Input: the most pressing demands of the chilean people have been brought up in the electoral campaign.  one of the most important achievements of this campaign has been the combining of the campaign with the just economic, political, and social demands that the democratic forces and the popular movement have been making for these 16 years of dictatorship.  these demands are related to the struggle against repression, the defense of human rights, the denunciation of crimes committed by the regime, and efforts to fight immunity and the suppression of the truth regarding torture, disappearances, and assassinations. these questions have once again come into the spotlight now that many rightist candidates are demagogically attempting to pose as defenders of human rights and since el mercurio has reported that the dictator is planning to convert the cni (national information center) into an agency of the army so that the main repressive body from all these years can be under his direct control.  jaime inzunza, leader of the united left and the communist party of chile, discusses these topics over a direct phone line from santiago, chile.    (begin recording) (announcer) how are the chilean people's demands connected to the ongoing electoral campaign?    (inzunza) they are connected through the democratization of the neighborhood boards during the electoral process; the strengthening of the unified actions of workers; the development of the committees for victory, which will also be committees for the defense of victory and committees for carrying on the democratic task; the development of confidence; the struggle for human rights, particularly concerning truth and justice and immunity for crimes; the increasing pressure by the immense majority of the population for the release of all political prisoners; and naturally for the dissolution of the cni. all of these questions are being brought up in the electoral campaign, and agreements have been reached within social organizations.  this was evidenced a week ago by the salvadora strike and by the current strike by coal miners.  this proves that the people have understood that the electoral campaign has to be an expression of their activities and a way to strengthen their social organizations for the future struggle. (end recording)    the preceding comments were made by communist party of chile leader jaime inzunza, who has been interviewed over the telephone on our program "escucha chile."  another topic discussed by inzunza was the el mercurio report on the cni's transfer to the army.  the dissolution of the cni has become one of the most pressing demands of the immense majority of chileans.    (begin recording) (announcer) what is your opinion, jaime inzunza, on the dictator's intention to maintain the cni as it is and to keep it under his direct command?    (inzunza) i believe that this issue is particularly serious.  the intention is to maintain intact the main terrorist apparatus of the dictatorship, which has been responsible for the most flagrant violations of human rights throughout the years of its existence.  i understand that the dina (national intelligence directorate, replaced by cni) and the cni have been in fact a single apparatus and therefore the main organs of state terrorrism over the past 15 years.  if transferred to the army, the cni would continue to be under pinochet's orders.  under whose orders has it been all these years?  for whom has it been a direct agent all these years?  henceforth it will be under the control of the office of the commander in chief of the army. (end recording)    communist leader jaime inzunza added that pinochet's intent in transferring the cni to the army's direct command is to make the institution an accomplice in concealing people who have been responsible for crimes and human rights violations.    (begin recording) (inzunza) the idea is to involve the military institution in crimes for which the chilean people knows it was not responsible.  this is clear: what the democratic opposition forces want is to have the culprits behind those crimes and human rights violations prosecuted, not the military institution.  the transfer of the cni to the army is an attempt to make the men in uniform act as accomplices or accessories to those crimes.  loyalty is not at stake here; loyalty is defending values and principles, not some sort of criminal complicity that is not in line with the training of these men.  this seems to me to be particularly serious because this transfer implies maintaining the cni under the orders of the man responsible for the crimes committed all these years, the dictator himself. (end recording)    these have been answers given by jaime inzunza, united left and communist party of chile leader, to questions put to him over the phone by "escucha chile," a radio moscow international program.


Input: guatemalan archbishop prospero penados del barrio today reported the kidnapping of a nun, diana mack ortiz, 20 years old, born in the state of colorado in the united states of america.    the archbishop also reported that another u.s. nun, patricia denny, left guatemala 17 days ago because of continuous death threats over the telephone and in writing.    penados said diana mack ortiz was kidnapped on 2 november in antigua guatemala, 45 km south of guatemala city, when she was attending a seminar along with other nuns.  the archbishop explained the nun had been receiving death threats.  she had been urged to leave guatemala, but she decided to continue working in this country.    the kidnapped nun, who had been in guatemala for a year, was teaching at the san miguel acatan elementary school in huehuetenango department in northeast guatemala.  she belongs to the order of the ursilina, penados reported.    patricia denny, 54, left guatemala after unidentified men warned her that if she wished to continue living she had to leave the country.  denny had arrived in guatemala in 1984, belonged to the sisters of mary knoll, and was working at a parish in mixco municipality in southern guatemala city.    the archbishop said all this is the "beginning of a campaign to intimidate the catholic church."  he did not mention which groups are perpetrating these intimidation actions.  however, penados said he is going to talk to guatemalan president vinicio cerezo today to report the incidents with the u.s. nuns.    penados stated that this kind of action "harmed catholicism very much in past years," when repression severely hit this sector.  he pointed out that this kind of incident had not happened since president cerezo took over power in guatemala on 14 january 1986.    the archbishop demanded that mack ortiz' kidnappers respect her life and physical integrity.

diana mack ortiz

patricia denny


Input: the governments of chile and el salvador have signed a joint declaration in which they recognize that the market economy principles are the main force of development.    the declaration was signed by foreign minister hernan felipe errazuriz and by salvadoran foreign minister manuel pacas, who today concluded an official visit to chile. the joint communique reasserts both countries' commitment to the growing liberation of international trade and it rejects the obstacles that hinder exchange. the document likewise expresses the concern of chile and el salvador over terrorist acitivity in latin america and foreign support to subversive groups. the two countries agree that both activities hinder democracy and economic development.    after signing the joint declaration, the salvadoran foreign minister gave a news conference in which he regretted the fact that the guerrilla abandoned the talks sponsored by president cristiani. pacas said that this attitude demonstrates that the extremists do not want peace in el salvador.


Input: on 5 november, radio venceremos reports that guerrillas have carried out 2 ambushes along the panamerican highway, inflicting 26 army casualties.  the report indicated that at 0600 on 4 november, the rebels placed a bomb on a light tank near flores de tepeyac, apastepeque.  it is estimated that the action resulted in 9 casualties; the light tank was completely destroyed.  the second ambush occurred at 0815 on 4 november.  the rebels ambushed a 10-vehicle military convoy and left at least 17 casualties.  some time after the rebel action, the army directed mortar fire to the area and the air force leveled machinegun fire upon this populated zone. traffic on the panamerican highway was paralyzed while the armed forces evacuated the many casualties from the area in helicopters.    a later report told of urban commandos attacking a treasury police unit at 5th avenue and 5th poniente street in san salvador, resulting in 2 casualties to the treasury police.    also, rebel units were said to attack military detachment no 1 commandos on the outskirts of totonique, chalatenango department during the afternoon of 3 november, inflicting two casualties.    in another item, the central anastacio aquino front was reported to claim taking part in actions against the belloso battalion.  fmln rebels clashed with soldiers in canton coyolito in tecoluca jurisdiction, san vicente department at 0900 on 3 november, and inflicted three casualties.  that same day, the same unit was attacked in finca sajelio and the guerrillas claimed to have inflicted 2 more casualties.  the same troops were said to suffer 2 more casualties in a mined area on 4 november.    an fmln unit was also said to have seized the town of los hernandez in canton matasano, cabanas department on 4 november. four pylons were blown up, interrupting a 46,000-volt electrical line.    radio venceremos on 6 november carries its weekly military report:    "during the past week, radio venceremos reported inflicting many casualties on the armed forces.  the total number of casualties inflicted on the armed forces was 124, including an arce battalion officer who was hit in (word indistinct).  fmln forces ambushed five military convoys along different highways throughout the country. during the week, two paramilitary members were captured.  the fmln respected the lives of these men and released them immediately, but confiscated their 3 rifles and 300 cartridges.  we highlight the attack by our urban commandos on command staff installations.  this attack took place in a san salvador that is totally militarized, nevertheless, we managed to hit the top death squads members' central nerve.  guerrilla actions in the metapan area increased during the week and our men ambushed soldiers along the santa ana-metapan road several times.  in chalatenango, our men carried out continuous actions against 4th infantry brigade troops in el refugio and other places in san ignacio.  we have already amply reported heavy clashes against paramilitary groups in san francisco canton, cabanas department, where we captured the aforementioned prisoners and confiscated their weapons.  we carried out important ambush operations against military troops trying to transit the panamerican and coastal highways in san vicente and la paz departments.  we also met the belloso battalion troops and caused their first casualties."    the station also reported that guerrillas attacked a section of the soriano battalion in finca las mercedes and inflicted three casualties on the 1st infantry brigade troops, including a radio operator.  an m-16 rifle was confiscated from the soldiers.    rebel unit was said to have ambushed a military convoy along the coastal road near san cristobal in the tecoluca jurisdiction, san vicente department at noon of 5 november.  our men confirm having inflicted 6 army casualties.

fmln unit

army

air force

fmln

pylons

mortar

machinegun


Input: justice minister roberto salazar will try to secure u.s. aid to be used for protecting colombian justices.  yesterday, the minister unexpectedly traveled to new york, where he will meet with u.s. officials and try to speed up the delivery of aid which the united states had promised to former colombian justice minister monica de greiff.    minister salazar will return home this week to find a definitive solution to the strike declared by justice branch employees as a result of the murder of a medellin judge and of two justice ministry employees in valle del cauca.


