Input: the mexican secretariat of foreign relations has reiterated the mexican government's concern about the bloodshed and the atmosphere of violence in el salvador and it has urged the parties concerned to return to the path of dialogue and agreement.    in a communique, the foreign secretariat conveys mexico's call to the central american nations to meet again to promote and to strengthen dialogue and conciliation within the framework of the esquipulas and tela agreements.    the communique states that mexico will supply, through the red cross, medical assistance and food to the salvadoran people to mitigate the serious consequences provoked by this conflict.    the communique adds that the 2 weeks of serious fightings have not been instrumental in creating either the conditions or the atmosphere conducive to the resumption of the dialogue that was initiated in mexico and costa rica.    the mexican government states that the serious political situation in el salvador is a cause for great concern for latin america both from a regional and humanitarian standpoint.


Input: the information and press directorate of the foreign relations ministry hereby publishes a note sent to nicaraguan foreign minister miguel d'escoto by foreign relations minister carlos lopez contreras.  the text of the note reads.    note no. 122-dsm    tegucigalpa, 23 november 1989    his excellency    mr miguel d'escoto brockmann    foreign minister    managua, nicaragua    mr minister:    my government has noted with great concern the concentration of nicaraguan troops at various points of the border with honduras, as well as the announcements made by nicaraguan government spokesmen about beginning military actions against their armed opposition, regardless of location.    taking into consideration the danger represented by the concentration of troops at the border, my government hereby warns that it is a violation of international law, particularly to inter-american law, to resort to threats or the use of force and to violate the soverignty and territorial integrity of other states.    as your government is fully aware of -- and this has been verified by on-site inspections by the international commission of support and verification (ciav) -- approximately 15,000 hondurans live in the border sector currently threatened by the sandinist people's army and artillery.  the security of those citizens is the primary responsibility of my government.  however, in that sector there are camps of disarmed former combatants from the nicaraguan resistance (rn).  many of them are war crippled and their relatives, most of whom are children, women, and the elderly.    to carry out indiscriminate bombings against the honduran civilian population and to violate that sector of honduran territory would be a barbaric action against humanity.  if you are referring to an alleged right to cary out military actions against your armed opposition "no matter where they are," i remind you that this would be an intentional massacre, because most of the people in that area are civilians and the rest are disarmed former combatants.  this situation has been verified by the ciav.    therefore, my government demands the immediate withdrawal of the nicaraguan troops concentrated in the border areas with honduras.  up until this time, the honduran government has not increased the number of troops who regularly compose the border security forces.    nevertheless, my government is not giving up its right to repel any action that violates honduran sovereignty and territorial integrity and to carry out the consultations it deems necessary, to adopt the individual or collective defense measures the situation requires.    my government also wants to state that it views with astonishment the proposal presented by the nicaraguan government to the counterrevolution -- during the talks promoted by the ciav in the united states -- in the sense that the nicaraguan internal armed conflict be solved by withdrawing the armed opposition to honduras. this proposal clearly violates the esquipulas ii agreement and the agreements signed at the tela summit, which contain provisions for democratization, national reconciliation, demobilization, and repatriation.  (continued)


Input: the abominable assassination of six jesuit priests and two other persons in el salvador dramatizes the tragedy that the salvadoran people are suffering.  decades of military dictatorship and social injustice have created a vicious cycle of violence that has taken and continues to take thousands of lives.    from the bottom of our hearts, we panamanians are horrified over this tragedy.  we hope our salvadoran brothers will find peace as soon as possible by examining and broadening through a dialogue the democratization that they have courageously undertaken in recent years.    upon reflecting on el salvador's bloody experience, we demand now, more than ever before, that the current panamanian regime immediately begin the process of democratization in our country so that we can achieve reconciliation among ourselves before a cycle of fratricidal violence is established among us.  panama, 16 november 1989 (signed) guillermo endara galimany, president-elect; dr ricardo arias calderon, first vice president-elect; guillermo ford, second vice president-elect.


Input: attorney general mauricio colorado, investigating the murder of the six jesuits in el salvador, said today that the declarations made so far, among them those made by lucia barrera cerna, one of the main witnesses, "are not conclusive, nor have they shed any light" on the identity of the killers."    the jesuits, five spaniards and one salvadoran, were murdered 9 days ago by a group of men wearing military uniforms during a "curfew" decreed by the government as a result of the rebel offensive that began on 11 november.    lucia barrera, who testified before colorado, a government commission investigating the murders, and several diplomats, among them spanish ambassador francisco cadiz, said that the murderers numbered between 30 and 40 unidentified men wearing military uniforms. colorado said in a news conference that "there are several witnesses, none of which has shed much light on the case.  their declarations are not conclusive regarding this sad and regrettable event."  he stressed "that it would be rash to say that the salvadoran army did it."    according to colorado, neither fbi agents from the united states, nor scotland yard agents from great britain, nor the spanish government's delegates -- as requested by salvdoran president alfredo cristiani when he promised to investigate the case exhaustively -- have arrived in el salvador.    he said that the court will subpoena maria julia hernandez, director of the san salvadoran archbishopric's legal aid office, "to declare what she knows, who told her what, and to say if she was at the scene."    the archbishopric's legal aid office, a humanitarian organization, has promised to conduct an investigation jointly with the jesuits.    the attorney general said that "we are investigating all clues," when asked by reporters if he would interrogate the soldiers who were patrolling the university area where the murders took place on 16 november.    meanwhile, jose maria tojeira, jesuit superior in central america, said that the main witness to the murders is "safe and sound" abroad, possibly in the united states.    according to tojeira, the witness, who was interrogated repeatedly, was kept under strict security. he stressed that she left for an unknown destination and that she "is at ease because she has told the truth."    jesuit superior tojeira and arturo rivera y damas, archbishop of san salvador, have asserted that there is a strong belief that the murderers of the jesuits were either members of the armed forces or persons closely linked to them.    when asked about this belief, the attorney general replied, "i do not have that information. however, it would be rash to say that the army did it."

unidentified men wearing military uniforms

salvadoran army


Input: at a time when the world's attention is riveted on the democratization movement in eastern europe, we hear a gloomy news report that the protracted civil war between el salvador's governmental troops receiving u.s. assistance and leftist guerrillas has recently once again intensified, and has taken many lives.    the soviet union is now prodding the countries in eastern europe, which were once known as soviet satellites, to democratize and to reform their state systems; why does the united states increase its military aid to el salvador and cause the civil war to intensify?    like many central and south american countries before they became democratized, the political and economic situation in el salvador is such that it is plagued by an extreme form of the gap between rich and poor, by military dictatorship, by right-wing terrorism, and by abuse of human rights to the point where it could be engulfed by revolution at any time.  how can a country where more than 2.5 million out of a population of 5.4 million are on the border of starvation, and where roughly 20 percent of the population enjoys 66 percent of the country's gross national product, be in peace?    after a large-scale peasant uprising in 1930, the leftist forces in this country formed a unified guerrilla organization in 1980 and began the armed struggle in earnest.    the oligarchic ruling class, which is said to consist of 15 to 240 families with high income, launched a "clean-up operation" against guerrillas in collusion with the military, and openly massacred the leaders of workers and peasants by organizing an extreme right-wing assassination group called the "death squad."  they even went so far as to assassinate intellectuals and clergymen who championed social reform and human rights.    films such as "romero" and "salvador" that have been shown in our country in recent months are clear evidence of the brutality committed by such an assassination group.  this group was unquestionably behind the recent assassinations in which 10 labor union leaders were mercilessly massacred and another 8, including a jesuit priest, were brutally killed.    the problem is that the united states lurks behind the military and right-wing forces that are bent on suppressing those who call for social reform and respect human rights, not stopping at a "cleaning up" of the leftist guerrillas.  while sending a group of military advisers to el salvador to help the government troops mop up the guerrillas, the united states is now also supplying the country with weapons, including assault helicopters, worth u.s. $103 million.    how long will the united states retain its old policy of ignoring social reform and democratization in a neighboring country and of giving military aid to its incompetent government in order to defend its own interests?  with our eyes on the democratization movement in east europe, we are compelled to think once again of the democratization in central and south america, and of the outside intervention there blocking the democratic process.    drawing a lesson from the defeat it suffered in vietnam and in iran, the united states should cease interfering in the internal affairs of other countries.

