Yesterday two old men were buried. The father and the uncle of an FMLN friend. The details are dreadful: They were surprised at home by the killers, who without having a word attacked and beaten them. They were slain by machetes and were found naked but they were not robbed. I was there at night for the visitation and there were a lot of people from the community, almost everyone from the FMLN, from the Catholic Church and Evangelical Church, accompanying this beloved family and the two murdered old men that were dearly appreciated by the community.
In recent days, a clown that used to spent the day juggling and begging at a street light, about 1,500 meters from where we live, was murdered. Later I knew that he had AIDS. It is very sad, he was shot right there. His surviving wife is pregnant and it is possible that she has AIDS as well, I hope her baby doesn't carry it. This young man was related to an FMLN activist.
A lady, who used to sell fruits in the street, was shot without mercy at the gate of the Baptist School, in front of students, parents, and teachers.
These violent acts should not take anyone that has had the misfortune of witnessing more terrible things in the past by surprise. However, they deserve a special analysis. Why this happened in a county administered by the FMLN? Why did these crimes happened in public places and in front on many people? It is true that we have been hearing about the violence in the country and particularly in places that are known as violent, Why in Santa Ana, with a national and local FMLN administration?
I have a feeling that there are obscure interests and financing in all these. It seems like there are groups that are up in arms and show the anger that characterized them in the past, when they feel that their interests are at stake. We are deeply concerned that these increasing violence is a prompt by political-economical reasons.
Our suspicion is not a result of an absurd imagination. Recently, in the context of elections, presidential or by district, the media invaded us with news of mutilated bodies found in different parts of the country, most of them young women, bounded, with marks of violence, and some cases burned, and others with acid in their faces and bodies.
Everything was leaving doubts about concrete actors, in other words, there was no interest to investigate whom was directly involved in these crimes. But something curious about it, was that the ways in which the people were assassinated were very similar to the ones executed in the 70's and 80's by the National Guard and the Police. Then, it is not difficult to think about the possible sources of all this violence in the present as it was in the past.
Many people are thinking the same, Is it possible that there are groups that are willing to do anything to make the FMLN administration look bad by increasing crime, violence and fear, that were the conditions needed to seek support from the right wing?
The truth is that the blood shed by our brothers and sisters is still screaming for justice.
Our God is still nailed to the cross, in the people humiliated by their poverty, their unemployment, fear and uncertainty, and their own violent deaths. In spite of the strength of our hope, it seems like the Golgotha is chasing us, and wants us to get used to life in these conditions, without the right of constructing a society where every person, regardless of their ideology or religious creed, is a life of value before God. God is shot in each brother surprised by this macabre violence that seems to have a hairy hand, a hand that pays coins to betray and that lifts the people on the cross.
We are always awaiting for a new reality. A reality that we have worked so much to have and that many have died dreaming about it. This unexpected reality is being built.
I have learned a lot from working as the administrator of the Santa Isabel's Cemetery. I get to know each case, the hurting families have to indicate some data about the dead, like age, gender, cause of death, etc. I get to know the tendency of violence. When I arrived to the cemetery in July, I found it abandoned and neglected, full of bushes and shrubs, an adequate place for drug dealing and robbery. It needed a good cleaning but it is approx 70 acres of land. We requested the support of inmates in the phase of trust and 40 inmates have been working for a month with us, and we provide them with lunch every day.
They were not incarcerated for giving our flowers and poems but for assassinations, rapes, kidnapping, drugs, gang-related crimes, etc. It is a small group of a population that has been incarcerated for 5, 12, 17 and 25 years. In all that time they have not had any judicial processes or rights. The food they are served is provided by a company whose owner is a deputy of ARENA, the food is trash and a torture. However, there is a lot of money in that business. We hope that the new government would put an end to this mistreatment. This instance, is just to point out that there is population roting in Salvadoran jails and in the census they represent the curse and the devil of society, but they are only victims of their own penalty and of the penalty of others that should be there instead of them, with collars, untouchables that were for a long time protected by the government.
The violence is very concerning but as alarming as it sounds, it is important to identify the causes in order to provide an integral solution and not the accustomed hard way to those who end up being victims of an unjust system that will take a long time to change. The fight continues, despite the fear, our conscience illuminates us to not punish the cat for the scratch and set free the hyena, the vulture and the jackals to destroy.
I love the prayers and I am glad to know that there are a lot of people, here and there, with a heart beating for this Salvadoran land and for its people. Also, I'm convinced that there will be no changes without a creative and just action, nor changes without working hard. Honduras is a greater example of the solidarity of the right wing in the world to defend their projects, violating the democracies by chasing, suppressing and assassinating its people. The actions of the past remain alive in old structures but hope is growing in its organization.
