El Salvador Weekly News and Analysis
Oct. 30-Nov. 6, 2006
In this edition:
1) Human Rights Congress Honors the Memory of Herbert Anaya
2) Ambassador Makes a Splash with Speech
3) Doctor's Strike Enters Second Week
4) 27 Families in Santa Marta, Cabañas Face Eviction Threat
Human Rights Congress Honors the Memory of Herbert Anaya
October 26, 2006 marked El Salvador's Day of the Human Rights Activist and the nineteenth anniversary of the assassination of Herbert Anaya Sanabria. Students, human rights organizations and Herbert's relatives gathered for a two day conference that addressed human rights defense in the context of weak governmental institutions and the government's submission to the United States and international lending institutions, among other external powers
Speakers included national human rights specialists, economists, lawyers, legislators, a journalist, university faculty, an environmentalist and a civil society movement representative, as well as international representatives from the Civil Council of Popular and Indigenous Organizations of Honduras (COPINH), the University of San Francisco , the Venezuelan embassy and the National Experimental University of Yaracuy, Venezuela.
Herbert Anaya was murdered by members of a death squad in the parking lot outside of his home as he prepared to take his children to school. He made a brave commitment to justice and truth by assuming the Presidency of the Non-governmental Human Rights Commission of El Salvador knowing that several co-workers had been murdered and after his own capture and torture by Treasury Police.
Herbert stated, "The concern of not working for justice is stronger than the certain probability of my death, the latter is no more than an instant, the other constitutes the totality of my life."
Participants at the event celebrated Herbert's life and work through song and showed a new documentary on his life and work. His oldest daughter, Rosa, read a reflection in which she confessed that her greatest fear is the apathy and inaction of society in defending human rights today:
"We build peace here and now, and we can't wait for anyone else to do it, we must make the decision not to lose hope, I am afraid I can't make you see that for real changes to exist in this country and in the world we don't need Herbert, nor Shafik, nor X political party, nor a Monsignor, nor guns…what we need are you and your decision to struggle."
The Anaya family presented its annual award in Herbert's name to individuals who have shown outstanding dedication to the defense of Human Rights in El Salvador and internationally. This year three awards were given: one to Rufina Amaya, survivor of the massacre at El Mozote, and an in memoriam award to Shafik Handa was received by his wife Tania Bichkova. A third award was bestowed to Jennifer Harbury, a US-based human rights lawyer working to end torture. Harbury was previously married to Guatemalan URNG commander, Everardo, who was disappeared in 1992.
Ambassador Makes a Splash with Speech
US Ambassador to El Salvador Douglas Barclay gave a well publicized speech at an event hosted by private business think tank, FUSADES. In his speech, Barclay implored Salvadorans to fight crime and violence because of its economic repercussions for the country.
While Barclay pointed out that all citizens have a right to feel safe in their homes and in public, he sited more arrests of violent criminals as one of the remedies necessary to combat crime. He did not mention that mass arrests of gang members in El Salvador have been highly ineffective. Barclay also mentioned the need to improve tax collection, to fight government corruption, and for citizens to pressure their representatives for change.
Barclay closed his speech on an enthusiastic note, "You can reap the benefits of a free political system and a free economy. So just do it."
Barclay's speech exacted a variety of responses from different institutions. FMLN spokesman Sigfrido Reyes commented that he was satisfied with the majority of the ideas set forth by Barclay" and that "what the Ambassador has outlined is what we and various other sectors of civil society have been proposing, not only on the issue of security, but also on corruption and fiscal reform."
Human Rights Ombudswoman, Beatrice de Carrillo, stated that "in some ways, many of Barclay's affirmations have constantly been pointed out by the Human Rights Office, with the difference being that the Ambassador's central concern is the economic cost of crime, while for the Human Rights Office it is life and the security of the population."
Rafael Menjívar, of the Lutheran Church was curious to hear that "an Ambassador calls on the entire political class of the country and that in the act, does not recognize his responsibility when a large part of the problem has to do with the poor management of US policy towards poor and vulnerable countries."
In response to Barclay's apparent admonishment of the government's handling of public security, Governance Minister, Rene Figueroa remarked that "security is synonymous with development" and that "the US can contribute to the reduction of violence in the country, if it curbed the deportation of criminals."
Sources used:
http://sansalvador.usembassy.gov/eng/amb/speeches/2006/1017.html (Full speech in English)
http://www.diariocolatino.com/nacionales/detalles.asp?NewsID=14181
http://www.diariocolatino.com/nacionales/detalles.asp?NewsID=14256
http://archive.laprensa.com.sv/20061017/nacion/622047.asp
Doctor's Strike Enters Second Week
Doctors and nurses from El Salvador's union of social security hospital employees entered a second week of nationwide strikes. Doctors are on strike in 46 different public hospitals and clinics throughout El Salvador . The union's most significant demand is a $100 dollar/month raise. The average public health doctor earns about $275 per month.
The STISSS organized a national movement against healthcare privatization 2002 and 2003, which was marked by massive citizen participation in so-called "White Marches," where tens of thousands of Salvadorans wore white in solidarity with the scrubs used by public health employees. That movement eventually proved successful when the Salvadoran Legislative Assembly passed a law that reiterated Constitutional guarantees of the right to public healthcare.
Last week, riot police from the UMO (Order Maintenance Unit) occupied some hospitals after dislodging striking workers. In some cases, evicted doctors spilled into the streets and blocked traffic in protest. Most hospitals have maintained a skeleton crew of workers to assist in emergency cases and care for those patients who entered before the strike began. A recent 6-month strike of Nicaragua ’s public health doctors, which resulted in a 16.25% salary hike, ended in May.
27 Families in Santa Marta , Cabañas Face Eviction Threat
The community of Santa Marta in Cabañas issued an urgent public announcement last week regarding an eviction order for of 27 Santa Marta families handed down by a court in Sensuntepeque, Cabañas. The date for the eviction was to be October 26. Fortunately, representatives of Santa Marta were able to obtain a stay of eviction from the judge, which allowed the community to get an attorney to defend their case. A meeting has been schedule for December 15 to address the situation with María Beltrán, who has brought the case against the community.
According to the communications from Santa Marta , the land in question was purchased by the Santa Marta cooperative, La Cooperativa Nueva Heroica Santa Marta, in 1994 for $26,400 (231,000 colones) from Ms. Beltrán and Sigfredo Pleitez, with Mr. Pleitez holding power of attorney for Ms. Beltrán in the transaction. The Cooperative paid $132 in taxes to duly register their title of ownership with the government, which in their understanding resolved all legal questions, making the Cooperativa NH Santa Marta the sole, clear owner of the land. At no time since has any entity of government indicated any challenge or change to the community's legal ownership of the property.
This case was brought by Ms. Beltrán and her three attorneys, claiming that she did not agree to the 1994 sale and received none of the money. The Cooperative claims they completed all legal steps in the sales-purchase agreement upon paying for the land, and are the owners of the property.
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