Archive for January, 2011

Garden of Love Deeply Planted: St. Sebastian Parish and Teosinte by Phelia Lorenzen, SHARE Supporter
To think that in 1991, a citywide delegation from Milwaukee to El Salvador planted the first seed for St. Sebastian Parish to partner with Teosinte — a small, isolated village high in the hills of Chalatenago.
At the time, Teosinte, a repatriated community from a refugee camp in Honduras, was only three years old. In great need. Fifty-two families, starting from scratch to farm the mountainous hills of the area, had begun a long journey to create a viable, sustainable, cohesive community. St. Sebastian people’s hearts were touched, and a strong, loving partnership began and continues to strengthen. The garden flourishes.
St. Sebastian immediately adopted the “three pillars of accompaniment” that were the guidelines of The SHARE Foundation (coordinator for sistering programs in El Salvador): physical accompaniment, spiritual accompaniment, and financial support.
Physical accompaniment takes form in many ways with St. Sebastian. They arrange regular delegations to the community so delegates can walk the garden — live in home stays with the families, play with the children, dialogue with the Directiva, taste new foods, hang out with the kids, and share mass, along with general community fiestas. At home in Milwaukee, the Teosinte/El Salvador Committee prints a quarterly newsletter for all parishioners that includes events in Teosinte and personal letters from community members and scholarship recipients. Read More »

Amnesty International Action Alert

Hector Berríos, a community activist and human rights lawyer in Cabañas, a department of El Salvador, received death threats by phone on 23 January. Amnesty International believes he is being targeted for his human rights work, and is at risk.

On 23 January, at 12.20 pm Hector Berríos received a phone call on his landline from an unknown man who claimed to be a friend, and asked where Hector was. Around a minute later, the same person called Hector Berríos’ mobile phone, saying that they had been paid a lot of money to kill him, or a member of his family “Nos han pagado mucho dinero para asesinarte…ya sea a vos o a uno de tu familia”. The man continued by saying “We have been watching you in San Isidro and Mejicanos, we have got you close, look, we know you work for the people” (“…Te hemos estado observando en San Isidro y Mejicanos, te tenemos cerca, mira sabemos que trabajas para la gente…”). The caller made an offer to Hector Berríos: if Hector withdrew from his work, they would not kill him. At this point Hector Berríos put the phone down.

The previous day, on 22 January, starting at 10.00 pm Hector Berríos received ten anonymous phone calls. He has not received further calls. Read More »

Amnistía Internacional Alerta de Acción
Héctor Berríos, un activista de la comunidad y los derechos humanos, abogado en Cabañas (un departamento en El Salvador), recibió una amenaza de muerte por teléfono el 23 de enero. Amnistía Internacional cree que él fue objetivo por su trabajo en los derechos humanos, y está en peligro.

El 23 de enero, a las 12:20 de la tarde, Héctor Berríos recibió una llamada por teléfono en su linea de tierra. La llamada fue de un hombre desconocido que se presentó como amigo y pregunto que dónde estaba Héctor. Un minuto después, otra persona llamo a su celular de Héctor Berríos diciendo, “Nos han pagado mucho dinero para asesinarte…ya sea a vos o a uno de tu familia.” El hombre continuo con decir, “Te hemos estado observado en San Isidro y Mejicanos, te tenemos cerca, mira sabemos que trabajas para la gente…” El que llamó le hizo una oferta a Héctor Berríos: Si Hector renunciara a su trabajo, no lo mataran. A este momento, Hector regresó el celular a la mesa. 

El día anterior (22 de enero), empezando a las 10:00 de la noche, Héctor recibió diez llamadas anónimas. Desde entonces, no ha recibido ninguna llamada. 
El activismo el la cual él ha participado en su comunidad ha resultado en amenazas y intimidación antes, debido a sus campañas en contra de la mineria, impunidad, y su defensa legal de los derechos humanos. Héctor ha recibido amenazas en ocasiones previas . El 7 de octubre 2009, la comisión ínter-americana de los derechos humanos (IACHR) decidio que El Salvador debia proveer protección para Héctor Berrios. Sin embargo, a pesar de la exigencia de IACHR, Hector Berrios no ha recibido ninguna protección apropiada y sigue en peligro.

