From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive
Subject: EL RESCATE REPORT March 30-April 6, 1992
Date: 9 Apr 92 22:46:29 GMT
Article-I.D.: mont.1992Apr9.224629.11415
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Distribution: na
Organization: PACH
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu

/** reg.elsalvador: 191.0 **/
** Topic: REPORT FROM EL SALVADOR 3/30-4/6/9 **
** Written 11:04 am  Apr  8, 1992 by elrescate in cdp:reg.elsalvador **
EL RESCATE HUMAN RIGHTS DEPARTMENT
REPORT FROM EL SALVADOR
March 30-April 6, 1992

"Some sectors of the FMLN are trying to incite a climate of 
violence."
President Alfredo Cristiani (1)

"Strikes aren't the product of malignant minds ... They are the 
result of hunger, and we aren't responsible for that."
Joaquin Villalobos (2)

Labor unrest intensified this week. A series of strikes and work 
stoppages paralyzed the nation's schools, two government 
ministries, the country's largest public hospital and the 
municipal government of San Miguel. Demands included wage 
increases, additional personnel and concrete solutions to the 
crisis of Rosales Hospital. The labor movement also called for 
the immediate installation of the Social/Economic Forum, still 
boycotted by private enterprise. On March 30 ANEP President 
Camilo Bolanos claimed that statements he made in Washington 
indicating the willingness of the business community to 
participate in the Forum had been "misinterpreted." "We want 
concertacion," he declared, "but only in a legal framework ... and 
conditions of security for production still do not exist." (3) The 
ADOC shoe factory, which seven weeks earlier had closed its 
doors rather than permit the unionization of its work force, 
announced a "gradual" reopening: "with the positive collaboration 
of our good employees ... [this] will be a test to prove if 
conditions really exist in our country for business to work 
normally in peace and with security." (4)


"The strike is being orchestrated by terrorists of the FMLN."
ARENA Youth (5)

"Work stoppages cause vagrancy, disorder, irresponsibility. This 
is what the strike is teaching our children."
Ministry of Education television and radio campaign (6)

The largest teachers' strike in recent years began March 30 with 
95% of the country's 27,000 teachers participating in demands 
for salary increases, hiring of additional teachers, adequate 
school supplies and the return to the Ministry of Education of an 
installation occupied by the Atlacatl Battalion during the war.

President Cristiani and the Minister of Education denounced the 
action as illegal and accused the FMLN of being responsible. The 
President further charged the FMLN with "leading" student gangs. 
Citing "information" obtained by the government, Cristiani 
claimed that "sectors of the FMLN" were attempting to incite a 
climate of violence. (7) Salvador Samayoa called the charge 
"ridiculous," declaring: "President Cristiani should be more 
intelligent ... He has demonstrated that he has the capacity to be 
a statesman, he shouldn't lower himself to this kind of 
accusation." (8)

On March 30 ANDES and the FMS (Salvadoran Teachers' Front) 
announced that the strike would continue for five days and 
demanded to meet with the Minister of Education on the last day 
of the walk-out, April 3. As the strike gained momentum, 
Minister Cecilia Gallardo de Cano responded that she would not 
meet to negotiate unless the strike was called off. She insisted 
that salary increases were "impossible" and threatened not to 
pay any teachers participating in the walk-out. The Minister said 
the strike "violates the rights of children" and charged that the 
success of the action was due to pressure on the teachers from 
the FMLN: "They are using the teachers and schools for political 
ends." (9) The government mounted a massive public relations 
campaign on radio, television and in the press denouncing the 
strike.

