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July 7th, 2005
Hunger Strikers Abandon Cathedral, Place
Hopes in the National Assembly
Eight laid off government workers who went on a
36-day hunger strike and subsequently occupied the National Cathedral
for nearly a week abandoned the Cathedral today citing new hope
that a favorable solution may soon be reached.
At the urging of their doctors and Human
Rights Ombudsperson Beatrice de Carrillo,
the workers ended the hunger strike last Friday. The workers then
peacefully entered the National Cathedral and closed its doors,
calling upon Archbishop Sáenz La Calle to intervene and arrange
a meeting with President Saca. The day after the taking of the Cathedral,
José Roberto López, who has acted as spokesperson
for the workers, said: “Seeing the lack of a response from
the government and that our lives were at risk, we had to give in
to her [de Carrillo] but also take another action.”
“We know that many people do not agree with
this method, but the vast majority do since it is a way of applying
pressure, more than anything on the Catholic Church which up until
yesterday had played a very passive role even when we had asked
for their mediation.” López added: “We have always
believed in the power of the Catholic Church.”
Yesterday, de Carrillo and a representative of the
Catholic Church presented to
the Governing Board of the Legislative Assembly a
request for a decree regarding
the severance pay of 114 prison and postal workers who were laid
off by the Ministry of Governance.
Richard Antal, the Archbishop's representative,
said it was necessary that a favorable resolution to the problem
with the protestors be reached, though he said he was not in agreement
with the occupation of the Cathedral as a means of protest.
López says the workers are confident that
the representatives will take into account the request of the Human
Rights Office and the Catholic Church to pass a measure on the workers’
severance pay. “We were here (in the Cathedral) so the Archbishop
would take a stronger role in our dilemma. We are thankful for the
support of the Archbishop and now we are leaving the Cathedral.
I hope the Assembly approves the law… otherwise they will
see us out in the streets again fighting for our rights,”
he said.
William Huezo, president of the General Association of Public and
Municipal Employees (AGEPYM) summed up the organization’s
overall goals. “It’s time the Salvadoran people wake
up… public employees have great uncertainty and great risk
under the current contracting system… that’s why we
and other organizations are working together on an offensive to
eradicate this system.”
The 114 government workers were laid off six months
ago, and they still have not received their severance pay. Workers
were forced to choose between signing a six-month contract—which
may or not be renewable and does not accumulate severance pay—or
losing their jobs.
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