POR FAVOR DE TOMAR ACCIÓN APRISA. Usa cualquier idioma para crear una petición personal.

*Insiste que las autoridades toman acción inmediatemente para cumplir la orden de IACHR (7 e octubre). La protección que Héctor recibe debe de estar de acuerdo con lo que él necesita y desea.

*Piden una investigación independiente, cuidadosa, y imparcial para las amenazas contra Hector Berríos, que los resultados de la investigación sean públicos y para que traigan a justicia los que son responsable.   

ENVÍA TUS MENSAJES A:

Ministerio Publico
Romeo Bejamin Barahona Melendez
Fiscal General de la República
Fiscalia General de la República
Final 4ª calle Oriente y  lass=”Apple-style-span” style=”font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; line-height: 20px;”>19ª Avenida Sur, Residencial Primavera,
Santa Tecla, La Libertad
San Salvador, El Salvador
Fax: 011 503 2523 7409
Salutación: Estimado Sr. Fiscal

Director General de Derechos Humanos, Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores:
David Morales
Director General de Derechos Humanos
Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Calle El Pedregal, Blvd. Cancilleria
Ciudad Merliot, Antiguo Cuscatlan
El Salvador
Fax: 011 503 2231 1152
Salutación: Estimado Director

Y POR FAVOR DE MANDAR UNA COPIA A:
Sra Ana Coralia Mejia de Morot-Gaudry
Charge d’Affaires, Embassy de El Salvdor
209 Kent Street
Ottawa, Ontario K2P 1Z8
Fax (613) 238-6940
Correo electrónico: embajada@elsalvador-ca.org

INFORMACION ADICIONAL:
Amnistía Internacional hizo publico varios Acciones Urgentes de la situación de los defenderos de derechos humanos en el departamento de Cabañas en El Salvador en 2009 y 2010. Read More »

It seems the ICSID tribunal has asked for more time before deciding about whether the Commerce Group case will move forward.  The decision will be issued this month. That is why it’s important to send a clear message demanding that the company to drop the suit. 

 If you can’t get through on the phone, please send email to:  info@commercegroupcorp.com. 

SAMPLE EMAIL
Hello.

My name is _______________(if you are a Milwaukee or Wisconsin resident, say so up front!) and I have been following Commerce Group’s lawsuit  against the government of El Salvador.

I am calling on Ed Machulak and the Board of Directors to respect the right of the government of El Salvador to protect the environment and the health of the people near the San Sebastian mine by immediately withdrawing your lawsuit against the government of El Salvador.

It is deplorable that the government of El Salvador is under attack for protecting the health and safety of its people.   If anything, it is Commerce Group who should be paying for the toxic legacy that has been left behind

I will be telling my friends and neighbors about the damage you are causing, as well as calling on my Congressional Representatives to take action.

Thank you.

On January 13 the International Centre for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) of the World Bank will announce their decision about whether the lawsuit brought by the Commerce Group will proceed to the next phase.

On JANUARY 14, 2011:

Let’s send a clear message to the Commerce Group: Withdraw your shameful lawsuit against El Salvador!

On Wednesday, December 29, 2010, four members (Steve Watrous, Al Gedicks, Babette Grunow and Dan Kasun) of the Midwest Coalition Against Lethal Mining (MCALM) met with John Machulak, an attorney with Machulak, Robertson & Sodos, and brother of Commerce Group’s Chairman and CEO Edward Machulak to ask him to withdraw the $100 million lawsuit against El Salvador. He refused.

As Dan Kasun observed, “It appeared obvious that the comments by John Machulak throughout the meeting either attempted to minimize culpability or prove willfully ignorant of the obvious environmental and health impact of the Commerce Group’s mining operations.”

At the conclusion of the meeting, we promised that if they did not withdraw the lawsuit brought against El Salvador under the foreign investor “protections” of the U.S.-Dominican Republic-Central America Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA) that we would continue our campaign of public education and political pressure. Read More »