We have been receiving information from our partners in El Salvador expressing concern over recent events in El Salvador. The following information is a summary put together by the El Salvador 2009 Organizing Committee.
On 2 July 2007, a non-violent protest had been organized in Suchitoto by the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES), its regional branch in Suchitoto (PROGRESO), people in the rural communities in the area, the Union of Water Workers (SETA), and other social organizations. This protest was planned around the visit of President Antonio Saca and his cabinet to Suchitoto, to discuss plans for the privatization of water in El Salvador.
Four members of CRIPDES were arrested before they even reached the protest, when their vehicle was stopped by National Civilian Police
(PNC) several km outside Suchitoto: Marta Lorena Araujo (President of the CRIPDES National Directive Council), Rosa Valle Centeno (Vice-President), Maria Haydee Chicas (CRIPDES journalist and photographer), and Manual Antonio Rodriguez (driver). They were first taken to Suchitoto police station, and shortly after to Cojutepeque, the Cuscatlan capital, where they are currently being held.
Later, when news of the arrests spread, protestors in Suchitoto moved to the police station to demand information and the release of those arrested. The police then called in the Unit for Maintenance of Order (UMO), who dispersed the protestors with tear gas, rubber bullets, and wooden batons. Police also attacked other protestors outside Suchitoto, and fleeing community members were followed by police by land and air for more than 4 hours, with several arrests made. In all, 14 people were arrested (including the 4 CRIPDES members and 9 local community members), dozens injured by rubber bullets or tear gas, and many people beaten by police officers. These violent actions by the police reminded many of the worst moments of the armed conflict in El Salvador in the 1980s, during which tens of thousands of Salvadorans were murdered by right-wing death squads backed by the military.
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Please find below a letter for urgent action. The first is a sample letter to be filled out and sent by each individual. The second is a letter from Salvaide. If you would like to endorse the Salvaide action, please contact Jorge Pena at 613-233-6215 or salvaide@web.net.
MODEL LETTER: PLEASE COPY AND SEND
(Today’s Date)
(Title and Name) (e.g. President Elias Antonio Saca, Attorney General Lic. Felix Garrid Safie, President of the Supreme Court of El Salvador Dr. Agustin Garcia Calderon)
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, which occurred on 2 July 2007.
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 13 people including leaders from the communities and the non-governmental organization, CRIPDES: Marta Lorena Araujo, Rosa María Centeno, María Haydee Chicas, Manuel Antonio Rodríguez, Hector Antonio Ventura Vasquez, Sandra Isabel Guatemala, Jose Ever Fuentes, Patricio Valladares Aquino, Clemente Guevara Batres, Santos Noel Mancia Ramirez, Marta Yanira Mendez, Beatriz Eugenia Nuila, and Vicente Vasquez. These people are being held for three months in “preventative detention”, and have been charged under the new Anti-Terrorism law. The conditions under which they are being held is deplorable, and they are not receiving necessary medical attention. I ask that you respect their physical and moral integrity, and follow the just process of law that leads to their immediate release.
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 feel is 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, as well as the charges of this nature brought against them. Those arrested are not terrorists nor should they be tried under the anti-terrorism law; they are citizens committed to justice and the development of their country and should not be criminalized.
Sincerely,
(your name)
Contact information:
1. ExcelentÃsimo Sr. ElÃas Antonio Saca, Presidente de El Salvador:
Telephone (011- 503) 2248-9000.
Fax (011-503) 2243-9947.
Email at this website: http://www.casapres.gob.sv/prescartas.htm
2. Lic. Felix Garrid Safie, Fiscal General de la
república de El Salvador (Attorney General of El Salvador)
Telephone (011-503) 2249-8412 / (011-503) 2249-8749
Fax (011-503) 2528-6096
E -mail: fgsafie@fgr.gob.sv
3. Dr. AgustÃn GarcÃa Calderón,: Presidente de
la Corte Suprema de Justicia (President of the Supreme Court of El Salvador)
Telephone (011-503) 2231-8300, (011-503) 2271-8888.