This outburst of letters and words will not bring back life to those who are victims of this cruel violence.
God is with us, I hope.
Alex Orantes
translated from the Spanish by Yatzaira Marcano (member of Central Baptist Church)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Please consider making a gift to the Cielo Azul Fund in order to send a message of solidarity to Alex and Ruth Orantes and the communities where they work. Please see instructions above for how to send your contribution.
Alex Orantes' disturbing analysis of the harsh realities of life in Santa Ana arrives just as the Cielo Azul Fund is launching a fall campaign to insure that the work of peace and justice that Baptist pastors Ruth and Alex Orantes have been carrying on will continue to grow. In the weeks and months after the March 2009 election of Mauricio Funes as President of El Salvador (“the first President to support the needs of the poor in 150 years,” as one Salvadoran activist put it), we have had great hope for the future of a people who have struggled so long for a dignified life free from political, economic and criminal violence. But this latest report from Alex about violence on his very doorstep is a reminder that hope can be very fragile. More than ever, our friends in El Salvador need spiritual and material support to continue build communities based on faith, justice and service to all who are in need.
Showing posts with label news about El Salvador. Show all posts
Showing posts with label news about El Salvador. Show all posts
Monday, October 5, 2009
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Updates from Alex in Santa Ana
We send greetings to all in CBC and the Simple Way. As always we are fighting here, hoping that we can see new realities as good news for the poor of our country.
For next year, students in public schools receive uniforms and school supplies, shoes, food and milk from the government . This will reactivate the small tailoring shops, clothing makers, and shoemakers. And this will also benefit small businesses that sell school supplies. It seems to be an excellent sign, but we will see how it turns out in practice. People are happy, full of hope by this news which is already pushing preparation processes within each school.
However, the right of the country is trying to overturn this reality as they have always done . They are telling people that this program will start to turn El Salvador into another Cuba, because people will have to stand in line to receive these packages. But for a long time and even now, people have had to line up outside under the hot sun to pay their utility bills for electricity and telephone.
Well, on 02 November, there will be an ecumenical political activity in Santa Ana in memory of all fallen in a time of war. This will be in St. Elizabeth Cemetery, a place where, in 2010, we will build a monument to honor our fallen martyrs in the struggle.
Alex Orantes / Santa Ana / September 30, 2009
For next year, students in public schools receive uniforms and school supplies, shoes, food and milk from the government . This will reactivate the small tailoring shops, clothing makers, and shoemakers. And this will also benefit small businesses that sell school supplies. It seems to be an excellent sign, but we will see how it turns out in practice. People are happy, full of hope by this news which is already pushing preparation processes within each school.
However, the right of the country is trying to overturn this reality as they have always done . They are telling people that this program will start to turn El Salvador into another Cuba, because people will have to stand in line to receive these packages. But for a long time and even now, people have had to line up outside under the hot sun to pay their utility bills for electricity and telephone.
Well, on 02 November, there will be an ecumenical political activity in Santa Ana in memory of all fallen in a time of war. This will be in St. Elizabeth Cemetery, a place where, in 2010, we will build a monument to honor our fallen martyrs in the struggle.
Alex Orantes / Santa Ana / September 30, 2009
Monday, August 3, 2009
Recent death of El Salvador activist Marcelo Rivera
Marcelo Rivera was a community leader from San Isidro, in the northern department of Cabañas. He had been an outspoken opponent of the mining industry's enviornmental destruction and human rights violations in El Salvador. He was kidnapped on June 18th, 2009, near the town of Ilobasco, Cabañas. On July 1st, his body was found inside a dry well. DNA tests were conducted and confirmed that the body belonged to Marcelo. His belongings were found in a nearby abandoned house in the middle of a corn field. According to the medical examiner, Marcelo was kept alive several days after his disappearance. His body showed signs of brutal torture typical of a death squad killing.
Here are links to full reports from the SHARE Foundation:
While Jamie Moffett's film crew was in El Salvador in July for the "Return to El Salvador" documentary, they also had an opportunity to investigate this case. This short film takes a close look at the recent death of activist Marcelo Rivera, the current class-action lawsuit against El Salvadors government, and the connections between the two.
To sign a petition and send a personal message to the office of Arlen Specter demanding an investigation into this crime, click this link http://citizenspeak.org/node/1710
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvXm52BhSHQ
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Documentary film will feature Ruth and Alex
Jamie Moffett, Philadelphia filmmaker and friend of the El Salvador Partners, is making great progress on "Return to El Salvador," his upcoming documentary. Jamie and his crew, including CBC members Ron and Betsy Morgan, will be traveling to El Salvador for another round of interviews and filming in July. Their plan is to meet up with Alex and Ruth, who will provide personal stories and commentary about the war and post-war context in El Salvador. Jamie's first visit to El Salvador for filming was in March 2009, when he and Julia Shields were part of the SHARE Election Observers with CBC's delegation.