Input: the peruvian government today decreed a state of emergency and military control in four lima provinces and extended the measure in another five.  this means all of lima department, with a population of over 6 million people, is under a state of emergency.    this government decision is a result of the terrorist activity in the provinces and an attempt to prevent the boycott of the election which was decreed by the maoist "shining path" organization.    lima department is the largest peruvian department in both population and electoral strength.  it is made up of 10 provinces, including lima province, which contains 90 percent of the population, and the callao port, which is recognized as a constitutional province.    according to the decrees published today, the government is establishing a state of emergency in the provinces of (words indistinct) and canete, while the emergency in effect in barranca, cajatambo, huaura, yauyos, and oyon will be extended another 30 days. lima and el callao provinces have been under military control since 1 november, when the government decreed a state of emergency in the two provinces.    of peru's 24 departments, 10 are under a state of emergency.  these areas include andean and jungle territories containing more than 50 percent of peru's approximately 22 million people.


Input: we are hearing statements by commander jorge shafik handal, who is talking about col ponce and cristiani's responsibility in the terrorist attack on fenastras.  this incident prompted a visit to our country by u.s. official bernard aronson.  let us hear what commander handal has to say about the u.s.  official's visit.    (begin recording) (handal) of course, the united states does not want to appear as if it were withdrawing support from president cristiani.  we were just saying that aronson had arrived and he looked worried.  the nice looking glass house they had built has rapidly begun to fall apart.  aronson apparently came to see how he could patch things up.  we recall a similar high-level visit back around 1984, if my memory serves me right, when the current u.s. president arrived.  at that time he was vice president under the bush administration, no, the reagan administration, and came to see how to improve the supposedly centrist government and how to put an end to the death squads.  he took a list back with him...(changes thought) let us take a look at how they operate.  when they take any action they are very clear and direct.  they had a political interest in putting all this together, so bush took back with him a list of 15 military members so they could be fired. (end recording)

col ponce

president cristiani

fenastras

fenastras


Input: salvadoran people: good morning.  i am speaking on behalf of the salvadoran armed forces that is on its feet at 0115 on 12 november, confronting a treacherous attack by the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) terrorists who at 2000 on 11 november--displaying their warmongering strategy and without caring about the suffering of the salvadoran people--carried out treacherous actions in which the civilian population were the only ones who have suffered.    the military and public security personnel have reacted in an efficient manner in rejecting the terrorist enemy. we are obligated to report to the salvadoran people what has happened. the most important actions that have taken place on the night of 11 november are as follows: an attack on the residence of the legislative assembly president, who is unharmed; and an attack on the central elections council where no material damage or casualties occurred.  likewise, there was an attack on the presidential residence which caused slight material damage and no casualties. fortunately for all salvadorans, the president of the republic is under full protection and he was never in any danger. likewise, we report that there was an attack on his private residence.    we also want to report to the salvadoran people that some military personnel were harassed, such as the 1st infantry brigade, the national police garrison in the zacamil neighborhood, and the 6th infantry brigade in usulutan city where one minor was injured.  there was also harassment of the 3d infantry brigade with headquarters in san miguel. there was no material damage and there were no casualties. (continued)

terrorists

farabundo marti national liberation front

residence of the legislative assembly president

central elections council

presidential residence

his private residence

6th infantry brigade

6th infantry brigade


Input: the salvadoran guerrillas assured today they have "consolidated" four of the most densely populated neighborhoods in northern san salvador where some 300,000 persons live.    commander amilcar, one of the rebel chiefs who has occupied the zacamil neighborhood, told acan - efe that he and his men came to san salvador "prepared, and with sufficient ammunition to remain for several days."    in a general assesement of the guerrilla offensive, the young commander said that the army "cannot enter" the "area under rebel control," but it is attacking the rebels from the national police headquarters and using helicopter gunships.    "however, the people have the trump card (for the success of the offensive)," he added.    amilcar, who is 26-years-ago and looks like a student, was walking down the hallways of one of the cramped five-story apartment buildings in zacamil while explaining that the goal of the rebel offensive is "to seek options for building peace in el salvador."    he added that the guerrillas seek "to disrupt the dialogue conditions, and go to the conversations with a political and military advantage so that the government will agree with us on what the people want: democracy, a people's economic policy, and a purge in the armed forces, among other things."    the guerrillas and the government of el salvador have held two meetings in recent months, the first one in mexico and the second one in costa rica.  a third meeting was to be held shortly in venezuela, but the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) announced that it will not attend.    the fmln launched the most important military offensive since 1981 on 11 november, attacking 50 military positions, 20 of them in san salvador.    in the first 24 hours, the offensive has caused nearly 300 casualties (127 dead and 155 wounded) according to the army, and over 400 casualties according to the guerrillas.    the offensive has been named "out with the fascists! febe elizabeth lives!" in homage to a trade union leader killed 13 days ago along with nine other workers in a dynamite explosion in the capital city attributed to the ultrarightist death squads.    armed with an automatic ak-47 rifle, amilcar said that the fmln "has consolidated the zacamil, cuscatancingo, mejicanos, and panama neighborhoods, and we have besieged the 1st infantry brigade."    all the places he mentioned are in northern san salvador, where the bloodiest clashes between the guerrillas and the government troops have taken place.    at nightfall on 12 november and prior to the curfew that begins at 2000 (0200 gmt), the residents of zacamil were outside their buildings carrying candles as there is no electricity.    amilcar assured that the guerrillas have inflicted at least 18 casualties on the armed forces in that area and have seized about 20 rifles and 1 m-60 machinegun.    "this offensive is a military and political achievement. as a result of the closing of the comalapa international airport, the main airport of the country, we have succeeded in letting the world that we are at war and are an emerging power," the rebel commander said.    comalapa airport, located 50 km south of san salvador, was closed "for security reasons."    acording to the fmln clandestine station, radio venceremos, the guerrilla fighters destroyed three military helicopters on the ground and caused some damage on the airports's main landing strip.    referring to the government's decision to impose a curfew and a nationwide state of siege effective tonight, commander amilcar said: "we had already taken this into consideration when we launched the offensive."    the government "cannot act indiscriminately against the civilian population," amilcar said; adding that "the citizens' rights were suspended to bomb the places taken over by our forces."    the people of zacamil and other neighborhoods located north of the capital have lived in terror since saturday, 11 november, when they were trapped in the crossfire between the rebels and the military, subjected to the air raids and the threat that living with the guerrilla members represents to them.    at least two civilians have died in zacamil and five more have been wounded, including two children, as a result of the armed clashes.

rebels

military

ultrarightist death squads

guerrilla fighters

army

farabundo marti national liberation front

military helicopters

airports's main landing strip

febe elizabeth

dynamite


Input: we have a last minute report from san miguel.  at exactly 1100 1700 gmt yesterday, 12 november, an armored personnel carrier was destroyed with an rpg-7 rocket (words indistinct).  four enemy casualties were reported.  we repeat: an armored personnel carrier was destroyed by our fighters in san miguel.  our fighters used an rpg-7 rocket launcher to destroy the armored personnel carrier.    now we have more information from san salvador.  at 0800 1400 gmt this morning, a c-47 plane flew over and strafed the mejicanos downtown area, where thousands of people live.  according to the report we received, many civilians have been injured.  we were also advised that the c-47 left the area after its attack.    we once again call on the international community to pressure alfredo cristiani's government to stop this kind of human rights violation.  these actions are directed against the civilian population.  the armed forces has been shelling and strafing densely populated areas in san salvador since saturday.  in the past we have denounced indiscriminate shelling of rural areas; however, these are unprecedented attacks.  this shelling and bombing has already resulted in many civilian casualties.

armed forces


Input: a high-ranking united nations official in san salvador today voiced disapproval regarding the support expressed by nicaraguan president daniel ortega for the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln).    "nicaragua's support for the fmln is an insult to the central american peace process," said the united nations official who wished to remain anonymous.  he is participating in the united nations peace efforts in the area.    the offensive launched by the fmln on 11 november, the most important one since 1981, has already resulted in 139 dead and 313 wounded, including soldiers, rebels, and civilians, government sources reported today.    ortega, on 11 november, described the army's actions as a "genocide" and a "massacre," referring to the bombings of neighborhoods occupied by the guerrillas.    according to the official, the open support voiced by ortega to the salvadoran rebels "is a mistake and an intervention."      the un official emphasized that "this gives the salvadoran conflict an international dimension and the united states has said that is has not ruled out an intervention in the area due to the nicaraguan support to the marxist guerrilla of el salvador."      the salvadoran government of rightist alfredo cristiani has blamed ortega for violating the central american peace agreements by giving moral and logistical support to the fmln.    on 12 november, cristiani asked the international community to condemn president ortega's position.

salvadoran rebels

farabundo marti national liberation front


Input: today, 14 november, new attacks are taking place against positions of the joint staff of the armed forces.  the pink zone (la zona rosa) is turning black for the enemy. our forces are clashing with the zacamil battalion.    we have a report from the capital saying that this afternoon, farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) forces were strongly attacking zacamil battalion troops.  the fmln troops are harassing the joint staff of the armed forces at this time.  barricades are being set up throughout the capital on this 4th day of fighting.    this is the second attack on the joint staff in less than 24 hours because, as we said last night, fmln troops initiated attacks against the san benito battalion at the international fair and against the forces defending the joint staff of the armed forces.    this is the second attack against the joint staff, which complicates the overall situation for the armed forces in the capital. we are attacking the top command of the enemy forces.  fmln forces are attacking the heart and the brain of the enemy.    salvadoran air force planes are overflying areas north of the capital, and they continue machinegunning and bombing civilian areas. a few minutes ago, we reported heavy bombing in zacamil neighborhood.


