berman@ihuxm.UUCP (berman) (02/27/84)
El Salvador is scheduled to have elections next month.
Since we may very well be blitzed by another round
of media coverage explaining to us how joyful the
Salvadorans are at this exercise in democracy,
perhaps it is a good time now, before the
blitz, to look at this great upcoming event.
We were engulfed last time around by TV
commentators and politicians joyfully
pointing to the lines of people waiting
to vote. (Those were the elections that put
Robert D'Aubisson at the head of that nation's
congress. D'Aubisson has be labelled a
"pathological killer" by the former US Ambassador
to El Salvador, Robert White, who also has stated his
belief that D'Auibisson heads the death squads and
is responsible for the murder of Archbishop Romero).
Rather than discuss the events of the last
election (e.g. mandatory voting, or else
explain why you didn't vote next time the
local right-wing death (i.e. the army) squad comes knocking),
we can look at this forthcoming round.
After all, our noble President has repeatedly
certified that human rights are improving in
El Salvador, and constantly points to
the electoral process there as evidence of
movement towards democracy.
A well-known left-wing radical newspaper recently discussed the
Salvadoran elections. Here are some excerpts:
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"Ester Flores De Escobar, 70 years old and toothless, has journeyed
here seeking information about her 27-year old son. Slowly she turns the
pages of the blue and red albums filled with snapshots identifying
mutilated bodies. She shows little hope of finding her son and no hope
that life in El Salvador will change.
'Presidents don't mean anything. The same people will be running the
country', she says bitterly. 'They're having this election for
propaganda. Because the United States wants it. Because that's the
way Ronald Reagan will send us money'
"Behind her pessimism is the fact that that the military is the
final arbiter of Salvadoran politics. This nation's heritage of violence
can be traced back to the alliance formed between the ruling oligarchy
and the military. [In 1932], the army slaughtered 30,000 people,
1% of the population, and has remained a political force ever since"
A top official of the Catholic Church hierarchy-afraid to be
identified by name-- says 'regardless of who is elected, the
military are the ones who rule the country'"
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The above article is from that notorious left-wing rag,
The Wall Street Journal, February 27, 1984
So what is happening in El Salvador? Militarily the
resistance has been slowly and steadily winning the war. The Revolutionary
Democratic Front (FMLN/FDR) has asked for negotiations without
pre-conditions. They refuse to participate in the uncoming
electoral farce, because of the atmosphere of terror imposed
on all political activity by the Salvadoran oligarchy. Yet
they have decided not to disrupt the election out of understanding
the plight of the Salvador people who MUST vote or else endanger
their lives. Reagan is gung-ho in support of the regime,
but the US Congress, responding to revulsion at officially-sanctioned
death squads, has been reluctant.
The next few months will be crucial. A systematic collapse
of the Salvadoran army is not impossible. Reagan will likely
push for a huge military assistance/involvement package.
He may try to bypass Congress. The response of Congress, and the
American people will be absolutely vital.
Andy Berman