we denounce complete comunique- complete comunique

WE DENOUNCE
COMPLETE COMUNIQUE- COMPLETE COMUNIQUE-COMPLETE
CRIPDES AND THE BELOW SIGNING ORGANIZATIONS, TO THE NATIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL
COMMUNITY, WITH MUCH WORRY AND INDIGNATION DENOUNCE:
THE FACTS:
On the 2nd of July the President of the Republic had programmed the launch of the National Policy for
Decentralization and the inauguration of a water project with the presence of mayors, governors, and
diplomats at the San Juan Recreational Center in Suchitoto. Occasion on which various social and
community organizations had programmed a day of peaceful protest motivated by two main reasons:
a) On that day precisely was the first anniversary of the brutal political assassination of Juanita Monjarás
de Manzanares and Francisco Manzanares, that took place in Suchitoto the 2nd of July, 2006; which
continues in total impunity and of which this community and several organizations had commemorated
on June 30th in a public festival.
b) The approach towards decentralization that was to be inaugurated, is without a doubt, an open door
to privatize water at a national level. Already on other occasions previous projects of privatization have
masqueraded under legal frameworks. And is a reason for the loss of trust that the people have had in
government proposals.
That 2nd of July, there was a numerous group of people in Suchitoto's central plaza and there were
other groups on the surrounding streets and highway; at the turn off for Ciudadela Guillermo Ungo, on
the highway that goes to Suchitoto, the UMO (Order Maintenance Unit) of the PNC (National Civil
Police) shot rubber bullets and tear gas at a group of people who had to flee through the brush in
groups. As if this weren't enough, the Order Maintenance Unit along with the GRP (Police Reaction
Group) besieged and chased them through land and air, for more that 4 hours. The whole operation was
accompanied by a strong military contingent that also used tanks.
The families that live in these communities were affected by the tear gas and the children had to be
evacuated from there schools for the same reason. This only makes us relive the worst moments of the
"guindas" during the period of armed conflict, with the only difference being that today the repressors are
now the agents of the PNC, institution born out of the Peace Agreements and not the feared FA (Armed
Forces) of the 80's.
At the same time, a patrol vehicle of the PNC crossed in front of a vehicle of CRIPDES, at the entrance
to the town, detaining 4 people that were inside the vehicle that were going to attend the demonstration.
At the moment there was knowledge of the detentions, a group of people that was in the plaza went to
the entrance of Barrio de La Cruz to ask for their release, also intervening by petition of the townspeople
was the vicar of the community; the PNC said that they would enter negotiations to draw up the legal
documents for their release, but, without notice members of UMO, making use of violence and
mistreatment, including the assault of the vicar's assistant, inhibiting a peaceful resolution of the
incident.
In the meantime, the president, arrived at the San Juan Recreational Center, and although he was
unable to carry out the intended program, he did make an act of presence at the scene, despite the
peaceful protest of women’s organizations taking place from the aisle in front and from a few boats, the
official activity was not affected because the violent events were taking place 2 kms from the activity
because of the evident provocation of the PNC; the UMO attacked the participants of the pacific protest
taking place, and inflicted disproportionate force blocking any possibility of dialogue or intermediation.
As a result there have been more than 25 people injured with rubber bullets, 18 people gravely affected
from tear gas; 14 people detained and accused by the prosecutor for acts of terrorism, aggravated
damage and injuries. The names of the people detained are: Marta Lorena Araujo Martínez, Facundo
Dolores García, Manuel Antonio Rodríguez Escalante, Rosa María Centeno Valle, Héctor Antonio
Ventura Vásquez, María Aydee Chicas Sorto, Sandra Isabel Guatemala, José Ever Fuentes, Patricio
Valladares Aquino, Clemente Guevara Batres, Santos Noel Mancía Ramírez, Marta Yanira Méndez,
Beatriz Eugenia Nuila y Vicente Vásquez.
The detained were transferred by helicopter to Cojutepeque, and during the flight were psychologically
tortured by the threat of being dropped from the helicopter.