Input: early this morning the government decreed a state of siege throughout the country to end the social crisis and to protect the internal order, which has been disrupted over the past few hours. this report is included in a government decree approved by president paz zamora.    according to interior ministry under secretary raul loayza, police arrested 500 teachers and education leaders in the nine departmental capitals, thus thwarting the extended hunger strike.    the strike by teachers, who have been demanding a bonus of 300 bolivian pesos, has unleashed violent street confrontations over the past few days and at least four bombings.    the government, which has been besieged by a wave of social demands and pressured by the 80,000 teachers, has stated that these demonstrations are undermining democratic stability. it added that despite efforts to find a path to peaceful coexistence and dialogue, it has not been possible to prevent radical groups interested in the union leadership from publicly challenging the government.    the government decree states that it will guarantee the 3 december municipal elections and protect the citizens' right to vote.    a few minutes before the release of this decree to the press, police patrols raided the centers where the hunger strikes were taking place.  police used excessive force in these raids.    the 250 strikers arrested in la paz were taken in trucks and buses of the police, the air force, and other state institutions, to the el elto air base.    the government reported that 250 strikers were also arrested in the interior of the country. it added that those responsible for the strike will be sent to different regions of the country. other, less responsible groups of strikers will be tried by the regular courts. others will be released.    the three la paz teachers' leaders have been sent to different hospitals in la paz and placed in intensive care. they are miguel lora, telmo roman, and luis alvarez, who are not facing any risk of death, the interior ministry under secretary stated.  he warned that the bolivian labor confederation underground sessions will be illegal, and they are not the most appropriate for labor organizations, he said.    this is the first social crisis president paz zamora has had to face since he assumed power almost 100 days ago.


Input: the human rights promotion and protection secretariat (secretaria de promocion y proteccion de los derechos humanos) of the fmln strongly condemns the massacre of five spanish-born jesuit priests and three salvadoran citizens carried out by the salvadoran armed forces soldiers.  ignoring a martial law prohibiting all travel, early this morning a large number of heavily armed soldiers burst into the residence of the priests who manage the jose simeon canas catholic university (uca).  the soldiers broke into the priests' bedrooms, captured them, and brutally murdered them in the garden.    the victims of this hateful collective crime were: priest and dr ignacio ellacuria, the uca director; priest and dr ignacio martin baro, uca deputy director; priest and dr segundo montes, uca human rights institute director; priest and dr amando lopez, uca dean; priest juan ramon moreno; and joaquin lopez y lopez, as well as julia ramos and her 15-year-old daughter, elva ramos.    the persons who ordered the horrible murder of the jesuits and three salvadoran citizens are the same ones who ordered pilots, artillery men, and machinegunners in planes to attack the civilian population.  they are the same ones who are against reaching a political solution to the salvadoran conflict.  they are the top military and political figures in alfredo cristiani's administration.    the human rights promotion and protection secretariat calls on the international community to tie the hands of these murderers of salvadoran people and to aid in finding a solution to the national crisis so we may attain a just and lasting peace our people so desire.    no more barbaric actions in san salvador.  no more injustices. trial and punishment for the murderers.  the military and political leaders of cristiani's government must be ousted.    el salvador, 16 nov 1989

large number of heavily armed soldiers

top military and political figures in alfredo cristiani's administration

armed forces

alfredo cristiani's administration

ignacio ellacuria

ignacio martin baro

segundo montes

amando lopez

juan ramon moreno

joaquin lopez y lopez

julia ramos

elva ramos


Input: farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) detachments have conducted the largest military operation in the entire history of the salvadoran conflict in the country's capital.    an offensive was launched simultaneously throughout the country's territory; however, san salvador's city blocks, which were the scene of fierce fighting between fmln detachments and government troops, were the epicenter of sunday's events.  the intense firefight involving artillery and helicopters lasted approximately 18 hours and encompassed virtually the entire capital, completely paralyzing life in the city.  according to reuter, attempts were made to storm president alfredo cristiani's official and personal residences; however, it is reported that the president was not hurt.    reports of the losses on both sides are contradictory.    a state of siege has been introduced in el salvador and constitutional guarantees have been suspended.  a curfew is in force in the capital, and the international airport has been closed. according to president cristiani, whose speech was broadcast on the radio, these steps are needed to "defend the population against left-wing terrorism."  according to the president, the military are in complete control of the situation; however, it is reported from san salvador that these words by a.  cristiani were heard on the airwaves accompanied by continual explosions and shooting.    international observers regard events in san salvador in the context of the interrupted talks between the government and the insurgents.  the third round of these talks should have been held recently in caracas, but opposition representatives refused to take part in them after a left-wing trade union's headquarters was subjected to artillery bombardment resulting in the deaths of at least 10 people.  according to the insurgents, the government decided on dialogue with them solely out of propaganda considerations, with no intention of reaching any agreement.  sunday's offensive was thus an attempt on their part to show themselves to be a force to be reckoned with.    in the opinion of observers, however, events in san salvador practically rule out all hopes of success for future talks between the government and representatives of the insurgents.  moreover, the fighting in the salvadoran capital, a reuter correspondent believes, dealt the fragile peace settlement process in central america a considerable blow.

fmln detachments

farabundo marti national liberation front

president alfredo cristiani's official and personal residences

left-wing trade union's headquarters

alfredo cristiani

artillery


Input: that is the position of the salvadoran government.  with the information it has, the government cannot point the finger at anyone. it cannot accuse anyone yet, because there is no conclusive evidence in this case.  we believe there may be some people who can cooperate with us if we help them.  there may be some witnesses, who may be willing to cooperate, but they may not be available right now.  (words indistinct) he said he was willing to help.  they wanted the investigations to take place.    (reporter) (question indistinct)    (cristiani) well, i believe much depends on the position of the fmln.  i have listened to several versions all the way from demanding my resignation to assassination attempts against me to finish everything up.  under these terms, they are saying we are about to create a new lebanon, and they are saying the fmln has control over certain liberated areas in the capital.  however, if we talked about the situation rationally and reasonably, there could be (word indistinct).    (reporter) (question indistinct)    (cristiani) well, we have talked about the air force situation in the past.  the air force has orders not to bomb and not to use its weapons against urban areas of the capital unless it has been able to detect and isolate a clear fmln target.  in this regard, air force bombs were not used until last night when air force planes were attacked from some sugarcane fields north of the 1533 landing strip (16-second break in reception)...use bombs to stop the use of fmln mortars.  the air force used machineguns (words indistinct) the only time they were used within the urban area, to be sure they were not endangering anyone, were two mortars installed in the soccer field of the national university.  (words indistinct) one was fired at the police battalion in zacamil neighborhood, and the other was firing at the 1st brigade.  (words indistinct) i believe that among the weapons that were seized, there are some of that.  i am not too sure.    in the (words indistinct), near the san jacinto hill were used to support troops that were using the san jacinto hill.  we believe it was the fmln withrawing (words indistinct) in santa marta. up to now, the position of the armed forces staff and the high command in the use of the air force is only (words indistinct) and when specific targets can be isolated in which the civilian population is not endangered.    (reporter) (question indistinct)    (cristiani) i do not have it with me right now, but there will be a report on the military situation (words indistinct) by the high command tonight.  (continued)


Input: a fascist ideology has infiltrated the white house and no one should be surprised because it coincides with the arena (nationalist republican alliance) ideology.  the u.s.  government has acknowledged the bombings after cynically saying it knew nothing about them.  however, that acknowledgement is even more hair-raising than the denial.  hear us well: the u.s. government has stated that it supports the government troops' efforts to crush the offensive which has caused so many personal tragedies; and it praised the army for decreeing strict laws to prevent civilian casualties.    we also hear the pet expression that the fmln is using civilians to protect its fighters, and the principle of removing the people from their environment is unscrupulously applied once more.  this is why the northern part of the country was destroyed, leaving entire towns in ruins -- and now large areas of the country's most important cities are being destroyed.  one day those ruins will become the evidence we will show our children to prove that fascism once existed in the country.    however, the u.s. imperialism's clumsiness goes even further.  the north americans apparently want to become involved in a large-scale conflict -- for the sake of a few death squad members who have already earned the world's scorn -- given the decision to send u.s.  pilots to bomb the civilian population by night.  the fascist salvadoran dictatorship has unleashed the brutal tactics used by somoza before leaving power.  on that occasion the u.s. imperialism turned its back on the tyrant.    the united states' foreign policy have never stooped so low and the decisions adopted by the u.s. government have never brought the possibility of a regional conflict so close.  what does the nicaraguan government think about the airplanes being flown by u.s.  pilots only a few hundred km from its border?  what will happen if guatemala continues to involve itself in the salvadoran conflict?  the consequences are unforeseeable.  the u.s. imperialism has soiled its hands with a new genocide in el salvador.  the u.s. people should deeply reflect about this and stop their government from provoking contempt of that nation -- which is being disinformed and intoxicated by the anti-communist propaganda.    large groups of abraham lincoln's people, the best sons of the united states, have reacted and have taken to the streets --deep inside the u.s. imperialism's heart.  soon, very soon, this will become an unstoppable surge.  the u.s. government's strategic goal is clear: the salvadoran people.  the u.s. government wants the salvadoran people to (words indistinct).  to quote monsignor (oscar arnulfo) romero, the army -- and in this case the north americans -- are like serpents, which only bite the shoeless.  yet they do not know that the people have risen in anger and dignity, and they are coming to pull out the fascist serpent's fangs.


