International Statement Regarding the Assassination of Hector Antonio Ventura

International Statement Regarding the Assassination of Hector Antonio Ventura, Ex-Political Prisoner in the Suchitoto 13 case, and Political Killings in El Salvador: May 2008

We join the Association for Development of El Salvador, CRIPDES, the Foundation for the Application and Study of Law, FESPAD, and the more than forty member organizations of the Coalition for Peace, Dignity and Social Justice in denouncing the assassination of Hector Antonio Ventura, committed on May 2^nd, 2008 in the community of Valle Verde, in the Municipality of Suchitoto, Department of Cuscatlán, El Salvador.  According to preliminary information, Ventura was stabbed to death in the heart and received blows to the head, from assailants who entered the house where Ventura was staying with a friend. The second young man was attacked but survived.

Ventura was one of 14 people who were prosecuted by the Salvadoran government for the charge of Acts of Terrorism, after participating in a peaceful protest against water privatisation in Suchitoto on July 2^nd 2007.   Their case was marked by tremendous national and international outcry against the grave misuse of anti-terror statutes against legitimate political expression.

Ventura’s murder was committed just weeksafter all 14 of the prosecuted were granted definitive liberty. The court decision proved false the accusations that the Government and the Attorney General of the Republic had made against the group of activists throughout the ten months prior.  The murder was also committed just two days after Ventura had agreed to give testimony of his experience at a public “Day Against Impunity” event planned for July 2, 2008 by the Mayor of Suchitoto.  Although we still await a full investigation of the crime – one that investigates not only the assailants but also the intellectual authors of the crime – these circumstances, including the fact that Ventura was a young social activist, and particularly the fact that he was a recently released political prisoner, create grave concerns that his assassination was committed for political reasons, with the intention of destabilizing and intimidating members of the political opposition.

As members of the international community concerned with human rights in El Salvador, we join the Salvadoran social organizationsin denouncing this atrocity, and express our profound anxiety regarding several other murders of social activists and opposition political leaders in the last two years.

The Salvadoran Archbishop’s Legal Defence Office investigated 26 homicides in 2006 that suggested the participation of the death squads reminiscent of the Salvadoran civil war. The Office also noted five illustrative cases of murders of social activists and opposition political leaders in 2006. The cases include:

• Eligio Ramirez, local FMLN leader(Cuscatancingo, March 2006)
• Francisco Manzanares and Juana de Manzanares, (Suchitoto, July, 2006)
• Alex Wilberto Flores and Lidia Peñate de Flores, members of the FMLN party. (Coatepeque, August, 2006)

In the 2007 report of the Archbishop’s Legal Defense Office, 113 of 169 investigated violent deaths were extrajudicial executions:  executions committed by organized crime structures reminiscent of Civil War-era death squads, met with tolerance or participation by the state, and committed with the intent of generating terror in the population, social cleansing, or elimination of political opposition members.

The Foundation for Application and Study of Law, FESPAD, has documented the following murders of political leaders and social activists in 2007 and 2008:

• Gerson Roberto Alvallero, employee of FUNPROCOOP (Foundation in Promotion of Cooperatives) and FMLN supporter (Santa Ana, January 2007)
• Oscar Alejandro Franco,  youth member of the FMLN (Cuscatancingo, May 2007)
• Miguel Angel Vasquez, Union leader (San Salvador, July, 2007)
• Salvador Sanchez, investigative journalist who reported extensively on the case of the Suchitoto 14 (Soyapango, September, 2007).
• Wilber Moises Funes and Zulma Rivera, FMLN leaders (January 2008)
• Omar Huezo, member of the National Civic Police andsecurity guard for an FMLN Legislative Assembly member (San La Libertad, April 2008)
• Alejandro Portillo. Member of community leadership (Suchitoto, April 2008)
• William Landaverde, son of FMLN supporters (Suchitoto, May 2008)

Before the international community, we join Salvadoran social organizations in denouncing these murders and calling upon:

1. The Attorney General of the Republic of El Salvador and the General Director of the National Civilian Police to begin extensive investigations of these cases, investigations which address the political characteristics of the assassinations and which consider not only the assailants but also the intellectual authors of the crimes.

2. The Ombudsperson of Human Rights to begin immediate actions in order to protect the lives of the witnesses in the case of all investigations. We also ask that the Ombudsperson verify the investigation of these crimes, to ensure that there is due process and no results are omitted.

