<html xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:st1="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40">
<head>
<meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=us-ascii">
<meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 11 (filtered medium)">
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="City"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceName"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="PlaceType"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="place"/>
<o:SmartTagType namespaceuri="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags"
name="country-region"/>
<!--[if !mso]>
<style>
st1\:*{behavior:url(#default#ieooui) }
</style>
<![endif]-->
<style>
<!--
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman";}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{color:purple;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.EmailStyle17
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:Arial;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:Arial;
color:navy;}
@page Section1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.Section1
{page:Section1;}
-->
</style>
</head>
<body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple>
<div class=Section1>
<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'>Quadruple
Homicide of Salvadoran Deputies and Driver <o:p></o:p></span></font></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'>February 22, 2007<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><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 style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On February 20, three
Salvadoran deputies to the Central American Parliament (PARLACEN) were killed
along with their driver in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Guatemala</st1:place></st1:country-region>,
setting off a wave of accusations and speculation. The ARENA representatives
had been in a police-escorted caravan of PARLACEN deputies, but the car
carrying the three of them and their driver left the convoy. Hours later all
four were found shot dead 25 miles outside <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Guatemala City</st1:place></st1:City>, their bodies and the car
charred from fire. One of the deputies killed was the son of death squad
and ARENA founder Roberto D’Aubuisson.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Leaders of Salvadoran
social and religious organizations, the Salvadoran Human Rights Ombudswoman,
and representatives from the major political parties all condemned the killing
of the PARLACEN deputies. The head of the FMLN legislative fraction, Leonel
Gonzalez, called for a serious investigation and for those responsible to be
brought to justice. The ARENA leadership first reacted by calling on the
Guatemalan authorities for a complete investigation. However, little time
had passed before they began turning the event into a motivation for rallying
behind ARENA and for attacking the Left. The Director of the National Civil
Police, Rodrigo Avila, stated that he would not discard the possibility that
the murder was done by either “gangs or leftist extremist
groups.” President Tony Saca, meanwhile, claimed that these murders
were meant to intimidate ARENA and said that “we will not allow
irresponsible communists, people that don’t believe in the system, to
take the power in this country.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>However, in the days
following the murders more has emerged about the case which points to the
motives being related to drug trafficking or organized crime. One of the
deputies had specifically requested the police escort two days before the trip.
The Guatemalan Public Ministry reports that the deputies had been seen in recent
years at the same ranch where they were found dead. Meanwhile, the murders
fell on the eve of the 15<sup>th</sup> anniversary of Roberto D’Aubuisson’s
death, leading some media sources to speculate that D’Aubuisson’s
son was the real target. But then on Thursday Guatemalan authorities announced
they had arrested four police officers – who may prove to be connected to
drug trafficking or organized crime – and accused them of the murders.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><i><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>First
Attempt to Apply Anti-Terrorism Law<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><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 style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The organizing of
informal vendors in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El
Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place> has been under attack from the
government and right-wing groups over the course of the past year, with
physical assaults, repression of protests, and attempts to divide and undermine
the vendors’ struggle. In many cases, informal vendors have been
organized to use violent forms of protest to attack the municipalities governed
by the FMLN.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On February 10, one such
protest took place in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">municipality</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Apopa</st1:PlaceName></st1:place>, which is
governed by the FMLN. Informal vendors arrived and attacked the municipal
government, destroying local government property. Less than a week later,
three of the protesters were arrested and the Attorney General’s office
announced that it would charge them with “acts of terrorism”,
punishable by 40-60 years in jail. This is the government’s
first attempt to use the recently approved anti-terrorism law. As the party
governing Apopa, the FMLN criticized the attacks on the town hall and charged
that the protesters belonged to groups organized by the Right. However,
the FMLN has been clear in stating that destruction of property should be
considered vandalism and not terrorism, and party leaders have said they will
not support any application of the anti-terrorism law.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Students
Protest Missing Activist<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><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 style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On February 16 members of
the National University workers union (SETEUS), the Popular Youth Bloc (BPJ)
and other student organizations shut down the streets in front of the National
University in a protest calling attention to the disappearance of 21<font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'> </span></font>year<font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'>-</span></font>old Francisco Contreras and demanding an
investigation into his case. The youth organizations believe that it is
the government—through the National Civilian Police—that is
responsible for the disappearance given reports that Contreras was first
detained by the police. Rodrigo Avila, the director of the National
Civilian Police, responded to the protest not by addressing the demands but
instead with a counterattack, calling on the National Assembly to approve
a temporary law that prohibits blocking streets as an act of protest. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On Monday, a broad
coalition of student and faculty groups from the <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">National</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType> released a statement about the
dramatic increase in repression, stating that the climate of authoritarianism
in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>
has increased dramatically in the last year and that the disappearance should
be viewed within the tense political context. The university called on <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Avila</st1:place></st1:City> and Minister of
Security Rene Figueroa to locate Contreras and release him immediately.
They also called on the National Assembly to investigate the existence of
clandestine death squad groups in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>, and for a U.N. human
rights commission to monitor the situation.<font color=navy><span
style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
</div>
</body>
</html>