Here's an excerpt from the Return to El Salvador Blog about the documentary project, where you can also find more information.
The atrocities of the Salvadoran civil war inspired many international human rights groups and faith communities to advocate for justice and peace in El Salvador. Two of the many Americans who became involved in the movement for peace are Dr. Betsy Morgan, a university professor who went on to write a documentary about Salvadoran refugees, and her husband, Ron Morgan, who has volunteered in relief efforts and election monitoring. The Morgans, along with many of their students and their church community (Central Baptist Church in Wayne, PA), have become outspoken advocates for peace and justice in El Salvador both during and after the civil war.
Jamie Moffett, this filmʼs director, was one of those students who heard the stories of El Salvador and was compelled to act. Moffett decided to make a film in which he would travel with Betsy and Ron to reconnect with their friends in El Salvador, and hear and document stories of what happened during the war and what life is like now. He and his crew are traveling to a place teeming with past and current struggle, both to share the stories of pain and suffering that have been kept silent for too long, but also to document the stories of hope. They are going with the desire to understand and communicate the aftermath of war.
Moffett believes that everyday Americans are unaware of the profound impact of their tax dollars and decisions of their elected representatives upon the lives of innocent people. He believes this precisely because, until recently, he himself was ignorant of the particulars of American involvement in El Salvador. He says, “There was just so much that I didn’t know until I started to research. Now that I know, I’m disappointed, upset, and I want to make sure that other Americans are given the opportunity to know the facts.”
With this film, Moffett goes beyond simply educating his fellow citizens on the facts of history. This project is a call to action, urging Americans to become involved in not only knowing the past, but in building a more just and peaceful future.
For more about the documentary and to pre-order a copy of the film, visit the website http://www.returntoelsalvador.com/.
Here's a brief trailer introducing the documentary.Return to El Salvador trailer on YouTube
Here's an excerpt from the Return to El Salvador Blog about the documentary project, where you can also find more information.
The atrocities of the Salvadoran civil war inspired many international human rights groups and faith communities to advocate for justice and peace in El Salvador. Two of the many Americans who became involved in the movement for peace are Dr. Betsy Morgan, a university professor who went on to write a documentary about Salvadoran refugees, and her husband, Ron Morgan, who has volunteered in relief efforts and election monitoring. The Morgans, along with many of their students and their church community (Central Baptist Church in Wayne, PA), have become outspoken advocates for peace and justice in El Salvador both during and after the civil war.
Jamie Moffett, this filmʼs director, was one of those students who heard the stories of El Salvador and was compelled to act. Moffett decided to make a film in which he would travel with Betsy and Ron to reconnect with their friends in El Salvador, and hear and document stories of what happened during the war and what life is like now. He and his crew are traveling to a place teeming with past and current struggle, both to share the stories of pain and suffering that have been kept silent for too long, but also to document the stories of hope. They are going with the desire to understand and communicate the aftermath of war.
Moffett believes that everyday Americans are unaware of the profound impact of their tax dollars and decisions of their elected representatives upon the lives of innocent people. He believes this precisely because, until recently, he himself was ignorant of the particulars of American involvement in El Salvador. He says, “There was just so much that I didn’t know until I started to research. Now that I know, I’m disappointed, upset, and I want to make sure that other Americans are given the opportunity to know the facts.”
With this film, Moffett goes beyond simply educating his fellow citizens on the facts of history. This project is a call to action, urging Americans to become involved in not only knowing the past, but in building a more just and peaceful future.
For more about the documentary and to pre-order a copy of the film, visit the website http://www.returntoelsalvador.com/.
Here's a brief trailer introducing the documentary.Return to El Salvador trailer on YouTube
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
El Salvador Presidential Inauguration
Submitted by Doug Norton
Perhaps it is no coincidence that as red banners were flying in our Central Baptist Church worship commons this past Sunday for Pentecost, winds of change were blowing through the waves of red FMLN banners and shirts as throngs of Salvadorans celebrated the return of their government to the people.
In the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another since the long civil war ended in 1992, Mauricio Funes of the FMLN was sworn in as president of El Salvador on June 1. Funes visited the grave of Archbishop Oscar Romero on the morning of his inauguration and invoked the memory of Romero as both his teacher and the spiritual guide of the nation in his inaugural address. He struck a note of contrast with the governments of the past decades, promising an administration that recognizes people because of their talents and honesty rather than their connections or their surname, saving special consideration for the poorest, the vulnerable, and the excluded. Funes held up “the strong examples” of U.S. President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva “as proof that progressive leaders, instead of being a threat, can be a new, safe alternative for their people.” Funes promised to renew and expand relations with the United States, with which “historically, we are bound by many ties, in particular by the presence of millions of our compatriots who live there, work there and build their dreams there.”
