URGENT ACTION: New Threats and Violence in Cabanas

Our allies in the National Roundtable Against Metallic Mining (the Mesa) are very concerned about a recent wave of death threats and crimes against members of El Salvador’s anti-mining movement as well as other violent crimes recently committed in Cabañas. Similar crimes in 2009 that went uninvestigated, including robberies, kidnappings, and death threats against members of Radio Victoria, ADES, ASIC, and the CAC – all active organizations in Cabañas’ mining resistance –were a prelude to the murders of three activists, Marcelo Rivera, Ramiro Rivera and Dora Alicia Sorto Recinos. Please read more in-depth reports here and here.

You can also read more about the situation and show your solidarity by checking out the Change.org news report and petition at:

http://news.change.org/stories/anti-mining-activists-threatened-kidnapped-and-murdered-in-el-salvador

 

Current Situation

  • On January 11, the community radio station Radio Victoria received a written death threat.The authors of the letter claim to be an “extermination group” and offer large sums of money to the radio if they “stop making trouble,” by criticizing proposed mining projects and the local government. If they don’t, the group says they will murder the radio’s three “loudest mouths,” Elvis Zavala, Pablo Ayala, and Manuel Navarrete.
    On January 23, Mesa member Hector Berríos received threatening phone calls from an unidentified personwho claimed to have been hired to kill Hector or a member of his family.
    Two young people in Cabañas connected to the June 2009 murder of Marcelo River were killed. Darwin Serrano, who was involved in the murder but was released from prison because he was a minor, was attacked and killed on December 20. The second victim, Gerardo Abrego León testified in the trial that resulted in prison sentences for the material authors of Marcelo Rivera’s murder. Abrego was killed on January 2. Read more here.
    This month, employees of CEICOM, a part of the Mesa, have been victims of two robberies in which a vehicle and important organizational documents were stolen. In 2010, while traveling to regional anti-mining conferences, CEICOM employees were kidnapped, robbed and left tied up in Guatemala.

 

The negligence of El Salvador’s Attorney General’s Office has created a climate of impunity that empowers this systematic intimidation campaign against the social movement to continue. Please join us in taking action now to demand that the Attorney General properly investigate these crimes and to call on the government to provide sufficient protection for members of the anti-mining movement. 

 

TAKE ACTION

  1. Send an email to the Attorney General Romeo Barahona (see sample email below) to demand a full investigation and protection for the victims. Please send the email to his assistant at hector.burgos@fgr.gob.sv
  2. Send an email to David Morales, Director of Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Relations to demand specialized police protection for those being threatened (see sample email below) at dmorales@rree.gob.sv
  3. If you speak Spanish, please also call Salvadoran Attorney General Romeo Barahona at 011-503- 2230-6350 (see sample script below). Please also call Lic. David Morales at 011-503-2231-1143 (see sample script below).
  4. If you would like to have a fax sent to the Attorney General’s Office and Ministry of Foreign Relations in your name, please email Sistercitiesfax@hotmail.com with your full name and address.

 

1. Sample Email to Attorney General Barahona
hector.burgos@fgr.gob.sv

Estimado Señor Fiscal General de la República,

Como miembro de la comunidad internacional, quiero expresar mi profunda preocupación sobre las nuevas amenazas contra líderes sociales y los casos de violencia en Cabañas. Los casos de la Radio Victoria, Héctor Berríos, y el Centro de Investigación sobre Inversión y Comercio (CEICOM) son realmente asombrosos.

Por lo tanto, urge una investigación profunda y eficaz sobre las amenazas contra el personal de la Radio Victoriapor aquellos que se han identificado como “un grupo de exterminio” y contra Héctor Berríos, para determinar quiénesson los autores materiales, intelectuales y financieros. Las amenazas del “grupo” no son solo amenazas al personal de la Radio, sino también un ataque contra la libertad de expresión y el derecho a la información.

También, es necesario re-abrir los casos de Marcelo Rivera, Dora Alicia Sorto y Ramiro Rivera para investigar vínculos entre estos caso, las nuevas amenazas, y los asesinatos de Darwin Serrano y Gerardo Abrego León.

Finalmente, tomando en cuenta los nexos entre esta violencia y la lucha contra la minería, los casos de agresión en contra del Centro de Investigación sobre Inversión y Comercio requieren una investigación profunda para identificar los autores materiales e intelectuales.

El hecho de que la violencia y amenazas que se dio en Cabañas en el 2009 y 2010 quedaron en impunidad ha permitido que surgieran los nuevos casos de violencia. Pido que, por favor, tome las medidas necesarias para asegurar justicia y protección para los afectados.

Agradezco de antemano sus gestiones para agilizar las investigaciones y espero que pronto se haga justicia en estos casos.

