Greetings From the Editor – José "Chencho" Alas

José Chencho Alas: Photo by Sarah McFarlane

It is the end of another year, and ITAMA has many accomplishments of which to be proud. Thank you for your contributions over the years to ITAMA and the peasants we serve. Your donations have been a key element for our growth and the well being of many people. We hope that you will continue with your generosity and add to that a special gift for the project to establish a Local Zone of Peace. Your contribution will serve one of the most cherished dreams of humanity, PEACE IN THE WORLD. We are creating new roots for peace and you can help this effort by sending a year-end donation.

El Salvador’s Local Zone of Peace: A Model for the World

For some people, peace means the absence of war, the silence of machine guns. Their definition of peace is a negative one. Last month, I visited the Coordinating Committee of the Local Zone of Peace that represents 109 villages and approximately 125,000 people in the Southern Region of Usulután, San Vicente, and San Miguel provinces. For many of these people, peace has a richer meaning; it has to do with the balanced growth of every aspect of their lives. Peace for them means the fulfillment of human rights for their communities, democratic security, the ability to resolve conflicts among themselves, and sustainable economic development achieved in harmony with nature.

My visit to the Zone of Peace last November had two objectives. First, I went to see how far they had come in the past two years in developing this dream of a Local Zone of Peace. The second objective was to organize the program for the march and official declaration of the Local Zone of Peace that will be held the fifth and sixth of August, 1998. (The date of the ceremony was originally set for March of 1998, but was postponed to allow more time for planning and outreach to international supporters).

On August 5, 1998 the Coordinating Committee has scheduled a march that will start in Zacatecoluca, the capital city of La Paz province and will end in Ciudad Romero, a new city formed after 1990, mainly by people who were living in Panama as refugees during the war. The distance between the two cities is 18 miles. It will take a whole walking day to march that distance. We have planned to start at 7:00 AM and end at 6:00 PM. (Transportation will be provided for those who are unable to march the entire distance). After the march there will be dinner for every one and a cultural evening with music, dance, poetry... until midnight. The next day, we plan to make the official DECLARATION of these 109 villages as a Local Zone of Peace, the first one in Central America, and perhaps, in Latin America.

The Local Zone of Peace: Why does it need your support?

• Supporting Community Organizers

The 20 community organizers who make up the Coordinating Committee for the Zone of Peace must take time out from their farming and other work to help develop peace in the region. Last month, at our meeting in Ciudad Romero, these leaders decided that the success of the project hinges upon broader community support. They will need to spend several days per month out in small neighboring villages promoting and explaining the Local Zone of Peace Project. ITAMA is sponsoring this work by providing a small stipend of $125 per month to these community leaders. Of course, they are the most important people for the success of the peace project.

• Using Liberation Theology to Teach about Peace

I have been asked by the Coordinating Committee to return to Ciudad Romero in March 1998 to give 8 workshops of 2 days each to the 200 representatives of the communities in the Local Zone of Peace. The workshops will focus upon human rights, democratic security and sustainable economic development, from a religious perspective. Of course, I will be inspired by Liberation Theology to sustain this task. The cost of this trip for me will be about $1500.

Creating a Local Newsletter The Coordinating Committee would like to publish a newsletter to use as an organizing tool. This is a significant task for these peasants to undertake, as this is a very isolated area with very little access to media, and a low literacy rate. Small groups of community members will help to edit the newsletter. We have had good experiences using such newsletters, such as during the 1970s when Archbishop Romero distributed "Justicia y Paz". It was a source of inspiration and "concientizacion" (awareness) about the reality for our people. The cost to print each newsletter will be $.20, and it will be distributed to at least 2000 people. Therefore, each issue will cost $400 to produce.

Map of El Salvador showing the location and extent of the Zone of Peace

• Facilitating International Communication

Organizing a project of this magnitude requires a great deal of both local and international communication. While much of this work can be done by e-mail, some telephone calls to the USA, Europe and other parts of the world are necessary. We anticipate telephone bills of about $100 per month related to this project.