Input: the salvadoran armed forces and security corps have inflicted the following casualties on the enemy:  784 dead, 357 wounded.  the armed forces also seized the following equipment: 376 rifles, 3 carbines, 11 shotguns, 83 rocket launchers, 26 mortars, 8 machineguns, 17 submachineguns, 31 pistols, 17 radios.    this has been a report on the casualties inflicted by our glorious armed forces on the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) criminal terrorists.  the report included the war materiel seized in the last few hours from the fmln communists.


Input: approximately 1,000 people demonstrated today at the burgos main square (central) to ask the spanish government to mediate in the salvadoran conflict, and in barcelona (northeastern), a demonstration to express support for the salvadoran people has been scheduled for 22 november.    the demonstrators, convoked by the solidarity with latin america committee, verbally attacked salvadoran president alfredo cristiani and have asked the spanish government to offer itself as a mediator to promote an end the armed conflict.    some of the people who attended the demonstration, which was held without incidents, carried placarts denouncing the killing of six jesuit priests -- five of whom were spanish citizens -- and two salvadoran women at the central american university.    meanwhile, civic organizations, student associations, labor unions, and political parties in cataluna have scheduled a demonstration in support of the salvadoran people to be held in barcelona on 22 november.    these organizations, which have formed an emergency committee, have opened an account at the "la caixa" savings bank where economic donations are being accepted to help the salvadoran people.    in a manifesto released, the committee demands an end to the bombing of civilians, the immediate evacuation of the wounded, and an end to attacks against the union headquarters and leaders.    likewise, the committee has demanded an end to u.s. intervention in el salvador and that the guatemalan and honduran armies refrain from participating in the conflict.    "we ask the spanish government institutions and the eec to pressure the salvadoran government to begin a real negotiation that will an end to the conflict and its causes, the manifesto states.

union headquarters


Input: president vinicio cerezo has tacitly blamed president alfredo cristiani's administration for the crisis which prevails in the country as a result of the farabundo marti national liberation front's (fmln) offensive which was launched on saturday 11 november.    cerezo attended the conclusion of a seminar sponsored by the central american institute for political studies (incep) on 17 november.  the event was held at 2100 at the guatemala fiesta hotel.    the new central american vice president of the christian democratic organization of america (odca) was sworn in at the event.  carlos morales ehrlich, of el salvador, was replaced by professor catalina soberanis, of guatemala.    during his speech morales ehrlich blamed the extreme right death squads of el salvador for the assassination of six jesuit priests at the central american university.    during his speech, which was more like an informal chat, president cerezo attributed the situation which prevails in el salvador to president cristiani's inefficiency.

extreme right death squads


Input: heavy clashes are taking place right now in escalon and san benito residential areas.  there is no going back.  we have broken the defensive lines of the enemy.  we have broken (words indistinct) in the capital city, we are fighting in front of the dens of colonel ponce and other officers who have turned the war into a business. those officers have luxurious mansions in miami.  every weekend and even in spite of the war, col ponce has orgies in his luxurious homes in the country's interior.  soldiers, patriotic officers, we call on you to join the people and join our front.  patriotic officers, who are listening to us, do not allow more bombings in our capital city by the genocidal tandona group (1966 graduating class of the capt gen gerardo barrios military school).  young officers, lieutenants who are being killed in the residential areas and neighborhoods of the capital city, why should you be killed while defending ponce's mansions?  this is the last scenario of the last chapter in which the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) will achieve the victory of the people.  we call on your conscience, young patriotic officer.    just look at what happened in the bombings of zacamil.  over 500 homes were razed.  are you going to allow the high command to finish off the city, to finish off the neighborhoods and residential areas where your relatives might be?  you saw what happened in zacamil, mejicanos, soyapango.  patriotic officer, it is time we sit down to talk, to see what we can do with our fatherland, and what are we going to do with la tandona.  patriotic officers who are listening to us: it is useless to continue defending; to continue defending what, we ask you.  the fatherland?  what fatherland?  the fatherland you are told you are defending are the millions and the mansions of col ponce and of col elena fuentes.  patriotic officers: the time is here, take one step forward.    we have more reports from san salvador: early this morning, combat has been resumed in the following places: escalon, san benito, and la sultana residential areas.  these attacks are against the soldiers from military detachment no. 6 and the cavalry.  combats are also reported north of ayutuxtepeque, against soldiers from the 4th and 1st infantry brigade.  there are also clashes in the area of metropolis and zacamil neighborhoods against soldiers from the bracamonte battalion.    it is important to point out that in san benito and la sultana residential areas, we are fighting against soldiers from sonsonate, and not from san salvador.  the soldiers are from military detachment no. 6 of sonsonate.  troops from sonsonate have been brought into san salvador, because the high command has lost control of the situation. in other words, there is a mixture of soldiers from all parts of the country in the capital city.  this has yielded negative results for the high command.  in the capital city, there have been clashes between the atlacatl battalion and the national police, and the national guard has attacked troops from military detachment no. 6. these are little soldiers from sonsonate who have been brought into the capital city, and they are not familiar with the city.  they are clashing against each other.    clashes are also reported with the 4th infantry brigade and the 1st infantry brigade in ayutuxtepeque.  in other words, the 4th infantry brigade is fighting in ayutuxtepeque.  what will happen in the interior of the country?  the garrisons have been left empty.  the san francisco gotera garrison has been left without anyone.  the 4th infantry brigade is being left by itself, as well as the military detachment no. 1.  the colonels are desperate and are bringing troops into the capital city.    this is a good report.  the 4th infantry brigade and military detachment no. 6 are in the capital.  this is the situation on this morning of victorious battles.  who would believe it?  the sonsonate soldiers are fighting in the capital city.  this gives us a general picture of the defeat.  if the sonsonate troops are fighting in the last defensive line, this means that the sonsonate lines have been wiped out.    attention, fmln antiaircraft units have opened fire with their m-60 machineguns against uh-1h helicopters that are flying over the residential areas of the oligarchy.  likewise, a helicopter is right now flying over the armed forces general staff offices.  fmln units are firing their anti-aircraft weapons in the escalon residential area.

high command

tandona group

homes


Input: the rebel commanders who directed the occupation of several san salvador neighborhoods last week, today headed the seizure of the sheraton hotel, where oas secretary general joao baena soares was trapped for more than 8 hours.    newsmen who entered the hotel this afternoon during the evacuation of baena by diplomats were able to confirm that commander amilcar, known as "el choco," who directed the combat operations in the zacamil neighborhood, was seen today on the third floor of the sheraton hotel.    several rebels have said that facundo guardado ("commander esteban"), one of the founders of the farabundo marti national liberation front and one of the leaders of the offensive that began in the capital on 11 november, is somewhere near the hotel.    according to the rebels, guardado expected to initiate this afternoon's "negotiations" with the manager of the hotel, robert newell.  several u.s. military advisers, as well as one from guatemala and another one from chile remain in the hands of the rebels.  el choco said: "we can resist for as long as we have to.  all they can do is bomb the place and let us see if they are willing to do that."    according to the young guerrilla commander, the rebel withdrawal from the zacamil, cuscatancingo, and mejicanos neighborhoods, among others, "was part of the plan" that was completed today with the arrival at the sheraton hotel area.  the rebel said: "we have come here today, to the escalon colony, to their area, the area of the bourgeoisie, to see if they do here what they did with the people, who were hurt by the air force bombing operations."    at 0430 (1030 gmt) today, the fmln guerrillas initiated heavy fighting around the sheraton hotel, where oas secretary general joao baena soares was staying.    baena soares was evacuated from the sheraton hotel to the headquarters of the armed forces staff where he met with the "highest salvadoran authorities," according to diplomatic and military sources.    this afternoon, the guerrillas are still occupying several floors of the hotel, which has bullet holes, destroyed windows, and broken furniture all over the floor.    the area has been surrounded by light armored tanks and is being patrolled by several armed salvadoran air force helicopters.