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attended the inauguration. Funes praised Clinton in his address as a “woman who honors America” and said in a joint news conference with Clinton after the ceremonies that the FMLN was ready to “turn the page” on its troubled past with the United States.
“We need to reinvent the country. We need to carry out a peaceful, democratic and ethical revolution; the change is starting today,” said Funes. A survey carried out by the University Institute of Public Opinion at the Central American University (UCA) in late May showed support of Funes by 82 percent of the Salvadoran people. This support was reflected in huge celebrations across the country on the days before and after the inauguration. This sense of strong support by the people was felt by the members of CBC who served as
election observers in San Salvador in March.
Perhaps it is no coincidence that as red banners were flying in our Central Baptist Church worship commons this past Sunday for Pentecost, winds of change were blowing through the waves of red FMLN banners and shirts as throngs of Salvadorans celebrated the return of their government to the people.
In the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another since the long civil war ended in 1992, Mauricio Funes of the FMLN was sworn in as president of El Salvador on June 1. Funes visited the grave of Archbishop Oscar Romero on the morning of his inauguration and invoked the memory of Romero as both his teacher and the spiritual guide of the nation in his inaugural address. He struck a note of contrast with the governments of the past decades, promising an administration that recognizes people because of their talents and honesty rather than their connections or their surname, saving special consideration for the poorest, the vulnerable, and the excluded. Funes held up “the strong examples” of U.S. President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Luis Inacio Lula da Silva “as proof that progressive leaders, instead of being a threat, can be a new, safe alternative for their people.” Funes promised to renew and expand relations with the United States, with which “historically, we are bound by many ties, in particular by the presence of millions of our compatriots who live there, work there and build their dreams there.”
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton attended the inauguration. Funes praised Clinton in his address as a “woman who honors America” and said in a joint news conference with Clinton after the ceremonies that the FMLN was ready to “turn the page” on its troubled past with the United States.
“We need to reinvent the country. We need to carry out a peaceful, democratic and ethical revolution; the change is starting today,” said Funes. A survey carried out by the University Institute of Public Opinion at the Central American University (UCA) in late May showed support of Funes by 82 percent of the Salvadoran people. This support was reflected in huge celebrations across the country on the days before and after the inauguration. This sense of strong support by the people was felt by the members of CBC who served as
election observers in San Salvador in March.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
El Salvador completes troop withdrawals from Iraq
The last 200 Salvadoran soldiers deployed to Iraq returned home to El Salvador on Saturday, February 7th.
Stationed in Al Kut, on the Tigris River near the Iranian border, the Salvadoran contingent was attached to Polish soldiers and was chiefly tasked with building schools, hospitals, roads and water and electricity infrastructure.
El Salvador was the only Latin American country with troops in Iraq after the Dominican Republic and Honduras pulled their troops out in 2004, following Spain's lead.
More than 2000 Salvadoran troops had been deployed since the first contingent was sent to Iraq in 2003. Ultimately 5 Salvadoran soldiers died and 20 were wounded during their term of service.
Here's a 6 minute excerpt from Guerra Ajena (Foreign War), an hour-long documentary on the Salvadoran troops in Iraq, which aired on Discovery Channel Spanish edition in 2007. Or go to this YouTube link.
Stationed in Al Kut, on the Tigris River near the Iranian border, the Salvadoran contingent was attached to Polish soldiers and was chiefly tasked with building schools, hospitals, roads and water and electricity infrastructure.
El Salvador was the only Latin American country with troops in Iraq after the Dominican Republic and Honduras pulled their troops out in 2004, following Spain's lead.
More than 2000 Salvadoran troops had been deployed since the first contingent was sent to Iraq in 2003. Ultimately 5 Salvadoran soldiers died and 20 were wounded during their term of service.
Here's a 6 minute excerpt from Guerra Ajena (Foreign War), an hour-long documentary on the Salvadoran troops in Iraq, which aired on Discovery Channel Spanish edition in 2007. Or go to this YouTube link.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
SHARE Foundation launches new blog about El Salvador
The SHARE Foundation has launched a brand new blog "to support those interested in promoting social justice in El Salvador to stay in touch with the Salvadoran community."
The first news report from the field is entitled "Meat, Cheese, and Bicycle Repair" and tells the story of three women in Chalatenango who have used a micro-loan to expand a women's development project there. Interesting reading!