The detained were placed under the charge of the Cojutepeque judge, and held originally in Santa Cruz
Analquito both, departments of Cuscatlán. At the present they are being detained in Cojutepeque for a
maximum period of 72 hours mandated by law.
A hearing will take place on Thursday to determine if they are to be released or if they are to be put on
trial. The conditions of the detained are inhumane, they are suffering from overcrowding, lack of hygienic
conditions, no privacy for physiological necessities, the men are sharing cells with common prisoners,
men and women are only allowed twice a day to go to the bathroom (at 5am and 5pm).
One of the detainees is suffering from health problems and has been transferred to a hospital due to
beatings inflicted on him during his detention and has been vomiting blood. A second person is suffering
from burns from the gas and a third is struggling with serious emotional breakdowns. They can be visited
at the discretion of the PNC, one hour a day.
Once again, just as last year, the people are mourning and are outraged because of the lack of justice in
our country; pacific demonstrations are repressed, there is repression of people that make use of their
legitimate and constitutional freedoms and express their discontent with public policies and the lack of
commitment from public officials to seek the truth behind such serious cases like the Manzanares family,
and because of their insistence on continuing to polarize the country.
We reiterate our conviction that both the Antiterrorist Law and the Organized Crime Law are
unconstitutional.
Therefore we DEMAND:
1. The immediate release of the detained; the respect for their physical and moral integrity, and also to
guarantee the constitutional due process.
2. Honor and heed the Constitution and therefore all civil liberties that are consecrated, freedom of
expression, of reunion, of association and freedom of movement, these are inalienable rights of the
people, and the social expressions that took place in Suchitoto these were not more then the legitimate
exercise of constitutional freedoms.
3. Evidence of concrete actions that honor and heed the Constitution and the Rule of Law, allowing the
intentionality of the State to function without interference. The FGR, the PNC and the Judiciary system
should submit exclusively to the mandates of the Constitution and Constitutional laws.
4. Respect towards the independence of the Judiciary, which is a guarantee of the people to have
access to justice and a responsibility for those who uphold the law. In this sense we demand from the
Supreme Court of Justice consistency and respect to the Judiciary and the obligation it has to the
Separation of Powers.
5. The responsibility from mass media to inform with professionalism and ethics; it’s their civic duty to
communicate with truth the facts, without intentional manipulation.
We make an urgent call to the international community, to the various public and private expressions of
Salvadorian society and to the public in general to demand and pronounce itself for:
The immediate release of the detained.
The cessation of the media and police campaign of intimidation towards the population that is intent on
criminalizing citizen protest.
For the United Nations and the Group of Countries Fiends of the Peace Agreements to verify the current
state of fulfillment of the Peace Agreements signed in 1992, the responsibility assumed by these entities
during the conflict and post conflict period, demands from them the indubitable responsibility of
monitoring the achievements attained.
For the United Nations to launch an independent and impartial investigation on the events occurring in El
Salvador; specifically to those that are putting at risk the political stability and construction of a
democratic regime. It is dire to the stability of the country that the expressions of legal and legitimate
social discontentment are being linked and seen as delinquent acts with clear electoral interests.
The below singing organizations claim the right of the people to publicly manifest themselves in making
legitimate use of their constitutional rights. Whatever restriction to the free exercise of those rights must
be interpreted as a grave violation of fundamental Human Rights and a step backward towards the
democratization process that was launched with the signing of the Peace Agreements.
San Salvador, 4 de julio de 2007
Acción por la Salud en El Salvador, APSAL.
Alianza Ciudadana contra la Privatización de la Salud.
Asociación para la Salud y el Servicio Social Intercomunal en El Salvador, APSIES.
Asociación de Capacitación e Investigación para la Salud Mental, ACISAM.
Asociación Coordinadora para el Desarrollo Comunal, CCM.
Asociación Coordinadora de Comunidades Unidas de Usulután, COMUS
Asociación de Capacitación e Investigación para la Salud Mental, ACISAM.
Asociación de Humanistas de El Salvador, AHES.
