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TIMELINE AND ANALYSIS OF SUCHITOTO PROTEST AND ARRESTS
Regarding PEACEFUL PROTESTORS CHARGED WITH TERRORISM
Monday, July 2, 2007
A non-violent protest had been organized in Suchitoto for Monday morning, July 2nd, 2007. The protest was organized by the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES), its regional branch in Suchitoto (PROGRESO), and the people of the organized rural communities in that municipality, as well as the the Union of Water Workers (SETA) and a number of other social organizations.
This protest coincided with the visit of President Elias Antonio Saca and his cabinet to Suchitoto. The purpose of this visit was to inaugurate the public water system in the municipality and with it a "Plan for the Decentralization of Public Services," a policy which is viewed as a step towards privatization of the public water system. The communities, organized and accompanied by CRIPDES, staged a demonstration and other public protest activities around the visit of President Saca and in opposition to the movement toward privatization of water.
Four members of the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES) were arrested before their vehicle reached the protest, when their vehicle was stopped by National Civilian Police (PNC) several kilometers before they arrived in Suchitoto, outside the community of Milingo. There a police car pulled in front of them and blocked their path, and officers forcefully arrested the following people: Marta Lorena Araujo, President of the CRIPDES National Directive Council; Rosa Valle Centeno, Vice-President CRIPDES National Directive Council; María Haydee Chicas, CRIPDES journalist and photographer; and Manuel Antonio Rodriguez, driving the CRIPDES vehicle.
Manuel Antonio Rodriguez, the driver of the vehicle, was struck violently by police officers immediately after the officers approached the car. All four CRIPDES members were handcuffed and thrown into an army vehicle, which took them through back roads to the police station in Suchitoto.
Shortly thereafter, the CRIPDES leaders arrested were taken from Suchitoto police station to Cojutepeque, the capitol of the Cuscatlán Province. From there they were then taken to the police station in Santa Cruz Analquitos, to the south of Cojutepeque. As of July 4, all the detainees were being
held once more in Cojutepeque.
Those arrested were charged with "Creating Public Disorder," and lawyers who had been in contact with the police headquarters in Cojutepeque confirmed that their case will be designated under those charges to the Cojutepeque departmental attorneys and court system. Under Salvadoran law the departmental prosecutors have 72 hours (that is, until late morning or midday on the 5th of July) to present charges at a public hearing.
Despite the charges of "Creating Public Disorder," the CRIPDES leaders arrested never came close to the protest activities being carried out in Suchitoto. News footage shown on the Salvadoran Tele-Corporation (TCS) channels clearly showed the police vehicle overtaking the CRIPDES truck on the paved road between Suchitoto and San Martín, swerving in front and stopping the CRIPDES leaders. The video also shows the police forcefully removing the passengers from the pick-up truck, and taking them away in handcuffs, several kilometres away from where the protest took place.
Some news footage can be viewed here.
Also
watch this video for footage of the arrests.
When news of the arrest reached the protesters in Suchitoto on the morning of July 2, the people moved from the central park protest site to the police station to demand information and the liberation of those arrested.
The police found themselves surrounded, and called in the "UMO" (Unit for Maintenance of Order) Riot Police, who forcefully dispersed the crowds with tear gas, rubber bullets and wooden batons.
Tuesday, July 3, 2007
Repression of the protest was not limited to the crowd at the police station; rather it was widespread. As of the evening of July 3, preliminary reports indicate that a total of 13 people were arrested (including the 4 CRIPDES members and 9 local community members), 25 injured by rubber bullets, 18 suffering serious effects of tear gas, 2 hospitalized, and an undetermined number beaten by police officers.
In the community of Guillermo Ungo, several kilometres south of Suchitoto, where the UMO riot police attacked community members on the road on their way to the Suchitoto protests, again using rubber bullets and tear gas, forcing the community members to flee into the hills. Police also entered the homes of community members in Guillermo Ungo without legal warrant to do so.
Fleeing community members were followed by the UMO riot police and the Police Reaction Groups (GRPs) by land and by air for more than 4 hours, with several arrests made. School classes in the nearby community were suspended because of the effects of the tear gas.
The local community members captured report psychological intimidation after their arrest. One report reveals that detainees were taken in a helicopter above Lago Suchitlán and told by the police holding them that they were going to be thrown out of the helicopter.
These specific tactics of repression, intimidation, persecution by helicopter, and invasion of homes are reminiscent of the most painful and disturbing moments of the armed conflict in El Salvador during the 1980's. The repressive events of July 2 represent a step backwards in the process of building democracy that was proposed with the signing of the Peace Accords of 1992.
