Affected communities from Hurricane Stan and the Ilamatepec Volcano eruption commemorate the 5th anniversary of the 2001 earthquakes

Affected communities from Hurricane Stan and the Ilamatepec Volcano eruption commemorate the 5 th anniversary of the 2001 earthquakes with forums and protests against the government’s response to last fall’s emergency

January 13 th marked the 5 th anniversary of the first 2001 earthquake in El Salvador . Affected and vulnerable communities from Hurricane Stan and the Ilamatepec Volcano this fall used this day to organize two actions to generate attention to the realities they face. The two actions are connected to a series of national and regional forums being held on reconstruction and vulnerability. The hope of these forums is to organize communities to advocate for more government accountability during emergencies caused by natural phenomena, but exacerbated by faulty infrastructure and poor government planning. One protest was held in Chalatenango against proposed projects destined to displace communities and cause environmental destruction (see January 19, 2006 SHARE e-newsletter).

The other event was a forum on reconstruction and vulnerability held in Salvador del Mundo, a common meeting space for demonstrations in San Salvador . Over 300 people came from the Lower Lempa (an area affected by both the earthquakes and Hurricane Stan), Lake Ilopango (an area affected by the 2001 earthquakes and flooded by Hurricane Stan), and communities affected by the Ilamatepec Volcano that erupted last fall.

Others wanted to come but different government roadblocks prevented their access. People from Apaneca (a municipality in Ahuachapán affected by landslides due to the rains) did not arrive because the local ARENA government threatened to remove them from a list of communities destined to receive aid (although when this aid might arrive is unknown). People from Santa Ana and El Congo , areas affected by the rains and the volcano eruption, were prevented from coming because the government planned on displacing families from the local schools that opened this past Monday for classes. Many families have been using the schools for temporary housing after the emergency.

Those in attendance at Salvador del Mundo gathered for a press conference at the beginning of the day and then opened the microphone to others who wanted to express their demands to the press and the government. People expressed concerns such as the absence of a policy to prevent risks and really aid people in finding permanent housing and solutions to hunger after emergencies. They asked the government to implement a short term plan to find dignified housing for the poor and vulnerable, to create legal access to land for affected families, to guarantee food security, and to implement the Civil Protection Law with plans that include community consultation.

Both the events in Chalatenango and in San Salvador are part of a longer process to improve conditions for the affected communities and mitigate future disasters.