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- From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
- Subject: El Salvador: EL RESCATE REPORT August 10-17, 1992
- Message-ID: <1992Aug21.225521.18032@mont.cs.missouri.edu>
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- /** reg.elsalvador: 145.0 **/
- ** Topic: report from el salvador 8/10-17/92 **
- ** Written 6:59 pm Aug 20, 1992 by elrescate in cdp:reg.elsalvador **
- EL RESCATE HUMAN RIGHTS DEPARTMENT
-
- REPORT FROM EL SALVADOR
- August 10-17, 1992
-
- This week's visit by U.N. Assistant Secretary-General for
- Peace Operations, Marrack Goulding, was described as "routine"
- by the government, military and ONUSAL but the FMLN insisted
- the visit was in response to a crisis. In either case, Goulding
- interrupted his responsibilities in the Yugoslavian crisis to
- travel to El Salvador for a two-day visit which was quickly
- extended to five days, in an effort to resolve not only problems
- with compliance of the peace accords but also to confront
- increasing signs of a "dirty war."
-
- Alarmed by a series of assassinations and attempted murders,
- the FMLN issued a strong statement denouncing recent human
- rights violations and demanding immediate action by the
- President to investigate and prosecute those responsible for
- organizing paramilitary squads. The communique called on
- ONUSAL to play a more aggressive role in the investigation of
- crimes and asked for international participation. An FMLN
- spokesperson later said the FBI and Scotland Yard may be asked
- for assistance. (1)
-
- The first of the five elite battalions, the Bracamonte,
- concluded its demobilization process on August 15 and the
- Belloso Battalion is scheduled to be dissolved by September
- 16. The government has yet to provide any compensation to ex-
- soldiers and is under increasing pressure as former members
- of the military organize to present demands.
-
- The current U.S. State Department Director of Central
- American Affairs, Peter Romero, has been appointed charge
- d'affaires of the Embassy pending Senate approval of Michael
- Kozak as ambassador. Meanwhile Immigration authorities
- called on religious, national and international organizations to
- present information on foreigners who enter the country "to
- collaborate or work" with them, prior to, or within, 30 days of
- their arrival. The request was made "to avoid distortions or
- bad interpretations" and warned of "sanctions ... including
- deportation" for infractions. (2)
-
-
- "There is no crisis, but Marrack Goulding comes to resolve it."
- EL MUNDO Editorial (3)
-
- "His presence is beneficial but that does not mean a third party
- is necessary to resolve the problems."
- President Cristiani (4)
-
- During his weekly press conference, President Cristiani
- officially announced that Marrack Goulding would arrive on
- August 13, "at the invitation of the government." He denied
- that the second visit of the U.N. mediator was due to a crisis in
- the peace process and insisted "all delays are salvageable." The
- President admitted, however, that the process "isn't going as
- well as predicted." (5)
-
- ARENA President Calderon Sol claimed the process is
- "paralyzed" because of the FMLN refusal to demobilize 20% of
- its combatants on July 31, (6) while ARENA Deputy Rene
- Figueroa described Goulding's task as "to verify government
- compliance and FMLN violations." (7) General Mauricio Vargas
- said he "regretted" that the presence of Goulding was
- necessary but said the visit would "help overcome FMLN non-
- compliance." (8) The "crisis discourse" of the FMLN was harshly
- criticized by National Press Secretary Ernesto Altschul who
- accused the FMLN of "postponing and postponing"
- demobilization and attributed the problem to a "crisis of
- leadership." According to Altschul, the FMLN is taking "harder
- positions" because of a "lack of authority." (9)
-
- ONUSAL confirmed that Goulding would arrive on August 12 for
- a "routine" visit and said he would "take advantage" of the time
- "to analyze the current situation." (10) "Marathon" meetings
- continued on August 10 and 11 as ONUSAL Director Dr. Iqbal
- Riza met separately with government and FMLN leaders in
- anticipation of the visit. (11)
-
- Schafik Handal denied the visit was routine, emphasizing that
- Goulding was coming "at a very critical moment, in spite of
- other pressing responsibilities." (12) Handal reported that the
- human rights situation would be on the agenda and said the
- FMLN would call for more "intense" participation from ONUSAL
- in the investigation of crimes. "There is a crisis," affirmed
- UNTS leader Humberto Centeno, citing 13 assassinations in
- recent days, "that is why he is coming." (13)
-
- Just hours before Goulding's arrival, the FMLN members of the
- Joint Working Group announced that 900 weapons belonging to
- the first contingent of demobilized combatants would be
- placed in storage by August 18. (14) The arms, including
- mortars, sub-machine guns, grenade launchers and home-made
- weapons (15) were not stored on June 30 but were maintained
- as a "pressure factor," according to Joaquin Villalobos, to
- force the government to comply with agreements made prior to
- the first demobilization, including facilitating the legalization
- of the FMLN party. (16)
-
-
- "A job for Mandrake"
- Joaquin Villalobos (17)
-
- "We do not see any reason why October 31 should be changed."
