Jul
Advocacy, Defending Natural Resources, Rights for Youth and Women
Testimony of a Visit to the Women’s Prison – July 20, 2007
Testimony of a visit to the Women’s Prison
Thursday July 20th, 2007
Early this morning I was allowed to enter into the women’s prison to visit the political prisoners captured on the 2nd of July in a peaceful protest carried out in the communities around Suchitoto against the privatization of water, that President Tony Saca was going to inaugurate.
This visit was possible because of the accompaniment of two senators of the opposition and the lawyer of those captured. We were also accompanied by a good number of radio, newspaper, and television reporters. We were also accompanied by two reporters from England who were able to hear the testimony of the prisoners, what really happened on the day of the capture and the abuses that were committed against them and the entire population. The meeting with our captured friends was very emotional, fraternal, and with much solidarity. We hugged them with strength and for a long time…if there were tears they were not of weakness, but rather of joy and strength with the hope that we will win this battle, like so many others during all these years of struggle to build an El Salvador with social, political, and economic justice, where the people have dignity, liberty and respect for their rights and above all else their sovereignty.
This encounter with Lorena, with Rosita, with Haydee and with the rest of the captured, was an opportunity to tell them and reaffirm that they ARE NOT ALONE: that there are hundreds of people here supporting them, and that there are many people in Canada, the United States, in Europe and Latin American countries that are accompanying by denouncing and demanding the immediate liberty of the political prisoners of El Salvador.
The captured are strong in spirit and their moral is strong. They told us that they have not been given the medicines that we have brought them and that they are still in the Jail Pharmacy…there are a number of cases similar to those of Lorena and Rosita who need their medicines because without them their health could deteriorate day by day…they told us that not until yesterday in the afternoon they were given tampons and they were often forced to ignore the urge to go to the bathroom because there is never water and the toilets are full of excrement. They also said that they need tennis shoes because right now they only have sandals, and due to the filth, their feet are succumbing to fungus.
They kept asking for their families, especially for their small children…we have told them that their families are well and that they are also struggling to gain their freedom with activities such as the Vigil that is taking place in the Monument to Salvador del Mundo, supported by the Committee of Family Members of Political Prisoners. Before leaving we took the opportunity to make a few jokes as always, and kept alive the commitment that unites us: Continue the struggle until we gain their liberty.
MM