Check out the SHARE blog English version at www.thesharefoundation.blogspot.com . And for the Spanish version, visit www.lafundacionshare.blogspot.com.
The first news report from the field is entitled "Meat, Cheese, and Bicycle Repair" and tells the story of three women in Chalatenango who have used a micro-loan to expand a women's development project there. Interesting reading!
Check out the SHARE blog English version at www.thesharefoundation.
Saturday, August 23, 2008
FMLN Political Convention Held in El Salvador
The leftist FMLN political party in El Salvador held its national convention in mid-August. FMLN Presidential candidate Mauricio Funes outlined his plans for change in the country, promising to focus on problems of unemployment and underemployment and calling for an end to the "economy of privilege." The FMLN platform was unveiled, including initiatives to expand the social insurance system, improve healthcare institutions, and ensure a universal basic pension for the elderly.To read more about the FMLN and presidential candidate Mauricio Funes
- Official FMLN website in Spanish
- Full text of Mauricio Funes' speech in Spanish
- Comments about the FMLN convention and summary of Funes' speech in English
To read more about the ARENA party and presidential candidate Rodrigo Avila
Polls show FMLN over ARENA for El Salvador President
In recent polls, FMLN candidate Mauricio Funes continues to hold on to a lead over the ARENA candidate Rodrigo Avila. (see statistics below)
Before running as the FMLN candidate, Mauricio Funes was a television journalist. He gained fame for his morning interview program that was generally critical of the Salvadoran government. Funes is the first candidate from the FMLN not to be an ex-guerrilla commander.
His opponent in the March 2009 election for the presidency is the ARENA party's candidate, Rodrigo Avila. During the civil war in El Salvador, Avila was an active member of one of the infamous “Death Squads” or right-wing military groups organized by the military and ARENA. He is also former deputy director of the National Police.
| Jul. 2008 | Jun. 2008 | Apr. 2008 | |
| Mauricio Funes (FMLN) | 31.1% | 28.4% | 33.6% |
| Rodrigo Ávila (ARENA) | 24.8% | 22.1% | 24.7% |
| Other / Undecided | 44.1% | 49.5% | 41.7% |
Data Source: LPG Datos / La Prensa Gráfica
Methodology: Interviews to 1,500 Salvadoran adults, conducted from Jul. 19 to Jul. 22, 2008. Margin of error is 2.6 per cent.
A new experience with accompaniment
On this third anniversary of the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans, we want to share an article about the spirit of accompaniment and Central Baptist Church's emerging experience as a member of the national "Churches Supporting Churches" network and as a partner congregation with the St. John Baptist Church in New Orleans.
In a thoughtful reflection entitled "Walking Together in New Orleans," CBC member Jan Corbett writes about the impact and influence of the congregation's experiences in El Salvador over a span of more than two decades. The article includes stories about Central Baptist hosting a Salvadoran refugee as a part of the Sanctuary Movement, sending delegations to visit Salvadoran war refugees in camps in Honduras, and walking with refugees returning to their villages after the war, all of which have informed the congregation's current understanding of accompaniment.
As she says, "Being present, sharing stories, walking together, being part of someone else’s solution, transformation, mutuality—these are all a part of the term “accompaniment” as we have come to understand it. ... The term “accompaniment” has taken on a new significance for us as we use it in a new context and we are still discovering the full implications of this. But, for us, it seems to be the best way to respond to [the crisis in New Orleans and] our mission in Churches Supporting Churches."
In a thoughtful reflection entitled "Walking Together in New Orleans," CBC member Jan Corbett writes about the impact and influence of the congregation's experiences in El Salvador over a span of more than two decades. The article includes stories about Central Baptist hosting a Salvadoran refugee as a part of the Sanctuary Movement, sending delegations to visit Salvadoran war refugees in camps in Honduras, and walking with refugees returning to their villages after the war, all of which have informed the congregation's current understanding of accompaniment.
As she says, "Being present, sharing stories, walking together, being part of someone else’s solution, transformation, mutuality—these are all a part of the term “accompaniment” as we have come to understand it. ... The term “accompaniment” has taken on a new significance for us as we use it in a new context and we are still discovering the full implications of this. But, for us, it seems to be the best way to respond to [the crisis in New Orleans and] our mission in Churches Supporting Churches."
- Read the entire article about accompaniment in El Salvador and New Orleans
- Learn more about "Churches Supporting Churches" and the experience in New Orleans with St. John Baptist at the St. John Partners blog
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Transforming Community: Using Theater to Restore Historic Memory with Survivors of La Quesera Massacre in El Salvador
La Quesera was a brutal attack in October 1981 by the Salvadoran Army which took the lives of 600 to 800 people, mostly women, children, and elders.