extreme right-wing assassination group


Input: foreigners linked to terrorists will be deported.  immigration general director colonel maximiliano leiva has said that foreigners arrested for their ties to fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) terrorist groups have been turned over to their respective consular representatives.  he reported the arrests were made by the treasury police and other security elements who are courageously fighting the fmln murderous communists, who want to install a marxist - leninist government.  however, these rebels will not have their way.  these individuals will be deported to their places of origin.    col leiva also noted that 1,100 salvadoran refugees returned recently from colomoncagua, honduras, without going through legal immigration procedures.  arriving with the men and women were children -- raging in age from 12 to 13, some less than 7.  col leiva stated the refugees brought in medical supplies, and their plan is to help the terrorist criminals in their aggression against the salvadoran people.


Input: "the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) used tupac amaru, vietnamese, sandinist, and other guerrilla warfare offensive tactics in its offensive," (colonel rene emilio) ponce, chairman of the joints chiefs of staff of the salvadoran armed forces, stated 23 november. he reported that the fmln offensive resulted in 1,484 guerrillas and 284 soldiers killed.  the officer said that guerrillas were engaged in a tactical-type dialogue by attending the meetings with the government while preparing for the offensive.  among the weapons seized, we found rusted weapons and ammunition, indicating they had been buried for a long time.  we also found documents and medicines with oldt expiration dates."    he said that the armed forces learned on 9 november about the offensive launched by the fmln on 11 november, but it was too late to act. that is why the armed forces acted with caution when it began, because the fmln wanted a far-reaching reaction, something which would have entailed huge damage to civilians, and so the guerrillas' intentions failed.    the tupac amaru tactic employed consisted in digging large ditches, and so the guerrillas forced the people to dig them, col ponce said.    regarding the bombings heard east of the capital during the news conference, col ponce said it was a operation to pursue "a group of terrorists who had been located in the los castillos, san francisco, and el progreso cantons.  however, only the first canton was shelled because it had been evacuated, which was not the case in the other two cantons.


Input: the salvadoran armed forces today reported that a plane loaded with weapons for guerrillas coming from nicaragua crashed at dawn today in a town of usulutan deparment, killing three crewmen while a fourth committed "suicide."    the armed forces press committee (coprefa) pointed out that the plane crashed at 0025 local time (0625 gmt) in a town in el transito, eastern usulutan department. according to coprefa, three crewmen died during the accident and a fourth survived, but committed suicide afterward.  the armed forces did not identify the crewmen, stating only that they were wearing camouflage uniforms.    the military source reported that the plane, a white and blue, red-striped two-motor "cessna" belongs to a company called "seta" headquartered in nicaragua.    the coprefa report, which is based on the flight schedule, states that the plane left managua (nicaragua) and was to have landed in amatecampo, la paz department, but suffered an accident in "piedra pacha" near el transito.    coprefa reports that the plane was carrying 24 "sam-7" surface-to-air missiles, a "redeye" missile, a 75- mm antitank gun, and 21 rounds of ammunition for nonrecoilless 75- mm cannon.    salvadoran army troops surrounded the area of the accident and seized the weapons, the source reported.    on various occasions the salvadoran government and armed forces have accused the nicaraguan government of helping the farabunndo marti national liberation front (fmln) logistically and with weapons.    according to official sources, the offensive that the fmln began on 11 november, which has yielded 2,000 dead and thousands of wounded, was supported by nicaragua and cuba, which supplied most of the weapons.


Input: a cessna plane transporting weapons from managua crashed today at 0525 on a small landing strip in piedra pacha canton, el transito, 6 km east of usulutan.  the plane was carrying the following weapons for the farabundo marti national liberation front terrorists: 24 sam-7, soviet-made surface-to-air missiles; 21 grenades for 75-mm cannons; a 75-mm anti-tank cannon; a u.s.-made surface-to-air missile known as the red-eye; and other equipment.    the plane, a white and blue twin-engine craft with red stripes, was being flown by sandinists.  four persons, dressed in camouflage wear, were killed at the site of the accident.  some documents that are being analyzed by military intelligence were also found at the scene. among the documents is the flight plan that shows that the plane departed from managua, nicaragua, and its destination was el salvador. this plane was to have landed at the amaticampo landing strip, along the la paz department coastline.    the information adds that the plane belonged to zeta company -- offices located across from the cesar augusto sandino airport in managua -- and that it departed early this morning from managua.  the authorities are investigating more details regarding this incident, which proves nicaragua's interference in el salvador's domestic affairs.


Input: in view of the intensification of the country's armed conflict and the armed forces' attitude, the fmln reports the following:    1.  that the government, far from suspending, has intensified bombings and artillery attacks.  it is now even using 105-mm obus howitzers in densely populated areas.  we are informing the national and international community that such bombings have yielded thousands of refugees and destroyed thousands of homes belonging to humble families in san salvador, san miguel, usulutan, and zacatecoluca.  in rejecting a cease-fire, the government has turned its back on the international community.    2.  that in view of the rumors that the fmln is planning to attack u.s. citizens (7-second break in reception) to not attack u.s. personnel and installations.  that policy was evident during the sheraton hotel incident in which, although our forces enjoyed an advantage over the green berets trapped in that hotel, and despite the prevailing tension, they rigorously adhered to that policy with discipline.    3.  the fmln does not advocate capturing prisoners or carrying out indiscriminate armed actions.    4.  we also alert the entire nation and international community about the generalized repression being unleashed by the arena (nationalist republican alliance) government.  that party, by taking advantage of the state of siege and the martial law, has hastily approved the antiterrorist law as an instrument to institutionalize terror.  this law seeks to eliminate the political opportunities that our people have achieved, all forms of opposition, and to consolidate a fascist regime.  this has been the historic project of roberto d'aubuisson and la tandona (reference to the 1966 graduating class of the captain gerardo barrios military academy) who now controls the entire military leadership.    (signed) fmln general command    commanders francisco jovel, salvador sanchez ceren, jorge shafik handal, eduardo sancho, and joaquin villalobos.