On April 3 thousands of teachers from all departments of the 
country gathered in front of the Education Ministry to demand a 
meeting with the Minister. Jorge Villegas of ANDES said the 
success of the strike could facilitate negotiations. "We are 
waiting for a counter-proposal," he explained. "We have never 
said it's all or nothing." (10) Teachers returned to work on April 
6, the last week before the Easter holiday, in spite of the fact 
that the government had not responded. But Villegas warned of a 
prolonged strike at a later date unless the Ministry agrees to 
negotiate. One teacher interviewed during the demonstration said 
her salary was 1000 colones (about $125). "We can't survive on 
this," she exclaimed, "we are willing to continue the strike." (11)

"The government won't respond to absurd provocations," declared 
Vice- President Merino. "This political movement is part of the 
aspirations of the FMLN to block the peace process." (12) 
President Cristiani insisted the FMLN must "control" its 
"combatants and followers ... In a democratic system the people 
don't like to be pressured." (13)

Bishop Rosa Chavez, for his part, criticized the teachers' strike. 
"We understand that many of their demands are just," he said, 
"but we resist the treatment of children as though they are 
products of a factory. Every day of education lost is 
irreplaceable." (14)

Labor discontent in the public sector is not limited to education. 
In recent weeks, workers at the Ministry of Agriculture, the 
Ministry of Labor and the San Miguel City Hall have gone on 
strike. The government, however, has not given any sign that it is 
willing to negotiate. AGEMHA, representing Ministry of Treasury 
workers, and ASTTEL, the telecommunication workers' union, 
warn that they may also strike next week for wage increases and 
in solidarity with other unions.

Ruben Zamora said the "climate of confrontation" is the result of 
the refusal of private enterprise to participate in the Forum: 
"This has contributed to an increase in discontent." He criticized 
President Cristiani for "resorting to the old tactics of 
confrontation of the 60's and 70's. The solution, Zamora 
stressed, is the immediate installation of the Forum as a 
platform for the resolution of economic and social crises. (15)


"We are talking about human lives and about a sector which has 
not received fair and deserved attention or the minimum budget 
necessary."
Residents of Internal Medicine
Hospital Rosales (16)

"It's just a misunderstanding ... due to administrative problems."
Dr. Lisandro Vasquez Sosa
Minister of Health (17)

During the early years of the war the medical profession was hit 
hard by the repression; those accused of supporting the 
revolutionary movement were subject to disappearance or 
assassination. Since that time health care workers have been 
reluctant to organize or to protest the increasing deterioration 
of public health care and facilities.

This week twenty-four resident physicians at the nation's 
largest public hospital declared a partial work stoppage to 
protest the lack of medicines, equipment and supplies; 
insufficient personnel; and an inadequate budget. Doctors 
justified the action citing their frustration at the inability to 
provide care and the lack of response from the hospital 
administration and the Ministry of Health to the urgent needs of 
the facility. After four weeks of unsuccessful meetings between 
the doctors and government officials, on March 30 the residents 
announced they would suspend all outpatient services and only 
care for emergency patients. "We have thought a great deal about 
how to pressure," said one physician, "we do not think it should 
be necessary to take these measures, but we see no other 
alternative." (18) He said the hospital pharmacy had only 6 of the 
required 90 types of medicine on hand, "and what we have were 
donated by pharmaceutical companies because they are near 
expiration date." (19)

A Ministry of Health official responded that day that medicines 
are supplied to the hospital "based on demand." (20) The 
following day Minister Vasquez Sosa said he regretted the "lack 
of communication" with the resident doctors and insisted that 
the dispute was "just a misunderstanding due to administrative 
problems." (21)


"We are not demanding solutions for ourselves but for our 
patients."
Dr. Carlos Roberto Salinas (22)

"Health care is a luxury in El Salvador."
Television Reporter (23)