Two groups from Central Baptist have met with survivors of the massacre to learn about their journey toward healing. In May 2006, several women from CBC visited the site of the massacre with Julia, one of the survivors and a leader of the survivors group. And in June 2007, the CBC youth delegation met with three young people whose families were among the survivors of the massacre to learn about ways that the people are organizing activities to remember and to honor loved ones who died, and also transforming the community with a vision of hope.
Aryeh Shell spent time in the La Quesera survivors community as an Art Corps volunteer. She writes about a powerful experience of using theater to restore historic memory...
I came to El Salvador as a volunteer with Art Corps, an organization that places artists in residence with Central American communities. Art Corps’ mission is to share art as a tool to engage participation and raise awareness of social and environmental issues. Using theater to restore historic memory affirms the dignity of personal experience, enables people to view their lives in new ways, demonstrates compassion and social nurturing, and draws people closer as they witness their common humanity. It is a model for building empathy and peace in a fractured world. For the survivors at Quesera, their families, and their supporters, popular theater opened a space for the community to remember together, to heal and commit to creating a world where this would never happen again.
Read her full on-line article entitled "Popular Theater takes on La Quesera Massacre in El Salvador" to learn more about her experience and the transformative power of theater and the arts in community.
Two groups from Central Baptist have met with survivors of the massacre to learn about their journey toward healing. In May 2006, several women from CBC visited the site of the massacre with Julia, one of the survivors and a leader of the survivors group. And in June 2007, the CBC youth delegation met with three young people whose families were among the survivors of the massacre to learn about ways that the people are organizing activities to remember and to honor loved ones who died, and also transforming the community with a vision of hope.
Aryeh Shell spent time in the La Quesera survivors community as an Art Corps volunteer. She writes about a powerful experience of using theater to restore historic memory...
I came to El Salvador as a volunteer with Art Corps, an organization that places artists in residence with Central American communities. Art Corps’ mission is to share art as a tool to engage participation and raise awareness of social and environmental issues. Using theater to restore historic memory affirms the dignity of personal experience, enables people to view their lives in new ways, demonstrates compassion and social nurturing, and draws people closer as they witness their common humanity. It is a model for building empathy and peace in a fractured world. For the survivors at Quesera, their families, and their supporters, popular theater opened a space for the community to remember together, to heal and commit to creating a world where this would never happen again.
Read her full on-line article entitled "Popular Theater takes on La Quesera Massacre in El Salvador" to learn more about her experience and the transformative power of theater and the arts in community.
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Suchitoto 13 facing charges of terrorism -- Report from SHARE Emergency Delegation
The constitution gives me the right to express myself freely! I am not a terrorist!
Photos from the SHARE Delegation visits with the "Suchitoto 13" who were arrested on charges of terrorism during peaceful protests in July 2007. Patricio (left, with Marina Pena who is the director of SHARE's office in El Salvador) was tortured during the police detention. Rosa, Facundo, and Lorena (right) were among those protesters detained for 20 days.
Watch this YouTube video of some of the detentions.
Claudia Rodriguez recently returned from El Salvador where she was a member of SHARE's emergency delegation in response to the July 2nd arrests of 13 protesters in Suchitoto who are facing charges of terrorism. The delegation met with several of the defendants, the Salvadoran Human Rights Ombudsman Humberto Luna, representatives from CRIPDES, and others. Thank you to Claudia for sharing her personal report and photos from the experience.
Dear Friends,
I am back from El Salvador. My time as part of the SHARE emergency delegation was great and very intense. Below this message there are some pictures that I want to share with you. We visited Suchitoto and the Guillermo Ungo community outside of Suchitoto that was repressed by police and military forces on July 2, 2007. The Guillermo Ungo community started in 1992 as a settlement for peasants communities that were in refugee camps and for ex-combatants of the FMLN that has just demobilized. I visited this community in 1992 as a high school student doing research for my sociology class. Back then I remember being moved by the spirit of this community. People had just settled, were extremely poor and had only a few belongings (the UN had given some people small kitchens and basic furniture). But people were happy and eager to start a new life without the horrors of war.
Going back was special for me. I was impressed on how the community had progressed. I was glad to see the corn fields, the women's organizations and the school, that unlike most rural schools offers from kindergarten to high school. I was not surprised though. I knew of the amazing social capital that characterized this community. For example, they have installed 19 water systems to supply the community (made up of about 7 villages). People contributed their labor and CRIPDES (Christian Communities for the Development of El Salvador), CORDES and the European Union provided the funding. A woman told me, "I got splinters in my hands digging the holes for the wells". But the community's self determination is not a characteristic that the government appreciates, on the contrary, it is seen as a threat, particularly because the town is considered a supporter of the FMLN.
