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<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=5
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-weight:bold'>Attacks Targeting
FMLN Activists Increase<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'>September 16, 2008<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'><img width=385
height=317 id="_x0000_i1027" src="cid:image001.jpg@01C9180A.348FAAE0"><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><i><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-style:italic'>Also included in this update:<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><a
href="#_Institutional_crisis_within">Institutional crisis within National
Civilian Police worsens</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></li>
<li class=MsoNormal style='mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><b><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-weight:bold'><a
href="#_FMLN_holds_convention,">FMLN holds convention, candidates
officially register for ballot</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></b></li>
</ul>
<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 September 4, party workers from the Salvadoran FMLN (Farabundo Martí
National Liberation Front) were assaulted in <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">San Salvador</st1:place></st1:City>, resulting in the
hospitalization of four individuals. The attack, carried out against members of
the FMLN’s Communications Brigade, was attributed to armed supporters of
Norman Quijano, the right-wing ARENA party candidate for Mayor of San Salvador.
The aggression took place on the street of San Jacinto a neighborhood that is
only few miles south of <st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">San Salvador</st1:place></st1:City>’s
downtown. The victims included Otilia Matamoros, Assistant Coordinator of the
FMLN Women’s Secretariat.<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'>At a press conference the following day, FMLN Campaign Coordinator
Lorena Peńa placed the blame for the violence squarely on the shoulders of
Quijano, who later confirmed that activists associated with his campaign are
routinely armed, and therefore “dangerous.” Such violence has set a
stark tone for <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s
campaign season. The country holds legislative and municipal elections in
January 2009, with voting for president to follow in March.<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'>In response to these acts of violence, Human Rights Ombudsman Oscar
Luna called for a Non-Violence Accord among all of <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s political
parties. Initial talks to sign an agreement to establish that violence will not
be used as a campaign tactic took place among party representatives and Mr.
Luna on September 12.<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 FMLN had proposed a similar accord among <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>’s political
parties earlier in the summer, though ARENA refused to make such a commitment
until after the September 4 attack. FMLN legislative deputy Robert Lorenzana
stated, “We want a peaceful campaign. We regret the incidents of
[September 4], and for this reason it is necessary to coordinate information
among the parties to avoid such incidents.”<b><span style='font-weight:
bold'><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></font></p>
<h3><a name="_Institutional_crisis_within"></a><b><font size=4
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:13.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman"'>Institutional crisis within National Civilian
Police worsens<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>National Civilian Police (PNC) Director Francisco Rovira resigned from
his position on August 19, after only six months as head of the institution.
Rovira’s resignation was officially “voluntary,” however
several PNC officials have publicly stated that Rovira was under pressure to
step down after being accused of hiring advisors with links to gangs, among
other internal issues. President Antonio Saca confirmed Former PNC Assistant
Director José Luis Tobar Prieto to take over the top position in the
institution on September 2.<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'>Rovira’s departure is seen by some as sign of the PNC’s
continued decline. According to David Morales, a lawyer for legal well
respected community oriented Foundation for the Study and Application of the
Law (FESPAD), “the regrettable thing about Rovira was his brief tenure,
in which he made demagogic promises for the purpose of projecting a good public
image.”<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'>Human Rights Ombudsman Oscar Luna reiterated prior reports by his
office which show that the PNC is the institution most frequently accused of
human rights violations. It is hoped that the change of directors will improve
the conduct of the PNC. Luna and Morales concurred that the institution has
sharply deteriorated since its creation as part of the 1992 Peace Accords.
Recent years have seen a sharp increase in repressive and politically motivated
operations carried out by the PNC. Furthermore, there are credible reports of
death squad-like structures operating within the PNC’s ranks. <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 role of Rodrigo Ávila – the former PNC Director who resigned
in January in order to become the ARENA party’s presidential candidate
– has been called into question by the FMLN. According to FMLN legislator
Benito Lara, a member of the Assembly’s Public Security Commission,
“Ávila must answer for this. Rovira was only there for six months.”
Lara added that the institutional deterioration of the PNC has been detected
since shortly after the Peace Accords brought it into existence.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<h3><a name="_FMLN_holds_convention,"></a><b><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman"'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<h3><b><font size=4 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:13.0pt;
font-family:"Times New Roman"'>FMLN holds convention, candidates officially
register for ballot<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></h3>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'>The FMLN held its 24th General Convention on August 17, during which
the party presented its Plan of Government for 2009-2014. This document was
produced through the party’s Open Social Dialogue, an extensive process
of consultation with citizens throughout <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:country-region
w:st="on">El Salvador</st1:country-region></st1:place>.<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></b></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 plan, unanimously adopted by the delegates, lays out a strategy for
achieving the true realization of the 1992 Peace Accords, which ended 12 years
of civil war. The ARENA party, in power since 1989, has been accused of
ignoring and neglecting numerous provisions of the Accords. Additionally, the
FMLN’s program emphasizes health care, education, and the strengthening
of the national economy.<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'>In other electoral news, FMLN candidate Mauricio Funes took part in an
event to officially join the party on August 27. The ceremony was attended by a
large crowd representing various social sectors, as well as party officials and
activists. Shortly thereafter, Funes and his running mate, Salvador Sanchez
Cerén, officially registered as candidates with the Supreme Electoral Tribunal.<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 the other hand, ARENA has yet to select it’s vice presidential
candidate or present its plan of government. Instead, the right wing party
seems to have devoted its energies to attempting to delegitimize the FMLN,
largely through attacks in the media against policies such as Alba Petróleo, an
international program that brings cheap oil imports from <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Venezuela</st1:place></st1:country-region>.<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'><o:p></o:p></span></b></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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