rebel commanders

commander amilcar

fmln guerrillas

commander esteban

farabundo marti national liberation front

sheraton hotel

joao baena soares


Input: the picture published today by the newspaper granma in its third edition speaks for itself.  in fact, as the newspaper suggests, the yankee hand is today in el salvador as it was yesterday in vietnam.  the wounded mother who tries to comfort her daughter, a victim of the bombings, is not an isolated picture.  it is a symbol of the crimes that are being committed against the civilian population in that country.    the united states is not innocent of these crimes because u.s. pilots are participating in the massacre.  in the meantime, what is the human rights champion doing?  in fact, he is doing nothing that could not be predicted.  president bush gets on the phone and calls his salvadoran crony alfredo cristini to assure him that everything is all right, that he can go on, that the u.s.  position is favorable to his regime.  the human rights champion asks no questions about the recent brutal killings of union leaders by the army.  bush asks no questions about the massacre of spanish priests.  the president only praises the army, the air force, the police and paramilitary efforts to stop the guerrilla offensive.    bush and cristiani could not fail to mention the trite slogan of the cuban and nicaraguan aid to the salvadoran guerrillas.  nor did bush fail to express the american people's solidarity.  but, solidarity with whom?  all we have heard about up to now are the protests provoked in the united states by the u.s.  military aid to the salvadoran regime. the only realities are the demonstrations staged from los angeles to new york to repudiate the u.s. aid.  the only fact is that the human rights champion is being publicly questioned about this aid.  the only picture that has been disseminated throughout the world is that of a woman who interrupts bush's speech to shout to him: why are we sending money to el salvador? why are we killing priests in el salvador?  it is not possible to overlook the u.s. government's responsibility in the current salvadoran situation.  the international community must be aware of this reality and must act accordingly.

u.s. pilots

army

u.s. government


Input: ...that the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) launched against the salvadoran people on 11 november.  the fmln launched this aggression with all of its forces, chiefly using a concentration of weapons and fighters in the san salvador metropolitan zone, in zacatecoluca, la paz department, and at times in usulutan city, usulutan deparment, and in san miguel city, san miguel department.  in this aggression the fmln displayed its weaponry.  it displayed an incredible amount of weapons, which....(changes thought) by the way, in recent days the salvadoran armed forces have begun a number of searches in some houses where it is believed that some of these weapons were located. we have already found large amounts of weapons.    in addition, the fmln launched an aggression and hid behind you, salvadoran people.  it used you as a shield, wanting to convey the idea that they have the support of the salvadoran people and that the people here would rise up to support them.  they have realized that this view is totally false.  far from supporting the fmln, the salvadoran people, salvadoran brothers, supported the armed forces in the tremendous effort it has conducted to repel the fmln aggression.    however, we must now consider a very important matter.  it is impossible to carry out an aggression of this size without support from someone abroad.  on this occasion, we are certain that this support came from nicaraguan president ortega and cuban president castro, but chiefly from ortega who is trying to raise a smokescreen in the face of the real possibility that mrs violetta chamorro may defeat him in the elections, and because the fmln has always been the puppet of the international communist aggression in which ortega and castro participate.  if this is not so, let us take a look at what has happened.  during those times when you were suffering moments of anguish last week, you were able to see the large number of foreigners who were supporting the fmln terrorists.  we have also managed to collect evidence that the ortega government trained fmln fighters in the use of certain kinds of weaponry, specifically the grenade launchers.    what happened?  in the past few weeks we began noticing what kind of weapons were being used.  in the foiled attack on the presidential house, a subsequent attack on the salvadoran armed forces' joint chiefs of staff, and lastly, an attack on the national guard garrison particular kinds of weapons were being used.  as a result of the savage action by fmln, two little girls were killed.  moreover, let us recall and see the connection that exists with all the shipments that the salvadoran armed forces have been stopping between nicaraguan and el salvador.  one shipment was made prior to the visit we presidents made to costa rica.  in that country, we denounced ortega for continuing to send weapons and supporting the fmln in an open violation of the central american peace process.    and what has happened lately?  on 25 november, salvadoran people, two light airplanes coming from nicaragua were discovered.  their flight course indicates that they came from nicaragua, especially the one where the weapons were found.  as additional proof, we have a document showing that one light aircraft belongs to the seta transportation company located in nicaragua's augusto cesar sandino airport.  it was bringing sophisticated equipment for the fmln.  in that aircraft accident, four people were killed: the pilot who was wearing civilian clothes and three other people were wearing military uniforms; i mean camouflage uniforms like the ones worn in many countries, and like the ones the salvadoran armed force use.  it is believed that two of those people died as a result of the accident. we also believe that another person killed himself because he had a weapon in his hand and a bullet wound in forehead.  he killed himself because he saw himself implicated in this situation.  (continued)

farabundo marti national liberation front

presidential house

armed forces' joint chiefs of staff

national guard garrison


Input: our fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) forces have taken over bunkers from the various military chiefs in escalon and manuel jose arce neighborhoods where our units seized thousands of cartridges, rifles, grenades, and other types of arms which these military chiefs usually store in the bunkers that they maintain in these residential sectors.    as we have reported, the general staff responded with a 4-pronged delayed response.  the armed forces attacked from four advanced positions, one held by the bracamonte battalion, which advanced toward escalon; it was neutralized by our ambushes.  our units are entrenched in the mansions of the oligarchs in that sector of escalon neighborhood.  they ambushed and repelled attacks from the vanguard positions launched by the armed forces.  the second direction in which the enemy responded to our presence was directed on the southern freeway.  this second position was ambushed with rpg-7 rocket launchers and machinegun fire.  the third enemy position, which was advancing on santa tecla, was ambushed at la universal point and was also neutralized.  the atlacatl battalion deployment along guadalupe gardens was also neutralized.  our battalions are staging sabotage actions on electricity posts in the escalon and san benito neighborhoods.    also, we have a new report which indicates that fmln units have set up downed electricity posts as barricades along the south freeway and in the escalon neighborhood.  we repeat, along the south freeway and in the escalon neighborhood, fmln units have used downed electricity posts and vehicles as barricades.    this is the situation in el salvador.  throughout the northern sector of the capital, our units are maintaining positions.  the troops in the interior part of the republic in that northern region refuse to advance toward our positions, while our units are extending along the northwestern and southwestern region of the capital.  our units are extending and moving foward along these zones.  the air force has opened fire on some of our positions in the escalon and san benito neighborhoods.  we reiterate the call to the inhabitants of the escalon and san benito neighborhoods to abandon all those zones immediately.  the air force is beginning new air raids on fmln positions in those regions.  therefore, we call on the inhabitants of the escalon and san benito neighborhoods to leave those areas.

battalions

farabundo marti national liberation front

electricity posts


Input: la prensa newspaper today reported that the sandinists did send a plane to el salvador.  the aircraft is a cessna 310.  the identity of the crewmen in the nicaraguan planes that crashed in el salvador over the past weekend carrying soviet arms is a state secret acceded to by la prensa this morning after getting in touch with a high-ranking source in the sandinist army.  the source disclosed further details of the butterfly operation.  the army source, which of course requested to remain anonymous, confirmed that the plane that crashed in san miguel belongs to nicaragua and that the plane's registration is yankee november bravo yankee kilo.    there are no reports so far as to whether any relatives have claimed the bodies of the four military men who were reportedly killed when the plane crashed. three of the crewmen were killed instantly, while the fourth committed suicide.  a picture of a young cuban girl, dated in july, is the only published clue as to the identity of the men, whether nicaraguans, cubans, or salvadorans, commissioned for this clandestine mission directed from nicaragua.  our source said that young salvadoran guerrillas were trained at the national civilian flight school over the past few months.  the training was supervised by captain robin romero, the flight school's director.  the training was also conducted at punta huete and los brasiles.  most of the flights were made at night. the student pilots used oil lamps as landing lights.  the source said the training flights were conducted in light single-engine planes from sandino airport to punta huete or los brasiles.    the head of this operation was commander christian pichardo.  in the operation also participated two salvadoran guerrilla commanders whose identities are unknown.  the cessna 310 had been leased by the national development bank (bnd), which in turn had acquired the plane from the zeta national charter service, an aeronica subsidiary.  bnd administrative director marcos blandon gravy leased the plane, one of several aircraft intended to be sent to el salvador.  another single-engine cessna, with registration charlie bravo papa, and an aero commander, were added to the inventory.  according to our source, the aero commander was confiscated from colombian drug traffickers in puerto cabezas a year ago when they were intercepted by sandinist air force (fas) planes.  the planes involved in the operation, however, remained unequipped to fly to el salvador until further notice. (continued)


Input: a powerful bomb hidden in a truck exploded outside the headquarters of colombia's secret police wednesday, causing severe damage, bogota mayor andres pastrana said.    early reports said several people were killed and injured.    mr. pastrana said the bomb exploded outside the building of the secret police, known from the spanish initials as das (administrative department of security), in western bogota at 7:35 a.m.    the nearby offices of the bogota transportation department were also damaged, he said.