Fax (011-503) 2271-8754 Secretary’s email: sandra_deolivares@csj.gob.sv
4. El Salvador Embassy in Ottawa:
Telephone: 613-238-2939
Fax: 613-238-6940
Email: none found
B) Canadian Officials:
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1. Canadian Embassy in El Salvador:
Telephone: 503-2279-4655
Fax: 503-2279-0765
Email: ssal@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
2. Prime Minister Stephen Harper:
Telephone: 613-992-4211
Fax: 613-941-6900
Email: pm@pm.gc.ca
3. Peter MacKay, Minister of Foreign Affairs:
Telephone: 613-992-6022
Fax: 613-992-2337
Email: MacKay.P@parl.gc.ca
C) Human Rights Organizations:
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1. Amnesty International, Canadian National Office:
Telephone: 613-744-7667
Fax: 613-746-2411
Email: info@amnesty.ca
2. Human Rights Watch, Canadian Branch:
Telephone: 416-322-8448
Fax: 416-322-3246
Email: toronto@hrw.org
BELOW IS THE LETTER FROM SALVAIDE:
THE UNDERSIGNED CANADIAN ORGANIZATIONS, WITH GREAT PREOCCUPATION AND INDIGNATION, DENOUNCE BEFORE THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY:
We, the undersigned Canadian organizations with great preoccupation and indignation denounce before the national and international community, the arbitrary arrest and continuing detention of Marta Lorena Araujo Martínez, President of The Association for Rural Development of El Salvador, CRIPDES, Manuel Antonio Rodríguez Escalante, who was driving the CRIPDES vehicle, Rosa María Centeno Valle, Vice-President of CRIPDES , Héctor Antonio Ventura Vásquez, María Aydee Chicas Sorto, CRIPDES journalist and photographer, Sandra Isabel Guatemala, José Ever Fuentes, Patricio Valladares Aquino, Clemente Guevara Batres, Santos Noel Mancía Ramírez, Marta Yanira Méndez, Beatriz Eugenia Nuila y Vicente Vásquez, captured on Monday July 2, 2007 in Suchitoto, during a peaceful protest to oppose water privatization. They had not even gotten out of the vehicle, and were arrested for nothing more than heading out toward the demonstration. Those detained were transported by helicopter to Cojutepeque, and en route, were subjected to psychological torture with threats of being thrown out from high altitude.
We are aware that on July 2, 2007, The Association for the Development of El Salvador, CRIPDES an organization that is well known to us for its work in rural development, along with its regional branch in Suchitoto, PROGRESO, and the people of the organized rural communities in that municipality, exercising their right to freedom of expression, were peacefully demonstrating against the plans that the Salvadorean government has for the privatization of water.
We are aware that on July 2, 2007, the Anti-riot police, known as the Unit for the Maintenance of Order (UMO) of the National Civilian Police (PNC) assisted by the Reaction Police Group (GRP) attacked the protesters for four hours with tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets. Helicopters circled the area, and a military unit was deployed in armored vehicles. A total of 25 people were injured with rubber bullets, 18 were injured by the pepper spray, and 14 were arrested. Three of those arrested were leaders of the Association of Rural Communities for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES) and the fourth member is their driver. The police stopped them as they were driving toward Suchitoto; the four had not even participated in the protest.
It is deplorable that in the year 2007, and after many years since the civil war ended, the PNC (National Civilian Police) assisted by the UMO and the GRP that humbled citizens were besieged and pursued by land and by air, for more than 4 hours.
The families that live in the communities of the area were affected by the gas and had to evacuate children from schools for the same reason. This alone leads people to relive the worst moments of the repressive military sweeps during the armed conflict, with the only difference that today, the repressors are agents of the PNC, an institution born out of the Peace Accords and not the feared Armed Forces of the 1980’s.
