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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:13.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-weight:bold'>President
Saca Announces Deployment of Two Thousand Soldiers to Police Streets: <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic'>U.S. Ambassador’s Speech Used as Fodder for Drastic
Move<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>CISPES Update<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>October 31, 2006<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>On October 30, Salvadoran President Saca revealed his response to the
increasing problem of violent crime in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> by announcing that he
will send two thousand more soldiers out into the streets, increasing the total
of National Civilian Police (PNC) to 19,000. He also announced plans to train
over two hundred more police in special “rapid reaction” squads,
along with a package of legislation called the “anti-organized
crime” laws that, like the so-called Anti-terrorism law, would allow the
government further powers to crack down on crime. Of course, the glaring
absence in Saca’s statements was any discussion about crime prevention.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Such further moves toward repression come with the clear endorsement of
ARENA’s primary backers: the business sector and the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:country-region></st1:place> government. On Monday,
October 16 outgoing US Ambassador Hugh Barclay gave a speech calling for the
government to act to immediately to end criminal violence, allegedly because of
his concern for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
economic future. According to Barclay, the most immediate solution to <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
dramatic crime problem is to put more police on the streets and more street
criminals in jail (an estimated 12,000 according to the U.S. Embassy).
Barclay said that the reason the government needed to combat crime
was because it cut into profits and would deter foreign investment and thereby
threaten the supposed benefits <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El
Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> should reap from CAFTA. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Barclay also used the speech to criticize the independence of the
judicial sector and urged for “reform.” Although Barclay
claimed that the intention of his speech was not to interfere in domestic
Salvadoran politics, it is unclear what other intentions the outgoing
Ambassador could have, especially since in a follow-up interview he again made
clear that the Embassy hoped that an upcoming packet of anti-crime laws would
be presented and approved at the Legislative Assembly.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Barclay’s declarations come at a time when the business sector
has also been pressuring the government to address the crime situation.
Instead of admitting the failure of its “Super Iron First” policy,
ARENA is using the pressure to bolster repressive state institutions.
Last week, there was a “reduced rights regime” introduced in
prisons, as well as massive arbitrary movement of prisoners which forced
members of rival gangs, who had been kept apart to avoid mass killings, into
the same prisons. Also, in addition to the Anti-terrorism law, ARENA is
preparing another packet of legal reforms that include changes to the judicial
system – supposedly “expediting” trials – as well as
giving the government more power in investigations and altering what is
considered “acceptable” evidence in the courtroom.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The Salvadoran social movement continues to be very critical of such
“tough on crime” policies since the general climate of fear and
crime serves as a cover for targeted, political crimes while criminalizing
poverty and social dissent. However, the social movement continues to
organize and protest and together with the FMLN has prepared legal challenges
to the Anti-terrorist law, as well as putting forward proposals for a broader
solution to the crime problem <i><span style='font-style:italic'>(see previous
CISPES update from October 10.)</span></i><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Health Care Workers on Strike<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>Evidence that the social movement has not been intimidated is the
current strike in the public sector hospitals. The Healthcare workers union
STISSS has been progressively stepping up its 2-week strike to demand better
wages for workers. The STISSS is demanding a $100 wage increase for all
workers, and has shut down 46 medical clinics, including most of the large ISSS
(public-sector) hospitals in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">San
Salvador</st1:City></st1:place> and other cities. According to the
STISSS, the ISSS has the capacity to grant the wage increase if it cuts back
unnecessary expenses for advertisements and non-existent units.
Yesterday, the STISSS and the ISSS Administration carried out the first of four
conciliation meetings, with no agreements reached.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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