El Salvador: Update to Response to Information Request SLV23843.E of 10 May 1996 on the targetting of FMLN members by police, military and death squads
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 June 1998 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | SLV29515.E |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, El Salvador: Update to Response to Information Request SLV23843.E of 10 May 1996 on the targetting of FMLN members by police, military and death squads, 1 June 1998, SLV29515.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6abcd44.html [accessed 1 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
For information on FMLN members' treatment by PNC police officers, please consult the Research Directorate Issue Paper "El Salvador: The National Civilian Police (PNC)" produced in April 1998.
The attached 24 February 1997 CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) communiqué reports death threats against members and leaders of the FMLN and confrontations between FMLN and ARENA (right wing) party members in the weeks before the municipal and congressional elections held on 16 March 1997.
This information is corroborated by a Central America Report article which says that
The last weeks of the campaign have been affected by violent events, mostly involving rival ARENA and FMLN activists, but also including targeting of FMLN and PLD members. The FMLN suffered a second casualty on March 8, when a young activist was shot dead on the outskirts of San Salvador. ... On the night of March 6, six ARENA activists were lightly hurt in clashes with left-wing opponents in San Martin, 18 km east of San Salvador. Both sides issue daily complaints related to the battle for access to propaganda sites, walls and posts. In Santa Ana, in the west, ARENA's candidate for mayor, José Maria Duarte, is alleged to have made death threats with a gun against someone who allowed the frente [FMLN] to paint a mural on the wall of his house (13 March 1997, 2).
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.
References
Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 13 March 1997. Vol. 24, No. 10. "El Salvador: Fraud Allegations on Election Eve."
CISPES Action Alert. 24 February 1997. "Alert-U.S. Election Observer Kidnapped in El Salvador."
Attachments
CISPES Action Alert. 24 February 1997. "Alert-U.S. Election Observer Kidnapped in El Salvador." [Internet].
Additional Sources Consulted
Americas Update [Toronto]. 1996-1998.
Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.]. 1996-1998.
Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1996-1998.
Cerigua Weekly Briefs [Guatemala City]. 1996-1998.
Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1996-1998.
Latin America Regional Reports: Caribbean and Central America Report [London]: 1996-1998.
Latin America Weekly Report [London]: 1996-1998.
Electronic Sources: IRB Databases, Global News Bank, Lexis/Nexis, Internet, REFWORLD, World News Connection (WNC).