headquarters of colombia's secret police

nearby offices of the bogota transportation department

powerful bomb hidden in a truck


Input: the treasury police have informed this network that terrorist (words indistinct) alberto chica fernandez, a leader in the (name indistinct) labor union, confessed that the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) terrorist leaders may initiate summary actions with a view to purging the leaders of leftist groups because of the failure of the so-called "final offensive to the end."    chica said that the terrorist leadership has violently (word indistinct) humberto centeno, marco tulio lima, and an individual identified only as julio cesar, from the unts (national union of salvadoran workers), as well as other leftist leaders, for providing false information regarding the conditions for a popular insurrection.    according to chica, the fmln leaders in managua decided to launch the offensive, trusting the unts leaders' reports that conditions were right for an insurrection because febe elizabeth velazquez' death in the dynamite attack against fenastras (salvadoran workers national union federation) had ignited the people's spirits.  the prisoner said that the fmln may carry out a summary trial in the style of communist parties against those responsible for the failure.    now, he said, to save themselves from the responsibility of having deceived the terrorist criminals who allowed themselves to be led by lies, the unts leaders are expected to call news conferences to announce that their struggle continues.    meanwhile, a report from zacatecoluca, la paz department, indicates that fmln terrorist criminals, using sam-7 missiles, attacked a salvadoran air force 0-2 airplane which was in the area directing support near piedra grande abajo in the jurisdiction of zacatecoluca. no damages or casualties were reported.    another fmln missile was fired from las piedras hill, in the same area, against another salvadoran air force 0-2 airplane, but the airplane was not damaged.  the source says the missile exploded in the air over zacatecoluca.    the air force, to which experienced pilots lend their professional services, is admired by the people, who are grateful to their armed forces.

salvadoran workers national union federation

febe elizabeth velazquez

fenastras

dynamite


Input: marco antonio guevara, of the "up to date" newscast.    (guevara) how do the five presidents conceive the demobilization of the fmln?  how does the salvadoran government conceive this happening?    (cristiani) i believe there have been substantial changes in this presidential meeting as compared to previous meetings.  to explain this better, marco antonio, we must say we will not fall into what has been used in the past, that is, the famous symmetry.  on this occasion, we have been very clear and categorical when we said that we were not willing to continue contributing sacrifices and other things from the salvadoran government in order to solve the nicaraguan problem exclusively.  we demanded uniformity, and any other country confronting the aggression of an irregular force -- any other country in central america -- also has the right to be treated in a uniform manner, as far as measures and criteria that may be adopted in the presidential meetings.    that is why today for the first time you are seeing how the measures adopted for the nicaraguan resistance -- that had been granted most of the attention up to now -- are also being adopted for the fmln.    we cannot allow a country to claim it is the only target of an aggression by an irregular armed force supported from abroad.  here in el salvador we now have greater evidence following this 11 november terrorist aggression that the fmln is a movement that can survive only with support from abroad, and that it obeys and exists because of international movements.    in the second place, it has demonstrated that it only has the capacity to generate terrorism, which has been mentioned in this document.  we cannot continue just talking about demobilization and pacification in nicaragua.  it is time to apply this to all irregular groups, be it the urng (guatemalan national revolutionary unity) in guatemala, or any other irregular armed group that may come up and may try to hinder the democratic process in the area.    we see this as something that has gone deep into the minds of all the central american presidents, and from now on, we will have greater uniformity in treating all of those irregular groups that operate in the region.    (moderator) rene hurtado of el mundo.    (hurtado) mr president, following the tela and costa del sol meetings, nicaragua has changed its stand.  in costa rica, president ortega was asked if he had sold out the fmln in exchange for the demobilization of the contras and other results of the summit in favor of nicaragua.  i would like to know your opinion about this, and also how you interpret the fact that president ortega has accepted some issues about the fmln that he did not allow in tela or costa del sol? on the other hand, will the demobilization of the fmln be the result of a dialogue or negotiations later on?    (cristiani) in the first place, i believe that daniel ortega was unable to pull any more tricks out of his hat, and he was facing a fact he could no longer hide: he is the one who is spreading armed revolutions in central america and trying to hamper democratic processes in the region.  once more he has been caught not honoring the commitments agreed on in tela, but rather violating these commitments.  on this occasion he has been left with no possible defense.    therefore, in our opinion, he has no option other than to accept the reality of what is happening in central america, or see himself totally isolated amid a peace plan that has international support. this situation would cause him many problems and headaches in political and diplomatic matters.


Input: comrades: a new element that we must analyze and explain emerged at the conclusion of the central american presidents' emergency meeting. let us see first why the meeting took place.  the main reason is the very complicated predicament in which our offensive has placed cristiani and the high command.  as you will remember, the government has met with much international disrepute and isolation because of the brutal assassination of jesuit priests and the bombing of the civilian population.  let us recall, as a significant fact, that the united nations has condemned the government because of all it has done, especially because of the latest atrocities.  on that occasion, el salvador was the only country that voted against that resolution while 96 countries voted in favor.    we mention this case as a most significant one, but the fact is that there has been so much worldwide condemnation that the dictatorship has found itself in a really desperate situation.  this was a cause of concern for the north americans.    to whom could they turn at a time when all international organizations had turned their backs on cristiani?  the north americans had to resort to some forum that would not condemn the genocidal regime and that, on the contrary, would provide support in spite of all the atrocities the regime has committed.    the most suitable idea was to promote an emergency meeting of central american presidents, because in central america, as we all know, the north americans have had their backyard and most of these countries serve their interests.    the meeting was called to try to pull cristiani out of international isolation.    under what conditions did summit take place?  we have to say first that the presidents of el salvador and costa rica, and probably of guatemala, had reached an agreement prior to the meeting.  the subject of the discussion was a document drafted by arias and cerezo.  this document expressed support for cristiani from the very beginning. joseph sullivan, a u.s. state department official in charge of latin american affairs, as well as other u.s.  state department officials, were present at the meeting.  the costa rican ambassador to nicaragua -- a pro-u.s. man who introduced the nicaraguan contras at the meeting -- was also present, conspiring all the time.  the fmln was not even allowed to enter costa rica.    however, in spite of the fact that the meeting had been fixed and in spite of the u.s. presence, the agreement to support cristiani was achieved almost at the price of killing the esquipulas agreement.  it was not easy.  the u.s. will to condemn the fmln and to back cristiani prevailed in the midst of much bickering and the insolence of the honduran president.    as you can see, it was not easy to find support for the genocidal regime even in places where the north americans think they have the bull by the horns.    let us see, as a third point, in what the declaration consists. (continued)

government


Input: in view of the successful operation today in which gonzalo rodriguez gacha, his son freddy, and several of his bodyguards were killed, president virgilio barco today called an urgent council of ministers meeting to discuss the situation and receive a full report from military and police authorities.  here is the second part of the news conference featuring das director general miguel maza marquez.    (begin recording) (maza) the das has evidence showing that this individual masterminded two attacks including the the most recent and worst one in which more than 60 innocent people were killed.    (reporter) how do you know that gonzalo rodriguez gacha masterminded the recent attack on das?    (maza) because the investigations that we have conducted along with the national police ever since the attack occurred point in that direction.  if we compare the modus operandi of rodriguez and his people, we come to the conclusion that the period between the (word indistinct) and the action itself are very similar.  furthermore, this man was in there celebrating the genocide that he had committed in bogota.    (reporter) (question indistinct)    (maza) because the intelligence reports indicate this, and according to certain statements we have, he was overjoyed by the damage that he had caused in the city given the large number of people who were killed; seeing him sunbathing and swimming on the atlantic coast led us to believe this.    (reporter) is this a police reaction to the drug traffickers' attack on das?    (maza) no, i am not saying that it is a reaction.  this is the result of very professional work on the part of the national police. that is what i told the president today.  i briefed him on the events which led to the action that has changed the situation which had prevailed in the country just a few hours ago.  (end recording)

gonzalo rodriguez gacha

drug traffickers

das


Input: foreign minister hernan felipe errazuriz has reported that the chileans involved in the abduction of brazilian businessman abilio diniz will be prosecuted in brazil because the kidnapping was planned and performed outside of chile.  he noted that, in line with its policy in such matters, the chilean foreign ministry has not been involved in the release of the businessman.    diniz was released after being held for 6 days by five chileans, two canadians, two argentines, and one brazilian.  the police have reported that the chileans claimed to belong to the extremist mir (movement of the revolutionary left) group, but this assertion has not yet been confirmed.    errazuriz said that the foreign ministry has been in permanent contact with chilean ambassador to brazil raul schmidt in keeping track of the case.  the minister also pointed out that he has been in direct contact with international security services, including interpol, to determine the identities of the presumed chileans.

five chileans

two canadians

two argentines

one brazilian

movement of the revolutionary left

abilio diniz


Input: according to a communique given to afp, the international rebel organization, the america battalion, will "continue its continental struggle for liberty, justice, and latin american dignity."  in addition to the communique, photographs of rebels in mountain areas were also given to afp.    signed by the american battalion's general command, the communique -- written on a sheet without the organization's letterhead -- states that they back the decisions made by the 19 april movement (m-19) of colombia and alvaro lives, dammit! of ecuador to sign peace and democracy agreements with their respective governments.    these two organizations, together with the tupac amaru movement of peru, founded the american battalion in colombia 5 years ago.  the battalion suffered heavy casualties in colombia and it was believed to have disappeared.  today's communique, however, announced the existence of other organizations forming the american battalion.    they request that the m-19 give them the sword of liberator simon bolivar and recalled their organization's principles and camilo torres' words to the liberator: "general, as long as your sword lives, the fatherland is not dead."    the rebels also state that they back sincere latin american efforts to attain peace for the region and "find political solutions with the lowest social cost and loss of blood for our people."    the international organization told the andean presidents meeting at the galapagos islands that "today that they have the power," they should "exert it in favor of the people, in favor of a true democracy."  however, they criticized "the murders in streets of caracas," the murders in the jails of peru," and "the torture in the jails of ecuador."    with regard to the andean leaders, the rebels noted that "either they are with latin america or they are with the northern tyrants," referring to the united states.    the movement states that they have gathered on repression and states that 4,000 union members have been illegally arrested and that 200,000 have "disappeared."    "the salvadoran people are not alone," adds the communique and states that at the request of the people or the farabundo marti national liberation front, we are "willing to move our men and declare war on the facists' foreign economic interests," including "president (alfredo) cristiani's diplomatic representatives" in the region.    concluding, the communique states: "if latin americans have to go with bolivar's sword to san salvador and central america, we will do so."    the document is signed by the commanders of the victors' pace regiment (regimiento a paso de vencedores), san martin southern front (frente sur san martin), b-5-r nobody surrenders here (b-5-r aqui nadie se rinde), and e.r.p. (revolutionary peoples army) brigades.