Input: this aircraft, i repeat, was carrying very sophisticated armaments.  it carried 24 soviet-made surface-to-air-missiles, one 75-mm recoilless cannon, grenades for that cannon, and it also had documents and manuals explaining its usage.    we can no longer continue doing nothing in view of this genocidal, interventionist action, and more than anything, a traitorous action by daniel ortega.  that is why we resolved on 25 november, salvadoran people, to make the proper charges against ortega and his government before the un security council and the oas security council.    second, we will suspend relations, be they diplomatic, commercial, or of any sort with nicaragua.  we will withdraw our mission from nicaragua.    third, at the next presidential summit, el salvador will not go to nicaragua.  right now, it will ask the other three democratic presidents of the area to transfer the site of that meeting to another fraternal central american country.  we will demand there, before the central american countries that they truly honor the esquipulas pact and condemn daniel ortega for supporting the fmln    we can appreciate, very frankly, what the fmln is.  they are nothing more than the puppets of the communist aggression.  mr castro and mr ortega are resisting all of the changes that are taking place in the soviet union and in all of the countries behind the iron curtain which are attempting to democratize themselves and give their people liberty.  they are the only two who seek to continue to remain in power through the rifle and by war.    salvadoran people, we cannot permit our country, our small el salvador, or our noble salvadoran people to be the victims of that communist aggression which daniel ortega and fidel castro seek to launch.    in that sense, salvadoran people, in view of this new situation, we want you to reflect on that artificial cease-fire which the fmln launched a few days ago.  what is the fmln up to with that cease-fire? it made that proposal after it was removed from the city that it had attacked.  the people were resuming their normal activities and everything was under the control of the armed forces in those areas. why did they call for a cease-fire when they had already been defeated in the offensive by the salvadoran people who had repudiated their terrorist actions?  they had no real objective ahead, other than to continue to destroy, to assassinate, and to continue to generate terrorist actions here in our country.    therefore, the salvadoran government cannot permit itself to fall into another trap of the fmln.  if they went to mexico and costa rica with a sincere desire for peace, as they tried to make us believe, we realize today that those actions were just another farce.  this aggression was not planned in 2 or 3 days.  this aggression had been planned several months back.  knowing that they were going to attack the salvadoran people, they had the gall to  attend and make the entire world believe that they really wanted peace.  therefore, we cannot, i repeat salvadoran people, fall into       another trap of the fmln.  they have no right to demand territorial rights in our country when they are a band of terrorists and are          puppets of ortega and castro.  let us see if the people who receive support, as they are, will owe ortega and castro favors.  if they succeed, they will owe loyalty not to the salvadoran people, but to       communist dictators such as daniel ortega and fidel castro.  that is why the government has establsihed a clear position. (continued)


Input: since the early morning hours, we have been traveling through the southern part of cortes department.  we report that approximately 2 hours ago we established contact with san francisco de yojoa.  approximately 30 minutes ago we finished our tour of san francisco de yojoa.  we want to report that there has been a regrettable incident that we wish had not occurred in our country during a democratic process in which all honduras are participating to elect the future president.    we report that citizen justiniano sagastume rodriguez, 42, was killed by two bullets fired from a .22 caliber gun by a member of the national party, whose name is not known.  we inform that mr justiniano sagastume rodriguez was the representative of the pinu-sd (social democratic innovation and unity party) at voting table no.  17. approximately 1 hour ago leopoldo ulloa fernandez, justice of the peace, identified his body here in san francisco de yojoa.

member

national party

justiniano sagastume rodriguez

.22 caliber gun


Input: we want peace badly and are convinced that you salvadorans also want peace and view it as a major goal to be achieved.  we also must be courageous and endure the fmln aggression as we, particularly, you have in the past days.    we are willing to solve the salvadoran conflict through a dialogue process.  however, we can no longer trust liars and cynics who have taken advantage of the people's desire for peace and opportunities given to them in an attempt to simply gain ground and time to rearm themselves to attack, kill, and destroy the salvadoran people.    this is why today we demand that the fmln end all their hostilities.  the verification team onuca (united nations observer group in central america) may come here if they want to, to ensure that the fmln ends their hostilites and finds a way to incorporate itself to the salvadoran political process.  however, we will never again allow ourselves to fall into the trap set up by fmln cynics who have deceived the salvadoran people, because they are not looking after your interests, but those of the international communism that ortega and fidel castro are sending our way.    salvadoran people: we must ask you to trust your government and armed forces.  it matters not what daniel ortega plans to do or what weapons he sends them because the armed forces will be ready to repel any attack or any irrational action that the fmln might launch.    you must rest assured and realize that we are waging a struggle for the sake of the salvadoran people; to defend our country from aggressions, which regardless of their origin, should not hinder the freedom of the salvadoran people.    we must be confident that the salvadoran armed forces are a professional armed forces that have successfully resisted, repelled, and removed this aggression through a professionalism that must stand as an example all over the world today.    although the fmln has hidden behind you, as cowards do, the armed forces have gradually and carefully dealt a blow to them while safeguarding the salvadoran people's interests.  the only destructors here are the fmln followers; the only terrorists here are fmln followers.  we cannot allow this to continue in our country.    salvadoran people: i do not want to alarm you.  i want us to gradually understand, as each piece of this puzzle falls into its place, what the fmln really is: a puppet of international communism that is only seeking to subjugate the salvadoran people, take away their freedoms, and sink them into destitution, as ortega has done to the nicaraguan people.    our nicaraguan policy has at no time been against the nicaraguan people; our policy is only against that antidemocratic dictator called ortega who wants to spread destruction and death to other countries to satisfy his own goals of consolidating a totalitarian government in nicaragua.    we must be alert to all the upcoming information regarding the normalization of the situation in our country and rest assured that the salvadoran government will also help the people, who have in one way or another suffered from the fmln aggression, with medicine, food, and especially, this is nearly finalized, aid to reconstruct those homes that were damaged by this savage and irrational fmln action.    salvadoran people: thank you very much; god bless you all.


Input: nicaraguan president daniel ortega has stated that he is "proud and honored" over salvadoran president alfredo cristiani's decision to sever relations with his government, and described the salvadoran chief executive as a "murderer."    in a speech in the town of somotillo, on the border with honduras, ortega said that the news of his salvadoran colleague's announcement "filled me with joy because we will thus avoid receiving the president of a government that murders priests, nuns, and political leaders."    the nicaraguan capital has been set as the site for the central american summit scheduled for 8-9 december.    the nicaraguan president said that he will ask the international community to break relations with el salvador "until the slayers of the six jesuit priests murdered in el salvador are punished."  the priests were murdered on 16 november.

slayers


Input: a 2-month-old labor conflict involving (words indistinct) workers, which in the past few days has caused street violence in lima, has become one of the main sources of concern for the peruvian government.    the strike, which was decreed by the intersectorial confederation of public employees (cite), is being observed by 300,000 public servants, who make up 50 percent of cite members. the strikers demand salary improvements, the reinstatement of 250 dismissed workers, and the official recognition of the cite.    ruling american popular revolutionary alliance (apra) secretary general luiz alva castro, who is also the apra presidential candidate, reported that today he met with prime minister guillermo larco cox in search for a solution to the problem.    alva said that "there is good will" to find a solution to the conflict, which has affected large sectors of the population, who make use of health, education, justice, transportation, and communication services. the strike has also affected the state, which has failed to collect 70 percent of taxes because of the strike by the tax collectors.    alva castro said that the prime minister told him that there will be no problem in recognizing the cite, provided that this organization meets the appropriate legal requirements.    there were incidents in lima on 23 november, when groups of cite members demonstrated in downtown lima and were repressed by the police. during the incidents, bombs were detonated, tires were burned, and the police shot in the air. at least (9) persons died during the incidents last week.    a union source today said that a 15-day strike by 3,500 workers of the state-run minero peru company has caused daily losses of $800,000.    according to the labor ministry, the strikes have cost the private sector 13 million hours of labor,    it has been reported that the mining sector lost $80 million during 18 days of strike in august and september, while the fishing sector has lost $150 million because of a strike that the workers of the sector began 55 days ago.

