Archive for August, 2011

“The murder of the Jesuit Priests and their employees is one of the most abominable and unfortunate crimes of this era, that joins a long list of murders and violent massacres making the armed conflict one of the darkest periods in our country… Truth is the essential prelude to national reconciliation.” Excerpt from a press release made in the name of dozens of civil society organizations, including families of the disappeared, after former Salvadoran military officers sought refuge in a military base to avoid extradition to Spain.

In the early hours of 16 November 1989, US-trained members of the Salvadoran armed forces entered the University of Central America and the Jesuit residence there, brutally murdering the six Jesuit Priests and two women.

It is for this crime that 20 former members of the Salvadoran Armed Forces have been indicted by a Spanish court. While the international press has reported that nine of the twenty named in the Interpol Red Alert have “turned themselves in,” there is no such clarity as to their legal status in El Salvador. While President Funes argues that they are in custody, the police have reported the contrary to Interpol, and the Defense Minister has preferred silence. It is now up to the Supreme Court to decide whether the nine men are, in fact, in custody, and if so, what to do with them next.

Detained, or Under Protection?
According to an El Faro report, the nine former military men sought refuge at the military base on Sunday August 7th at the same time that the police were dispatched to detain them:  “The order for their capture had reached the hands of the Salvadoran police on Thursday the 4th. No one in the government, not even Funes, has been able to explain why they took so long to carry out the detentions.” 

This detention would be the first step in a chain of events leading to an extradition to Spain.  Once in detention, the formal extradition process begins under an agreement made between El Salvador and Spain in 1998.  Once the accused are in official custody, the Salvadoran Supreme Court must then name Judge to oversee the extradition process to Spain.

However, the Salvadoran Supreme Court has now met on three consecutive days and has been unable to make a decision regarding the case.

Two of the twenty people identified in the Interpol Red Alert have been identified as living in the United States; one is currently in federal custody for unrelated charges.

Demanding Justice

Facing this situation, families of the disappeared, church leaders and members of civil society gathered this morning, August 24th, in front of the former National Guard base, where it is widely believed these nine war criminals remain. Amongst chants of “They took them alive, We want them alive!” and “Neither forgive nor forget, Justice for the Guilty!” people came to demand justice. Watch a thirty-second clip of the sit-in here.

Mothers of the disappeared held posters with the faces and names of their children and others held photos of the six slain Jesuits and two women. This is the second in what may become ongoing sit-ins; last week, people gathered in front of the Supreme Court to demand the extradition of those responsible for these horrendous crimes. The next target may be President Funes himself; as commander-in-chief, he has the power to order the military to hand over the nine men to the police.

Related Articles:
Accused in Killing of Jesuits Arrested in US
Remembering the Jesuit Martyrs of El Salvador, by Dean Brackley

According to the Boston Globe, federal agents arrested former Salvadoran military colonel Inocente Orlando Montano on unrelated charges this week. He is one of the twenty former military members accused of the murder of the six UCA Jesuits and two women in 1989. Now in custody, Spanish officials can request his extradition to Spain to face trial. He has been living in the US for 10 years.

From the Globe:
He was discovered in Massachusetts by the Center for Justice and Accountability, a San Francisco-based human rights organization that in 2008 filed suit against the 20 defendants in Spain, leading to the new indictments in May.

“We are pleased that US authorities finally acted and arrested Montano, even though the action was only related to immigration fraud,’’ Almudena Bernabeu, a lawyer for the center, said in a statement. “This arrest gives Spanish authorities an opportunity to formally request Montano’s extradition, which, if the US observes, would once and for all result in a trial and justice for this terrible crime.’’

Read the complete article here.

Read more about the Jesuits and the case against their killers.

SHARE announces the loss of our dear brother and compañero Saul Solorzano, President of CARECEN DC. Saul has been part of SHARE’s work for many years. In the 1980′s Saul worked with SHARE in the GOING HOME Campaign accompanying refugees to repatriate from Mesa Grande Refugee Camp in Honduras. Saul was a champion in defending the refugees from El Salvador and Central America during the years of the war as well as the current immigration reform. Saul and CARECEN have also partnered with SHARE in responding to natural disasters in El Salvador. He was a great community leader who dedicated his life to justice for his community. 

Please join Saul’s memorial Facebook page SaulSolorzano Presente. SHARE is gathering information to honor the memory, life and work of Saul for his wife, young daughter and the future generations to ensure his many contributions are not forgotten. Any pictures, stories, condolences, etc would be greatly appreciated as we collect information to honor Saul Solorzano.

CARECEN DC’s statement on the loss of Saul

Washington Post Obituary

Saul Solorzano: PRESENTE, PRESENTE, PRESENTE!

Last week the Sphere Project, a SHARE partner, took the exciting step of launching its new manual related to respecting human rights while responding to disasters. The manual establishes minimum standards to be upheld during the response to natural disasters or armed conflict.

The manual was unveiled on Wednesday, July 27 at a crowded event in San Salvador. Over 115 invited participants attended and they represented a wide range of both pubic and private institutions. Attending groups included the Ministry of Health, the police force, both international and domestic NGOs, human rights attorneys, and members of the Salvadoran legislature.

The program included word of welcome from Isabel Hernández, who is both the Director of SHARE’s Field Office in El Salvador and a member of Sphere’s Coordinating Committee. Read More »