- President Cristiani (18)
-
- According to a document presented by the FMLN to COPAZ and
- to the United Nations, the government has not complied with
- 46 of the agreements on land issues, the National Civil Police,
- the Armed Forces, legislative measures and programs for ex-
- combatants. It would take a "magician," declared Villalobos,
- for the government to comply with "two thirds of the
- agreements in less than one third of the time" before the
- October 31 deadline. The FMLN does not want to prolong the
- disarmament/demobilization process, Villalobos said, but the
- calendar "can't be perfect for one side and imperfect for the
- other." He insisted the FMLN will not totally disarm "until the
- hegemony of civil society is clear. We are not going to be
- ingenuous." (19)
-
- The FMLN charged that the government has laid a series of
- "traps" during the past six months to obstruct the process,
- citing serious delays in the development of the PNC, one of the
- most crucial of the accords, as well as continued impunity of
- the Armed Forces and the judicial system, and the refusal of
- ARENA deputies to ratify decisions made by COPAZ. Villalobos
- noted these problems as well as violations of human rights
- including, "the appearance of mutilated bodies." The FMLN
- commander expressed concern at the magnitude of problems
- occurring "in the presence of ONUSAL" and while the FMLN is
- still armed: "If they dare do all this now, what will they do
- after ONUSAL leaves and the FMLN is disarmed?" He insisted
- the FMLN weapons will continue to be the "pressure factor ... to
- assure the democratization of the country," (20) and Schafik
- Handal declared that future demobilizations are contingent on
- "100% compliance ... We comply if the government complies."
- (21)
-
-
- "This is a routine visit."
- Marrack Goulding (22)
-
- "I don't think it is 'routine,' considering the dimension of the
- problem in Yugoslavia."
- Joaquin Villalobos (23)
-
- Marrack Goulding arrived at mid-day on August 13, saying he
- was "happy to be back ... on a routine visit." At the airport he
- told the press he would meet with President Cristiani,
- government and FMLN leaders and ONUSAL and said there has
- been "great progress" in the process but admitted there were
- "some problems ... I trust with the help of both sides and the
- participation of the U.N. we will be able to resolve them." (24)
- Meetings were held that afternoon and evening with President
- Cristiani and with the FMLN; both sides presented documents
- to Goulding elaborating their positions on the state of the
- process. The following day Goulding met
- with the ambassadors of the four friendly countries, COPAZ,
- ONUSAL, the Ombudsman for Human Rights, government and
- FMLN leaders. Late in the afternoon ONUSAL announced that the
- U.N. mediator would not leave on August 15 as planned, but
- would extend his visit until August 17. After meeting with
- Goulding, Mexican Ambassador Bassols said the U.N. could
- extend the mandate of ONUSAL, "because there is a lot of work
- to do in the military, political and human rights areas." There
- has been no other public information about the discussions, but
- Bassols hinted at the possibility of a much more aggressive
- role by ONUSAL in the investigation and prosecution of human
- rights violations when he said the mission "could take on
- broader responsibilities ... and could help the United Nations
- transform the traditional concepts of international law." (25)
-
- DIARIO DE HOY immediately denounced any extension of the
- ONUSAL mandate, "which would allow the FMLN to remain
- armed." A columnist accused the Group of Four ambassadors of
- "wanting to prolong the pacification process of the Armed
- Forces" and "undermine its morale through the Truth and Ad-
- Hoc Commissions." (26)
-
- Following 5 days of intense discussions with the FMLN and
- government including a total of 3 meetings with President
- Cristiani, Goulding returned to New York at mid-day August 17.