members

intersectorial confederation of public employees

bombs


Input: i am going to tell you something, and i am going to speak to you from the heart.  about 15 days ago, i heard the news that the salvadoran government, the salvadoran army, was bombing neighborhoods and cities in el salvador, that it was murdering the salvadoran people.  i later heard that the salvadoran army had murdered six jesuit priests, among them a priest who had been dean of the catholic university here in nicaragua.  it was then that i began to think and asked myself: how can i welcome the president of el salvador here in nicaragua when the central american summit is held?  what a problem.  a real problem.  how could i welcome in nicaragua the representative of a government that kills priests and bishops, that killed monsignor romero; a government that kills clergymen, that has killed nuns and members of other churches, catholics and evangelists; a government that kills workers, peasants, laborers, and leaders of political parties, that has killed more than 600 christian democratic party leaders.  they were killed by arena (nationalist republic alliance), the ruling party in el salvador, and the salvadoran army, which is the same thing.  i kept asking myself: how can i welcome them in nicaragua?  it would be like welcoming somoza.  all i could come up with was to find an excuse not to hold the meeting.  it would have been terrible for the nicaraguan people to have to welcome and have as a guest the representative of a government that kills priests, nuns, workers, laborers, peasants, intellectuals, professionals, and workers.  therefore, this news made me happy.  it made me happy because we have avoided the problem of having to welcome, in nicaragua, the president of that government of international killers and common criminals.  (applause)    the truth is that we should feel proud.  as a nicaraguan i feel proud that that murderous government has broken relations with nicaragua.  that is something to be proud of, because it means that they know perfectly well that we are on the side of the salvadoran people, on the side of the salvadoran peasant, on the side of the salvadoran worker, on the side of the salvadoran church and priests, that we are on the side of peace, justice, and democracy in el salvador, and that we oppose tyranny in el salvador.    i can see that the time has come for me to speak clearly to you.  i believe that it is necessary to speak clearly because diplomatic jargon can sometimes confuse things.  it is time that we speak clearly.  the least the nicaraguan government can do in response to the attitude assumed by the salvadoran government is to ask and demand of the international community and the world that it break relations with that murderous and criminal government until those who killed the priests have been punished, until those who are killing the salvadoran people have been punished.  (applause) that is what we are going to demand.  that is going to be our answer.    the international community is uneasy because of what is happening in el salvador.  cristiani is no tame dove.  he has become an accomplice and instrument of this policy of death implemented by the army, by men like (colonel rene emilio) ponce and (general juan rafael) bustillo.  they are murderous guardsmen just like those you knew, the somozist guardsmen.  bustillo, ponce, and a few others are just like that.  however, not all of them are like that. there are some honest soldiers in el salvador, soldiers with honest positions.  (continued)

salvadoran army


Input: a few days after the start of the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) offensive, the results are completely positive. first of all, we are seeing the total political defeat of the democracy and counterinsurgency plan because the cristiani government has been unmasked as a fascist dictatorship.    the u.s. counterinsurgency model tried to legitimize, through an electoral process, a quote, democratic, unquote, government which would leave the growing popular insurgency in el salvador with no reason to exist.  that model has overwhelmingly failed because, instead of an even timidly democratic government, what has been installed is a regime that does not even tolerate the christian democratic party, which it views as a great traitor to the fatherland. a regime has been established which does not permit the most minimal opportunities for the free expression of thought.  it does not tolerate the existence of an objective and independent newscast, such as that of television canal doce.  it is a regime which demands that the highest leaders of the church leave the country because it does not guarantee their security.  it is a regime that issues totally undemocratic laws and closes all political opportunities.  in short, it is a regime in a state of emergency.  it is a fascist regime with all its components.  that is the final result of the u.s. efforts to establish a counterinsurgent democratic regime in el salvador.  the little legitimacy that the cristiani government at one point enjoyed was destroyed when it had to cover up and permit the assassination of six jesuit priests to go unpunished, and when it indiscriminately bombed the more densely populated areas of the country.    a few days of the offensive have been enough to tear down the foundations of the erroneous u.s. policy in our country.  and the validity of that policy has begun to be seriously questioned in the united states.    a second great achievement of these first weeks of the offensive has been a radical change in the theaters of operation.  we have placed the war in its final phase, in its phase of strategic definition.  there has been an abrupt change in what had appeared to be an endless war and an unbreakable balance of forces.  the transfer of the theaters of operation to the cities has resulted in a strategic siege of the cities, which are the weak spots of the political, economic, and social power. in turn, as we have previously pointed out, this has brought about an accelerated political breakdown of the regime.  (continued)


Input: the enemy is left like that, hanging from a thread -- a strategic thread which can break at any moment and result in a military setback for the army.  the phenomenon which ensued after the masses joined the offensive in its early stages forced the enemy to indiscriminately use the air force to prevent a general uprising and to curtail the insurrection.  nevertheless, the effort exerted to launch a nationwide offensive has been based on a large-scale peasant and suburban insurrection process.  our ranks were considerably increased to render the offensive effective, and this was possible thanks to the people's great interest in fighting in the cities and speeding up the outcome of the war.  the people also joined our ranks during the fighting which occurred in the cities.    furthermore, the germ of a new social explosion has been created by the government itself, with its indiscriminate bombings and repression.  even though some people may blame the fmln for the army's brutal reaction, few can feel any sympathy for those who have bombed them.  this has created a social situation which guarantees the continuity of the fmln's offensive until victory is achieved.  all the people displaced by the bombings are dissatisfied people who will join the struggle sooner or later.    we remember the phenomenon of the displaced people and refugees caused by the bombings in the salvadoran countryside.  the brutal attitude of the army and air force has legitimized the armed struggle. the other party, meaning the enemy, had to grab all the resources of a conventional war: airplanes, helicopters, and heavy artillery.  this legitimizes the people's armed struggle and self-defense.    a third great achievement of the national and strategic effort exerted against fascism has been the liberation of large zones of the national territory.  a new, emerging power now controls eight departments of the country.  the army is spread thin and it had to abandon the zones where it cannot keep its men -- compromised as it is in the strategic defense of the cities.  this puts the army throughout the national territory in a situation resembling a cloth with many holes, stretched to the limit and threatening to rip at any point. the tear can occur when least expected.  large groups of people are now in those liberated territories, engaged in a reconstruction effort and organizing a rearguard for the march on the cities.    there is a fourth element to consider: one of the first and most important achievements is the fact that there is now a better balance for negotiations.  all of the government's demands and proposals at the negotiation table are completely null and void.  the pretense of demanding the fmln's surrender is untimely given such a show of strength.  no one in the world would now be willing to bet on that position.  (continued)


Input: there is no longer room for the idea of dialogue without negotiation.  now we must negotiate in earnest.  that demand has been made by several governments and international forums, and even by some influential sectors in the united states.  yet cristiani has opposed this universal current.  cristiani's tactical, propagandistic, and delaying moves around the negotiations table will no longer have a chance to succeed.  on the other hand, it will now be an indispensable condition that dialogue and negotiation be expanded and that the real decisionmakers be the ones who sit at the negotiating table.    finally, following the offensive launched by the fmln, the analysts, especially in the united states, have admitted that there is a need to carry out an in-depth study of the value of the u.s. government's policy toward el salvador.  the debate on the conditioning, and even the total suspension, of military aid to the salvadoran army is very intense, and it has already shaken the foundations of bipartisanship regarding u.s. support for the cristiani government.  you will recall that the debate has not continued because the u.s. congress has declared a recess; however, it will soon become the center of the u.s. congress' debates.    in summary, we could say that the enemy has lost ground and legitimacy, and the basis for its support, the u.s. aid, is being seriously threatened.  in addition, the army has been reduced to the strategic defense of an important center, the capital city. therefore, it is only logical to say that today we saw a very worried, even desperate, cristiani.  cristiani's speech on the radio and television network shows an attempt to retouch the picture.  cristiani tried to lower the level of the water that has reached his neck by diverting the world's attention from the bombings and the deaths of the jesuit priests to nicaragua.  in this desperate effort, all that cristiani has done is to take the war to other and more dangerous levels.  he is attempting to regionalize the war, and this will undoubtedly isolate him even more from the world.    the outcome of this situation depends on all these factors that can accelerate the decomposition of fascism in the country.  however, they depend mostly on the vigor and strength that all the salvadoran people place on this ongoing and irreversible struggle.