Asociación de Mujeres Rurales. AMR
Asociación Movimiento Salvadoreño de Mujeres, MSM.
Asociación de Promotores Comunales Salvadoreños, APROCSAL.
Asociación de Proyectos Comunales de El Salvador, PROCOMES.
Asociación Nuevo Amanecer de El Salvador, ENAES.
Asociación para la Autodeterminación de las Mujeres Salvadoreñas, AMS.
Asociación Para el Desarrollo de la Mujer Rural, ADEMUR.
Asociación PROBIDAD.
Asociación Probúsqueda de niños y niñas desaparecidos de El Salvador.
Asociación Salvadoreña de Ayuda Humanitaria, PRO-VIDA
Asociación Salvadoreña para el Desarrollo Local y la Democracia, FUNDASPAD.
Asociación Mujeres por la Dignidad y la Vida, LAS DIGNAS.
Asociación para el Desarrollo de El Salvador, CRIPDES.
Biblistas Populares, BIPO
Centro de Estudios e Investigaciones Jurídicas de El Salvador, CEIJES.
Centro de Promoción de Derechos Humanos Madeleine Lagadec, CPDH.
Concertación Comunal de El Salvador, CODESAL.
Concertación de Comunidades de Oriente, CODECO.
Concertación de Mujeres.
Concertación Feminista Prudencia Ayala, CFPA.
Comité de Familiares de Víctimas de Violaciones a los Derechos Humanos
“Marianela García Villas”, CODEFAM.
Comisión de Derechos Humanos de El Salvador. CDHES.
Comité Nacional de Mujeres Cooperativistas en CONFRAS
Comité Nacional Monseñor Romero.
Comunidades Eclesiales de Base de El Salvador, CEBES
Comunidad de la Cripta de Catedral.
Coordinadora de Organizaciones para el Desarrollo Económico y Social, CODES.
Coordinadora Ecuménica de la Iglesia de los Pobres, CEIPES
Coordinadora Nacional de la Mujer Salvadoreña, CONAMUS.
Consejo Coordinador de Concertación Comunal, CCCC.
Corporación de Comunidades por la Paz y la Solidaridad, CORDECOM.
Espacio Ecuménico de Iglesias.
Equipo Maíz
Federación de Asociaciones y Sindicatos Independientes de El Salvador, FEASIES.
Federación Sindical de El Salvador, FESS
Frente Sindical Salvadoreño, FSS.
Foro para la Defensa de la Constitución. FDC
Fundación de Estudios para la Aplicación del Derecho, FESPAD.
Fundación Hermano Mercedes Ruiz, FUNDAHMER
Fundación Maquilishuat, FUMA.
Fundación Salvadoreña para la Reconstrucción y el Desarrollo, REDES.
Fundación para el Desarrollo de la Mujer y la Sociedad, FUNDEMUSA.
Fundación Salvadoreña para la Reconstrucción y el Desarrollo, REDES.
Fundación Segundo Montes.
Iglesia Bautista Enmanuel de El Salvador, IBE.
Iglesia Luterana.
Instituto de Estudios de la Mujer Norma Virginia Guirola de Herrera, CEMUJER.
Instituto de Investigación y Capacitación de la Mujer, IMU.
Llamado a la Acción Contra la Pobreza-ES
Mesa de Mujeres Campesinas.
Mesa Permanente Para La Gestión del Riesgos, MPGR.
Mesa Sindical de Trabajadoras y Trabajadores de Maquila.
Movimiento Comunal Salvadoreño, MCS.
Movimiento de Mujeres Mélida Anaya Montes, MAN.
Movimiento Popular de Resistencia 12 de Octubre, MPR-12
Movimiento Unificado Francisco Sánchez, MUFRAS-32.
Organización de Trabajadoras del Sexo, OTS.
Sínodo Luterano.
Sindicato de Empresa de trabajadores de ANDA, SETA.
Sindicato de Trabajadores del INPEP, SITINPEP.
Tutela Legal del Arzobispado, TLA.
Unidad Ecológica Salvadoreña, UNES.