[Cispes-ERN] Protestors and Movement Leaders to be Charged with Terrorism after Violent Police Action in El Salvador

Thu Jul 5 19:20:35 UTC 2007

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CISPES ACTION ALERT

Protestors and Movement Leaders to be Charged with Terrorism after Violent
Police Action in El Salvador
Take Action to Demand Immediate Release

On July 2 the Salvadoran police violently attacked a peaceful protest
against water privatization and arrested 14 people. President Saca was
scheduled to announce water “decentralization” – the first step in the
privatization process – in the town of Suchitoto. A number of campesino,
rural community organizations, women’s groups, and others organized a
peaceful protest.

The police attacked the protestors around the police station, on the roads,
and even chased people into rural communities. Police pulled four movement
leaders out of a vehicle kilometers away from the protest and arrested them.
They attacked other protestors with rubber bullets and tear gas. In total
the police arrested 14 people; another 25 people were injured with rubber
bullets, 18 suffered serious effects of tear gas, 2 were hospitalized, and
an undetermined number were beaten by police officers. For more information,
see
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=232&Itemid=
28>  June 2 CISPES update.

Today people learned that those arrested will probably be charged under the
new repressive legislation enacted in the fall to attack social movement
organizing, either the anti-terrorism law or organized crime law or
potentially both.

The social movement in El Salvador has organized a unified response to the
police violence. Over 60 social movement organizations signed onto a
powerful statement calling for the immediate release of those arrested and
for the Salvadoran government to respect the constitution and therefore the
freedom of speech and the right to protest (that
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=234&Itemid=
27>  statement is online here.) The social movement is calling on
international solidarity to send letters and faxes demanding the release of
the arrested protest participants and community leaders.

Take Action!

1. Educate yourself about the situation (US
<http://www.cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=233&Itemid=
27>  El Salvador Sister Cities has prepared a timeline of events that you
can find here.)

2. Send four international faxes or emails (sample letter below).

3. Contact media that will publicize these events. Contact CISPES or Sister
Cities to get telephone interviews and English-Spanish translation for
Salvadoran activists who either witnessed the events in Suchitoto or who
have been involved in the organizing against water privatization. Contact:
krista at cispes.org, 212-465-8115 x204 or sistercities at gmail.com, or (585)
360-1985.

Your action is critical to helping defend the right to organize and to
showing solidarity with those who are struggling to keep water accessible
and public in El Salvador!

Sample letter to e-mail or fax to President Saca and Minister of Security
Rene Figueroa

Please make your voice heard!

We are asking for e-mails, faxes, or phone calls to express concern about
the growing repression of protest in El Salvador and the violent arbitrary
arrests and to demand respect for the physical and moral integrity of the
prisoners and their immediate release. Please direct your correspondence to:

Excelentísimo Sr. Elías Antonio Saca, Presidente de El Salvador:

Telephone (country code 503) 2248-9000.

Fax (503) 2243-7857 / (503) 2243-9930.

Lic. Felix Garrid Safie, Fiscal General de la república de El Salvador
(Attorney General of El Salvador)

Telephone (country code 503) 2249-8412 / (503) 2249-8749

Fax (503) 2528-6096

E-mail: fgsafie at fgr.gob.sv 

Dr. Agustín García Calderón,: Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia
(President of the Supreme Court of El Salvador)

Telephone (country code 503) 2231-8300, (503) 2271-8888.

Fax (503) 2243-9930, (503) 22437857.

Web-Page: www.csj.gob.sv <http://www.csj.gob.sv/>  

Charles L. Glazer, U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador

Tel: (503) 2278-4444

Fax: (503) 2278-6011

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

Sample Letter (Spanish):

4 de julio, 2007

(Title and Name)

Le escribo para expresar mi grave preocupación por las recientes acciones de
represión realizadas en contra de la población rural en el Municipio de
Suchitoto, así como la captura violenta y arbitraria de líderes de las
comunidades.

La desmedida reacción policial se produjo contra la población en
manifestación pacífica contra la privatización del agua, que no es otra cosa
que la expresión legítima de descontento social ante las políticas
anti-populares. Este tipo de acción represiva evidencia la violación de
derechos humanos y amenazas a la libertad de organización y expresión. Los
golpes, capturas, cateos, persecución y sobrevuelo de helicópteros traen a
la memoria los momentos más difíciles para la población rural durante el
conflicto armado, y veo con alarma este retroceso en el proceso de
construcción de la democracia iniciado con los acuerdos de paz.

A la vez quiero denunciar la captura violenta de 14 personas incluyendo
líderes de las comunidades y la organización no-gubernamental, CRIPDES,
entre ellos Marta Lorena Araujo, Rosa María Centeno, María Haydee Chicas, y
Manuel Antonio Rodríguez. Exijo para ellos el respeto a su integridad física
y moral, y el proceso justo de ley que lleve a su inmediata liberación.
Tambien me preocupa mucho que el gobierno pueda acusar a las y los
participantes en una manifestación pacifica de terrorismo y crimen
organizado – le urjo a retirar estas acusaciones.

Por último quiero expresar mi solidaridad con las comunidades rurales y con
CRIPDES en su labor a favor del desarrollo social y económico del país, un
trabajo que he visto importante para la construcción de paz y democracia.
Rechazo cualquier alegación directa o indirecta para vincular a CRIPDES con
actividades terroristas, o con el caso de Mario Belloso y los sucesos del 5
de julio del 2006

Atentamente,

(your name, affiliation)

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

Translation (send the Spanish version, though)

July 4, 2007

(Title and Name)

I am writing to express my grave concern about the recent actions of
repression carried out against the rural population in the Municipality of
Suchitoto, as well as the violent and arbitrary capture of community
leaders.

The disproportionate police reaction against the population came in response
to a non violent protest against the privatization of water, a legitimate
expression of social discontent toward policies that hurt the people. This
type of repressive action gives evidence of the violation of human rights
and threats to the freedom of organization and expression. Beatings,
arrests, searches, persecution and helicopter fly-overs bring to memory the
most difficult moments for the rural population during the past armed
conflict, and I am alarmed by this step backwards in the process of building
democracy that was proposed with the signing of the peace accords.

As well I want to denounce the violent arrests of 14 people including
leaders from the communities and the non-governmental organization, CRIPDES,
among them Marta Lorena Araujo, Rosa María Centeno, María Haydee Chicas, and
Manuel Antonio Rodríguez. I ask that you respect their physical and moral
integrity, and follow the just process of law that leads to their immediate
release. It is also of extreme concern that the government might charge
peaceful protestors with terrorism and organized crime – I urge you to drop
all those charges.

Finally, I want to express my solidarity with the rural communities and with
CRIPDES in their work for the social and economic development of the
country, which I have seen to be very important for the construction of
lasting peace and democracy. I reject any direct or indirect allegations
that try to link CRIPDES with terrorist activities, or with the case of
Mario Belloso and the events of July 5, 2006. 

Sincerely,

(your name, affiliation)

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© 2006 CISPES - The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
CISPES National Office | ph. 212-465-8115 | P.O. Box 8560, NY, NY 10116 |
cispes at cispes.org

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