• Sponsoring the August 5, 1998 March and Declaration Ceremony

While no one yet knows how many people will attend the march and Declaration Ceremonies, we need to be ready to transport, feed and care for hundreds of people. We will contract buses and trucks to move people between Zacatecoluca, the origin of the march, and Ciudad Romero, the destination of the march. We are planning to ask unions and religious schools to assist us with transportation. The peasants from the Zone will help with food and refreshments, and the Comandos de Salvamento (an organization similar to the Red Cross) will be on hand to provide medical assistance. With all of this help from the local people and supporters in El Salvador, we will still need a substantial amount of money to sponsor this important event. We expect at least 2000 people for this 2-day event, so we need about $9000 for food, $1000 for buses, and a fund of about $3000 for possible emergencies and unforeseen costs.

Other ITAMA News: Solidarity in Action

Women’s Peacepower Foundation

Women's Peacepower Foundation has approved at least $2,000 for the Local Zone of Peace project. Candice Slaughter, President, told me that maybe there will be more funds available. Peacepower is located in San Antonio, Florida and is "Working to bring peace to the everyday lives of women and their families." We thank all the women of this foundation for supporting our cause.

The American Jewish World Service (AJWS)

From November 13-16, 1997, ITAMA had a visit from Elizabeth Versten, Program Director of AJWS which is considering the financing of a project for El Platanar, La Estancia, and Tongolona Cooperatives in the North of San Miguel. Her presence was a time of learning for us and for her. We belong to two cultures of projecting, planning and programming. It is not easy to put the two cultures together but it is enriching for both. AJWS has agreed to provide us with technical assistance in the coming year. We are pleased and excited about this new alliance.

Juan Arce and a Day of Solidarity

Juan Arce and his Daughter Photo by José Alas

Juan Arce, at 43 years old, is the father of 6 children. Juan has been a critical community organizer for the Zone of Peace Project, but recently his health has slowed him down. Since last August he has had four surgeries. When I arrived in El Salvador in November, Juan was confined to his bed in the Hospital "La Familia" vomiting blood. He could not have surgery because the administration of the Hospital was requesting payment for the last operation, done 16 days before. Many members of the cooperatives came to visit him and discuss with Samaria, the Executive Director of ITAMA, what to do. They promised to sell their salt warehouse to pay for the debt. ITAMA did not have money available. I called my friends of Overbrook Foundation, Caroline and Sigmund Schott Foundation, The Communitas Charitable Trust, and Shirley and Don Sly and other people of Seattle. The next day, November 12, Juan had his surgery. That was a day of solidarity, of love for someone who knows how to love people. We thank all of those who contributed to Juan's life. He is now with his wife and children back in Sisiguayo.

Native Forest Project

The Tropical Agronomic Center for Research and Teaching, the Forest Seeds Project and ITAMA held a seminar from the 22nd to the 25th of September, 1997, in the city of San Miguel. The theme of this seminar was the presentation of ITAMA’s "Research, Protection and Environment" project, that has been financed for $100,000 by the Initiative Fund for the Americas. There were 20 NGOs from Central America participating in the seminar including a group from Belize, which is one of the most recognized centers of tropical agronomy in Latin America. This event represents some well-deserved international recognition of the efforts of ITAMA, and especially the people of El Platanar, La Estancia and Tongolona. We expect to receive an extension of the funding for this project due to its success.

The Foundation for Self-Sufficiency - ITAMA

ITAMA now has an official non-profit organization in the USA. On December 3, we had our first board meeting and elected 6 new members. We now have members in Seattle, Chicago, New York City, and here in Round Rock, Texas. It is our hope that this new group will be able to greatly expand the funding and involvement of supporters in the USA for our work in El Salvador. Tax-deductible contributions for ITAMA’s projects can now be made out to: Foundation for Self-Sufficiency – ITAMA. Please make a donation today to help us continue this important work. For more information about ITAMA or to find out how you can attend the declaration ceremonies for the Zone of Peace next year, call the office at (512) 388-7957, or e-mail us.

Thank you again for all of your support. Happy holidays to all.