Declaration of a Local Zone of Peace in Central America

Justice, Solidarity and Peace between all Peoples

I. Considering that:

1. As part of their strategic objectives, the communities forming the Coordinator for Disaster Prevention, Development and Peace from South San Vicente, South Usulután, and South San Miguel (La Coordinadora) desire to create and consolidate conditions that will sustain life in an environment of social justice, with the goal of guaranteeing a lasting peace.

2. We, the organizations listed below, and the Coordinator of Communities for Disaster Prevention, Development and Peace in El Salvador, (La Coordinadora), declare that we have a special interest in the development and consolidation of zones of peace in our country. We also declare that the work of the "Coordinadora" in the southern part of the departments of San Vicente, Usulután, and San Miguel is one of the first steps toward spreading the concept of the Local Zone of Peace. This work of the Coordinadora begins the accumulation of experiences needed to form other zones of peace in the country.

3. Non-governmental organizations and institutions will be facilitators and support the process of sustainable social, cultural and environmental development. They have the means to contribute to the construction of a real and lasting peace.

4. The creation of the Local Zones of Peace, inspired by the International Center for the Study and Promotion of Peace in the World, and supported by the participants of this meeting, is currently the most appropriate way to create a Culture of Peace in the country. In an area that is well represented by communities that declare themselves a "Zone of Peace," it is absolutely necessary that they form a society which is well-organized at the local level, which has human rights promoters, and which has community leaders who have the theoretical and technical ability to solve internal or external conflicts in the community.

5. Considering that the presidents of Central American countries signed a "Treaty of Democratic Security" in December 1995, this treaty has introduced a new paradigm that transforms the idea of territorial security into the idea of security of people, based on respect, human rights and that the "Zones of Peace" fully express the content and spirit of this treaty.

II. OBJECTIVE OF THE AGREEMENT

THE COORDINATING BODY OF COMMUNITIES FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISASTERS, DEVELOPMENT AND PEACE, OF SOUTHERN SAN VICENTE, SOUTHERN SAN MIGUEL, AND SOUTHERN USULUTAN, (FROM NOW ON REFERRED TO AS THE "COORDINADORA"), THE OFFICE OF THE FEDERAL PROSECUTER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, FROM NOW ON REFERRED TO AS "PDDH," THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR THE STUDY AND PROMOTION OF ZONES OF PEACE IN THE WORLD, THE NON-GOVERNMENTAL AGENCIES OF EL SALVADOR: LUTHERAN AID, FUNSALPRODESE, THE MADELAINE LAGADEC HUMAN RIGHTS CENTER, FUDECIT-ITAMA, CORDES-SES, CODECOSTA, RESCUE CENTERS, THE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION CENTERS, THE MUNICIPALITIES, AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS TOGETHER, AGREE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE FOLLOWING COVENANT WITH THIS OBJECTIVE:

REGULATING AND ORGANIZING THE ACTIVITES FOR DEVELOPMENT, IMPROVING RELATIONS DURING PLANNING, EXECUTING AND EVALUATING THE PROGRAMS OF THE LOCAL ZONES OF PEACE.

III. CLAUSES

1. FOUNDING PRINCIPLES

1.1 A ZONE OF PEACE IS DEFINED AS A TERRITORY OCCUPIED BY A COMMUNITY WHERE THE MEMBERS INDEPENDENTLY DEFINE THE LIVING CONDITIONS THAT THEY ASPIRE TO, AND IN WHICH THEY PARTICIPATE COLLECTIVELY TO SUCCEED IN THEIR GOALS. THEY USE ALTERNATIVES TO VIOLENCE WHEN SOLVING THEIR PROBLEMS AND DISCARD ANY METHODS WHICH WOULD VIOLATE HUMAN RIGHTS.

1.2 THE ZONES OF PEACE HAVE AS A FOUNDATION THE FREE AND FULL EXPRESSION OF RIGHTS, BE THEY ECONOMIC, SOCIAL, CULTURAL, AS WELL AS THE CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS RECOGNIZED IN INTERNATIONAL PACTS OF HUMAN RIGHTS, CONDUCTED UNDER CONDITIONS THAT CONSERVE AND PROTECT THE ENVIRONMENT.

1.3 WE THE UNDERSIGNED RECOGNIZE THAT IN A ZONE OF PEACE, THE PRINCIPAL ACTOR IS THE COMMUNITY; THE PROGRAMS AND PROJECTS IN WHICH THE PUBLIC AND GOVERNMENTAL ENTITIES PARTICIPATE WILL HAVE AS THEIR ONLY GOAL THE SUPPORT FOR OBJECTIVES THAT THE COORDINADORA INDEPENDENTLY SET.

1.4 IN THE ZONES OF PEACE, ALL EFFORTS WILL BE DEDICATED TO SUSTAINING LIFE AND WHERE CONFLICTS WILL BE RESOLVED NON-VIOLENTLY.

1.5 IN ZONES OF PEACE, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS WILL ACT IN "GOOD FAITH" TO PROVIDE THE MOST RESOURCES AVAILABLE, TO BE USED RATIONALLY.

2. APPLICATIONS AND PARTICIPANTS

2.1 THIS AGREEMENT WILL HAVE APPLICATIONS IN THOSE COMMUNITIES IN THE COUNTRY WHOSE MAJORITY OF INHABITANTS DECLARE THEIR TERRITORY A ZONE OF PEACE, UNDER THE PRINCIPALS DESCRIBED ABOVE.

2.2 The PDDH, together with the undersigned, will try to assign adequate human and material resources for the implementation of part of the program, and will promote and develop the formation and empowerment of communities regarding human rights in the local zone of peace; the undersigned also assume this same commitment within the scope of their abilities.

2.3 The non-governmental agencies involved in this process will promote, together with the Coordinadora, the processes of learning, planning, predicting, executing, evaluating, etc. that will cement enough bases for the formation of programs and projects that will contribute to the strengthening of the local zone of peace.

2.4 The public and governmental entities in this convention commit to the following:

1) To respect and promote the principles put forth in this convention.
2) To not use the Zones of Peace for any objectives other than those of the Zones of Peace.
3) To support the objectives of the Zone of Peace with programs and projects.
4) To promote the creation of new zones of peace in the national territory.
5) To work in solidarity and coordination with other entities that give their support to zones of peace.
6) To not deter program and projects that others develop in benefit of the zones of peace.
7) To promote harmony in the community and between entities and institutions in support of the zone of peace.
8) To not make decisions or agreements about projects or programs without the approval of the community that they will supposedly benefit.

2.5 The Coordinadora, together with the organizations that have signed below, will promote community self-development, always striving bring together transforming practices that contribute to the peacemaking process.

2.6 The participants of this agreement commit themselves to create, as soon as possible, the Advisory Committee for Peace, which will broaden the benefits of this agreement, as well as determine the qualities and duties of said organization.

2.7 The Coordinadora commits itself to contribute its experience and resources to the education and empowerment of the members of other communities with the goal of having these communities educate and empower other members of others communities in order to create new Zones of Peace in other parts of our republic and even in other countries in Central America.

 

(Adopted August 1998. English translation by Margaret Hayes)