Hospital Rosales was built 100 years ago by the French 
Government and was considered a model facility for many years. 
It has never been remodeled, however, and walking through the 
front door is like stepping back a century. The national health 
budget was cut during the war, and of the millions invested in 
the country by AID only a small percentage was used for health 
care. Rosales is overcrowded to the point that two or three 
patients share a bed; there are no sheets unless provided by the 
patients' families. The daily food budget is 1.35 colones (about 
11 cents) for each patient and staff member. Three of the 
hospital's four x-ray machines don't work, and the fourth 
functions only sporadically. The hospital has no intensive care 
unit, and the equipment in the laboratory is obsolete. Although 
energy was rationed throughout the war, the hospital does not 
have a generator. On April 3 one resident reported that a 
seventy-year old patient died because the only respirator in the 
hospital did not work. "And even if it had worked, we don't have a 
generator to run the respirator, and there isn't any electricity," 
said the frustrated doctor. (24)

On April 2 the Democratic Convergence proposed an immediate 
supplement to the hospital's budget. Rosales received the same 
budgetary allowance during the years of war; that allowance was 
increased only slightly this year. A PDC deputy supporting the 
proposal said, "I hope these doctors aren't also going to be called 
an FMLN front group!" (25) The same day an ARENA deputy charged 
that the doctors were being "manipulated by the left, the CD." He 
said the strike was occurring "in the context of street agitation 
and teachers' strikes promoted by the left." (26)

Striking doctors reported on April 3 that they had been 
threatened with dismissal but promised to continue and warned 
that other hospitals might also go on strike if solutions were not 
found to the national health crisis. (27) Dr. Carlos Salinas denied 
that the strike was politically motivated: "We don't have any 
links to the left, and we're not being manipulated by anyone 
except the Ministry." (28) Without acknowledging the serious 
crisis of the health care system, Minister Vasquez Sosa pledged 
to resolve some problems but said, "There can't be any miracles." 
(29)

Bishop Rosa Chavez insisted that the Constitution required the 
government to care for the health of the population. "Hospital 
Rosales is a symbol that reflects the reality of health care in 
this country." (30)


"Is reconciliation simply hypocritical hugs and applause ... Or is 
it accepting that we have differences and learning to be 
tolerant?"
Joaquin Villalobos (31)

COPAZ focussed on the issue of reconciliation this week. A 
Sudanese ex-guerrilla, now a general in Sudan's military, was in 
the country sponsored by Moral Rearmament (an international 
organization that promotes reconciliation) to explain the 
Sudanese experience following the ten-year civil war that ended 
in 1972.

General Joseph Laugu visited FMLN and FAES concentrations and 
talked to legal authorities, government officials and politicians. 
He recommended that "concrete signs" of reconciliation be made 
between the two armies, "public expressions of good will" 
between commanders of both sides. In Sudan, General Laugu 
explained, guerrilla and army leaders visited all barracks and 
guerrilla camps together, talking and eating with the troops and 
combatants. "My recommendation is very simple," he said. "There 
must be friendship between the leaders of both sides." (32)

On April 1 both the FMLN and government presented reports to 
COPAZ on the reconciliation campaigns to date. The government 
spokesperson showed videotapes of seven government public 
relations advertisements promoting reconciliation and accused 
the FMLN of attacking the peace accords by promoting land 
occupations, strikes and work stoppages. (33) The FMLN 
presented a book of newspaper clippings to demonstrate what it 
described as the government "psychological campaign" and 
proposed that a reconciliation campaign be developed jointly by 
the government, FMLN and COPAZ. The premise of the campaign 
would be to promote "a culture of debate instead of the myth of 
unity ... pluralism instead of homogeneity ... the coexistence of 
different interests instead of the illusion of common interests." 
(34)

Joaquin Villalobos emphasized the necessity for tolerance. "If 
reconciliation begins from the point that we all think alike," he 
declared, "it is totalitarianism." Referring to the government 
campaign against the teachers' strike, Villalobos said the 
problem is that there are still people with a "troglodyte 
mentality ... Democracy means tolerance." (35)

In related news, on March 31 the National Police announced the 
discovery of a weapons cache in the former "Betania" refugee 
camp near Zaragoza, La Libertad. Nine automatic rifles, 
ammunition and military uniforms were allegedly hidden in the 
false ceiling of a building used as a child care center until 1987. 
Three persons were arrested including a former soldier who 
alleged that members of the FMLN "ordered" him to hide the 
weapons three months ago. (36)

