[Cispes-Alert] Salvadoran Youth from Suchitoto 13 Murdered; Tell Congress No Funding to Plan Mexico or the ILEA!

Tue May 13 13:03:11 EDT 2008

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CISPES ACTION ALERT

May 13, 2008

Salvadoran Youth from Suchitoto 13 Murdered; Tell Congress No Funding to
Plan Mexico or the ILEA!

On May 3, Hector Antonio Ventura, one of the 14 people originally captured
during an anti-water privatization protest in the town of Suchitoto last
year, was stabbed to death in his home.  Given his role as one of the
accused in the high profile anti-terrorism case, Ventura’s death could
likely be politically motivated, and therefore Salvadoran social movement
organizations have called for a full investigation into his death.  

Ventura was among 13 people charged last year under the controversial 2006
“Special Law Against Acts of Terrorism”.  In February all charges against
the activists were dropped, but the case demonstrated internationally the
repressive nature of the current right-wing ARENA government. Other possible
political murders – such as the slaying of Wilber Funes, a mayor from the
leftist FMLN party – have yet to be resolved, raising fear of increased
political violence during the lead up to the 2009 Salvadoran elections. 

Meanwhile, Congress is set to vote this week on a huge, new funding package
that would dramatically increase US support for “security” forces in Mexico
and Central America.  The so-called Merida Initiative (also known as Plan
Mexico) includes over $60 million for anti-gang and anti-drug programs in
Central America, including an additional $2 million for the International
Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA).  The funding will be voted on this week as
part of the Iraq war supplemental bill, and the authorization will be voted
on separately, first in a mark-up held Wednesday in the House Foreign
Affairs Committee.  The second part of the Merida Initiative funding – which
includes more than $120 million for Central America – will be voted on in
June as part of the 2009 Foreign Operations Appropriations bill.

CISPES and our allies reject increased U.S. funding for repressive
governments like the right-wing ARENA government in El Salvador, be it for
police or military forces.  Such initiatives work to reinforce failing
policies such as ARENA’s infamous Mano Dura (“iron fist”), which has
contributed to a dramatic increase in murder and violent crime since the
crackdowns began in 2003.  No funding included in the Merida Plan addresses
the real causes of poverty, violence, and drug trafficking in the region;
rather, the Central America portion of the initiative would increase
equipment and training for policing and surveillance, as well as bolster
institutions like the ILEA that many believe have worsened the human rights
situation in El Salvador. 

Your action is critical at this moment!  Please call Congress about the
upcoming votes on the Merida Initiative and the ILEA, and email or fax
directly to the Salvadoran government to insist they carry out a full
investigation into the murder of Hector Ventura.

Take Action!

1.	Call your Congressional Representative and demand that they oppose
the authorization of the Merida Authorization Act of 2008, otherwise known
as Plan Mexico.  If your member of Congress is on the House Foreign Affairs
Committee then ask that they opposed the authorization during the mark up on
Wednesday May 14.  Go here
<http://foreignaffairs.house.gov/members.asp?committee=full&subnav=subcommit
tees>  for a list of committee members and go to www.cispes.org/ilea for
talking points. 

2.	Tell your Rep to contact Congressman Elliot Engel, Chairman of the
Western Hemisphere Subcommittee, to request that he hold a hearing on the
deteriorating situation of human rights in El Salvador, the role of the
Salvadoran police, and the ILEA (see below or go to www.cispes.org/ilea for
talking points).  

3.	Contact Salvadoran President Antonio Saca and Attorney General Felix
Safie to demand that a full investigation be carried out into the murder of
Hector Ventura. You can email Saca at fmelgar at presidencia.gob.sv and cc
Safie at fgsafie at fgr.gob.sv, as well as US Ambassador Charles Glazer at
GlazerCL at state.gov.  You can also send faxes to Saca (011-503-2243-9947) and
Safie (011-503-2528-6095).  See below for sample note.

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Talking points

Background:

This year, the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) is being funded
through both the Foreign Operations Appropriations bill and the so-called
Merida Initiative, the latter of which will be voted on in the coming weeks
in the U.S. Congress.  The U.S.-sponsored ILEA has been operating in El
Salvador over two years and has been criticized by social movement
organizations and human rights groups as another potential School of the
Americas (SOA), under a new name and in a new location.  Since the opening
of this institution, human rights abuses have increased in El Salvador, from
attacks on peaceful protesters by the National Civilian Police (PNC) to the
documented role of the PNC in at least 8 extra-judicial killings in one
year. 

