From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: Proceso 532: Popular Movement
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Thu, 15 Oct 1992 21:10:01 GMT

/** reg.elsalvador: 133.0 **/
** Topic: Proceso 532: Popular Movement **
** Written 12:12 pm  Oct 15, 1992 by cidai@huracan.cr in cdp:reg.elsalvador **
From: cidai@huracan.cr (Centro de Informacion Documentacion y Apoyo a la Invest. - UCAJSC)
Subject: Proceso 532: Popular Movement

Center for Information, Documentation and Research Support (CIDAI)
Central American University (UCA)
San Salvador, El Salvador
 
PROCESO 532
September 30, 1992
 
POPULAR MOVEMENT:
Double celebration on Independence Day
 
     The Forum for Economic and Social Consensus-Building has
finally begun to function with the participation of all three
sectors: labor, government and business. According to the
Intergremial labor coalition, in a statement published on September
18, the Forum's internal rules have already been drawn up, regular
meetings have been established, and it has been agreed that the
first agenda point will be a discussion of measures aimed an
economic and social stability.
     Although the chances of reaching concrete agreements among the
government, labor and big business appear better than ever, there
are some signs that the road toward national consensus will be a
rocky one. The double celebration on September 15, Independence
Day, is one incident which shows how far we are from harmonious
coexistence.
     Two simultaneous activities were organized on the 15th: one by
the government, and one by the social and political opposition. The
government held its usual parade of schoolchildren down to Plaza
Libertad. The opposition held a march and rally.
     The double celebration was due not only to differing concepts
about how to commemorate the date, but also to different motives
and goals for mobilizing human resources at that moment. The
opposition march was a forum to denounce increases in the cost of
living resulting from the economic measures decreed on September 1,
including the Value-Added Tax (VAT), higher electricity, fuel and
water rates, and higher transportation fares. President Cristiani,
for his part, used the moment to call on the nation to "accept,
with a patriotic spirit, the cost we must all pay for national
reconstruction." The call was repeated over a nationwide television
and radio broadcast on September 20.
     The opposition march included the Intergremial and some
political parties, including the Christian Democrats, Democratic
Convergence, National Revolutionary Movement and the FMLN. They all
appeared united in protesting the government's economic measures.
These, besides currently representing the principal source of
popular discontent, are the principal strategic targets of both the
popular movement and the opposition political parties.
     The march proceeded normally, and was labeled peaceful by even
the morning dailies, which tend to write them off as a bunch of
agitators. The government, however, did not show any signs of good
faith. On the contrary: it once again sent the riot police into the
streets in order to block the progress of the march. Some
disturbances were registered as a result.
     The march was forced to change its route on two occasions. It
first had to let the Armed Forces parade go by, then had to wend
its way around two military trucks blocking access to Parque
Bolivar. Furthermore, some altercations between demonstrators and
soldiers were registered. One occurred during the second route
change, and the other along the north side of the National Palace,
when youths allegedly belonging to gangs began to throw stones at
the riot police. The march later broke up without further
incidents.
     The speeches, attitudes and current priorities of the nation's
key social and political protagonists appear to be much more than
different -in fact, diametrically opposed- as seen in the double
celebration on September 15. But this lack of coincidence, and the
need for negotiations and consensus-building, is a fact already
well-established in El Salvador, ever since the need to create a
Forum for Consensus-Building was agreed upon. What is troubling,
though, is the absence of attitudes necessary for consensus-
building. If the government persists in setting its riot police on
peaceful opposition marches, it is because it is still far from
"developing constructive debate around public affairs," as
President Cristiani claimed to be doing in his Independence Day
speech.
 

** End of text from cdp:reg.elsalvador **

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