Action

Wage peace!

Here are some websites (from Meighan) that will help you do that. Just click on the blue words to hop right to the website!

The Declaration of Peace website encourages people to schedule visits with their legislators to sign a Declaration of Peace. The website includes information and resources on how to conduct such a visit and other peace activities/events in which one can become involved.

The United for Peace and Justice website includes information on multiple topics, including track records on how legislators voted, texts of upcoming bills, cost to date of the Iraq War, and much more.

The Christian Peace Witness for Iraq website includes listings of peace vigils in September (including PSR’s vigil 9/20-9/21), tips on how to write effective letters to your legislators, and other resources.

The 100,000 People for Peace section of the United Church of Christ website focuses on a petition that the Rev. John H. Thomas, UCC president, will take to Washington, D.C. in October when he meets with legislators to seek an end to the Iraq War. You do not need to be a UCC member in order to sign the petition.

The Friends Committee on National Legislation website contains detailed information on specific bills, action alerts, tips on peaceful prevention of deadly conflict, and specifics on the following issues: civil liberties, conventional weapons, environment, federal budget, Iraq, Native Americans, nuclear disarmament, and torture, among others.

More of our recommendations, for general resources about peace, can be found at the Resources page of this blog.

 

 

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May 2007

Re: Anti-Terrorism Detentions in El Salvador

Hey Amigos from PSR. Noel here from Honduras. I got this email recently about some of the new anti-terroist laws in El Salvador. Please do what you can to send out letters regarding the detention of these human right activist, many of which I have worked with before during my internship year. Gracias

CRIPDES Leaders and other Peaceful Protesters Arrested and Held

 

Please Take Action! (See below for details) Dear Friends,

We are writing to update you on the arrests that we reported earlier this week. When a peaceful protest on July 2 was broken up by law enforcement officials, more than 25 people were injured by rubber bullets, 18 were severely affected by tear gas, and 14 people were detained and accused of public disorder and illicit association. (At left, one peaceful protester holds a sign that says “we want opportunities to work, we don’t want privatization” while riot police stand by on July 2.) The names of those arrested are as follows: CRIPDES National Directive Council President Marta Lorena Araujo Martínez, and Vice-President Rosa María Centeno Valle, CRIPDES journalist and photographer María Aydee Chicas Sorto, CRIPDES Motorist Manuel Antonio Rodríguez Escalante, Facundo Dolores García, Héctor Antonio Ventura Vásquez, Sandra Isabel Guatemala, José Ever Fuentes, Patricio Valladares Aquino, Clemente Guevara Batres, Santos Noel Mancía Ramírez, Marta Yanira Méndez, Beatriz Eugenia Nuila, and Vicente Vásquez. Some of these people who have been detained were transferred to Cojutepece, another city in Central El Salvador, by helicopter.

It is reported that on that journey those who were in the helicopter were subjected to psychological torture and threats that they would be thrown from the helicopter in mid air. Those being detained are living in overcrowded conditions with very poor hygiene, and do not have any privacy. The men are being held in a general place with all other offenders, which could prove to be a dangerous situation for them. Both men and women are only allowed to go to the restroom twice per day, once at 5am and again at 5 pm. In addition, one of the detainees was taken to the hospital after vomiting blood as a result of physical injuries inflicted during their arrest. Another individual is suffering from burns as well as severe emotional trauma.

As we write this, the detainees have been charged with acts of terrorism, aggravated assault, and defacing public property. This change in the charges against them gives the law enforcement system another 72 hours in which they can be held before their hearing. They are being transported from Cojutepece to San Salvador, where they will be held until Saturday at 8am. At that time, they will have a hearing before a special Judge for Terrorism. This court is separate from the central court system, and is located in the wealthy Escalon neighborhood in San Salvador. Already, some of the mainstream media are portraying the FMLN and some civil society groups that SHARE has close relationships with in a very negative light.