This is why when President Saca chose Suchitoto to announce his "water decentralization program" the community got very suspicious. They do not want the government to take away their water system to give it to private corporations. They wanted to participate in the presidential event but they were not invited. For this reason they decided to hold a forum in Suchitoto at the same time as the presidential event as a way to protest. In their forum they were going to explain how they manage their water supply. But little did they know that they were going to be attacked by the police and anti-riot units before they could even start the forum.
My heart ached when I heard the testimonies of people beaten up and being chased back to their communities by military forces who were spraying tear and pepper gases even inside the houses without caring about the children and the elderly. The school also had to be evacuated. The police and army forces basically took over the community and stayed there over 8 hours. About 25 people were also injured by rubber bullets. This situation: the military presence and repression, and the helipcoters flying over the community brought to the Guillermo Ungo Community bitter memories of the civil war.
We talked to 5 of the people who were detained. Patricio Valladares talked about his head injuries from the beating he received during detention. He spent three days in the hospital until the judge ordered him back to jail. He still suffers dizziness and headaches. The testimony of the women was heartbreaking, the way they were treated, the inhumane conditions in prison and the arbitrariness of the whole process. These women are so amazing that they also became advocates for the other inmates, denouncing the barbaric conditions that all the women prisoners face.
The thirteen people that were detained were released on bail but are still facing charges of terrorism. The judicial system is so corrupt that the chances on them being sentenced are quite high. This is a political case, and the government's message is clear: any protest critical of government policies will be prosecuted as terrorism. The anti-terrorist law establishes convictions of 40 to 60 years in jail. There is a great concern among people and community organizations that the new policies represent a return to State terror. The accused people and their supporters are afraid that the government will sentence them in order to get its message across. They have a great hope that the international community can help change the direction of this crazy situation.
For the above reasons we need to activate local and international solidarity once again until the charges are dropped. The SHARE Foundation is planning to hold a congressional hearing to speak about this situation. If possible they want to bring Human Rights Ombudsman, Humberto Luna to give his testimony. Political pressure might be the only way to free these social leaders. After being there, listening to the testimonies and looking up the people's eyes, I feel very committed and motivated. One more time, I really appreciate your support on this cause!
Claudia Rodriguez
Claudia Rodriguez
Friday, July 27, 2007
Advocacy on behalf of Salvadoran political prisoners
On July 2, 2007, during protests in Suchitoto against the imminent announcement by President Elias Antonio Saca of a national policy of decentralization including water and other services, the demonstrators were repressed by the police with rubber bullets and tear gas.
According to reports, around 30 protestors were arrested, including four members of the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES) while traveling toward the location of the demonstration. Later, several of those arrested reported being subject to physical and psychological abuse during the arrest and transfer to police barracks.
A report by the Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, asserted that these detainees have experienced severe abuse. The victims of this abuse were beaten during interrogation, isolated in remote places for questioning, and threatened that they would be thrown from a helicopter during a transfer between detention centers. In addition, one of the men arrested, Patricio Valladares, was hospitalized after the beating he received during his arrest. His injuries, however, have not been acknowledged to their full extent by the prosecutor's office, reportedly in an attempt to protect those who carried out this attack. (excerpt from Amnesty International report and SHARE Foundation reports on the SHARE website)
Numerous efforts are being made within El Salvador and in the international community. We encourage you to act to call for justice for the political prisoners.
According to reports, around 30 protestors were arrested, including four members of the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES) while traveling toward the location of the demonstration. Later, several of those arrested reported being subject to physical and psychological abuse during the arrest and transfer to police barracks.
A report by the Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, asserted that these detainees have experienced severe abuse. The victims of this abuse were beaten during interrogation, isolated in remote places for questioning, and threatened that they would be thrown from a helicopter during a transfer between detention centers. In addition, one of the men arrested, Patricio Valladares, was hospitalized after the beating he received during his arrest. His injuries, however, have not been acknowledged to their full extent by the prosecutor's office, reportedly in an attempt to protect those who carried out this attack. (excerpt from Amnesty International report and SHARE Foundation reports on the SHARE website)
Numerous efforts are being made within El Salvador and in the international community. We encourage you to act to call for justice for the political prisoners.
- For continuing updates on the status of the political prisoners, see the SHARE website. Follow news of advocacy efforts on behalf of the detainees and get the latest reports by visiting the SHARE Foundation website action alerts
- Read Amnesty International's report
- Read Rep. Jim McGovern's letter to Pres. Saca
- Call to ask your member of Congress to sign on to a letter, sponsored by Rep. Capuano of Massachusetts and addressed to President Saca of El Salvador. (Click here to see the revised version of the letter.) Remember, the deadline for new signatures is Thursday, Aug. 2!
