Scandals Rock El Salvador

The Church - The greatest scandal to hit El Salvador for many years is the acceptance by Archbishop Saenz Lacalle (successor of Rivera y Damas and Mons. Oscar Romero) of the post of Brigadier General of the Armed Forces, with a salary of $4,000 per month. The Archbishop who is a member of Opus Dei was Chaplain to the armed forces during the war and told a press conference that his new rank was only ‘interim’ provoking journalistic comment that he was aiming for ‘Generalisimo’. The laity outraged at his betrayal have demanded his resignation saying "We need a shepherd for the sheep, not for the wolves" and in an open letter to the Pope they expressed their fears that "the timing of this ‘honour’ is quite unbelievable, we are less than two months away from a general election". A number of prominent lay people who have suffered at the hands of the armed forces are planning to undertake a public fast during lent.

Threats to Election Observers - The myth of the much hailed ‘democratically reformed’ Arena party took a nose-dive on February 22nd when an election monitor from the Centre for International Solidarity was kidnapped and threatened by an Arena party Deputy. He was told in very threatening terms that they (Arena) did not want observers at the forthcoming elections. A recent poll by the Public Information section of the UCA put the FMLN at 21 and Arena at 17 in the elections which will take place on March 16th. Opposition candidates and human rights activists have told the IESSC it is much more important than in 1994 that the international community sends observers to these elections. Arena are for the first time entering the elections in a state of decline and the prospect of losing could initiate fraud and irregularities also the absence of a UN presence leaves the way open for abuses.

Human Rights and the PNC (Civilian Police)

While the accords ended the 12 year civil war in which over 75,000 people were killed, mostly at the hands of the US trained and financed military who have since been returned to barracks, the newly formed Civilian Police (PNC) continue to abuse human rights. Core elements of the national security forces were transferred intact into the PNC. and human rights organisations have accused them of having links with the death squads. Last year, a female member of the PNC who uncovered evidence of such activity had to be smuggled out of the country. The blanket amnesty granted by the Christiani (Arena) government in March 1993 has proven to be a fundamental impediment to the reforms envisaged in the spirit of the peace accords. It also is a key factor in facilitating the impunity that is a fact of life in El Salvador.

Prison Conditions - the Hidden Scandal

Prison conditions are a cause of grave concern. Taking Mariona Prison as an example, up to four bodies a week are coming out for burial and as one activist said "no one seems to give a damn". Overcrowding is massive and food is sparse or non existent. It has been suggested that organised crime has links with the military and the death squads and what has been described as ‘common’ crime, is often politically motivated. For the so called ‘common’ criminal (mostly young people who are members of street gangs) there is now the added spectre of the Death Penalty which was introduced last year with the approval of all Assembly members with the exception of the FMLN. Extremely offensive strip-searching is in practice so it is only the most courageous and committed relatives who visit family members. A young female youth worker who went to visit a member of a street gang was subjected to most objectionable treatment.

!Donde Estan¡ Where are they?

A further scandal is emerging where children who were abducted by the army during military operations were either ‘given’ or ‘sold’ for adoption in Europe and the United States. Fr. Jon Cortina SJ of the University of Central America has spearheaded a campaign "Association for Disappeared Children" to trace these missing children and where possible assist them to make contact with their relatives in El Salvador. The revelations in the Boston Globe July 1996 suggest that there was a high level of complicity in the abductions.

The Disappeared - The case of the 8,000 disappeared people has had no response from the government despite persistent appeals from the relatives and human rights activists for information. Legal and inheritance rights, particularly in the case of land transfers are in jeopardy because there are no death certificates or even acknowledgement of death.

Peace Accords - The 5th anniversary of the peace accords that brought an end to the war was given a muted reception on January 16th last. While the retired defence minister General Humberto Corado criticised the accords as ‘one sided, an insult to the armed forces and an act of self-mutilation by the Salvadoran state", Salvador Sanchez Ceren (Secretary General of the FMLN) echoed the views of many human rights activists and socio economic analysts when he said "The vast majority of Salvadorans are living in misery". Dr. Ruben Zamora (opposition candidate in the 1994 Presidential elections) maintains that "the problems with peace process was the failure to address the chronic inequality that exists in Salvadoran society’. While the accords brought an end to the war no attention was given to the structural inequalities that caused the conflict.

The neo-liberal policies of the ruling Arena government continue to oppress the people. The contrast in lifestyles between the rich and the poor is so stark that it mirrors apartheid. Water is scarce and what is available is unsafe. While the cost of boiling or purifying water is punitive for most Salvadorans, ‘first world’ hotels and developments have swimming pools and fountains. Irresponsible development is threatening the ecological survival of the country and it is estimated that the water table is dropping by one metre a year.

Recommendations of the IESSC following trip to El Salvador in January:-

  1. Ireland to use its seat on the UN Commission for Human Rights to reinstate the mandate of a UN Human Rights Monitor.
  2. Ireland to use its position in the EU to maintain pressure on the government of El Salvador to :-
  1. Irish Aid should continue to be conditional on respect for human rights.
  2. Ireland to accede to the request for international observers to monitor the March elections.

International Solidarity - While not distracting from the necessary attention afforded Central Africa or the former Yugoslavia, it is clear that the vigilance of the international community is not near as evident as previous years. The Irish government, the EU, and the UN need to refocus their policies if earlier achievements are to be preserved. The ‘new world’ ideology of neo-liberalism in all its facets is perhaps the greatest challenge facing international solidarity. The INSG are to be congratulated for initiating a forum through which we can, in partnership with communities in Latin America and Ireland, unite to act and campaign for justice and equality. The IESSC wishes LASC a happy first birthday on March 22nd. !Adelante¡

Contact :- Brendan Butler, Pennock Hill, Swords, Co. Dublin Tel: 8405469