Please take action immediately to ask that these peaceful protesters are set free and not tried as terrorists! (See sample letters ready to fax below) As you may remember from our last communication, these happenings are taking place as a result of police intervention at a peaceful protest, one of the purposes of which was to call attention to violence against political activists. On July 2, many participants headed to Suchitoto in Central El Salvador to perform a peaceful protest that touched on many important issues. 1. The date July 2 marked the anniversary of the deaths of Francisco Manzanares and Juana Monjarás de Manzanares, parents of FMLN activist Mariposa. The Manzanares couple was killed in their home on July 2, 2006 and the characteristics of the murders?as well as of the death threats that preceded them–were typical of those utilized by death squads. The case has been left unsolved, and the protesters wanted to express their dissatisfaction with the lack of progress on this case. This was a follow up to a peaceful vigil that was held in the couple’s memory on June 30.2. President Tony Saca held a ceremony on July 2 to inaugurate a plan for decentralization of water in El Salvador. Many civil society organizations think that this is a step towards privatization of this valuable resource. These peaceful protests are an important part of expression in an open democratic society, and if true and lasting peace is to be built in El Salvador, they must be allowed to take place. International pressure is necessary immediately to ensure that these detainees are given fair treatment under the judicial system.

Please take action today! We ask that you send the Spanish version of the following letter to the three individuals listed below. Please send them by fax as soon as possible! Thank you for your commitment to an El Salvador that encourages peace through free expression!

English Version of the letter: July 5, 2007 With much worry, we have received the news of the capture of 14 members of social organizations and municipal workers, which has been tied to the recent arrest of Mario Belloso, who was accused by the National Civil Police of the murder of 2 police officers on July 5, 2006. We consider that these happenings could be considered aggressions against social organizations that protest against the climate of impunity and high cost of living in El Salvador. We think that one cannot be charged as a terrorist for making legitimate use of one’s right to mobilization, having an opinion, and expression. It also concerns us that the captured individuals are being processed under the application of the Antiterrorist Law, when they are not criminals.

This type of situation only contributes to heightened social polarization and is far from the spirit and letter of the negotiations and signing of the Peace Accords in El Salvador. As a function of these considerations, we consider it fundamental that the people who were arrested in Suchitoto on the 2^nd of July be released, and that their human rights be respected, especially those rights to freedom, security, and dignity. Sincerely,PLEASE ENTER YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE Spanish Version of the Letter: 5 de julio 2007

Hemos recibido con preocupación la noticia de la captura de 14 personas miembros de organizaciones sociales y trabajadores municipales que pretende vinculárseles con la reciente detención de Mario Belloso, acusado por la policía nacional civil del asesinato de 2 efectivos policiales el 5 de julio 2006.

Consideramos que estos hechos pueden tipificarse como agresiones contra organizaciones sociales que protestan por el clima de impunidad y alto costo de la vida en El Salvador. Pensamos que no puede acusárseles de terroristas a quienes hacen uso de sus legítimos derechos de movilización, opinión y expresión. Nos preocupa además que las personas capturadas sean procesadas aplicando la Ley Antiterrorista cuando no son criminales. Este tipo de situaciones solo contribuye al aumento de polarización social y dista del espíritu y letra consignados en las negociaciones y firma de los Acuerdos de Paz en El Salvador.

En función de estas consideraciones consideramos fundamental que las personas detenidas en el municipio de Suchitoto y sus alrededores el pasado 2 de julio sean puestas en libertad, así como también se les respete plenamente sus derechos humanos, especialmente los relativos al derecho a la libertad, la seguridad, la integridad y dignidad. Atentamente,PLEASE ENTER YOUR NAME AND ADDRESS HERE

Please send these letters to the following individuals via the fax numbers below:

1. Elías Antonio Saca, Presidente de la República de El Salvador (President of El Salvador)Fax: (503) 2243-7857 Or (503) 2243-9930 2. Ministro de Seguridad Publica y Justicia Rene Figueroa (Minister of Public Safety and Justice)c/o Elías Antonio Saca, Presidente de la República de El SalvadorFax: (503) 2243-7857 Or (503) 2243-9930 3. Dr. Agustín García Calderón, Presidente de la Corte Suprema de Justicia (President of the Supreme Court) Fax (503) 22439930 Or (503) 22437857 4. Lic. Félix Garrid Safie, Fiscal General de la Republica de El Salvador (Attorney General) Fax: 503 2249 8613