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the democratization of the society people live in poverty. The World municipal elections of March, 2003,
and full respect for the human and Bank and the United Nations say that have been rife with tension. Activists
political rights of the population. per-capita gross domestic product have been attacked and candidates
The size of the military was reduced is lower now than it was prior to the killed, and the medical worker’s
and some security forces were start of the civil war. The richest 20 strike, which began in September of
discontinued and replaced by the percent of the population control 2002 over the issue of government-
formation of a national civilian 55.3 percent of the wealth while the sponsored privatization of the Social
police force. Important aspects of poorest 20 percent have only 3.7 Security System ISSS, continues into
the agreements concerned judiciary percent. In many of the rural areas its fifth month with no resolution in
reforms, human rights, and laws more than 60 percent of the people sight. Several of the striking medical
governing elections and political life. live in poverty. To quote one of the workers have been forced to return
The FMLN became a political party. compañeros in El Salvador: “We to work under threat of being labeled
fought a twelve year civil war to get as ‘terrorists’ and fired. The increased
And indeed, the signing of the 1992 rid of the ‘fourteen families’, and presence of police in hospitals and
Peace Accords between the Frente in this we succeeded. Now we have medical clinics has added further
Farabundo Martí para la Liberación ‘seven’!” pressure. The on-going strike of the
Nacional FMLN and the right wing medical sector has, however, served
ARENA government of El Salvador When U.S. President Bush visited to focus the public’s attention on
heralded a seemingly positive trend. El Salvador in March of 2002, he the issue of privatization and, by
But it was and is delusional. The proclaimed it as a triumph of U.S. extension, the overall state of the
Peace Accords have not been fully foreign policy in Latin America. If economy, leading many people to
complied with - to the extent that the he meant by “triumph”, the propping question the government’s broader
United Nations refused to participate up of a decaying client regime [the economic and social policies.
in the 10th Anniversary celebrations ARENA government], pressuring
as organized by the ARENA the left and center-left to move to The poor of El Salvador continue
government. Increasingly the ARENA the right, and attempts to destroy to die of malnutrition-on average 12,
party and President Flores are the ever increasing popular socio- 000 children per year. And thousands
blocking and debilitating the positive political movement and the political of people die unnecessary deaths
political institutions born out of the alternatives that challenge the U.S. due to lack of medical attention,
Peace Accords, most specifically offensive in that country, then I guess education, and potable water. At
the National Civilian Police and he is entitled to his opinion. The a time when the human condition
the Office of the Attorney for the reality is that all of the root causes of should be put at the center of the
Defense of Human Rights, and the revolution, one of the bloodiest agenda of the Free Trade Agreement
they are not allowing the electoral revolutions in this hemisphere, are with Central America, the U.S
and judicial reforms to happen. still in place. The United Nations response is to establish a military
They have annulled the necessary finally declared, in mid January of base near the International Airport in
equilibrium of power, contributing to 2003, that the 1992 Peace Accords El Salvador. Condoning, supporting,
loss of credibility of the Legislative had been successfully implemented and profiting from a neo-liberal
Assembly and are using the majority but the fact is that El Salvador political process that impoverishes,
of their votes in service of the continues to struggle economically, starves, and marginalizes 48 to 60
interests of the rich. Meanwhile, 48 politically, and socially. The months percent of the people in El Salvador
percent of the country’s 6.1 million leading up to the legislative and is terrorism, in my opinion.
74 MARLIE BURTON-ROCHE LANDSCAPE & BREAD