Input: an avianca boeing 727 with 107 people on board today exploded at 07:18 hours (1218 gmt) about 22 km south of bogota, the el dorado airport control tower in bogota confirmed.    aeronautic authorities reported that a plane with registration number hk-1803 traveling from bogota to cali took off at 07:13 from the bogota airport. a few minutes later, witnesses reported to bogota radio stations that the plane exploded in the air, broke in two, and burst into flames.    octavio fonseca, a witness who was near where the plane fell told cadena radial colombiana (caracol) that "the plane exploded in the air and broke in two."    he added: "i have already gone to where the plane fell. the plane is completely destroyed, no survivors, only burnt and mangled corpses."


Input: attention. pay close attention.  attention.  pay close attention.  as we have already reported, u.s.  officials, important persons, and politicians in the united states have issued statements affirming that the salvadoran armed forces are directly linked to the case of the murdered jesuits. the testimony given by the lady who witnessed the central american university crime has caused political upheaval that is also being felt in the corridors of the u.s.  congress, the white house, and the pentagon.    even elliott abrams, former assistant secretary of state for inter-american affairs, has stated on the face the nation television program on 27 november, that the murder of the six jesuits, a woman, and her daughter was an action by the salvadoran armed forces and not the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front).  abrams, a former reagan administration official, stated: based on 10 years experience on the salvadoran conflict, i presume that the death of the priests was not the work of leftist guerrillas, but an action by forces of the cristiani administration.  we do not have a record of guerrillas taking this sort of action, said elliot abrams.  he added that, in the past, many military officers have been associated with the so-called death squads and the rightist sector in el salvador. these were the statements by elliot abrams.  voa has reported the statements by the woman who witnessed the crime.  at this time in the united states, the salvadoran top military command, colonel rene emilio ponce, and president alfredo cristiani are being pointed out as the persons directly responsible for this abominable crime.    in relation to this, we want to denounce the following to the international community, the people of the united states, and the international media.  over the past few hours, the cristiani administration has tried to divert the attention of the united states that is presently centered on the case of the murdered jesuits and the involvement of the salvadoran government in this crime.  we denounce the arrest of u.s. citizen jennifer cazolo as part of a salvadoran armed forces plan to attempt to divert the attention of international public opinion from the jesuits' case.  we also denounce the arrest of jennifer cazolo as a repressive act.  also, the armed forces is trying to link humanitarian aid for el salvador, human rights, and u.s.-based organizations to the fmln.  it is trying to link these organizations and these persons to the fmln.    the fmln completely denies that it has any link with u.s. citizen jennifer cazolo.  we denounce this accusation as a clumsy set up by the armed forces command, which is trying -- we repeat -- trying to repress these humanitarian organizations and foreigners.  this is a set up by the armed forces to repress foreign citizens and -- we repeat -- it is a smoke screen to divert u.s. attention from the case that is presently on the table.  it is a set up to not attend the international community's demand for justice in the case of the jesuit priests.    if elliot abrams, former secretary of state for inter-american affairs, who knows so much about el salvador, says that it was not the fmln and that the crime was committed by military units and persons linked to the cristiani administration, his statements will have strong repercussions in the united states.  the armed forces command and the cristiani administration are trying to do all they can to throw a smokescreen here and there to try to divert the attention of the international community and, especially, the people of the united states.    in conclusion, we reafirm: we deny the armed forces' accusations against u.s. citizen jennifer cazolo.  we state that the accusation is a clumsy set up to hide and not respond to the question everyone is asking -- where are the murderers of the jesuits?  behind the clumsy set up with regard to the u.s. citizen, we also see that they intend to continue to repress humanitarian organizations and different sectors that have expressed solidarity with el salvador.  in short, all this set up attempts to do is throw a huge smokescreen to repress these organizations and foreigners.

colonel rene emilio ponce

president alfredo cristiani

forces of the cristiani administration


Input: the radio mineria santiago staff continues to evaluate the substantial damage caused by a terrorist attack at the offices of radio mineria.    ernani valda, the director of the radio station, has reported that so far the damage is estimated at 2.5 million pesos.    the bomb was placed in the office of political commentator german gamonal, who is also the press director.  five people were working at the offices when the explosion occurred; one of them was injured.    we spoke with reporter hermogenes carrillo, who arrived at the radio station offices after the attack.    (begin recording) (carrillo) one person suffered minor injuries and the offices of radio mineria were substantially damaged during the bomb attack here at the intersection of providencia and tobalaba streets this morning at 0510. (passage omitted)    the radio station was off the air for 45 minutes, during which time carabineros personnel inspected the site to confirm that there were no other bombs.    gope (special operations group) personnel arrived later. according to their specialized personnel the bomb contained tronex (expansion unknown), and it had been placed by one of the windows on providencia street.    at least two or three people were involved in the attack.  they somehow climbed to the second floor, placed the bomb, lit the fuse, and fled.    no warning was received nor has any subversive movement claimed responsibility for this attack so far.    we have received telephone calls from our listeners across the country.  we have also received important political personalities, including presidential candidate hernan buchi and interior minister carlos caceres.    among others, we have received a call from osorno from (presidential candidate) francisco javier errazuriz and another call from santiago from ricardo lagos.    this is all we can report for now.  the cost has not yet been estimated, but it will be substantial.    this was a report by radio mineria for radio nacional de chile. (end recording)

two or three people

offices of radio mineria

bomb


Input: police sources have described the annonymous telephone call to radio cadena caracol blaming "the extraditables" drug trafficking group for the explosion on board an avianca boeing 727 as "lacking credibility."  the plane was on a flight from bogota to cali with 107 persons aboard. the annonymous caller said that "the extraditables" had planted a bomb on that plane because "five informers" were aboard.    however, police sources consulted by efe were skeptical, describing what the annonymous caller had said as lacking credibility. another police source told efe that the annonymous phone call blaming "the extraditables" for the explosion sounded more like a joke in bad taste.  he added that the call does not follow the normal pattern used by that group when claiming responsibility for its actions. the group usually sends communiques to the media.  these communiques are written on paper with the group's letterhead and are duly signed, and at times include the fingerprints of those responsible for sending the communique.    a spokesperson at el dorado international airport in bogota, from where the plane took off, said that it was practically impossible for someone to have evaded the strict security at the airport. the source added that the passengers and the luggage underwent routine but rigorous security checks.  these security checks include hand checks and the use of electronic equipment and explosives-detecting dogs. the source added that nothing unusual was noticed.    "the extraditables" is an armed group under the medellin cartel that for the past 6 years has been fighting against the extradition of colombians to the united states.  up to now the crimes that the group has claimed responsibility for, and others for which it is blamed, have all fallen under the category of selective murders but never an indiscriminate attack like destroying a plane.    civil aeronautics directorate sources said that the black box has been found and that its contents will probably reveal what happened.    the sources added that 8 hours after the tragedy, there are still no clues that would allow them to be absolutely sure whether this was an attack or an accident.    most of the passengers on board the plane were government and private businessmen who were traveling from bogota to cali, in the southeastern sector of the country, for business purposes.


