Page 41 - Marlie Burton Roche : Landscape and Bread

visas so rather than deporting us, we were released situation had occurred at another non-governmental
under ordinance of the U.S. embassy in El Salvador. office while a meeting was in progress and the office
The phones in our hotel rooms were cut off so we had been bombed. Several people were killed and

could not make any international calls and we were wounded, including some internationals.
followed constantly Word was passed from member to member, then
for the next two delegate to delegate, “To prepare to evacuate.” Jorge
days. Six months signaled to me to pick up the tape recorder and secure

later, we were back the tape. As I got up to walk to the table to get the
in El Salvador with recorder, my legs started shaking so badly I could
another delegation, hardly move. I picked up the machine and turned

doing the same around so the executive members would not see my
DRAWING BY EFRAÍN ANTONIO SOLÓRZANO
AGE 12, A SALVADORAN REFUGEE STUDYING IN THE kind of solidarity hands shaking as I hid the tape in my money belt.
1987 LITERACY CAMPAIGN OF ANDES 21ST DE JUNIO, work. When I turned back towards their table I was amazed
THE SALVADORAN TEACHER’S UNION
to see them sitting as impassivly as if they were just
But, for me, waiting for lunch. Jorge was continuing with his
the capture in ‘welcome to El Salvador’ speech! But the helicopter
the countryside continued to circle overhead and Jorge told us that as

was not the we left the building we should split up and disperse
most frightening in various directions. We were told to each take the
experience I arm of an ANDES member as we left the building, to

ever had in El protect the Salvadorans since internationals were less
Salvador, it was likely to be shot. It gave new meaning to solidarity.
DRAWING BY PEDRO CRUZ in ANDES office
AGE 14, A SALVADORAN REFUGEE STUDYING IN THE
1987 LITERACY CAMPAIGN OF ANDES 21ST DE JUNIO, in San Salvador. This was the daily reality for these people. They
THE SALVADORAN TEACHER’S UNION
We had taken in moved constantly, not sleeping in the same place
a delegation of two nights in row, staggering their normal schedule

DRAWING BY WILFREDO ARGUETA solidarity workers of time and place for work or meetings. When the
AGE 10, A SALVADORAN REFUGEE STUDYING IN THE
1987 LITERACY CAMPAIGN OF ANDES 21ST DE JUNIO, and were meeting ANDES membership elected their executive council,
THE SALVADORAN TEACHER’S UNION
with executive they would elect eight members to fill the required
members from positions and then elect four suplentes (substitutes) to

that organization. replace those executive members who they predicted
Jorge Morales, would be killed during the two-year election term.
Secretary General
of ANDES, at that Hundreds of Salvadoran teachers were tortured,

time, was speaking. killed, and disappeared, by security forces or death
I was taping the squads, and over 4000 teachers were driven into
event. An attack exile during the civil war. All of the many non-

helicopter started circling over the building. We were governmental organizations that aligned themselves
on the top floor. The circling went on and on, getting with the struggle for peace with justice and a fair
closer and closer. Only two weeks earlier a similar socio-economic system suffered similar losses.

LANDSCAPE & BREAD MARLIE BURTON-ROCHE 37