"Dear Colleague" Letter on Escalating Violence in El Salvador

As you may know, I have a special connection to El Salvador. Before becoming the New Jersey Legislative Coordinator for AI, I wrote a dissertation on human rights advocacy during the UN-sponsored peace process in the nation. I paid special attention to the creation and evolution of the National Civilian Police force (PNC).

While the U.S. media has largely ignored recent developments in El Salvador, I have been very worried about the escalating violence. I was therefore encouraged when Eric Olson, the Advocacy Director for the Americas in AIUSA’s DC office, sent me the following alert about a “Dear Colleague” letter being circulated in the House of Representatives.

Please contact your Congressman and urge him to sign on by contacting Cindy Buhl in James McGovern’s office BY FRIDAY, JULY 28TH. You can find out how to contact your Representative by going to the House website. A map of congressional districts in New Jersey is also available online.

Please feel free to circulate this message.

Thanks,
Larry Ladutke

Urge your Representative to Condemn Killings of Salvadoran Police Officers

Two police officers were killed and several more wounded following a demonstration protesting increases in bus fares in El Salvador on July 5, 2006. Your immediate action condemning these attacks and supporting a thorough and impartial investigation could help ease tensions in El Salvador. Please contact your Representative to urge him/her to sign-on to a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter by Representatives McGovern and Lantos by Friday, July 28th, calling on Secretary Rice to call on all parties to refrain from making politically charged accusations, and thereby reducing tensions in the region and review the events leading up to this tragedy.

Sample letter:

Dear Representative__________:

I am writing out of deep concern about events that took place in El Salvador on July 5, 2006. Protests have flared intermittently over the last year in El Salvador and clashes between the protestors and the police have become more frequent. The Ombudsman for Human Rights in El Salvador has found that the police have used excessive force in a number of these cases. It is essential that the U.S. call on all parties to refrain from continuing to make politically charged accusations and attempting to seek political advantage from these events.

In one such instance on July 5th, anti-riot police took up positions before a march which was organized to protest increases in bus fares, as part of a larger ongoing protest about the cost of living in the country. During an ensuing confrontation between protestors and riot police, many shots were fired at police officers in what appears to have been an ambush by at least one gunman. Two officers were killed, and ten other law enforcement personnel were injured. The police then responded with a major show of force, entering the nearby National University, searching homes and organizational offices in the neighborhood, and making a number of arrests. Although the shooting of the police is inexcusable, some government officials, protest leaders, opposition politicians, and diplomats have made remarks, which may have exacerbated the violence.

Sadly, this incident represents a further escalation in the confrontation between the government and civil society. I urge the U.S. government to review the actions of the National Civilian Police (PNC) over the last year to determine whether the PNC has been professional, community-oriented, and observant of international recognized human rights. It is essential that specialized units, such as the anti-riot police, utilize appropriate force when confronting protesters and otherwise fulfilling their law enforcement duties.

I am calling on you to sign-on to Representative McGovern’s and Representative Lantos’ ‘Dear Colleague’ letter addressed to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, urging her to seek to reduce the tensions in El Salvador by assessing the level of professionalism and respect for human rights of the Salvadoran police and demanding an immediate, impartial investigation.

Thank you for your time and support concerning this critical issue.

Sincerely,

Talking Points:
Your Representative can be reached at the Congressional switchboard at 202-224-3121. Once you are transferred, ask to speak with his/her legislative director. Use the following talking points below for your call.
Hi my name is ______ and I am a constituent of Representative_______.
I am calling to urge Representative______ to sign-on to Representative McGovern’s and Representative Lantos’ ‘Dear Colleague’ letter addressed to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice concerning the killings of Salvadoran police officers.

Protests and clashes between civilians and police have become more frequent in the last year and the Ombudsman for Human Rights in El Salvador has found that the police have used excessive force in a number of cases.

An example of this occurred on July 5, 2006 in which during a demonstration against higher bus fares, shots were fired at police, resulting in two officers killed and ten other law enforcement personnel injured.

Although the shooting of the police is inexcusable, some government officials, protest leaders, opposition politicians, and diplomats have made remarks, which may have exacerbated the violence.

This incident sadly represents the escalation in the confrontation between the government and civil society and I believe that the U.S. government should seek to reduce the tensions in El Salvador by condemning the attacks on police officers, calling for an immediate and impartial investigation and reviewing the actions of the National Civilian Police to determined whether it has been professional, community-oriented and observant of internationally recognized human rights.

I urge Representative _______ to sign-on to this ‘Dear Colleague’ letter, set to expire on Friday, July 28, 2006.

Thank you for your time and support concerning this issue.

Background:

The disappearances, genocide, terrorism, torture and other crimes committed that took place between 1978 and 1986 during the period of armed conflict in El Salvador have not yet been clarified and foster a climate of impunity, injustice, corruption. Before the events of this month, tensions in El Salvador were already high. Protests have flared intermittently over the last year as the dialogue between protestors and the government seems not to have resolved their differences. As a result, clashes between the protestors and the police have been frequent, and the Ombudsman for Human Rights in El Salvador has found that the police have used excessive force in a number of cases. This incident represents a further escalation in the confrontation between the government and dissident segments of Salvadoran society. Also, the United States, through the United Nations, has made in previous years a substantial investment in the establishment, training and outfitting of the National Civilian Police.

Guatemala Update: Impact of Dear Colleague Letter

As you may remember, NJ Congressmen Rothman, Payne, and Holt signed on to a "Dear Colleague" letter urging the US State Department to address the nearly 2000 unsolved murders of Guatemala. Here is an update from the national office of AIUSA:

"State Department Responds to Congress with a Commitment to Address Violence Against Women in GuatemalaFollowing a Congressional Dear Colleague letter on violence against women in Guatemala, the U.S. State Department responded to Congress, outlining steps State officials have taken on the issue and indicating a commitment to continuing to address the violence. AIUSA activists actively lobbied Members of Congress to be signatories on the Congressional letter, which ultimately 115 Representatives signed.» Learn more"