Friday, March 30, 2007
Death of Maria Julia Hernandez, Salvadoran Human Rights Advocate
Almost immediately following our wonderful visit with Maria Silvia Guillen to learn about her work as a human rights attorney in El Salvador, we received news of the death of her friend and another leading Salvadoran figure in human rights advocacy -- Maria Julia Hernandez. As director of Tutela Legal, a human rights group sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church, Maria Julia Hernandez gathered evidence of massacres, interviewed survivors, and exposed abuses and atrocities committed by wartime death squads. She died this morning, Friday, March 30th, of a heart attack.
We received the following email this afternoon from Tara at SHARE:
Tara also forwarded Maria Silvia's personal reflections about Maria Julia Hernandez:
Aqui estoy compartiendo con ustedes mi profundo sentimento de tristeza y de esperanza, pues nuestra querida MARIA JUILA HERNANDEZ, esa mujer ejemplar, tan cercana a Monsenor Romero, tan en el comino que el nos senalo, tan cercana al dolor y la pobreza de nuestra poblacion, fallecio hace unas horas; como era de esperarse, hasta en el momenta de su muerte, fue tan cercana a lo que ella creia, a lo que amaba; muere en el mes de Monsenor Romero, de Rutilio, de Rufina, de tantos y tantos acontecimientos fundamentals para la vida de las y los salvadorenos que creemos en la justicia, en la paz, en la reconciliacion. Ahora lo que nos queda, es sequir su ejemplo, tenerla siempre entre nosotras/os
For more, read the L.A. Times obituary, which quotes Maria Silvia Guillen as saying: "[Maria Julia's] death is a huge loss for those of us who work in human rights and it leaves us with the continuing responsibility."
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
God's Politics: Evangelicals and the El Mozote Massacre
Ryan Beiler, web editor for Sojourners/Call to Renewal, has posted his reflections about Rufina Amaya and the El Mozote massacre. Here's an excerpt:
One detail that has always struck me about El Mozote is that the villagers had been told that because they were evangelicals - generally perceived as apolitical, and not liberation theology-inspired "subversivos" - they would be spared. That they were massacred anyway is a stark reminder that apolitical piety is no protection from the principalities and powers. Though innocent farmers, they were, in Guillermoprieto's words, "simply fodder in one of the last battles of the Cold War."
The lesson for Christians seeking to love our neighbors as ourselves is that we are inextricably linked to the policies and actions of our government, and are vulnerable to their consequences whether we choose to engage them or not. So, whether the issue is military aid to Latin America, the war in Iraq, or violence in our own neighborhoods, let us engage those powers, with Christ as our model of sacrificial love; rejecting both the violence of Zealots and the superficial public piety of Pharisees.
For the entire article, go to God's Politics, a blog by Jim Wallis and others. The site is sponsored by Beliefnet and Sojourners.
Thank you to Kristy for sharing this with us.
One detail that has always struck me about El Mozote is that the villagers had been told that because they were evangelicals - generally perceived as apolitical, and not liberation theology-inspired "subversivos" - they would be spared. That they were massacred anyway is a stark reminder that apolitical piety is no protection from the principalities and powers. Though innocent farmers, they were, in Guillermoprieto's words, "simply fodder in one of the last battles of the Cold War."
The lesson for Christians seeking to love our neighbors as ourselves is that we are inextricably linked to the policies and actions of our government, and are vulnerable to their consequences whether we choose to engage them or not. So, whether the issue is military aid to Latin America, the war in Iraq, or violence in our own neighborhoods, let us engage those powers, with Christ as our model of sacrificial love; rejecting both the violence of Zealots and the superficial public piety of Pharisees.
For the entire article, go to God's Politics, a blog by Jim Wallis and others. The site is sponsored by Beliefnet and Sojourners.
Thank you to Kristy for sharing this with us.
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Sad News of Rufina Amaya's Death
Rufina Amaya, sole survivor of the infamous massacre at El Mozote in December 1981 and a woman who dared to speak about the atrocities committed against her people, died this week on March 6th.The five Central Baptist women who traveled to El Salvador in May 2006 were privileged to meet Rufina and interview her in El Mozote. Photo by Linda Panetta 5/06.
There are numerous sources to learn more about her life, her courage, and her witness. See Mark Danner's 1993 article in the New Yorker magazine on-line at The Truth of El Mozote.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
El Salvador's US Consul in DC
Kristy P found an interesting article about El Salvador's US Consul in DC in this week's Washington Post. Here's a link...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/08/AR2007010801709.html
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/01/08/AR2007010801709.html
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