We call upon our own, international governments to:

1. Urge the Salvadoran authorities responsible to thoroughly investigate these cases and follow the results of the investigations until their conclusion.

2. Urge the office of the Salvadoran Ombudsperson for Human Rights to ensure provision of protection and safety for witnesses in these trials, as well as to opposition members who receive politically motivated threats to their lives or wellbeing.

SIGNED,

Agricultural Missions, Inc.

Alliance for Global Justice

American Friends Service Committee Vermont Program, Montpelier, VT

Arlington/Lexington Untied for Justice with Peace, Arlington, MA

Bend-Condega Friendship Project, Bend, OR

Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Archdiocese of Detroit

Blue Planet Project

Campaign for Labor Rights

Caribbean & Latin American Support Project (CLASP), New Paltz, NY

Center for Social Research, Hartford, CT

Chicago Religious Leadership Network on Latin America, Chicago, IL

Church of St Anselm’s Human Concerns & Social Justice Committee, New Jersey

CIP Americas Policy Program

Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador (CISPES)

Connecticut Program, American Friends Serv. Ctee, Connecticut

ConnecticutTransAdvocacy Coalition, Connecticut

Democratic Socialist Perspective, Australia

Development and Peace

District 1199 New England/SEIU, Hartford, CT

Dominican Sisters of Houston , Houston, TX

EPOCA, Inc, Worcester, MA

Family Farm Defenders, Madison, WI

First United Church Sister Parish Committee , Decorah, IA

FMLN de Minnesota

Franklin County Peace Alliance, Franklin Co, Vermont

Greater New Haven Peace Council, New Haven, CT

Green Left Weekly

Guatemala Human Rights Commission

Hospital Employees Union of BC, Canada, British Colombia, Canada

HowardCounty Friends of Latin America (HoCoFoLA)

InterReligious Task Force on Central America, Ohio

Justice Global & Ecumenical Relations Committee Montreal Presbytery of the United Church of Canada, Montreal, Quebec

Justice, Peace & Integrity of Creation Missionary Oblates

Lutheran Human Relations Association

Madison General Membership Branch of the Industrial Workers of the World , Madison, WI

MadisonMennoniteChurch, Madison, WI

MadisonRafahSisterCity Project, Madison, WI

Madison-Oaxaca Solidarity, Madison, WI

ManhattanAlliance for Peace and Justice , Manhattan, KS

Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns

Maryland United for Peace and Justice, Inc

Matt Rothschild, Editor, The Progressive

Mexico-US Solidarity Network

NicaNet

Nicaragua Solidarity Fair Trade Resource

North Country Coalition for Justice and Peace, St. Johnsbury, VT

Northland Chapter, Grandmothers for Peace, Wisconsin

Oberlin Solidarity with El Salvador, Ohio

Office of Peace and JusticeMarianistProvince of the US

Office of the Americas

Pax Christi Northeast Florida, Florida

PeaceWorks, New Jersey

Peterborough Diocese, Canadian Catholic Organization for Development & Peace, Peterborough, ON

Rev. Annemaire Gabrielle, MTS, Minister, Bowie, MD

Rev. Dr. Eliezer Valentín-Castañón, Associate General Secretary, General Commission on Religion and Race, The United Methodist Church, Washington DC

Rev. Edgar Palacios, Calvary Baptist Church, WashingtonDC

Rev. John Deegan, O.S.A. , Director, Justice and Peace, Augustinians, Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

Rev. Larry Bernard, O.F.M., St. Joseph Church, NM

Rev. Mary Andreolli, Calvary Baptist Church, WashingtonDC

Rev. Noamí Mena, Pastoral Director, Hispanic Ministry at the National City Christian Church. Washington, DC

Rev. Phil Wheaton, Co Pastor of the Community of Christ

Rev. Preston Kavanagh, Minister, Montgomery Village, MD

Rev. Simon Bautista, Latino Missioner for the Episcopal Dioceses of Washington, DC.

Rev. Susan Quass, M.Div., Episcopalian Priest, Germantown, MD

Quixote Center

Refugio del Río Grande

Religious Sector in Solidarity with El Salvador, WashingtonDC.