- In a statement to the press, Mr. Goulding said the situation
- was "more complicated that expected" and expressed
- "uneasiness about recent incidents which could affect the
- peace process. He announced that he had presented a "revised
- calendar" to both sides on August 16 and said he will propose
- September 16 as the next date for an evaluation of the process.
- The Secretary General of the U.N. will present a report to the
- Security Council and recommend further action. ONUSAL
- Director Dr. Iqbal Riza will continue discussions with the FMLN
- and government to reach agreements on issues including the
- PNC, land issues, demobilization and the return of local
- government officials to former conflictive zones.
-
- Goulding stressed that October 31 "continues to be an
- important date" but said the process will not end there; the 3
- divisions of ONUSAL will continue "until all accords are totally
- honored." The success of the peace process will be guaranteed,
- he concluded, "only if Salvadorans desire it and reject the
- unacceptable practices of the past." (27)
-
-
- "If there is not rapid investigation and punishment ... the FMLN
- and other democratic forces ... will be obliged to take the
- defense of life and the peace process into their own hands."
- FMLN Communique (28)
-
- In a communique released August 12 the FMLN described the
- "escalation" in violations of human rights as "a very difficult
- situation affecting the peace process." The communique
- outlined incidents of concern including the attack against
- Eduardo Pineda of the Ombudsman's office, lack of any serious
- investigation of the FEASIES killing, the murders of two
- FENASTRAS members and of a cooperative member in
- Sonsonate on July 28 (allegedly by an army sergeant); the
- killings of two ATMOP members in Santa Ana on August 3 and
- 6; and the attempted assassination of an FMLN member in San
- Salvador on August 7. Raids of the FEDECOOPADES office and of
- the home of an FMLN leader, both in Santa Ana, were also
- denounced, as well as the increasing number of unidentified
- bodies discovered with signs of torture and threats by
- members of the Armed Forces in rural areas that a "campaign
- against the FMLN and the opposition" will be launched after
- October 31. (29)
-
- The FMLN rejected an interpretation of these crimes as simple
- criminal acts and insisted they are being implemented by
- members of the Armed Forces, National Police, Criminal
- Investigations Commission, village patrols and "typical death
- squads." The communique demanded investigations of these
- incidents by the President "with rapid results," including
- immediate action against all those responsible. "We are
- convinced that this will lead to the necessity to act against
- certain important military officers and well-known extreme
- right elements." (30)
-
- Organizations such as the "Cruzada Pro-Paz y Trabajo" and
- "Movimiento Civico El Salvador Libre" were specifically
- mentioned in the communique: "There are persistent rumors
- that they are planning and carrying out attacks." The FMLN
- called for an increase in the human rights work of ONUSAL and
- "international participation" in investigations and warned that
- a lack of action by the government "will oblige the FMLN and
- all democratic sectors" to take the situation into their own
- hands. (31)
-
- An official government statement was released the same day
- charging that the purpose of the FMLN denunciation "is to
- formulate a false image abroad ... to create obstacles for aid ...
- and the consolidation of democracy." (32)
-
-
- "Has the dirty war begun?"
