check out media from the week of action here

October 6 -13 marks an international solidarity week of action to demand that terrorist charges against Salvadoran protestors be dropped. On July 2, fourteen people were arrested in Suchitoto , E l Salvador for taking part in a protest against water privatization. Police brutality against the peaceful demonstration and the arrests of 14 of them produced international outrage, and ultimately this pressure forced the Salvadoran government to temporarily release the detainees. Nevertheless, protestors continue to be charged under the anti-terrorism law and could face up to 60 years in prison. This draconian law that criminalizes different forms of public protest as acts of terrorism is being used to silence the social movement in El Salvador , criminalizing acts that do not in any way constitute terrorism!

In ElSalvador different sectors continue toresist the anti-terrorism law, claiming that the way it is being employed,both against the social movement in general and against the 14demonstrators in particular, represents a step back from the 1992 PeaceAccords. Three judges declared last week that the law is tooconfusing and, more importantly, declared that simple streetprotests are not acts of terrorism. Despite the repressionagainst the Salvadoran social movement, people continue to organize againstprivatization and economic and political repression.

The trial of the Suchitoto protesters was scheduledfor the first week of October but has been delayed for six months while theprosecutors build their terrorism case. However, it isobvious that the trial was delayed for lack of evidence, since thosearrested were in the streets to voice their opinion against waterprivatization.

TheUnited States government has aresponsibility to speak out against the way the anti-terrorism law istargeting and criminalizing the social movement. However, the governmenthas consistently supported the implementation of the law, while bolsteringEl Salvador s repressive NationalCivil Police through the US-sponsored InternationalLaw Enforcement Academy (ILEA). Youraction is critical in defending the right to organize, in solidarity withthose who are struggling to keep water accessible and public inEl Salvador (see below)! Community leaders and non-violent protestors arenot terrorists.

Take Action!

1. Organize an action at the Salvadoran Consulate inyour city! Distribute this action alert and the call-in scripton the back side.

2.Call the State Department and demand that theUnited States government holdthe Salvadoran government accountable for these acts. Contact Jeremy Cornforth at theU.S. State DepartmentsEl Salvador desk at (NEW NUMBER: 202 647 4087). See below for sample script.

3.Call the Salvadoran Ambassador to theU.S. and let him know that youhold the Salvadoran government accountable for these acts. Contact Rene de Leon at202-265-9671 in the Salvadoran Embassy and demand that terrorist chargesagainst the Suchitoto protestors are dropped.

Call Script for El Salvador Desk at the U.S. State Department

You can use thefollowing script to talk to Mr. Cornforth. If at anypoint you get cut off, be sure to ask the final question will you call the ambassador and assure that he calls for theterrorism charges be dropped?

1) Imcalling because I am very concerned about the July 2 arrests of the peopleprotesting water privatization in Suchitoto ,El Salvador .

2) TheSalvadoran police violently captured community leaders shootingrubber bullets and tear gas at close range and local communitymembers and is now charging them with terrorism.

3) TheSalvadoran governments disproportionate reaction raises seriousconcerns about human rights and the freedom of organization andexpression.

4) TheU.S. government has publicly supported the Salvadoran government, includingsupporting the passage of the anti-terrorism law last September.

5) Itis extremely important that theU.S. stand up for human rightseverywhere and not let protest be criminalized in the name of a so-calledfight against terrorism.

6) Will you call Ambassador Rene de Leon and tell himto call for the terrorism charges to be dropped and the protestors to befreed?

Morebackground information about Suchitoto Arrests can be found at www.cispes.org or www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org

watch the video of the recent Consulate Action inBoston ! http://cispes.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=257&Itemid=29