It is deplorable that in the end, the result was more than 81 persons reported wounds and blows attended to by first aid organizations, in addition to thirty persons attended to in the Suchitoto hospital and many cared for by the same local residents. The 14 detainees and CRIPDES leaders were tried on July 7, 2007 in a Special Tribunal for Acts of Terrorism. Judge Ana Lucila Fuentes de Paz dismissed the charges for Mr. Facundo Dolores García, and decreed “Preventative Detention” for 3 months for the other 13 detainees, maintaining the terrorism charges and allowing the prosecutors to collect more evidence.
We are shocked that in spite of Police reports that indicate that no knives or guns were found, nor there was any evidence offered by the Fiscal General de La República on July 7, 2007, and in spite of the irrefutable evidence presented by the defense, the Judge Licda. Ana Lucila Fuentes de Paz declared incarceration for the other 13 detainees who are being accused of acts of terrorism under the unconstitutional Anti-Terrorist Law. The 13 political prisoners were sent to prison with the pretext to investigate further and charge them with acts of terrorism at a later date.
The incarceration of the 13 activists only proves that these captures have a political end, and an effort of the government to intimidate, coerce and silence any dissent against the unpopular government policies.
In view of these facts:
1. We express our solidarity with the victims of the repression, as well as the affected families.
2. We claim the right of the people, set out in the Constitution of the nation, to demonstrate peacefully against government abuses and privatization policies, above all in the defense of water.
3. We reject the attempt to apply special or anti-terrorist laws to humble local residents
4. We call upon the international community to express its solidarity with the political prisoners and to speak out against this act of repression against the Salvadorean people.
5. We reiterate our conviction that both the Anti-terrorist Law and the Organized Crime Law are unconstitutional.
For these reasons, we urgently call upon the international community, the different sectors of Canadian and Salvadorean society and the people in general to demand and support:
1. The immediate release of the detainees; respect for their physical and moral integrity, and assurances that constitutional process will be followed.
2. Respect for the Constitution and therefore, the citizens’ rights specified in it; the freedom of expression, assembly, movement and association, are inalienable rights of the human person and the social expressions which took place in Suchitoto were no more than the legitimate exercise of constitutional freedom.
3. That there be respect for the Constitution and the rule of law, permitting without interference, the operation of the institutionality of the State. The FGR [Attorney General], the PNC and the Judiciary should submit themselves exclusively to the mandates of the Constitution and to constitutional laws.
4. Respect for the independence of the judiciary, which is a guarantee of access to justice for the population and the responsibility of those who should hand down justice. In that sense we demand from the Supreme Court of Justice that it acts consistent with respect for the Judiciary and insistence on the separation of powers.
5. To the United Nations and the Group of Countries who sported the Peace Accords, to verify the current state of respect for the Accords.
6. To the United Nations, that it use its good offices to establish an independent and impartial investigation of the events which are occurring in El Salvador; specifically those putting political stability and the construction of democracy at risk. It is very serious for the stability of the country, that legitimate and legal expressions of social discontent are being linked with criminal acts, for clearly electoral interests.
As Canadian organizations and institutions that embrace democratic principles founded in social justice, the respect for human rights and environmental and economic justice, and as organizations and institutions that have been supporting the process of democratization in El Salvador, we are writing to express our dismay at the present situation and claim the right of the population to demonstrate publicly on the basis of the legitimate use of constitutional freedoms. Any restriction of the free exercise of those rights should be interpreted as a serious violation of fundamental Human Rights and a reversal of the process of democratization which developed with the signing of the Peace Accords.
CoDevelopment Canada
KAIROS – Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives
Alerta Minera Canadá/MiningWatch Canada
ASALCA – La Asociación Salvadoreña Canadiense-Toronto
The Atlantic Regional Solidarity Network (Nova Scotia)
Red Ciudadana Salvadoreña en el Exterior
Grupo de Apoyo a los Pueblos de las Américas (GAPA)
ASCORCAN (Asociación Salvadoreña Canadiense de Ottawa y Región de la Capital Nacional)
Inter Pares
Salvaide
Horizons of Friendship
Canadá, julio de 2007