Input: the alleged nicaraguan pilot that was killed in el salvador is alive and well, in managua, talking with us.  the salvadoran government said mauricio quiros garcia was killed in an alleged transshipment of weapons last saturday, 25 november when a cessna plane crashed. mauricio quiros garcia, 36-years-old, is here, next to me.  he is married and has children.  good evening, mauricio.    (quiros garcia) good evening.  i am so surprised and astonished over this report, that i really do not know how to explain how i felt when i was called.  at first, i thought it was a joke.  however, after receiving several telephone calls from several newsmen, i started to think seriously about this.  i want to clarify and explain that this report is totally false.    (cabrera) mauricio, the salvadoran government says you are a former pilot of the sandinist air force, fas.  is that true?    (quiros garcia) that is true.  i was in the fas for 2 years, and now, i have been working with aeronica for the last 8 years.    (cabrera) what types of flights do you make?  to where do you fly and from where?    (quiros garcia) they are international flights.  i am the captain of a boeing 727.  we fly to panama city; san jose, costa rica; mexico city, and guatemala city.    (cabrera) where did you go to school?    (quiros garcia) in mexico.    (cabrera) were you ever involved with the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front), are you familiar with any type of weapons?  the reports mention sophisticated equipment.  did you just unload all that in el salvador, and turned around so quickly, that you were in several places on saturday?    (quiros garcia) i do not have the slightest notion about sophisticated weapons, or anything else.  my job is to pilot a plane, and that is what i do; i pilot the aeronica plane and that is it.    (cabrera) mauricio, do you know the fmln well?    (quiros garcia) no, i do not know anyone from the fmln.  i have no relations with anyone linked at all to the fmln.    (cabrera) so why should anyone want to report that you were killed early in the morning in usulutan department?    (quiros garcia) well, as i said before, that report has surprised me.  frankly speaking, i do not know.  this shows that certain governments sometimes issue totally false reports in order to hide or, i do not know (changes thought) that report is totally false.  that is all i can say.  as you can see, i am very concerned, and just as surprised as you are.  (continued)


Input: el salvador has carried out a constant and permanent aggression against nicaragua and nicaragua has never suggested breaking relations with el salvador. nicaragua has not even thought about breaking relations with honduras. on the contrary, we have always tried to follow a policy of negotiations to solve problems.  i do not believe in fooling ourselves.  the real problem here is that the central american presidents made a commitment, and that commitment must be fulfilled. the central american presidents made a commitment to mobilize the contras; that commitment must be fulfilled.  the central american presidents also committed themselves to respecting human rights in central america, and that commitment must also be fulfilled.  el salvador must fulfill that commitment. the salvadoran government is not respecting human rights in el salvador, they are killing people in el salvador, they have bombed the salvadoran people and they have killed the jesuit priests.    in light of all this, the nicaraguan government must express its solidarity with the salvadoran people; the salvadoran people are the ones who are suffering.  we cannot be in solidarity with an army that is killing the salvadoran people.  let us wait and see how many governments will support that army which is killing the salvadoran people, an army that is bombing the salvadoran people, an army that has killed the jesuit priests.  let us wait and see how many governments will support the army.  i assure you that most of the peoples of the world, all the peoples of the world will express their support for the salvadoran people.    shortly before coming here this evening, i was watching the news via satellite, and i saw protest demostrations in the united states. the people are protesting the killing of the jesuit priests and the bombings in el salvador.  christians, catholics, clergymen, and priests are protesting in the united states (words indistinct). therefore, our position is quite clear.  we do not renounce the peace agreements.  we continue to defend them, and we will demand that the agreements be fulfilled.  we are going to demand that the salvadoran government respect those agreements and respect human rights.  what is needed in el salvador is a cease-fire.  a real cease-fire and negotiations are needed in el salvador to reach an agreement that will allow peace and democracy in el salvador.  no one can be happy with that kind of a democratic regime -- like the u.s. government and the salvadoran government describe it. that government is known for killing people, for killing clergymen.  human rights must be respected in el salvador.    i am grateful to all the comrades who came from the various regions to be here tonight to attend this meeting during which, in addition to discussing several matters of interest for all the nicaraguan people, we also honored our evangelistic brothers who have worked here in nicaragua for the past 7 years and gave  posthumous recognition to our jesuit brothers, the priests brutally murdered in el salvador.  (words indistinct) we are determined to         continue working with the christian people, the preachers of the gospel, the evangelists and all the churches in our country, for a nicaragua in peace and democracy.  once again i wish to reiterate: between christianity and revolution, there is no contradiction.


Input: the salvadoran government has rejeted the proposal for an immediate cease-fire that the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln), according to mauricio sandoval, salvadoran minister of culture and communications.  sandoval was interviewed by the u.s.  news agency upi.    the salvadoran patriots made this proposal in response to the oas recommendation regarding the salvadoran situation.  the recommendation calls for an immediate return to negotiations.  bishop gregorio rosa chavez offered his good offices.  venezuelan president carlos andres perez has also joined the group of people who are trying to stop the violence in el salvador.  on tuesday, 21 november, perez met with officials of the cristiani administration, namely justice minister oscar santamaria and minister of presidency juan padela.    according to carlos andres perez, he also talked with his salvadoran counterpart alfredo cristiani on the phone.  in the course of this talk he offered to host a caracas meeting between the salvadoran government and the rebels.    it would seem that because of the negative attitude of cristiani's administration, all these efforts have not yielded the expected fruits.  the fact is that the salvadoran government is trying to worsen the terror.  with this in mind, the government is drafting a law to punish the opposition.  as a preventive measure, congress has already approved antiterrorist bills.  these bills allow the arrest of people on suspicion of antigovernment activities.    a salvadoran deputy has labeled these bills unconstitutional and contrary to human rights.  meanwhile, these bills have encouraged the acursed death squads.  americas watch, a human rights organization, has reported an increase of (word indistinct), arrests of and threats against foreigners who work for religious and humanitarian organizations in el salvador.    the salvadoran human rights commission believes that the crusade against foreign missionaries is encouraged by the ultrarightists who are operating under the protection of the government.  the government guarantees the reactionaries their impunity.    death squads, working closely with reactionary military men and the cristiani administration, are most certainly to blame for the recent disgraceful murder of six priests in el salvador, according to the u.s. publication the boston globe.  the paper states that this is obvious to all and that the salvadoran regime and the yankee government are the only ones that refuse to admit it.    from their point of view this attitude is reasonable.  washington's policy toward el salvador is based on the ultrarigthwing forces (words indistinct).  the boston globe adds that every year the taxpayers take out of their pockets $500 million to finance the assistance that the u.s. government gives to el salvador.  some of this money goes to the death squads which are guilty of thousands of murders commited amid hellish tortures.  it is a significant piece of information.    the thing is that u.s. officials prefer to lash out at the fictitious shipments of soviet weapons to el salvador, fictitious because there have been none at all.  on the other hand, the use that successive salvadoran regimes have made of u.s. aid, has always been downplayed.  however, it is obvious that without the hefty u.s. subsidies, the salvadoran conflict would have been resolved a long time ago and the nearly 100,000 salvadorans who have died in the struggle, would still be alive.