President Cristiani, General Zepeda and Minister of Defense 
Ponce all cited the arms cache as evidence that the FMLN was 
concealing weapons. "We are certain a lot is hidden," charged 
General Ponce, "they have only presented a list of their scrap 
weapons to ONUSAL." (37)

Joaquin Villalobos and Leonel Gonzalez denied the weapons and 
equipment belong to the FMLN and insisted on an investigation of 
the case. "We are certain this is an operation of psychological 
warfare," said Salvador Samayoa, "to discredit the FMLN. It is 
completely absurd to think that the FMLN would force an ex-
soldier to hide weapons. We have been very clear that we are 
immersed in the peace process and that the war has ended." (38)


"The extreme right continues to be a danger for democracy and 
reconciliation."
President Alfredo Cristiani (39)

"We will respond with arms if necessary."
Raul Calvo, Society of Farmers and Ranchers (40)

In an interview published in Germany President Cristiani 
admitted the continuing danger posed by the extreme right but 
said it has only acted "on rare occasions" and usually with 
written threats "to sympathizers or members of the FMLN." (41)

Raul Calvo, the President of the Society of Farmers and 
Ranchers, called for the organization of self-defense groups this 
week "with arms if necessary." He accused the FMLN of 
continuing land occupations and extortion, declaring, "Our only 
recourse is to defend ourselves against common and political 
criminals." Calvo also charged that ONUSAL is "interfering in the 
internal affairs of the country," (42) and that "certain 
international organizations are only concerned about obtaining 
guarantees for the groups of the left." (43)

Ninety days after the signing of the Peace Agreement, the ultra-
right Cruzada Pro-Paz y Trabajo issued a statement saying the 
"euphoria ... has given way to good sense, reflection and reality." 
The Cruzada called on Salvadorans to demand that the President 
"respect the will of the people and the Constitution" and 
insisting that the Chapultepec Agreement was unconstitutional, 
described it as "just an instrument for the U.N ... which only 
obeys the interests of the 'new world order' and violates the 
national sovereignty ... No foreigner can give orders here." The 
Cruzada supports peace, continued the communique, "but this is 
not peace ... The people have been betrayed and deceived." (44)


"We are emerging from a long history of secrecy and 
persecution."
Schafik Handal (45)

On March 28 the Salvadoran Communist Party (PCS) celebrated 
its 62nd anniversary with a public assembly in the national 
fairgrounds, just across the street from the Military School. As 
participants arrived on busses from all over the country, many 
had difficulty finding the assembly and were directed by the 
National Police. Some 5000 persons attended the event including 
an official of the U.S. Embassy, who was applauded when 
introduced. "Maturity and tolerance are the signs of the time," 
commented one newspaper columnist. (46)

The first public event of the party during its long history 
coincided with the announcement that the UDN had formally 
separated from the PCS. The PCS will concentrate its efforts on 
building the FMLN political party while the UDN will maintain the 
space it has gained in the National Assembly.

The Democratic Convergence is suffering "serious differences 
and possible disintegration," according to Victor Valle of the 
MNR. The MNR believes MPSC leader Ruben Zamora has taken 
"personal advantage" of the CD; as one member explained, the 
problems began when Dr. Zamora became a member of the 
Executive Board of the National Assembly. An MPSC member 
responded that the departure of the MNR "is their problem" and 
said the CD will continue and expand to include "other parties 
looking for a change in the country." (47)

Roberto Viera of the PDC also criticized Dr. Zamora, calling him 
"an employee of Roberto Angulo (ARENA Deputy, President of the 
Assembly) who will later be an employee of Joaquin Villalobos." 
(48) Juan Jose Martell of the MPSC called for an end to the 
polemic with the PDC, which emerged last week during a 
procedural dispute in the Assembly. "We aren't the same," said 
Martell, "This kind of statement shows the difference, and it 
only favors ARENA." (49)

UDN Deputy Mario Aguinada Carranza said the problems are part 
of the process of the redefining the left internationally and the 
conversion of the FMLN. "Logically all this results in confusion 
about how to act in the new reality. There are contradictions, 
and this affects the process." (50)


Calendar of Implementation of the Peace Agreement

The separation of forces has not concluded and a date for final 
implementation has not been announced.

