them to do so, and the rule of timely presentation provides no bar to the admissibility of the petition. V. CONCLUSIONS 31. The Commission concludes that it has the competence to examine this case and that the petition is admissible, in accordance with Articles 46 and 47 of the American Convention. 32. On the basis of the findings of fact and law set forth above, and without prejudging the merits of the matter, THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, DECIDES: 1. To declare the present case admissible. 2. To transmit this report to the parties. 3. To continue with the analysis of the merits of the case. 4. To place itself at the disposal of the parties for the purpose of reaching a friendly settlement on the basis of respect for the human rights protected in the American Convention, and to invite the parties to indicate their response as to this possibility. 5. To make this report public, and publish it in its Annual Report to the General Assembly of the OAS. Done and signed at the headquarters of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR), in the city of Washington, D.C., on the 11th day of the month of March in the year 1999. (Signed): Robert K. Goldman, President; Hélio Bicudo, First Vice President; Claudio Grossman, Second Vice President; Commissioners Alvaro Tirado Mejía and Carlos Ayala. 7