death squads


Input: according to some sources, in the past few days more than 1,000 people have died in el salvador after the intensification of the fight between government forces and the guerrillas.  mikhail mayorov filed this report:    the horrifying reports published by the new york times give an appropriate idea of the tragedy in el salvador, where a civil war is ravaging the country.  on the outskirts of san salvador, where the fight is being waged, the people are forced to burn dead bodies right in front of their houses.    the victims are not only soldiers and guerrillas, who are directly involved in the conflict, but also civilians, whose houses are hit by bombs and projectiles.  the civilians are constantly threatened by the bullies of the so-called death squads, who murdered six catholic priests at the san salvador university campus.    the salvadoran situation, which has caused serious concern, cannot be regarded as something which is commonly referred to as (words indistinct).  the interdependence of the world now seems to be stronger than ever.  we have finally understood the meaning of the old saying that there is no isolated tragedy.  we feel increasingly responsible for what is happening in the so-called hot spots of the planet.    obviously, the first thing to be done to normalize the situation is to stem the direct and indirect flow of military supplies to both sides.    moscow has already taken this position.  however, u.s. president george bush has termed inadmissible the possibility of halting the aid to the government of alfredo cristiani.    if we compare the salvadoran and the afghan situations, why does the u.s. administration so bitterly repproached us for helping the najibullah regime?    we have unfortunately not yet adopted general criteria.    our foreign policy is consistent, mayorov says. in my opinion, soviet diplomacy has a more flexible attitude toward the current situation in el salvador.  the soviet government has abandoned its conservative stand, which made us support just one side.  in the final analysis, the war is a tragedy for all the people, and the magnitude of the tragedy grows as the conflict becomes more serious.    the salvadoran conflict will reflect the willingness that moscow and washington have to help a small nation, which is tired of a  long-standing conflict, find a way towards peace.    all of us are waiting for the soviet-u.s. summit which will be held off the coast of malta.  it is difficult to imagine the issues that will be on the agenda because the meeting will be unofficial (as heard).    there are many issues that may be addressed in a bilateral summit. it is highly desirable, however, that both sides reach an understanding and that they identify the possibilities of cooperation for the resolution of the central american problem.

bullies

death squads


Input: ...lessening the tension overwhelming your government by refusing to agree to the cease-fire with international supervision to start negotiations, proposed by the fmln, which expresses the desire of the international community.    3. seeking to avoid its responsibility by not fulfilling the esquipulas ii agreements which include a commitment to have democratization, a cease-fire, and national reconciliation.  this, along with the break in relations with nicaragua is a harsh blow to the regional peace agreements.    we ratify our total willingness to have a cease-fire with international supervision, and to attain a negotiated solution -- through a concerted national effort -- to have a firm and long-lasting peace in el salvador.    (signed) fmln general command: commanders salvador sanchez ceren, jorge shafick handal, eduardo sancho, francisco jovel, and joaquin villalobos.


Input: heavy clashes are still taking place in northern san salvador following a night of fierce combat, which confirms predictions on the intensification of the war this week.    press reports released from san salvador at noon today report the continuation of clashes between the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) and the armed forces, basically in neighborhoods in northern san salvador.    ayutuxtepeque, soyapango, zacamil, and san ramon, on the outskirts of san salvado, seem to have been occupied again by guerrilla columns, which controlled those neighborhoods during the first days of the national offensive which began on 11 november.    in its most recent newscast, the fmln's radio venceremos reported the air force heavily bombed ayutuxtepeque, a densely populated neighborhood, and confirmed the clashes taking place in soyapango.    the source reported the salvadoran armed forces elite troops, and even infantry brigades from military detachments traditionaly stationed in the countryside, have been deployed to san salvador in an attempt to repel the rebels' actions.    according to the guerrilla reports, despite the continuous bombings, clashes are taking place at this time in the capital of san miguel department, in the eastern part of the country.  several sectors of the panamerican highway, especially in eastern san salvador, remain under the fmln control, radio venceremos reported.    the central american media today warned about the seriousness of the incidents in san salvador this morning, when groups of unidentified men machinegunned former supreme court president francisco guerrero, a well- known leader of the rightwing national conciliation party. sources consulted in san salvador, which prefer not to be identified, said it is a fact the far rightwing is linked to this crime.  the same sources maintained that the recent announcement on the suspension of diplomatic relations with managua, made by president alfredo cristiani, caused disagreements among the government branches and among the various parties.

groups of unidentified men

far rightwing

francisco guerrero


Input: we have received a report advising us that at 0200 (0800 gmt) today, fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) forces attacked a group of paratroopers at the insa (expansion unknown) factory in soyapango. the report also adds that since early this morning, fighting has been going on in guadalupe neighborhood, also in soyapango.  reports from other areas of san salvador speak of heavy clashes since early this morning.  the report states that at 0200 today, fmln units attacked two 4th infantry brigade cobra battalion companies in san salvador. the troops were in el carmen hill, ayutuxtepeque jurisdiction.  the report adds that the fmln inflicted two dead and three wounded, including a sergeant and a corporal.  this means that the 4th infantry brigade is already in san salvador.  this is the way things are in san salvador: sonsonate troops, 5th infantry brigade troops, and 4th infantry brigade troops are in san salvador.  this is proof of how bad the enemy is doing.    the report adds that since this morning, fighting against atlacatl battalion troops was reported in the area around el carmen hill.  the atlacatl battalion troops were going to reinforce the cowardly 4th infantry brigade troops, who have left chalatenango and are now in san salvador.  the fighting ended at 0930 (1530 gmt).    we repeat: at 0200 today, fmln units attacked a group of paratroopers at the insa factory in soyapango.  fighting was also reported in san jacinto, mejicanos, ayutuxtepeque, soyapango, santa eduviges, escandia neighborhood, el carmen neighborhood, and other areas of san salvador.  we are waiting for more reports because we have learned that fighting has resumed in the capital city.    to add to the report we have received from san salvador, we wish to state that heavy fighting occurred this morning in guadalupe neighborhood, soyapango.  at 0600 (1200 gmt), national guard troops were ambushed at km 11 on the northern trunk road.  the national guard suffered dead and wounded during that ambush.  we will have more information on this ambush later.