- DIARIO LATINO (33)
-
- "They want to cloak the dirty war as common crime."
- FMLN leader Francisco Velis (34)
-
- According to Guillermo Sanchez of DIARIO LATINO, the far
- right had planned to wait until after the total disarmament of
- the FMLN on October 31 to begin the "dirty war," but because of
- the "vitality" of the peace process, these sectors have become
- "desperate" and have begun to take action. (35)
-
- During the past several weeks incidents of violations have
- been reported in the traditionally most repressive areas of the
- country: Santa Ana, Sonsonate, La Libertad and San Salvador. In
- Santa Ana the ARENA mayor allegedly ordered the Municipal
- Police to investigate all labor and FMLN leaders; soon after
- two ATMOP leaders were assassinated, the FEDECOOPADES
- office and the home of an FMLN leader were raided, and
- unidentified bodies appeared "with signs of torture." (36)
-
- In Sonsonate, members of the FMLN Political Committee have
- received telephone death threats from the "Anti-Communist
- Brigade." (37) The Secretary-General and four promoters from
- CORDECOMS were fired on by six men carrying M-16's near
- Quezaltepeque, San Salvador. The five were pulled out of their
- vehicle and beaten on August 11, following warnings that the
- Secretary-General of the organization was on a target list for
- assassination. (38) Leaders of two women's groups organizing
- in La Libertad department have been threatened with
- "decapitation" by soldiers of the Cavalry Brigade; one organizer
- was warned by a member of the intelligence section of the
- Brigade that he would "put her head on a stake" if she does not
- stop working in the area before October 31. (39) The home of
- another woman, the Secretary-General of the Coordinating
- Council of Marginal Communities, was raided in the capital on
- August 7 by heavily armed men in civilian clothes, wearing
- masks. (40)
-
- Death squads are said to be reorganizing in rural areas of the
- country, and in many cases, the members of the squads are
- known to the population. One example is Suchitoto where five
- members of a death squad which operated in the early 80's are
- still in town. Several of them participated in the Civil
- Defense, now dissolved, and they are said to be collecting arms
- and planning to take action. (41)
-
- The Intergremial labor coalition denounced "death-squad style
- political murders" (42) and leader Humberto Centeno charged
- that the installations of the elite battalions are being used as
- training center for soldiers to carry out attacks disguised as
- common crimes. (43) "Cristiani and the High Command know
- the groups of officers who are at the head of the paramilitary
- organizations," declared Centeno. (44)
-
- On August 16 Bishop Rosa Chavez expressed the concern of the
- Church, raising three questions: "How much of the violence is
- due to the culture of violence ... how much is provoked to
- sabotage the peace process ... and how much is intended to
- create a propitious climate for a dirty war? This demands a
- serious response," he concluded. (45)
-
-
-
-
-
-
- "The Commission does not have limits of any kind, or a list of
- cases."
- Patricia Valdez, Truth Commission Director (46)
-
- On August 10 the Truth Commission opened its doors to the
- public to receive denunciations of human rights violations
- committed from 1980 to July, 1991, when the ONUSAL mission
- was installed. Director Patricia Valdez said the Commission is
- available "so that each person who has suffered, or who knows
- others who have suffered, can come forward ... to help make
- the truth known." Valdez said the Commission has already
- received a "significant" amount of information and "every case
- deserves support and interest." The success of the
- Commission, she explained, "will depend on the collaboration
- of the Salvadoran people." (47) The three members of the
- Commission will return to the country on August 17 for
- another brief visit.
