The 12th National Meeting of Private Enterprises

The National Association of Private Enterprises (ANEP) met with government officials today at the 12^th annual National Meeting of Private Enterprises. ANEP presented to the presidents of the three branches of government a series of proposals that will improve the human and economic development of the country.

At this National Meeting of Private Enterprises (ENADE) the focus will be on the current deficiencies found in El Salvador’s democracy. Jorge Daboub, the president of ANEP, states that there are serious deficiencies in the electoral system and various institutions, and if they are not addressed and corrected will hinder the development of El Salvador.

The document presented at this years ENADE is entitled “El Salvador does have a future commitment to democracy” and includes seven proposals of electoral and institutional reform that is geared to improve human and economic development.

Those that were expected to be in attendance included Julio Maria Sanguinetti, former president of Uruguay, President Mauricio Funez, Sigfrido Reyes, the president of the Legislative Assembly, the president of the Supreme Court, Jaime Bellarmine, and other government officials and members of the private sector and related organizations.

La Prensa Grafica reports on four of the seven reforms. The first reform “proposes to maintain the goal of deputies to be chosen through open lists, ie that citizens choose candidates of their choice, even if they belong to different parties. Currently you can only vote for candidates of the same party.”

Another reform proposes that proportional representation of parties be established in local councils and that their term is limited to five year, which will require amendments to the Electoral and Municipal Codes.

The third reform proposal is “to adopt a law on transparency in financing political parties and candidates supporters transparent revenue and expenditure of political parties to finance their activities, including election campaigns, and "maintain medium-term goal that the country has a law on financing political parties and nonpartisan candidates, and as long-term goal of a political party law.”

A fourth reform that La Prensa Grafica includes in their article is in regards to the creation of an entity like that of the United States Electoral College. This separate entity will “administer the functions and processes of electoral events and electoral justice teaching: creating an Electoral Institute which is the highest authority in electoral matters, administration and verification of the electoral process.”

These proposals are admirable, however we must now wait to see if they are approved and if so, how they will be implemented.

Funes Acknowledges Government Involvement in the El Mozote Massacre and Seeks Forgiveness

    Yesterday marked the 20^th anniversary of the signing of the peace accords that ended the civil war in El Salvador. In order to celebrate this historic event President Funes, along with members of his cabinet, the Chairmen of the Legislature and the Supreme Court Justice gathered in El Mozote to acknowledge the massacre that occurred thirty years ago and to ask the people for forgiveness on behalf of the government. Funes stated: "I am convinced that the best way to celebrate the 20th. Anniversary of the signing of the Peace Accords is moving forward in recognizing the truth and uphold justice," (El Faro).

      The El Mozote Massacre was an organized attack by the Salvadoran army that occurred between December 10^th and 12^th of 1981(Diario CoLatino). And although it only lasted two days, over one thousand civilians were killed- half of which were children. President Funes announced that the Atlacatl Battalion, an elite division of the Armed Forces that was trained by the United States and led by Lieutenant Colonel Domingo Monterrosa, Major José Armando Azmitia Melara second in command, and the chief operating officer then-Mayor Natividad de Jesus Caceres Cabrera were responsible for this operation and the slaughtering that occurred (El Mundo).
     By acknowledging this massacre, Funes has become the first president and government official to admit that government’s repressive forces were responsible for committing this violation. In fact, even the national media had taken steps to hide the truth and the fact that it had even happened at all.

     Funes states that "This apology is not intended to erase the pain," but that “I'm here in El Mozote to recognize the truth and deepen the way of righteousness and peace… This is an act of recognition and dignity of the victims”(Diario CoLatino).

     Funes met with International Commission of Human Rights to officially seek forgiveness for the slaughter on behalf of the Salvadoran government and has agreed to accept responsibility for the crime and to seek moral reparations to the victims.

     Also, as Commander of the Armed Forces, Funes ordered a review of the historical interpretation of what happened in El Mozote, requiring that the texts and symbols accurately reflect what really occurred. In addition to this, Funes ordered that military leaders responsible for this slaughter and other serious human rights violations no longer be exalted or called heroes. 

     According to the President, the need to end impunity and the obligation to seek justice is imperative, because without doing so El Salvador can never be considered a full democracy.

  "If we understand that democracy is a political system that must ensure equity, justice, peaceful coexistence, equality of opportunity, a prevailing system in real freedom, the independence of the branches of government, the social responsibility of the State, the absolute guarantee of human rights, well then, we are still far from real democracy in our country " (El Faro).

Police Forces in Public Schools? Plans to Reduce Violence in Schools

    As the issue of youth violence and gangs continues to escalate in El Salvador officials are forced to focus their attention on preventative measures.
   El Salvador's National Education Council consulted the public on ways to counter youth violence. The public's response? Public School Police Force. The idea is that a special police force would be created a part from the National Police as the public was not able to define what role the PSPF would have outside of schools. This PSPF would attend special training on human rights and would "work according to the reality of the school and not stigmatize young people" (El Mundo). Unfortunately, the results of a consensus show that the likeliness of a policy being created in favor of this recommendation is obsolete.
   Another recommendation presented to counter the violence, is to not change what happens in schools, but to change what happens outside of schools to replicate school public safety. And in addition to this, it is suggested that agreements be made with private companies to provide work to the youth through internships and part-time jobs.
   The Ministry of Education has responded saying it will continue its efforts to reduce violence in schools. But for now, it will continue to be through the monitoring and control of teachers and principals.

One Week into 2012 and Deportation Numbers are Already Climbing

     It hadn't even been a full week into 2012 when El Mundo reported that the numbers of Salvadorans begin deported from the United States is escalating.
    Last Thursday a flight arrived in San Salvador with 114 illegal immigrants on board being returned to the Salvadoran immigration authorities. According to authorities this is the third flight of the week. The previous two had 80 and 60 reported illegal immigrants. Authorities report that the total number of deportees returned to El Salvador in 2011 was 25,845. With 260 deported in less than the first week of the year, 2012's numbers are projected to rival and possibly surpass last years.
     The immigration report also states that of these 260, 97 are reported criminals, having committed a crime of drug trafficking, illegal possession of firearms, domestic violence, sexual assault, and or belonging to a gang in the United States. Welcoming these criminals back into their country, where the same acts could possibly be committed, concerns the Salvadoran authorities that are already battling staggering homicide rates and gang involvement.
    In order to help address this area of concern, the Salvadoran government provides a 'Welcome Home' shelter in San Salvador where their returning citizens (both with and without the criminal record) can receive counseling, food and medical care. In addition to this, the government also provides money for bus fare so that they may return to the city or village that they came from. The expectation of the Salvadoran government is that by providing these services the illegal immigrants will return "home" and not become a repeat offender. This unfortunately, as anyone can see, is wishful thinking by only putting a band-aid on a deeply infected wound. Assisting in the return process does not change the essential reasons behind why so many Salvadorans left El Salvador illegally in the first place. And the majority of these reasons are put on the back burner as the government attempts to tackle one issue at a time starting with the high crime and homicide rate.
    In fact, the previous Director of Immigration requested that the United States slow down on the deportation. And that the U.S. provide a criminal record in advance to the deportation, especially of those who have committed serious crimes so that the Salvadoran authorities can track and monitor them more effectively, rather than letting them roam free in E.S. -free to commit the same crimes.
    With only one week into 2012, the issue of immigration and deportation does not look to bright for Salvadorans. There are, thankfully, almost a full 12 months to create change and turn this unfavorable situation around.