Our unique quarter century relationship with the Salvadoran revolutionwas neatly summed up during a recent month-long tour of Salvadoranstudent leader Oswaldo Nataren. Said Oswaldo as he wrapped up the tourat a huge protest against the School of the Americas in Georgia,"Everywhere I went I was asked how people in this country could provideeffective solidarity at
such a crucial time and my answer was always the same: work withCISPES. I reminded them that CISPES has been with us from thebeginning-for more than 25 years." Click here for more on Oswaldo's tour.

As a young activist in El Salvador, Oswaldo is part of a longhistory of lucha (struggle), and is proud to carry on amulti-generational struggle for social justice, democracy and peace. Asone of the oldest Central American solidarity groups in the UnitedStates, CISPES ensures that generations of new activists takeinspiration from that history of solidarity and carry on
our continued challenge to U.S. imperialism.

But that's not all! Keeping you informed with the most up-to-date newsand analysis from the forefront of resistance in El Salvador and LatinAmerica is something CISPES has always done for US-based activists...and, that's we're inaugurating our new website, with weekly
updates from frontlines! (Hey, we may be ardent critics of free-market capitalist hegemony, but far be it from us to fall behind in the digital age!)

REPRESSION ON THE RISE IN EL SALVADOR - CISPES FIGHTS BACK!

Does it shock you to know that in El Salvador today you can besentenced to decades in jail for joining a non-violent street blockade?Would it surprise you that the ultra right-wing government has decidedto send 2000 new soldiers in to the streets? Are you furious that theUnited States continues its intervention in El Salvador, this time bytraining the Salvadoran national police at the International LawEnforcement Academy (ILEA)?

Now more than ever, as the rhetoric of repression echoes betweenWashington and San Salvador, we who support social justice urgentlyneed cross-border solidarity. As CISPES, we have pledged to ourpartners in the social movement that we will stand with them inopposition to state violence and repression! We will stand with them toprevent the implementation of every
unjust and deadly trade policy Washington imposes! Join us by responding to action
alerts and signing up for our Emergency Response Network .

CISPES is spearheading a national campaign to stop funding for theInternational Law Enforcement Academy. We visited our Senators andRepresentatives before last year's vote--and they will see us againthis spring! Learn more about the ILEA and how you can help shut it down.

CISPES has fought hard to block the US-Central America Free TradeAgreement (CAFTA) and though it passed last year we continue toadvocate for a drastic change in US trade policy. We must show all ofour elected officials the reality of the economic and socialdevastation Bush's draconian policies have wrought. It's up to us tofinally make the people's vision for real freedom and democracy inCentral America a reality! Check out more of CISPES resources , including background information on our campaigns and activist tools like our Congressional lobbying kit.

A CISPES veteran said to us recently, "When we started theorganization, we were still typing mimeo-stencils on typewriters tomake flyers. Yes, things have sure changed but CISPES and El Salvadorare still around!"

We're proud of that quarter century of opposition to Washington's waron the poor. Help us continue to build solidarity "Hasta La Victoria!"(Until Victory!). Check out a video about our 25th anniversary celebration , and while you're at our new website please consider sending us a holiday donation! Your contribution
is essential for us to continue building this movement for years to come!

Yours in solidarity,

- The Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador

PS: Just because we're temporarily moving to the friendly confines ofBrooklyn doesn't mean you can't still reach us at the same phone number, email and PO Box . Here are some more ways you can support CISPES and get involved:

**Contact your local committee to volunteer

**sign up for our emergency response network by filling out the form on the right sidebar of our website**to make a stock donation contact Sha Grogan-Brown at [email protected]

**Go here to donate frequent flyer miles (national and international organizing requires
a lot of travel!)
!

** forward this to all your friends