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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face=Arial><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>Protests
in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Francisco</st1:place></st1:City>
and Los Angeles Target Salvadoran President Antonio Saca<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><i><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold;
font-style:italic'>CISPES El Salvador Update – <a
href="http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=blogcategory&id=35&Itemid=28&lang=es">go
here for updates in Spanish</a> <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>April
8, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><img
border=0 width=384 height=256 id="_x0000_i1025"
src="cid:image002.jpg@01C89A2B.DF5574D0"><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=2
face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><i><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold;font-style:italic'>Also in this update:<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></b></p>
<ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><font size=3
color=black face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
color:windowtext'><a href="#_More_than_15">More than 15,000 bakers hold
strike to denounce government incapacity </a></span></font><b><font
size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><font size=3
color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a
href="#_Rural_Communities_and">Rural Communities and social organizations
demand water law</a></span></font><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='color:navy;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo3'><font size=3
color=navy face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><a
href="#_Organizations_celebrate_life">Organizations celebrate life and
legacy of Archbishop Romero</a></span></font><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></li>
</ul>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>On April
6, a large and loud group of protesters gathered on <st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address
w:st="on">Wilshire Boulevard</st1:address></st1:Street> in <st1:City w:st="on">Los
Angeles</st1:City> to demonstrate against Antonio "Tony" Saca, the
right-wing president of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El
Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>. Saca’s trip to L.A.
followed a brief stay in San Francisco where dozens of protesters came out for
two separate actions on April 4, targeting both Saca and San Francisco mayor
Gavin Newsom, who agreed to meet with Saca, and was consequently lambasted by
the local community for praising a president whose government has been guilty
of numerous human rights abuses. CISPES helped organize both protests and
also flooded Mayor Newsom with emails and calls demanding that he not honor
Saca.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>In <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</st1:place></st1:City>, a bevy of
LAPD motorcycle officers lead Saca’s motorcade on Sunday, and apparently
convinced him to change his travel plans in order to avoid the agitated
anti-ARENA crowd. President Saca participated in four different events,
including one with wealthy Cuban-Americans, organized by the owner of the
Liborio Supermarket chain. An invitation to a "ranch picnic" in
Moorpark, California –copies of which were obtained by protest
organizers—asked for donations of $10,000 with checks to be made payable
to Saca’s ARENA party. Protest organizers denounced the fact that
Saca was using the state visit to raise money for his party’s candidate
in the 2009 elections.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>In <st1:City
w:st="on">San Francisco</st1:City>, cut-outs of dead bodies littered the
sidewalk in front of city hall and protesters held signs calling for an end to
government repression and for the U.S. Congress to cut funding to the <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">International</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName
w:st="on">Law</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Enforcement</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Academy</st1:PlaceType></st1:place>, which trains
officers from the Salvadoran National Civilian Police. Back in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>,
Saca’s visit was also denounced by the FMLN party, who said that public
funds should not be used for political fundraising and foreign campaigning. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<h3><a name="_More_than_15"></a><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt'>More than 15,000 bakers hold strike to denounce government
incapacity <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>For three consecutive days, the Salvadoran Artisan Bakers
Association held a national strike due to the rising costs of materials for the
production of bread. The strike ended with a second demonstration at the
Economic Ministry and then the Legislative Assembly to pressure the central
government to find a solution to the price crisis bakers are facing.<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The Artisan Baker Association, through their president
Heriberto Vasquez, has made clear their demands toward the central government,
which include a temporary subsidy for the extra cost of flour, a support policy
for artisan bakers, the regulation of monopolistic and anti-competitive
practices, and the reduction or exemption of the sales tax on most material for
bread production. <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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The Saca government has responded negatively to their
demands, insisting that there are no funds to grant bakers a subsidy.
However, a few months ago, the right wing bloc in the Legislative
Assembly approved a subsidy for collective transport owners (who in their
majority belong to ARENA’s ally, the National Conciliation Party), and
without consultation passed the extra tax of 10 cents per gallon of gas which
the population pays to finance the subsidy. Instead of solving the
problems of the baker’s association, Saca and his Economic Minister
Yolanda de Gavidia communicated to the bakers that the only possible measure
for the time being is to eliminate the tariff on imported flour.
According to economic analysts, this measure only benefits importers—large
companies like as MOLSA and HARISA—and not the artisan baker.<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>At the Legislative Assembly, the FMLN fraction welcomed the
bakers and pledged to continue to work so that their demands are heard in the
assembly. Lourdes Palacios, FMLN deputy in the Economy Commission,
explained that they high cost of production materials is in part due to the
monopoly in the sale of baking materials by MOLSA and HARISA, whose owners
belong to the ARENA party. The legislative fraction of the FMLN has
requested that the Superintendence of Competition investigate the monopoly in
the sale of materials, given that this does not allow for national or regional
competition, nor for lowering prices of flour and other baking materials. <font
color=navy><span style='color:navy'><o:p></o:p></span></font></span></font></p>
<h3><a name="_Rural_Communities_and"></a><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt'>Rural Communities and social organizations demand
water law<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>In celebration of the International Water Day, the Public
Water Workers Union SETA, along with various rural organizations and NGOs,
marched on March 27 to demand the approval of the General Water Law presented
by civil society organizations. <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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>At the same time, the social organizations that mobilized
towards the legislative assembly denounced the fact that more than 90% of water
in <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:place></st1:country-region>
is polluted and that majority of the population does not have a dignified water
service. According to experts on the subject, “not having a law means
there’s more contamination. More than 95% of rivers are polluted.” <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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>According to participating organizations, the lack of a law
makes it so there is no sustainability of water, which is why the population has
demanded the quick passing of the General Water Law law created by community
and environmental organizations. SETA mobilized some communities where people
are organized in defense of this important resource to prevent, through community
action, the privatization of water that ARENA is attempting to achieve.<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>
<h3><a name="_Organizations_celebrate_life"></a><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:11.0pt'>Organizations celebrate life and legacy of Archbishop
Romero<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The last week of March was dedicated to the commemoration of
the 28<sup>th</sup> anniversary of the murder of Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo
Romero, which occurred on March 24, 1980. According to reports by the
post-war Truth Commission, the murder of Archbishop Romero was ordered and
planned by the founder of the ARENA party, Roberto D’Aubuisson.<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>28 years after his passing, various social, community and
religious organizations filled the streets of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">San Salvador</st1:place></st1:City> to demand, among other things,
that political crimes such as the murder of Archbishop Romero not be left in
impunity.<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>According to Antonio Barrera of the Ecumenical Coordination
of the Church and the Poor of El Salvador (CEIPES), the Salvadoran government
must publicly recognize the guilt of the ruling party, and in particular
Roberto D’Aubuisson, in this case. The Salvadoran government
continues to refuse to comply with the three recommendations from the
Inter-American Human Rights Court that would allow for those responsible for human
rights violations during the 12 year civil war to go to trial. The
recommendations are that there to be a complete or partial investigation of
Romero’s case, that the victims of human rights violations be compensated,
and that the Amnesty Law approved in 1993 be overturned, given that this law
still prevents those responsible from being brought to justice.<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>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The social organizations, along with the general population,
have retaken the words of Romero to continue their social struggle for an <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>
with economic and social justice for all. In his last homily, Romero declared
to the government “In the name of God, and in the name of its suffering
people, whose cries reach the heavens each day more tumultuous, I ask you, I
beg you, I order you in the name of God: End the repression!”. These
words remain profound nearly 30 years after his death, especially given the
increased repression towards all sectors struggling for change in <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>.
The murder of Archbishop Romero is part of the long list of
politically motivated murders that remain in impunity, such as the more recent
murder of the Mayor of Alegria, Wliber Funes, and his co-worker Zulma Rivera. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
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