Salvaide, Ottawa, ON

Sauk Prairie Peace Council, Sauk Prairie, WI

Seattle CISPES, Seattle, WA

SOA Watch-Madison, Madison, WI

Social Justice Committee , Montreal, Quebec

St. Catherine of SienaCatholicStudentCenter, Des Moines, IA

St. Louis Inter-Faith Committee on Latin America, St. Louis, MO

St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, Philadelphia, PA

Student Farmworker Alliance

Syracuse MoveOn.Org, Syracuse, NY

T. Michael McNulty, SJ, Justice and Peace Director Conference of Major Superiors of Men (CMSM)

Task Force on the Americas

The Development GAP

The SHARE Foundation: Building a New El Salvador Today

The Socialist Alliance of Australia

The Trappist-Cistercian Monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Vina, CA

United Students Against Sweatshops

Ursula Daniels, Executive Director, PaxWorks, Germantown, MD

US LEAP

US-El Salvador Sister Cities Network, representing:

Arlington-TeosinteSisterCity Project

Austin-Guajoyo Sister City Project

Bangor-CarasqueSisterCity Project

Binghamton-ElCharconSisterCity Project

Cambridge-San Jose Las FloresSisterCity Project

Chicago-CinqueraSisterCity Project

Concord-AguaCalienteSisterCity Project

Friends of Chilama

Lawrence-El Papaturro Friendship Committee

Madison-Arcatao Sister City Project

Manhattan-ElPapaturroSisterCity Project

MOFGA-CCR and CORDES Sistering Project

Philadelphia- Las Anonas de Santa Cruz Sister City Project/Romero Interfaith Center

Watertown-NuevaEsperanzaSisterCity Project

Wichita-LaBermudaSisterCity Project (FOCUS Central America)

WERU Radio-Radio Sumpul Sister Stations

Venezuela Solidarity Network

Vilma del Carmen Montalbán, Executive Secretary, San Martin de Porres Catholic Church

Voces de la Frontera, Milwaukee, WI

Wisconsin Coordinating Council on Nicaragua, Madison, WI

Wisconsin Network for Peace and Justice, Madison, WI

Wisconsin Resource Protection Council, La Crosse, WI

Workers’ RightsCenter, Madison, WI

Adam J. Bucher MMIS, MASS, Landisville, Pennsylvania

Adela Hirsch, Faculty Adjunct. Columbia, MD

Alejandra María Montalbán, MSc, Psychologist, Rockville, MD

Alfred Rose, Outreach Director, Metro West Ministries, Birmingham, AL

Amy Webber, First United Church of Decorah, Iowa  Sister Parish Committee

Andrea Burgard, Ph.D, Educator, Germantown, MD

Ann Barnet, M.D., Washington, DC

Ann Spiegler, Teacher, Ret. Columbia, MD

Arlene Reed, Diablo, CA

B.C. Goode, MA, MS, Boerne, Texas

Barbara Quist, M.Ed., Teacher, Germantown, MD

Br. Lawrence Lussier CSC, West Haven, CT

Brad Fields, Columbia, MD

Bro. Jonathan Beebe, CSC, Brothers of Holy Cross, NY

Brother Michael Gosch, CSV, Clerics of St. Viator

Brother Paul Burns, CSC, The Congregation of Holy Cross

Carlos Roberto, Montalbán, Jr., MSc, Member, Maryland State Teachers Association & National Education Association, Rockville, MD

Carlos Roberto, Montalbán, Sr, MD, Germantown, MD

Carmen María Hernandez , Silver Spring, Maryland

Catherine Gibson, Member, DayspringChurch, Germantown, MD

Christy Gordon, MS, LCPC, Psychotherapist, Gaithersburg, MD

Cole Mannix, WestonJesuitSchool of Theology, MT

David Hilfiker, MD, General Practitioner, WashingtonDC

David Schultz, Hartford, CT

Diane Clyne , Sisters of Mercy

Don Kelly, Director of Quality Assurance, L’Arche of Greater Washington, DC

Dorothy M. Nelligan, Church of the Saviour, Damascus, MD

Dr. Chester M.Husted, MD, Othropedic Surgeon, Houlton, ME

Dr. P. Carol Bullard Bates, Ph.D., Clinical Psychologist & Neuropsychologist, Silver Spring, MD

Dr. William J. Price, PhD, Founder, World Peacemakers & Every Church a Peace Church – Nonviolence Education Program, Germantown, MD