Meanwhile, on the same morning as the protests in Suchitoto, the PNC and Salvadoran Armed Forces concluded a massive operation of some 300 officers who worked to capture Mario Belloso, the man accused of killing two police officers during a protest last July. Belloso was apprehended in his own home during the early morning and then paraded in front of news cameras shortly thereafter. The story filled newspaper and television reports and gave Minister of Security Rene Figueroa and PNC Director Rodrigo Avila the opportunity to attack youth organizations and the FMLN, insinuating that these groups have been aiding Belloso in his efforts to evade arrest over the last year.
In the raid of Belloso's home, the PNC claims to have found FMLN paraphernalia, along with specific documents in his computer that tie him to various youth organizations. Perhaps the most ridiculous claim made by President Saca is that Belloso was the "intellectual author" of the disturbances in Suchitoto; Figuero and Avila, meanwhile, accused the FMLN of being behind the protests. In an official communiqué following the arrest of Belloso the FMLN stated that, "We reject and repudiate the coarse pretenses of extreme right-wing politicians, as well as certain news media aligned with the party in power, who are blaming our party for the regretful events of July 5, 2006. Only perverse minds would have the courage to make such unfounded accusations". Human Rights Office ombudswoman Beatrice de Carrillo called the arrest a "political show" by the government, while Ricardo Alfaro Barahona of the Forum for the Defense of the Constitution raised questions about the timing of the arrest, as it coincided precisely with the police repression in Suchitoto.
Late Wednesday, July 4, 2007
We learned that the 13 people arrested last Monday, July 2, including CRIPDES leaders and community members, are now being charged with "Creating Public Disorder, Destruction of Property and Acts of Terrorism." They will be tried under the new Anti-Terrorism Law, created by the Salvadoran government and President Saca. This means that they are taken out of the provincial court system and will be tried in special tribunals, created specifically for cases under this law.
Everything seems to indicate that these arrests were strategically planned by the government to discourage social protest and take apart the Salvadoran social movement. There are reports that the Attorney General has planned to call on witnesses from within the National Civilian Police (PNC) and Riot Police (UMO).
Thursday, July 5, 2007
After the charges were announced, CRIPDES members and supporters from the rural communities peacefully gathered outside the courthouse in San Salvador, while the UMO Riot Police surrounded the entire block, with helicopters circling overhead.
The detainees had a hearing before a special Judge for Terrorism. This court is separate from the central court system. One of the detainees, Facundo Dolores García, was provisionally set free. The other 13 detainees were given provisional detention of 3 months while the prosecution builds their case of acts of terrorism. One of these 13, Public Employee Patricio Valladeres Aquino, who was hospitalized after being arrested for grave injuries received during his arrest, was given the additional charge of shooting a gun during the protest, although no guns were seen at the protest, nor are there any injured parties. The charges that will be brought against these prisoners are quite serious, as they reflect Article 5 of the Anti-terrorism Law, which has to do with intent to cause harm to high public officials like the president. The maximum sentence for such crimes is 60 years in prison.
Thursday, July 19
The defense presented its appeal, based on the testimony of several eyewitnesses. After hearing the appeal presented by the defense, the judges in the case reiterated the charge of acts of terrorism with regard to the defendants. They did, however, grant four of the prisoners provisional freedom and they will soon be able to await trial from their homes. Presumably, that waiting period will be roughly ten weeks.
In addition to this appeal, the defense team has presented a request for review of the legality of the arrests before the Supreme Court of El Salvador. On this topic, the Human Rights Ombudsman, Oscar Luna indicated: "To some extent, the illegality of some of the arrests is established in that not all of those arrested were participating in the protest."
A report by the Human Rights Office of the Archdiocese of San Salvador, asserted that while in prison detainees have experienced severe abuse. The victims of this abuse were beaten during interrogation, isolated in remote places for questioning, and threatened that they would be thrown from a helicopter during a transfer between detention centers. In addition, one of the men arrested, Patricio Valladares, was hospitalized after the beating he received during his arrest. His injuries, however, have not been acknowledged to their full extent by the prosecutor's office, reportedly in an attempt to protect those who carried out this attack.
Additionally, President Saca of El Salvador asked that the judge clarify the facts of the case, requesting that the charges be changed from acts of terrorism to public disorder. Likewise, Mr. Saca accepted the idea of a revision of the Special Law against Acts of Terrorism, and proposed reformation of the Penal Code and the Law against Organized Crime. In the reformation, he suggests that the crime of Public Disorder be punished more severely, with 15 years in prison and be tried through the tribunals as opposed to the regular court system.
Wednesday, July 18
CRIPDES sponsored an organized fast to demonstrate solidarity with the prisoners. Participants marched from Parque Cuscatlan in San Salvador to the monument El Salvador del Mundo.
Thursday, July 26
The 9 detainees who remained in prison were ordered released today on conditional liberty. 4 others had been released last week. The defense had been able to convince the court that the defendants had family, home and work roots in the community and were not a risk to disappear before trial. Note, however, that this release does not drop the terrorism charges against those arrested with the possible stiff prison terms.
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