From: Andrew Lang <lang@igc.apc.org>
Subject: Press realese no.7
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: daemon@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: ?
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 1993 14:17:16 GMT

/* Written  4:40 pm  Jan 22, 1993 by codehuca@nicarao.apc.org in igc:carnet.alerts */
/* ---------- "Press realese no.7" ---------- */
PRESS RELEASE NO. 7
CODEHUCA

WHEN THE NIGHT IS NOT NIGHT ANYMORE? - AND THE MORNING HAS NOT COME
YET

Central America is going through a complex transition process.
Now, 5 years after the Esquipulas II agreement pacification and
democratization processes with different results and a few common
components have been developped.
A clear and permanent authority of the military institution over
the political systems in most Central American countries has passed
to a progressive debilitation of its control and direct power over
these systems. This phenomenon goes hand in hand with a
fortification of the civil society.
In countries like Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala this
transition has had as a backdrop - with different reach and depth -
especially in the dialogue and negociation between the governments
and the insurgent forces.
As is logical with such a complex phenomenon, it produced different
readings. Among them, we underline two: one we can qualify as
oficial, seen the fact that it largely synthesizes the consensual
vision of the governments of the region, and the other one can be
found in the popular movements and of Human Rights sectores of the
region.
The official one is caracterized by its overestimation of the real
advances made in the Central American political process.
There has been a spread of joy, proclaiming peace and that
democracy is the system that governs the region. The local and
international scenery has been saturated by these ideas.
The silence of guns has been planned - with scarce analysis since
then - like unequivocal signal of the arrival of a new age of peace
and democracy.
But things are not so clear at all. The real, hard, daily facts
tell a different history to most Central Americans, to their
organizations and those of human rights.
In many ways peace has not been reached. If we consider it in an
integral and extended way: peace as synonim of unlimited respect
for human rights; peace has never been so far away as in these
days, that governments in the region respect economic, social,
cultural, civil and political rights of the people. But even if we
were less demanding and define the concept less strict, we would
have to conclude that there still remains a possibility.
In Guatemala the war goes on. The economic and social situation is
getting worse and we cannot see at the horizon tangible results of
a dialogue and negociation process that relied on a limited and
calculated support of the militaries.
El Salvador, on the other hand, is in between hope and doubt. When
they reach a real depuration of the army and the true fulfillment
of the other accords in the Chapultepec Peace Accord, they will be
able to start elaborating a positive analysis that serves the
peace.
Three years after the humiliating military occupation, is it
possible to talk about peace in Panama? This only to mention three
cases.
Democracy. What is democracy?
If we look at it superficially and consider democracy as being the
same as electoral processes, we have to conclude today that there
is democracy in Central America. But if we are not conform with
this concept and delve into it a bit more we can sustain that
democracy is effective participation of mayorities in decisions
that influence their life, their destination, their rights; than
the situation changes. Than there still is a lot to do in this
region regarding democracy.
Therefore, we believe that it is wrong to affirm that an essential
component of the transition process is democracy. In some countries
it generated democratic forms that can be filled with contents or
left empty.
Impunity and intolerance, two elements that keep on dominating
Central American societies and that are reflected in thousands and
thousands of denunciations of human rights violations, received
yearly by our regional commission, and which point out the real
margen of democracy and peace; democracy and peace that the
governments of the isthmus proclaim to have.
With this reality, the different organizations who make up the
human rights movement in the region have to assume the commitment
to unite themselves and to coordinate their activities.
Division and lack of cooperation add up difficulties to an effort
that in itself is already titanic and complex.
The beautiful utopia of building a true democratic and pacific
Central America is a task for all people. The organizations that
struggle in different human rights areas, under different political
and socio-economic structures, can and have to join forces in all
areas.
CODEHUCA, with its 14 years of struggle and hope, offers the best
of itself in the necessary and broad effort for Central American
unity during these difficult years of doubt and transition.
  
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