Input: official sources today reported that at least eight people, including soldiers, rebels, and civilians, were killed during clashes between the army and guerrillas over the past weekend in various points of the country.    military spokesmen for the 6th infantry brigade, headquartered in the eastern usulutan department, told acan-efe that two rebels were killed and one wounded during a clash with government troops in san agustin.    meanwhile, the armed forces press committee (coprefa) reported that the bodies of two guerrillas, who were presumably killed during clashes with the army, were found by soldiers in the outskirts of santa tecla, in the central la libertad department.    coprefa reported that two soldiers were killed during a clash with members of the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) in comasagua, about 28 km to the southwest of (san) salvador, where a rebel attack on a coffee processing plant was successfully repelled.    it reported that a civilian was killed in the crossfire and that a soldier was also killed during clashes in zaragoza, south of san salvador, where two guerrillas were wounded.    the military report stated that 10 rebels were wounded in tecoluca, san vicente department, about 60 km east of the capital, during an armed clash between insurgents and the 5th (infantry) brigade, headquartered in that department.    three other soldiers were wounded during an fmln ambush in guazapa, north of (san) salvador, one of the guerrillas' main bastions.    the salvadoran (air) force this morning bombed rebel positions in the outskirts of jucuapa, usulutan department, but no results are yet available, area residents told acan-efe.    the fmln this morning harrassed (army positions stationed near) ayutuxtepeque, north of (san) salvador, without inflicting any casualties.    coprefa also reported that the (armed) forces seized from the guerrillas 500 electric catapults, in the northern (chalatenango) department, which the fmln had used since last year to attack (san) salvador garrisons.    salvadoran (red) cross sources today reported that a 48-year-old woman identified as maria luz lopez was wounded last night when a powerful bomb, which damaged several businesses in (san) salvador, exploded.    the bomb was planted in a heavily commercial area of downtown (san) salvador causing heavy property loses, according to the owners who provided no specific figures.    this is the fourth dynamite attack on businesses in (san) salvador so far in 1990.    the guerrillas intensified their acts of sabotage against the economy, especially against the entire electrical power system, on 2 january when an unilateral military truce they decreed over the christmas and new year holidays had expired.

soldier

members of the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln)

guerrillas

armed forces

farabundo marti national liberation front

coffee processing plant

businesses

entire electrical power system

maria luz lopez

powerful bomb

dynamite


Input: good evening.  i have called this news conference to read a foreign ministry communique: (words indistinct) today the panamanian government told luis sandiga cabrera, our charge d'affaires in panama, that he must leave panama in 72 hours.    2.  we have expressed to the panamanian government, through the panamanian charge d'affaires in lima, our surprise and strong protest over that decision.    3.  in view of this decision, the peruvian government has decided to reduce the personnel of its diplomatic mission in panama and to maintain its relations with that country at the first secretary level. peru will in this way continue to fulfill the humanitarian mission of protecting those who have sought asylum in its embassy in panama while the panamanian government issues the safe-conducts that we requested in accordance to the convention on diplomatic asylum signed in caracas on 28 march 1954.    peru is contacting the members of the permanent mechanism for consultation and political agreement (group of eight) to explain the situation and to ask for solidarity and cooperation in overcoming this momentary crisis.    the delicate situation regarding the people at the peruvian embassy has provoked our justified alarm and impelled us to begin talks to ensure that their diplomatic asylum will be respected.  we have talked with the ambassadors from the countries of the permanent mechanism for consultation and political agreement.  i have personally spoken with the ambassadors of venezuela, mexico, and colombia.    i am now ready to answer any questions:    (reporter) mr larco cox, unofficial sources have said that the people in the peruvian embassy in panama are not exactly political refugees but common criminals.  what do you say about this?    (larco cox) the country that grants asylum determines this.  we have been very careful to review each one of them and their files.  we have checked to see if any of them were facing any trials in panama or the united states.  our investigation has revealed that none of them are facing any trials.  the charges were made afterward.  we see this as a result of the emotional climate presently existing in panama.    (reporter) what is your personal opinion of the incident?    (larco cox) it is the diplomatic way to express a protest over what they have been led to believe.  according to panamanian reports, charge d'affaires luis sandiga has made statements on the situation that did not please the government.  the truth is that sandiga has not made any declarations.  however, former ambassador castro arenas is in panama and he has embarked on a campaign in which he is seeking retaliation against the peruvian government.  he could not think of anything better than to point at sandiga as the person responsible for alleged statements.  sandiga has not said a word about the situation because that is not his job.  besides, his car and the car belonging to one of the embassy's military attaches have been stolen; there is no way to begin an investigation.    (reporter) are you saying that former ambassador castro arenas is directly responsible for the situation?    (larco cox) you can make your own conclusions.    (reporter) if the situation deteriorates, will peru recall all of its personnel from panama?    (larco cox) we cannot go to that extreme because we are fulfilling a humanitarian cause, as we said in the communique.  our first responsibility at this time is to see that the right of asylum is respected.  as long as the refugees remain in the embassy, we will maintain our representation at the level of first secretary. (end recording)

his car

car belonging to one of the embassy's military attaches

luis sandiga cabrera


Input: the colombian leftist alliance, patriotic union (up), was the first party to register a presidential candidate in the upcoming 27 may elections when it officially registered bernardo jaramillo ossa, 34, as its candidate today.    prior to jaramillo ossa's arrival at the national registry office, accompanied by 12 bodyguards, explosives experts from the secret police department checked the building and cordoned off the entrance he was going to use.    up was founded in 1985 and has lost almost 1,000 members and regional leaders in violent attacks.  it has also lost most of its representatives in bogota, including jaime pardo leal, the party founder and a previous presidential candidate who was murdered in 1987.    colombian communist party president gilberto vieira and the entire up directorate attended bernardo jaramillo's registration.    last week, the state council, colombia's highest legal and administrative body, had accredited bernardo jaramillo as up's presidential candidate.    before making his candidacy effective, bernardo jaramillo told efe that he would attempt to become "the will of a wide and democratic sector of the people and an alternative to traditional colombian bipartisanship."  he added: "our movement wants to transcend the limits of the up and obtain followers from other sectors of the democratic left who support new government alternatives."    he did not reject the possibility that up and the 19th april movement (m-19), a rebel movement that is making efforts to join the country's legal political system, will present joint electoral tickets in some regions in the country.    "there is nothing concrete on this," he added, "but it could be an alternative if they propose it."    up president diego montana stated that "our party's main objective in these elections is to break the liberal and social conservative hegemony."  these two sectors have shared power during colombia's entire republican period.    "we present our candidate to other political movements with the hope that his candidacy will be backed and that we can create a new and wider force with possibilities of attaining victory," he noted.    jaramillo's campaign slogan, "countrymen, give me your hand" appeared in posters throughout bogota today.    after registering, bernardo jaramillo attended the funeral of a fellow party member, vladimir escobar, a soacha municipal official who was shot between the eyes and killed this week.  the soacha municipality is close to bogota.

