[cispes-ERN] Action: Please SIGN-ON to letter for paid ad - Stop Repression and Human Rights Violations in El Salvador!

Thu Oct 5 14:51:39 EDT 2006

September/October 2006

Dear Friends,

            We are asking for your support in signing a letter to Salvadoran
president Tony Saca and Interior Minister Rene Figueroa that will be
published as a paid advertisement in El Salvador during the month of
October.  As you probably know, violence and repression is on the rise in El
Salvador.  In addition to continued evidence of the resurgence of death
squad-style and “social extermination” groups, there has also been a marked
increase in police violence towards protesters and opposition groups.  As
groups in El Salvador continue to oppose the economic policies of the ARENA
government, Saca and Figueroa have been utilizing the rhetoric of
“terrorism” to attack social movement activists and youth, and they just
pushed through a draconian new anti-terrorism law in the National Assembly
that criminalizes many forms of protest altogether. You can read more at
www.cispes.org <http://www.cispes.org/> .   

Meanwhile, having begun the implementation of the US-Central America Free
Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the Salvadoran right-wing is pushing for the next
prize in the neoliberal contest: the privatization of water.  Privatization
would make access to the most basic necessity of life – clean drinking water
– more expensive, and at the whim of foreign corporate interests.  A broad
coalition of environmental and community groups, labor unions, and campesino
organizations has formed around the issue of water, and a major mobilization
against privatization is planned for October 17th in San Salvador. For more
information, check http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/445/74/ .

While social movement forces are gaining strength in El Salvador and
throughout Latin America, the Bush Administration and its closest partner in
the region – El Salvador – continue to use the “war on terrorism” to repress
and label as terrorist many of those fighting against their economic
policies.  Perhaps most troubling, last year these two governments signed an
agreement to open a new International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in San
Salvador.  Such US-sponsored training facilities are reminiscent of the
infamously brutal School of the Americas (SOA), which communities across the
US and in Latin America have long sought to shut down. 

Please show your solidarity with those fighting for change in El Salvador by
signing on to the solidarity statement below which will appear as a full
page advertisement in the Salvadoran daily newspaper La Prensa Grafica on
October 17th, 2006, the day thousands of Salvadorans take to the streets to
protest water privatization.  

We are asking for contribution of $50-$200 for organizations and $10-$50 for
individuals toward the cost of the ad ($1,400 for a full page in one major
daily, $2,800 for a full page in both).  *Only organizational names will
appear on the ad (unless you request not to.)*  

To sign on to the ad, send your endorsement to Jacoby Ballard at the CISPES
National Office (jacoby at cispes.org)  and mail the form below with your
tax-deductible check to the "CISPES Education Fund" at 130 W. 29th st. NY,
NY 10001.  The deadline for signers is October 10, 2006.

<http://www.cispes.org/english/Communiques_-_Action_Alerts/CISPES%20sign-on%
20letters%20updated%20text.doc> download sign-on letter in English and
Spanish or view text below

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---------------------------------

Name of organization as it should appear in ad (English or Spanish)
_______________________________________

Address_________________________________________Phone___________________Emai
l_________________________

*     $100 (suggested contribution)

*     Other amount ________________________

OPEN LETTER TO SALVADORAN PRESIDENT ANTONIO SACA

ON THE ESCALATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS IN EL SALVADOR

October, 2006

Dear President Saca,

As the 15th anniversary of the Salvadoran Peace Accords approaches, we the
undersigned are extremely concerned about the roll back of this historic
agreement.  It is deplorable that the government had made no serious effort
to investigate the resurgence of death squad-style groups and serious
violations of human rights, including:

*        the murder of the elderly Manzanares, the parents of the historic
community radio figure “Mariposa” on July 1st; 

*        the August 29th murder of two FMLN activists in Coatepeque;

*        death threats sent to the water workers’ union SETA;

*        the report from the Human Rights Ombudswoman citing evidence of
“extermination groups” functioning within the National Civilian Police
(PNC);

By refusing to investigate these crimes, the Salvadoran government is
condoning these attacks on the population’s right to organize.

Meanwhile the Salvadoran government, through the PNC and the ministry of the
interior, has attacked protestors and violated basic human rights.  In the
past three months, the police have illegally raided union offices and the
campus of the National University and violently attacked protestors
demanding water for their communities, while the military has illegally
invaded the community of La Sabana in the Bajo Lempa.  These acts of
repression are reprehensible.

Despite these intimidation tactics, we know that people in El Salvador
continue to organize and protest policies such as CAFTA and privatization
that will worsen conditions for the poor majority in El Salvador.  As
concerned organizations from the US and around the world, we insist that
you:

-         Investigate and put and end to the death squad-style threats and
murders;

-         Reverse the militarization of the police, which is a direct
violation of the Peace Accords;

-         Repeal the anti-terrorism law and halt government repression of
protest;

-         Close the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA).

Sincerely, 

CARTA ABIERTA AL PRESIDENTE SALVADOREÑO ANTONIO SACA

SOBRE EL CONSIDERABLE RETROCESO EN MATERIA DE DERECHOS HUMANOS EN EL
SALVADOR

Octubre, 2006

Estimado Presidente Saca,

Al acercarse el 15º aniversario de la firma de los Acuerdos de Paz, las
organizaciones firmantes estamos preocupados por el retroceso que ha sufrido
este acuerdo histórico.  Es deplorable que el gobierno no ha hecho ningún
esfuerzo serio en investigar el resurgimiento de grupos tipo escuadrones de
la muerte y de violaciones serias a los derechos humanos, incluyendo:

*        el asesinato con lujo de barbarie de los esposos Manzanares el 1º
de Julio, quienes eran padres de “Mariposa” personaje histórica de los
medios de comunicación comunitarios;

*        el asesinato de la pareja Flores el 29 de Agosto, dos activistas
del FMLN en Coatepeque;

*        la amenaza de muerte enviada al sindicato de trabajadores de ANDA;

*        el informe de la Procuraduría por la Defensa de los Derechos
Humanos que presenta pruebas sobre el funcionamiento de “grupos de
exterminio” dentro de la Policía Nacional Civil;

Al negarse a investigar estos crímenes, el gobierno Salvadoreño envía una
señal de apoyo a estos ataques contra el derecho de la población a oponerse
y protestar.

También hemos observado como el mismo gobierno, a través de la PNC y el
Ministerio de Gobernación, ha atacado a manifestantes y ha violado derechos
humanos básicos.  En el transcurso de los últimos tres meses, la policía
cateó ilegalmente una oficina sindical y ocupó la Universidad Nacional de El
Salvador, la fuerza armada invadió de forma ilegal la comunidad de La Sabana
en el Bajo Lempa, y la UMO ha atacado violentamente a manifestaciones de
comunidades demandando un adecuado servicio de agua.  Todos estos actos de
represión son reprochables.

A pesar de estas tácticas intimidatorias, nosotros sabemos que el pueblo de
El Salvador continúa organizando y protestando en contra de políticas como
el TLC y la privatización que empeorarán la vida de las grandes mayorías.
Por lo tanto, como organizaciones consternados de los EEUU y alrededor del
mundo, le exigimos:

-         Investigar y ponerle un alto a las amenazas y los asesinatos que
asemejan la actuación de escuadrones;

-         Revertir la militarización de la policía, lo cual se ha hecho en
clara violación a los Acuerdos de Paz;

-         Revocar la ley Anti-terrorista y parar la represión gubernamental
contra las protestas;

-         Cerrar la Academia Internacional para la Aplicación de la Ley
(ILEA).

Sinceramente,

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