Elaine Shank, Member, DayspringChurch, Germantown, MD

Elena Aguilar, BA, Parent Outreach Worker, Gaithersburg, MD

Evanne Bernardo, Member of the Church of the Saviour, MD

Francine Sheppard, MSW, Medical Social Worker, Columbia, MD

Frankie J Stoner, Hanover, MD

Fred J. Chapman, Bridgewater, MA

Fred Taylor, Member, Eighth Day Church, Washington, DC

Gabriela Gonzalez, Family of Victim of Political Assassination

Gail C. Arnall, Ph.D., Executive Director,Offender, Aid and Restoration. Arlington, VA

Gale C.Quist, MAS, Scientist, Germantown, MD

Geoffrey Mason, Takoma Park, MD

Gloria McClanen, RN, Nurse, Germantown, MD

Gregory Rienzo, Ed.D, MFT, Educator & Counselor. Haywood, CA

Haley Wiggins, MA, English-as-Second Language Instructor, Silver Spring, MD

Harriet Taylor, Ph.D., Germantown, MD

Honorable Carolyn Miller Parr, Retired Federal Judge & Founder Beyond Dispute Associates Washington, DC

Iona Conner, Grassroots Coalition for Environmental and Economic Justice. Shade Gap, PA

Ivonne Gutierrez Bucher RN, MBA, Liverpool, PA

Jean Goode, RN, MS, Boerne, Texas

Jean Mathews, Employee Relations Specialist, Germantown, MD

John Goode, MS, Researcher, Potomac, MD

John Lamperti, Professor of Mathematics, DartmouthCollege

John Marins, Member, DayspringChurch, Germantown, MD

John Rhodes Paige, CSC, Congregation of Holy Cross, RomeItaly

José L. Gutiérrez Vargas, BA, Financial Analyst, Montgomery Village, MD

Judith A. Bohler, Alvernia College, PA

Julie Yelle, Alumna ’08, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Karen B. Johnson, M.Div., Minister, Gaithersburg, MD

Kathy Doan, JD, Attorney-at-Law, Washington, DC

Kathy Ogle, President of the Board of Director of the Guatemala Human Rights Commission-US

Kenneth P. Landon, Jr., Member, DayspringChurch, Germantown, MD

Kent R. Beduhn, LCSW-C, Psychotherapist, Silver Spring, MD

Lauretta B. Miles, MSW, LCSW-C, Psychotherapist, Gaithersburg, MD

Laurie Yelle, Member, Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Gaithersburg, MD

Leslie Salgado, MSc, Civil Engineer.  Columbia, MD

Marco Mejía, CEO, Potomac Remodelling, LLC, Potomac, MD

Margaret Schoap, MS, Educator, Germantown, MD

Margie Lance, MSW, Social Worker, Frederick, MD

María Haydée Alas, Takoma Park, MD

Marina Adler, PhD, Columbia, MD

Marja Hilfiker, Co-founder & Teacher, The Academy of Hope, Washington, DC

Mark D. Nelligan, PE, Professional Engineer, Laytonsville, MD

Maurice Miles, Retired Government Worker, Gaithersburg, MD

NancyMeier, US Dep. of Defense, Ret., Columbia, MD

Natasha Hickman, Brighton, England

Nathan Holst, MSW, Social Worker, Washington, DC

Patricia Margarita Montalbán, Member, DayspringChurch, Germantown, MD

Paul Fitch, Eighth Day Faith Community

Paul Markowitz, Montpelier, VT

Ray Donaldson, Computer Programmer. Fulton, MD

Rebecca Mejía, MA, Latino Mission, Episcopal Church of the Ascension, Gaithersburg, MD

Rosalie Rienzo, University Teacher Education Program, Teacher Supervisor. Castro Valley, CA

Sally Hanlon, La Clinica del Pueblo, Washington DC

Samuel Sáez, MSc, Electrical Engineer. San Juan,  Puerto Rico

Sister Anne Marie Gardiner, Silver Spring, Maryland

Sister Mary Loretta Beier, MarillacCenter. KS

Susan Drees Kadota, Huntington Beach, CA

Susan Kerin, Susan Kerin, Member, Daughters of the American Revolution & St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. Maryland

Ted Gordon, BS, MTS, Researcher, Gaithersburg, MD

Ted Gordon, MSc, Electrical Engineer, Gaithersburg,  MD

Tony Brun Bessonart, PhD, Theologian of the MennoniteChurch, Washington, DC