Deadlines Not Met:
* Separation of forces - March 2
* Dissolution of Treasury Police and National Guard; transfer to 
the army - March 2
* National Civil Police:
        Design of recruitment campaign - February 11
        Initiation of recruitment campaign - February 16
        Presentation by COPAZ of candidates for Director - 
February 21
        Designation of the Director by the President - March 2
        Design of aptitude test - March 2
        Integration of qualified panel to oversee exams - April 1
* Installation of Social/Economic Forum - February 15
* Creation of new state intelligence agency - March 2
        Designation of director of new intelligence agency - March 
17
        Initiate evaluation of personnel of old intelligence agency, 
the DNI - April 1
* Release of all political prisoners; 28 remain in prison - March 
2
* Presentation to Assembly of law to regulate private security 
guards and agencies - March 17
* Implementation of programs to facilitate the incorporation of 
ex-combatants - March 31
* Registration and location of all civil defense members - April 
1
* Presentation to the Assembly of the Law of Military Service 
and Reserves - April 1
* Presentation to the Assembly of laws to reform the judicial 
system - April 1
* Initiation of requests for state lands to ex-combatants and 
soldiers - April 1


NOTE: Due to the observance of Semana Santa in El Salvador, the 
next Report From El Salvador will not be issued until April 27; 
special news bulletins will be released if warranted by any 
change in the situation.

SOURCES: 1. TV 12, 3/30/92; 2. TV 6, 4/1/92; 3. TV 12, 3/30/92; 
4. DIARIO DE HOY, 4/2/92; 5. TV 12, 3/31/92; 6. TV 6, 4/1/92; 7. 
TV 12, 3/30/92; 8. TV 12, 4/2/92; 9. TV 6, 4/2/92; 10. TV 6, 
4/3/92; 11. TV 12, 4/2/92; 12. TV 12, 4/5/92; 13. IBID.; 14. 
Radio YSAX, 4/5/92; 15. TV 6, 4/2/92; 16. LA PRENSA GRAFICA, 
4/1/92; 17. TV 6, 3/31/92; 18. TV 12, 3/30/92; 19. IBID.; 20. 
IBID.; 21. TV 6, 3/31/92; 22. TV 12, 3/31/92; 23. TV 12, 
3/30/92; 24. TV 12, 4/3/92; 25. TV 12, 4/2/92; 26. DIARIO DE 
HOY, 4/3/92; 27. EL MUNDO, 4/3/92; 28. TV 12, 4/3/92; 29. IBID.; 
30. Radio YSAX, 4/5/92; 31. DIARIO LATINO, 4/1/92; 32. TV 12, 
3/30/92; 33. TV 6, 4/1/92; 34. DIARIO LATINO, 4/1/92; 35. TV 6, 
4/1/92; 36. TV 12, 3/31/92; 37. TV 12, 4/5/92; 38. TV 12, 
4/2/92; 39. DIARIO LATINO/IPS, 3/30/92; from DIE WELT; 40. TV 
12, 3/30/92; 41. DIARIO LATINO/IPS, 3/30/92; 42. TV 12, 
3/30/92; 43. DIARIO DE HOY, 3/31/92; 44. EL MUNDO, 4/2/92; 45. 
TV 12, 3/30/92; 46. DIARIO LATINO, 3/30/92; 47. EL MUNDO, 
3/31/92; 48. TV 12, 3/30/92; 49. TV 6, 3/30/92; 50. Radio YSU, 
4/1/92.

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.

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