-
- Meanwhile, the Ad-Hoc Commission is nearing the end of its
- mandate, scheduled for August 19. Human rights organizations
- are demanding an extension, and the Commission members have
- officially asked the FMLN, government and the United Nations
- for another month in which to complete their work. The FMLN
- apparently agreed, but as of August 14, the government had not
- responded. Abraham Rodriguez has been out of the country, but
- Eduardo Molina and Dr. Galindo Pohl have continued
- interviewing up to fourteen officers a day, including Saturdays
- and Sundays. (48)
-
- Felix Ulloa of IEJES expressed support for the work of both
- commissions but demanded that the Truth Commission not be
- "pressured" to establish a symmetry between the "systematic
- violations" of the Armed Forces and the "isolated" violations of
- the FMLN. Ulloa cited the "Index to Accountability" elaborated
- by Los Angeles-based El Rescate which includes documentation
- charging General Juan Orlando Zepeda with responsibility for
- 571 violations. "As commander-in-charge of the material
- authors," said Ulloa, "Zepeda could have prevented the deaths
- or torture of hundreds of people." (49)
-
-
- "Truth and justice have been served for the 'straw men.'"
- Jesuit Provincial Jose Maria Tojeira (50)
-
-
- The Ad-Hoc Commission has received the names of thirty
- officers implicated in the Jesuit case, and Jose Maria Tojeira
- announced that a pardon may be requested for the two
- convicted officers. Tojeira said those "most responsible" for
- the assassinations have not been accused: "The two in prison
- are paying for others who have more responsibility, who gave
- the order." A request for pardons of Colonel Guillermo
- Benavides and Lt. Yusshy Mendoza will be presented to the
- Assembly when the Truth Commission finishes its
- investigation, according to Tojeira, who added that the army
- can find the intellectual authors "if it wishes ... and if not, the
- crime should be considered institutional." (51)
-
-
- "If I find myself in a critical situation, I am going to steal."
- Ex-National Guardsman Gonzalo Alas (52)
-
- "Yesterday we served the Armed Forces, today they turn their
- backs on us."
- Ex-members of the Armed Forces (53)
-
-
- Former members of the army and security forces have been
- increasingly active in demanding indemnities and assistance
- programs. Members of the "Organization Integrated by
- Demobilized Members of the Armed Forces," (OIDEFA), said they
- will demonstrate publicly if they do not receive compensation.
- One ex-National Guardsman warned he would not hesitate to
- resort to crime if necessary in order to provide for himself
- and his family. (54)
-
- On August 12 disabled Army veterans held a demonstration in
- front of the Ilopango Air Force Base to demand indemnities and
- to denounce "abuse of authority" by Air Force Commander
- Hector Lovo. According to the ex-soldiers, Lovo ordered the
- eviction of their families from a farm in La Paz which he
- purchased for himself despite the fact that the land had
- previously been designated for war-disabled soldiers. (55) Ex-
- soldier Jose Antonio Guatemala told the press he was
- discharged three months ago after nine years active duty in the
- DMIFA and has not received any compensation. (56)
-
- Dr. Oscar Santamaria responded the following day, saying the
- government would provide assistance to veterans "as soon as
- possible." (57) Asked about the possibility of former soldiers
- and security force members resorting to crime, General Juan
- Orlando Zepeda contended that the "patriotic formation" they
- received while on active-duty would prevent them from
- becoming criminals. "We haven't taught anyone to steal because
- they are hungry," he said. "We trust that the formative aspects
- and values ... will be stronger than these economic
- motivations." General Zepeda asked ex-soldiers to be "patient
- and not demand what the government cannot immediately
- provide." (58)
-
- On August 16, members of ALFAES (Association of War-
- Disabled of the Armed Forces) announced a march and
- demonstration on August 27 which will include the
- participation of disabled former FMLN combatants and
- members of the civilian population. ALFAES will also present
- legislative proposals to COPAZ and the Assembly this week.
- (59)
-
- The 268 FMLN war-disabled who returned from Cuba last month
- also protested the lack of assistance programs. "We haven't
- received anything," said a member of ASALDIG, "no food, health
- care, education or housing." (60) Meanwhile, a controversy
- erupted over the apparent refusal of the government to allow
- another 34 ex-combatants to return from Cuba this week
- aboard a Cuban plane. According to government officials, the
- documentation of the ex-combatants is not in order. (61)
-
-
- SOURCES: 1. EL MUNDO, 8/14/92; 2. DIARIO DE HOY, 8/14/92; 3.