In the coming months before the June vote on the Foreign Operation
Appropriations bill we hope to continue to educate Congress by pushing for a
Congressional hearing and challenging Congress to increase oversight of the
ILEA, as part of our campaign to shut down the police academy!

Call the House Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 

When you call:

1) Ask the operator for your Representative, and then ask to speak to your
Representative’s foreign affairs legislative assistant, chief of staff or
legislative director.

2) Tell them you are a constituent and want to know your congressperson’s
position on the Merida Initiative and the ILEA. If they don’t know much
about these programs, inform your rep. 

3) Using the description above and the talking points on the CISPES webpage
(www.cispes.org/ilea), explain why Congress should reject Merida Initiative
funding.  (If the Rep. is on the Foreign Affairs Committee, tell them to
vote against the proposal in committee on Wednesday)

4) Urge them to call congressmen Engel’s office to request a hearing on the
ILEA at the Western Hemisphere Subcommittee in order to provide them with
more information about the situation of the National Civilian Police, human
rights abuses in El Salvador, and the ILEA.

5) If the Rep. agrees to take a stand on the issue or push for a hearing,
send an email to CISPES (burke at cispes.org) with the name of the person you
spoke with and your Rep’s name, and we will send their office more details
about Plan Merida, the ILEA and our campaign against repression in El
Salvador.

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Sample letter to President Saca

Sr. Elías Antonio Saca, Presidente de El Salvador:
Fax (011 503) 2243-9947

13 de Mayo de 2008

Señor Presidente Saca:

Le escribo con suma preocupación por el posible asesinato político de Héctor
Ventura. El joven – uno de los arrestados durante la protesta en Suchitoto
el año pasado quien fue acusado erróneamente de actos de terrorismo – fue
apuñalado hasta morir cuando dormía en su domicilio en Suchitoto. Como
presidente, es imperativo que Ud. asegure se de una investigación completa y
transparente de los hechos para que de manera rápida se traiga justicia a
este ataque violento. Además, es crítico que se resuelvan otros casos de
violencia política, como el posible asesinato político de Wilmer Funes en
Alegría, Usulután. Como presidente Ud. tiene que asegurarse que la Fiscalía
General conduzca una pronta investigación y que esta junto con la PNC
trabaje para poner un alto a cualquier violencia política en el futuro.
Finalmente, el gobierno debe de hacer una declaración pública expresando su
consternación por los asesinatos ocurridos y hacer un llamando a la
justicia.

El garantizar la libertad de expresión, y particularmente la expresión
política, es esencial en cualquier democracia.  Ahora, en este año
pre-electoral, es crítico que el gobierno de El Salvador demuestre su
compromiso por la defensa del derecho de todas y todos los salvadoreños y su
expresión política.

Atentamente,

__________________ (name)

__________________ (state, country)

Cc Salvadoran Attorney General Felix Safie

Cc US Ambassador Charles Glazer

This is the translation; please send Spanish version

Dear President Saca,

I am writing to express concern about the possible political assassination
of Hector Ventura.  The youth – one of the people arrested last year in
Suchitoto and later falsely accused of acts of terrorism – was stabbed to
death while sleeping in his house in the town of Suchitoto.  As president,
its important that you assure a complete and transparent investigation into
the events in order to quickly bring justice in this case.  It is also
important that you work to resolve other cases of political violence such as
the likely political assassination of the mayor of Alegria, Wilmer Funes.
Its also necessary that you ensure your Attorney General conduct a thorough
investigation and that together with the National Civilian Police you work
to put a stop to such violence in the future.  Finally, the government
should make a public declaration expressing your consternation for these
recent assassinations and making a call for justice.

Guaranteeing freedom of expression, and particularly political expression,
is essential in a democracy.  Now, in this pre-electoral year, it is
critical that the government of El Salvador demonstrate its commitment to
the defense of the right of all Salvadorans to express themselves
politically.  

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© 2008 CISPES - The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador
CISPES National Office | ph. 202-521-2510 | 1525 Newton St. NW, Wash. DC
20010| cispes at cispes.org

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