Repression in El Salvador!  Take Action!
 
Date: Fri, 6 Jul 2007 01:56:06 -0500 (CDT)

------------------------------------------------------------ Nicaragua
Network www.nicanet.org Repression in El Salvador!  Take Action!
This action alert comes to us from The Committee in Solidarity with
the People of El Salvador (CISPES).

For more information go to: www.cispes.org
(http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=7jrs6bcab.0.cyeu6bcab.l5csqsbab.325&ts=S0260&p=http%
3A%2F%2Fwww.cispes.org)or call 212-468-8115 or write cispes@cispes.org.

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.

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. 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

2. Send four international faxes or emails.

3. Contact media that will publicize these events.

4. 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@cispes.org, 212-465-8115 x204 or sistercities@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!

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:

Excelentmsimo Sr. Elmas 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 repzblica de El
Salvador (Attorney General of El Salvador)

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

Fax (503) 2528-6096

E-mail: fgsafie@fgr.gob.sv

Dr. Agustmn Garcma Caldersn,: 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

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 preocupacisn por las recientes
acciones de represisn realizadas en contra de la poblacisn rural
en el Municipio de Suchitoto, asm como la captura violenta y
arbitraria de lmderes de las comunidades.

La desmedida reaccisn policial se produjo contra la poblacisn en
manifestacisn pacmfica contra la privatizacisn del agua, que no es
otra cosa que la expresisn legmtima de descontento social ante las
polmticas anti-populares. Este tipo de accisn represiva evidencia
la violacisn de derechos humanos y amenazas a la libertad de
organizacisn y expresisn.

Los golpes, capturas, cateos, persecucisn y sobrevuelo de helicspteros
traen a la memoria los momentos mas difmciles para la poblacisn
rural durante el conflicto armado, y veo con alarma este retroceso
en el proceso de construccisn de la democracia iniciado con los
acuerdos de paz.

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

Por zltimo quiero expresar mi solidaridad con las comunidades rurales
y con CRIPDES en su labor a favor del desarrollo social y econsmico
del pams, un trabajo que he visto importante para la construccisn
de paz y democracia. Rechazo cualquier alegacisn 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 Marma Centeno, Marma
Haydee Chicas, and Manuel Antonio Rodrmguez. 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)

Contact 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@cispes.org

Nicaragua Network | 1247 E St. SE | Washington | DC | 20003