vladimir escobar


Input: concerning the prospects for the dialogue - negotiation based on the mediation of un secretary general javier perez de cuellar and the debate in the u.s.  congress on the aid to el salvador, the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) reports:    1.  we have viewed with great concern the government and army's rejection mr perez de cuellar's participation in the dialogue - negotiation process as a mediator.  this attitude is an obstacle to a process that could facilitate the negotiation effort.  on our part, we have accepted this mediation and we have undertaken efforts to achieve it.    2. the state of siege, the assassination of social democratic leader hector oqueli, the doubtful and insufficient initial results in the case of the jesuit priests, the absence of conditions for the political activity of the opposition, the continuation of the persecution of churches, and the lack of freedom of speech through the direct or covert gagging of the press show that cristiani's government is carrying out a policy of confrontation with all the country's social and political forces.  for this reason, the terms of the dialogue - negotiation must be reoriented so that it will be turned into a national process with the participation of all those forces.    3. we view as gravely erroneous the persistence of a government policy based on the idea of the fmln's alleged military weakness.  this position, similar to the one that was put forth prior to 11 november (date of the beginning of the fmln military offensive) will only lead the country to greater levels of confrontation.    4. we reaffirm our willingness to hold the meeting of both sides with the un secretary general soon.  we hope that mr cristiani's visit to the united nations will lead to such a meeting and that we can agree with the mediator on the date to hold it.    5.  we believe that the u.s. aid to the salvadoran government is directed against democratization and a political solution.  the sending of signals to one or another sector of the government or army, using the pressure of setting conditions or threatening the end of aid, does not resolve the problem.  we believe the members of the u.s. congress can make an important contribution to end the war in our country by agreeing to suspend that aid, something which could form part of a negotiated agreement that would simultaneously entail a cease-fire.    (signed) fmln general command    commanders salvador sanchez ceren, shafik jorge handal, francisco jovel, eduardo sancho, joaquin villalobos    30 january 1990

cristiani's government

hector oqueli


Input: it was officially announced today that six salvadoran soldiers were killed as a result of clashes with salvadoran rebels in northern el salvador over the past few hours.  meanwhile, it was also announced that the rebels attacked military positions in san salvador, blew up a store, and burned a public bus.    the armed forces press committee (coprefa) reported that the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) and members of the 4th infantry brigade met in heavy clashes in the hamlet of el zungano, in chalatenango department, in the northern part of the country, on the afternoon of 1 february.  six soldiers were killed as a result of the clashes.  coprefa added that several guerrillas were killed or wounded.    in addition, it was reported that the fmln, an armed group that has been fighting against the government for almost 10 years, harassed two national guard posts last night.  the police reported that a powerful bomb went off at an electrical appliance store in downtown san salvador this morning, but causing only property damage.

salvadoran rebels

farabundo marti national liberation front

electrical appliance store

public bus

powerful bomb


Input: smartly dressed and speaking in nearly perfect english, salvadoran president alfredo cristiani has again visited the united states, where he tried to appear at the congress and the united nations as a statesman aware of his rights.    this is, however, a critical moment for the salvadoran president, and he knows it.  but this point was also stressed by the large numbers of people who booed him at nearly every large u.s.  city he visited.  although the ghosts of the assassinated jesuits shadowed him all during his tour, the arena (nationalist republican alliance) representative, just as his predecessor jose napoleon duarte did, flew to the united states to try to convince the legislators, particularly the democrats, that he intends to resume the dialogue for peace and check the army's criminal aspirations.  waving the human rights flag has been the most important thing for cristiani, particularly because he is aware that with this action he can continue to receive washington's financial support for his government.    according to to some experts, cristiani went farther than his predecessor.  he asked the un secretary general to help in the resumption of talks with the guerrillas, replaced several military officers of doubtful reputation, and assured he will punish severely eight soldiers accused of assassinating the six jesuit priests.  we must keep in mind that, prior to his trip, the salvadoran president succeeded in curbing a coup attempt staged by army reactionary groups. members of the salvadoran opposition have coincided in ther view that never before had a head of state challenged the military hierarchy to such an extent, a hierarchy that opposes all negotiation with the guerrillas.  the experts also said, however, that the country's internal situation has never been so serious.    the rebel offensive launched in november is a landmark, after which everything will be different in el salvador, beginning with the government party, which was left in a very delicate situation in the eyes of influential u.s. power circles.  the guerrilla drive also demonstrated that only two alternatives are left for the country.  if serious peace negotiations are not initiated, the counterinsurgency policy will be aggravated. this could even give the united states a pretext to intervene directly in the country.    although president george bush said he would continue to aid el salvador, a large number of legislators for a long time have been questioning what use has been nearly $4 billion delivered to the salvadoran army in 10 years of war.  if for the white house the alternative is to continue to give military aid to el salvador or resign itself to an eventual victory of the rebels, for cristiani the situation is even more difficult because, to get more money, he must ensure that human rights are respected.  this is equivalent to influencing the most reactionary military officers and guaranteeing the fulfillment of the famous economic recovery plan advocated by his party.  these points are nearly impossible to comply with in a country immersed in war.  if the economy is weak, respect for human rights is even weaker.  anyway, the u.s. government is planning to increase aid for the salvadoran government.  this contributes to putting far into the distance any plans to end the war.

eight soldiers

army


Input: "while farc complied and continues to comply with the unilateral cease-fire, the army has been conducting military offensives against several farc fronts, such as 1, 5, 10, 26, 38, 24, 18, 11, 23, 19, 41, 46, and others.    "farc, however, persists in its effort to comply with its pledged word, naturally without relinquishing its legitimate defense when it comes to military operations," the letter to the notables added.    "our saying that through you we are proposing to the government a cease-fire so the march legislative elections and the may presidential elections can be held in a climate of peace and democratic guarantees does not change our previous stand regarding our unilateral cease-fire.    "we are now proposing that this cease-fire be general during the elections and that the eminent addressees of the letter become supervisors of what could be a new process of reconciliation and peace in the colombian family," the letter stated.    the rebel leaders said that, because new disagreements and conflicts have appeared in the midst of a crisis never before heard of in the country, "we are insisting on this general cease-fire proposal."    the letter said further: "because, far from diminishing, crimes against public order, such as abductions, extortion, and threats, not only have increased in the past few months but prevail in various areas of colombia, we could hardly ask the armed forces to stop their functions of protecting the lives and properties of the people.    "we think it is necessary to clarify that there is a difference between the police cases and those of public order that are the responsibility of the armed forces, according to the constitution. similarly, we must clarify that kidnappings, extortion, and threats are not part of the policy of the farc staff.    "we are hereby proposing to the eminent supervisors to join us in the search for ways leading to peace and independent progress in the country.    "farc staff, in the mountains of colombia. manuel marulanda, alias "tirofijo," jacobo arenas, alfonso cano, raul reyes, and timoleon jimenez."


Input: contra commander israel galeano, alias franklin, has told tiempo that the anti-sandinist rebels will stay armed, regardless of the results of the 25 february elections in nicaragua, to make sure the democratic changes take place.    "we will maintain our organization intact even if the uno (national opposition union) wins, waiting for profound democratic changes and an end to the repressive regime imposed by the sandinists," said the chief of staff of the nicaraguan resistance (rn).    this past january, the 29-year-old galeano became the leader of about 12,000 nicaraguan rightist rebels based in honduras when the post of commander in chief of the rn army, a post enrique bermudez had held for 10 years, was eliminated.    nicaragua will hold elections on sunday, 25 february, and the main candidates running for president are daniel ortega of the sandinist national liberation front (fsln) and violeta de chamorro of the uno.    the rebels, supported by the united states, have urged nicaraguans to vote for the uno candidate.    "if the uno wins, we will maintain our organization intact to see if on 25 april there is a total transfer of power and profound reforms, and particularly to see if the repressive system disappears," galeano said.    "if the sandinists win or steal the elections, there will be a social disruption against the system and the hardest struggle of recent years will take place," he added.    the contra military chief said that "if the people do not accept a sandinist victory, "we will have to continue fighting."    he assured that the nicaraguans will not accept an fsln victory in the 25 february elections.    galeano added that the sandinists have deployed approximately 30,000 troops in the northern nicaraguan departments in order to "intimidate and murder" uno followers and to prevent approximately 300,000 nicaraguans from voting.    galeano pointed out that the press and the foreign observers of the elections have no access to the areas where the nicaraguan troops have deployed.    "even though the foreign observers claim that the campaign was freely held, the people have had to make sacrifices," he said.    galeano said that about 5,000 of his men are inside nicaragua, and between 10,000 to 12,000 men are in bases in honduras, "not moving, but just observing the electoral process" in nicaragua.    the rebels in honduras are receiving u.s. humanitarian aid in el paraiso department and have rejected a demobilization plan approved by the central american presidents.  the rebels claim they do not have any guarantees for their personal security and for the implementation of a democratic process.    "the demobilization is based on the nicaraguan government creating conditions that will encourage the members of the armed rn to join civic life," he added.    galeano said that the dismantling of his forces does not "depend of a simple elections," but rather on "the sandinists leaving power completely."    the contra leader warned that "we cannot lay down our weapons when the causes that led to our taking up arms have not disappeared.  there still is repression, a lack of freedom, and all of this was generated by the sandinists."    he pointed out that in the event the uno should win the 25 february elections, "we would have to carry out a mutual demobilization.  the nicaraguan problem can be solved with an inter-american peace force that will receive all the weaponry and soviet tanks of the sandinists. then, when we are at an even level of forces, we will turn over our own weapons."    the contra chief suggested a national police be created in nicaragua.    franklin said that the contras are willing to continue the peace talks, but perhaps after the elections, with the new nicaraguan government.    he assured that the rebel forces will not carry out "any offensive operations before, during, or after the elections, and will wait and see if there are changes in nicaragua."    he said that the contras are willing to leave their camps in yamales if requested by the government of rafael leonardo callejas.    "if political conditions do not allow us to remain, we will leave (for nicaragua), but our refugeees will stay, as refugees," he added.    the chief of staff of the contras said that his forces will not attack the un peace observers in the honduran-nicaraguan border area.    he said that rn relations with the united states are normal, but declined to comment on the ousting of bermudez, arguing that this is a fait accompli.