Nine Student Protestors Followed and Brutally Arrested After Peaceful Protest
CISPES Update
February 2, 2007
More than a thousand students and members of youth organizations mobilized outside of the University of El Salvador on Wednesday in a protest against the Anti-Terrorism Law and to demand an increase in government spending on education, specifically for the public university. The youth marched peacefully to the Legislative Assembly where they called for the repeal of the law and for increased funding for education. They then marched to the Supreme Court to demand the court declare the legislation unconstitutional, since it defines legal means of protest as “terrorist” acts punishable with decades in prison.
Police presence during the protest was minimal, creating an image of the police as keeping order and looking out for the well-being of even the protesters. However, after the activity finished, police followed leaders of the youth organizations and coordinators of this protest to the surrounding municipalities where they live. There, the police arrested 9 of the youth including one minor. One youth leader was badly beaten before they were transferred to a police station in yet another municipality. The protesters are being charged with public disorder, carrying of weapons and resisting arrest. Those detained are still in police custody, with 2 lawyers handling the case. The youth organizations that coordinated the activity will be holding a press conference on Monday demanding the immediate release of the 9 captured. Social movement organizations are circulating electronic denouncements on the criminalization of youth protest and for the release of those arrested.
U.S. Officials Urged Application of Repressive Laws
Days before, outgoing U.S. ambassador Douglas Barclay applauded the ARENA government’s achievement of approving the Anti-Terrorism Law and the Law against Organized Crime. Barclay also urged government officials to apply these laws and to create more repressive laws – including authorization for domestic surveillance of phone calls – under the pretense of fighting crime. The new US ambassador to El Salvador , Charles Glazer, was officially accredited by President Saca behind closed doors Wednesday. There was also a public welcoming ceremony where Glazer expressed his enthusiasm to maintain and strengthen the good relations between both countries.
Additionally, U.S. intervention in Salvadoran politics was evidenced by the announcement of a bilateral agreement between the Attorney Generals Safie, from El Salvador , and U.S. Attourney General Alberto Gonzalez in a meeting held in Washington D.C. on January 26th. The agreement included the sharing of information between the agencies about those deported from the U.S. with any police records, although they were not clear about what this information will be used for. They also agreed that the U.S. would send three permanent anti-gang advisers to El Salvador . There will be a second meeting on February 5th between US and El Salvador Attorney Generals in El Salvador , this time with the participation of Honduras and Guatemala officials, to further discuss the operative mechanisms for the implementation of these joint projects. Salvadoran officials have also said that they want to sign more anti-crime agreements with the U.S. , but that that Gonzalez is asking that El Salvador change its penal code to include life sentences and the death penalty.
Government and Social Movement Present Contrasting Proposals on Water Administration
The president of the national water administration office, Cesar Funes, announced that the government’s National Water Law proposal that would lead toward privatization has been handed in to the President’s “Technical Secretary,” which is the final step before it will be presented to the Legislative Assembly for its approval. Water workers and other social organizations had days before presented their own proposal that would guarantee the equal and sustainable access to water for the people of El Salvador . Additionally, the water workers’ union has been holding regular public forums in municipalities around the country as a means of public consultation and to present their proposal. The focus of the union’s work has been to increase awareness of the water crisis in the country and promote organization as the solution for defense and demand of water as a basic human right.
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