Atentamente,
Your Name

 

Translation

As a member of the international community, I want to express my deep concern about the threats to social leaders and cases of violence in Cabañas. The Radio Victoria, Hector Berríos, and Center of Investigation into Investment and Business cases are really astonishing. That is why there is need for a thorough and efficient investigation into threats by people who have identified themselves as an “extermination group” towards the journalists of Radio Victoria and Hector Berríos, in order to determine who the material, intellectual and financial authors are. The demands of this “group” aren’t just threats towards the staff of the Radio, but also an attack against the freedom of expression and right to information.

Also, it is necessary to re-open the Marcelo Rivera, Dora Alicia Sorto, and Ramiro Rivera cases in order to investigate links between those cases, the new threats and the murders of Darwin Serrano and Gerardo Abrego León.

Finally, taking into account the ties between this violence and the anti-mining struggles, the cases of aggression towards Center of Investigation into Investment and Business require a thorough investigation to identify the material and intellectual authors.

The fact that the violence and threats that occurred in Cabañas in 2009 and 2010 were left in impunity has allowed the possibility for these newcases of violence. I ask that you please take the necessary measures to assure justice and protection for those affected.
Thank you for your efforts to facilitate the investigations and I hope that there is justice in these cases soon.
Sincerely,

 

2. Sample Email to David Morales, Director of Human Rights
dmorales@rree.gob.sv

Estimado Lic. Morales,

Le escribo hoy para expresar mi profunda preocupación sobre las nuevas amenazas contra líderes sociales y casos de violencia en Cabañas. Específicamente, las amenazas al personal de la Radio Victoria que no solo son una manera de intimidar y coaccionar, pero también son un ataque contra la libertad de expresión y el derecho a la información.

Por esta razón le pido que tome todas las medidas necesarias para cambiar la clasificación de las medidas cautelares para el personal de la Radio Victoria de Protección de Victimas a Protección de Personas Importantes. Tomando en cuenta la gravedad de la situación y las experiencias de los y las líderes sociales, es importante que ellos tengan la mejor protección posible.

También, pido que extiendan las medidas cautelares a Pablo Ayala, ManuelNavarrete y Elvis Zabala, quienes han sido identificados como posibles blancos en las últimas amenazas.

Agradezco de antemano sus gestiones para agilizar estos trámites y espero un resultado favorable.

Atentamente,
Your Name”

 

Translation

I am writing to express my profound concern about the new threats towards social leaders and cases of violence in Cabañas; specifically, the threats to the staff of Radio Victoria which aren’t just a tool for intimidation and coercion, but also an attack against freedom of expression and the right to information

For this reason, I ask that you take all the necessary measures to change the classification of the protective measures for the staff of Radio Victoria from Victim Protection to Protection of Important People.Taking into account the seriousness of the situation and the experiences of the social leaders, it’s important that they have best protection possible.

Also, I ask that protective measures be extended to Pablo Ayala, Manuel Navarrete and Elvis Zabala, who have been identified as targets in the recent threats.

I thank you for your efforts to facilitate these processes and I hope for a favorable result,Sincerely,

 

3.) Call Script for Attorney General Barahona (direct number for his assistant, Hector Burgos: 011-503- 2230-6350)

Buenos días/tardes. Mi nombre es_______________________ y llamo para expresar mi preocupación sobre las nuevas amenazas contra líderes sociales y la violencia en Cabañas. Los casos de la Radio Victoria, Héctor Berrios, y el Centro de Investigación sobre Inversión y Comercio (CEICOM) son realmente asombrosos.

Urge una investigación profunda sobre las amenazas de aquellos que se han identificado como “un grupo de exterminio,” así también es necesario re-abrir los casos de Marcelo Rivera, Dora Alicia Sorto y Ramiro Rivera para investigar vínculos entre estos caso, las nuevas amenazas y los asesinatos de Darwin Serrano y Gerardo Abrego León.

El hecho de que la violencia y amenazas anteriores quedaron en impunidad ha permitido que surgieran los nuevos hechos de violencia. Pido que el Fiscal General tome las medidas necesarias para asegurar justicia y protección para las y los afectados.

 

Call Script for David Morales, Director of Human Rights: 011-503-2231-1143

Buenos días/tardes. Mi nombre es_______________________ y llamo para expresar mi profunda preocupación sobre las amenazas al personal de la Radio Victoria. Por esta razón le pido que tome todas las medidas necesarias para cambiar la clasificación de las medidas cautelares para el personal de la Radio Victoria de Protección de Victimas a Protección de Personas Importantes. También, pido que extiendan las medidas cautelares a Pablo Ayala, Manuel Navarrete y Elvis Zabala, quienes han sido identificados como posibles blancos en las últimas amenazas. Gracias

 

4.) Send a Fax in Your Name

If you would like to have a fax sent to the Attorney General’s Office and Ministry of Foriegn Relationsin your name, please email Sistercitiesfax@hotmail.com with your full name and address.

 

THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!

 

GET NOTIFICATIONS OF NEW POSTS
RSS
Follow by Email

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *