ACTION ALERT: Prison Riots Leave 21 Dead While Prison Officials Stand-By
* Salvadoran movement calls for international pressure for removal of negligent government officials *
Although President Saca declared that 2007 would be the "Year ofPeace," the year has begun with a tragic, bloody massacre in theApanteos prison in Santa Ana, El Salvador. Although good informationhas been slow in coming, it is now known that a riot took place onFriday, January 5, and that prison officials did not intervene forhours while a group of inmates murdered 21 other prisoners on Saturday.
Over the past few years there has been a serious crisis in the prison and justice systems in El Salvador, with the ARENA government focusing on repression, increased policing, and more jails rather than crime prevention, rehabilitation or reinsertion strategies. Prison conditions are especially dismal: there is severe overcrowding, violence, precarious living conditions, and few prisoner rights. Furthermore, the ARENA government recently added to the tension by mixing inmates from rival gangs and non-gang inmates with gang members. They have also arbitrarily cut visiting rights and moved prisoners from one facility to another. These policies, far from creating "peace" in El Salvador, created the volatile situation that sparked this weekends bloodshed.
Beatrice de Carrillo, Human Rights Ombudswoman, held a press conference on Monday in which she offered scathing criticism of the governments handling of the violence, saying the prison officials actions in the case were negligent at best. She called on President Saca to immediately remove both the national head of prisons and the Apanteos director from office. Church officials and FMLN representatives have also publicly denounced the irresponsibility and negligence of the directors of the prison system. Even the Organization of American States has expressed its concern and called on Saca to improve prison conditions.
Join the Salvadoran social movement, FMLN, and others in calling on President Saca to immediately investigate the case and remove Jaime Vilanova, national prisons director, and Neftaly Portillo, Apanteos prison director, from their positions. Given that the celebration of the 15th Anniversary of the signing of the Peace Accords is just days away, it is critical that international solidarity activists add their voices to the loud demands for real peace with social justice in El Salvador!
Contact President Saca to express your concern and demand:
"I am a CISPES supporter because continuing to fight for social justice and a more people-centered country means continuing the dream and sacrifice of thousands of my fellow Salvadorans who died for that vision.” - Padre Carlos, New York City