- EL MUNDO, 8/13/92; 4. DIARIO LATINO, 8/10/92; 5. TV 12,
- 8/10/92; 6. DIARIO LATINO, 8/10/92; 7. TV 12, 8/13/92; 8.
- Radio Venceremos, 8/13/92; 9. TV 12, 8/13/92; 10. TCS,
- 8/12/92; 11. LA PRENSA GRAFICA, 8/12/92; 12. Radio YSU,
- 8/12/92; 13. DIARIO LATINO, 8/13/92; 14. IBID.; 15. IBID.; 16.
- TV 12, 8/14/92; 17. IBID.; 18. TV 12, 8/10/92; 19. TV 12,
- 8/14/92; 20. IBID.; 21. Radio Venceremos, 8/13/92; 22. IBID.;
- 23. TV 12, 8/13/92; 24. Radio Venceremos, 8/13/92; 25.
- DIARIO DE HOY, 8/15/92; 26. IBID.; 27. Radio YSU, 8/17/92; 28.
- INSISTEM, 8/12/92; 29. IBID.; 30. IBID.; 31. IBID.; 32. LA
- PRENSA GRAFICA, 8/13/92; 33. DIARIO LATINO, 8/10/92; 34.
- TV 12, 8/11/92; 35. DIARIO LATINO, 8/10/92; 36. TV 12,
- 8/11/92; 37. Radio YSFF, 8/13/92; 38. DIARIO LATINO,
- 8/14/92; 39. DIARIO LATINO, 8/13/92; 40. Radio YSFF,
- 8/10/92; 41. Interview, 8/12/92; 42. TV 6, 8/12/92; 43.
- NotiMundo, 8/13/92; 44. TV 12, 8/13/92; 45. TV 12, 8/16/92;
- 46. TV 12, 8/10/92; 47. IBID.; 48. Interview, 8/14/92; 49. TV
- 12, 8/13/92; 50. EL MUNDO, 8/14/92; 51. TCS, 8/11/92; 52. TV
- 12, 8/13/92; 53. TV 12, 8/12/92; 54. TV 12, 8/13/92; 55.
- Radio YSFF, 8/12/92; 56. Radio YSU, 8/12/92; 57. TV 12,
- 8/13/92; 58. IBID.; 59. TV 12, 8/16/92; 60. TV 12, 8/14/92;
- 51. NotiMundo, 8/13/92.
-
-
- Copyright 1992, El Rescate Human Rights Department. This
- report may be quoted and partially reprinted on condition that
- El Rescate be cited as the source.
-
-
- _________________________________________________
- ____
-
- "The FMLN Flies In With Peace"
-
- A new 30 minute video - raw and exciting !
- (available in English or Spanish)
-
- A historic moment captured for you on video!
- See the events at the start of the ceasefire in El Salvador this
- year. Get a behind-the-scenes look at
- Ferman Cienfuegos...Schafik Handal...Roberto Roca...Joaquin
- Villalobos...Leonel Gonzales and many more of the leadership of
- the FMLN as they fly to San Salvador on the Mexican
- presidential jet the day before the February 1st ceasefire.
- This unique video captures -
- *the excitement on that historic flight, including interviews..
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- *All sides of the conflict sitting down together at the
- inauguration
- of COPAZ, the Commission for the Consolidation of Peace,
- including highlights of Villalobos' and other's speeches.
- *The huge crowds at the Plaza Civica when the FMLN leaders
- and
- some of their troops celebrate the beginning of peace on
- February 1st 1992.
-
- To buy this unique and historic video make a $20 check out to
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- 213 387-3284
-
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-
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-
- ** End of text from cdp:reg.elsalvador **
-
-