Input: this again proves the aggression by the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) against the salvadoran people, against poor people, and against our country's distinguished politicians.  this is added to the innocent lives taken by the fmln from the salvadoran population.  i want to tell you we have a person under arrest who was wounded right where the attack took place, by dr. guerrero's bodyguard.  we have his identity, he is affilitated to the fmln, but we will not release his name while the investigation is under way.  the salvadoran people are the best witness to the fmln aggression against our people. (end recording)    (announcer) ponce also said that the terrorists carry out these actions as part of their strategy to scare the population.    (begin recording) (ponce) we want to say that conditions to enable marxism and the fmln to win are practically nil.  the people completely reject them.  the fmln are using that lying and losing venceremos radio station to fool their own cadres.  in nicaragua, there were some stations that were in network with this lying and losing venceremos radio station, broadcasting false reports about el salvador.  this is also part of the aggression.  to allow their so-called high-ranking fmln commanders to be in nicaragua is also part of the aggression.  no one can ignore the aggression that the sandinist government has been exerting for a long time against the salvadoran government and people.    (unidentified reporter) having found these sophisticated weapons, does it mean you may expect the aggressive counteroffensive these groups are launching may widen?    (ponce) definitely not.  we believe their cadres are decimated. this could affect mainly our air force; however, we are taking the proper tactical and technical preventive measures.  what should be very clear to all salvadorans is that for the fmln to attain power, which is their goal, they will have to climb over the body of the last armed forces soldier.  (end recording)    (announcer) ponce also said that the missiles and other weapons sent by ortega for the fmln are agressions against the salvadoran people, explaining that it was a nicaraguan who lives in this capital who identified the man who piloted the small aircraft carrying the weapons for the terrorists.    (begin recording) (ponce) he said that it was quiros garcia. however, that evening he called back and said that the pilot should have part of his thumb missing, and to please check him out.  the body we have was checked and one of the thumbs has a part missing.  to us this is irrefutable proof.  we all know of ortega's cyncism.  on the one hand, he made promises at esquipulas ii, signing agreements he was not prepared to implement; he would not do it since he was really doing these other things.  he is the same as the fmln. the fmln was discussing peace at a dialogue table while it was preparing for this offensive.  it is a mockery of the people, because their desire for peace has been fooled with.  domestic and international public opinion have been fooled.  (end recording)    (announcer) finally, ponce said the subversive groups have low morale and are desperate, because if daniel ortega loses the elections, they, too, will lose, and forever.  additionally, the salvadoran people do not support their irrational actions that only produce death and destruction.


Input: there is profound indignation over the murder of dr.  francisco jose guerrero, president of the supreme court of justice.  the murder was committed by terrorists at about 0930 (1530 gmt) this morning.  according to witnesses, the terrorists drove a yellow volkswagen.    president alfredo cristiani ordered a complete investigation to determine who murdered dr guerrero and to bring them to trial according to the salvadoran penal code, which was modified a few days ago.  both private and public sectors have spoken out against these crimes, because they only bring more grief and pain to the suffering salvadoran people.

terrorists

francisco jose guerrero


Input: at least 9 people have died and 13 more were wounded -- including soldiers, rebels, and civilians -- in the armed confrontations during the past few hours in san salvador and 2 departments in the north and east of el salvador, according to military reports.    four guerrillas died and two soldiers were wounded in confrontations that occurred early this morning in the cities of mejicanos and ciudad delgado, located north of san salvador, according to the same reports.    the confrontations, in which carbines, mortars, and explosives were used, began at 0230 (0830 gmt), when the rebels "tried to enter" the northern suburbs of san salvador, but they were "repelled" by government troops with the support of the air force, according to the army's press office.    another four guerrillas were killed and two were wounded in armed confrontations in tonacatepeque, 16 km north of san salvador, and in chalatenango and san miguel, located in the northern and eastern parts of the country, respectively.    the army has acknowledged that one soldier died and another five were wounded in those places.    the armed forces have stated that four employees of the rio lempa hydroelectric executive commission were wounded by explosives that had been placed by the rebels in a technical institute located in the zacamil neighborhood, which had been occupied for some days by the rebels during the recent offensive.    the army also indicates that the rebels set fire to a car and another two vehicles in san salvador and san miguel.

rebels

car

technical institute

vehicles

explosives


Input: in light of the terrorist armed aggression launched against the salvadoran people by the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) with the open support and direction of the sandinist government headed by daniel ortega on 11 november, the salvadoran government advises the international community that on the day the current government assumed office, it expressed its firm desire to seek, through the civilized path of dialogue, a comprehensive solution to the conflict because the marxist - leninist group's cause brings bloodshed to our people.  in this sense, president cristiani's government promoted the process of dialogue that began in mexico city on 13, 14, and 15 september 1989. at that time, government and fmln delegations signed an agreement committing themselves to seek an end to hostilities within the spirit of the agreements signed by the central american presidents in tela, honduras.  based on the agreement reached in mexico city, the issue to be broached during the second round of talks to be held in san jose, costa rica, on 16 and 17 october would be the end to hostilities based on proposals presented by the government and the fmln.  at that time, the fmln did not allow the discussion of the topic previously agreed on and presented a series of proposals, deliberately complex in form and content, with the evident purpose of preventing the main and only topic on the agenda from being discussed.    on 11 november, the fmln launched an aggression against the salvadoran people, an aggression that was obviously planned at least a few months before it was launched.  this proves that while the fmln was talking peace and negotiations around the negotiating table, it was, with the political, logistical, and military support of ortega's government, preparing the criminal attack against the salvadoran people.    since the beginning of the terrorist aggression to date, certain things have happened that prove the sandinist government's involvement in the genocide implemented by the fmln terrorists. the salvadoran government has proof that the fmln is a puppet of daniel ortega's deadly plans who, faced with an imminent electoral defeat and in conjunction with fidel castro, is attempting to regionalize in central america an armed conflict to try to save the sandinist regime.    in light of the aforementioned and having established the participation of the sandinist government in the terrorist aggression experienced by the salvadoran people, the salvadoran government agreed, on 26 november 1989, to suspend diplomatic and commercial relations with the nicaraguan government and recalled its diplomatic mission for consultations.  in light of these serious actions which violate international law, the salvadoran government has presented formal charges before the united nations and the oas so that immediate and efficient measures will be taken to repudiate  these terrorist actions and so that the nicaraguan government will       be diplomatically and politically pressured to stop the aggression it has unleashed against el salvador, and thus stop a possible            conflict of unpredictable dimensions.    how is it possible that at a time like this, when around the world moments of political freedom are being experienced in places like poland, the gdr, czechoslovakia, and hungary, here, in el salvador, because of the fmln's irrational actions -- with ortega's support -- attempts are being made to drown a nation which, despite 10 years of war, is trying to consolidate a democratic process?    the salvadoran government and people are united during this historic test to achieve peace within the democratic system.


Input: deputy defense minister colonel juan orlando zepeda has said that the armed forces structure remains intact and that the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) terrorists have no possibility of launching another offensive.  col zepeda said that the communist's indiscriminate attack was launched against the civilian population and not against the military.  according to the military chief, the terrorists were trying to encourage an uprising among the people; however, they failed in their attempt because the people turned their backs on them and gave their support to the armed forces.  col zepeda said that the support of the people for the armed forces has been essential and very important to neutralize the fmln's communist attack.  the deputy defense minister said that thanks to this total support, the armed forces have been able to locate a lot of weapons and ammunition.  col zepeda mentioned the altos de la cueva case in san miguel, where approximately a million rounds of ammunition were found.  zepeda called on the people to maintain their trust in the armed forces, adding that the armed forces' morale is high, very high.


Input: attention, attention.  we have last minute information.    attention.  farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) forces have broken the siege that the fascist troops were maintaining around northwestern and northern san salvador.    attention.  we have been fighting in areas close to the armed forces general staff headquarters.  we repeat.  we are fighting in areas close to the armed forces general staff headquarters.  we are fighting in la sultana neighborhood, on the southern highway and around the democracia building.    our units entered the manuel jose arce neighborhood inhabited by high-ranking military chiefs and occupied several houses there.  our forces found arsenals in some of the houses and clashed against enemy troops.    our forces seized many weapons including rifles, machineguns, ammunition, and other war material.  all those weapons were found in the houses of several high-ranking military chiefs in the manuel jose arce neighborhood.    we also have reports on clashes in the area of antiguo cuscatlan where military detachment no 6 reinforcements refused to advance.  the sonsonate troops refused to advance toward our positions in the area of antiguo cuscatlan.    similarly, our forces are holding positions in soyapango, mejicanos, cuscatancingo, and ayutuxtepeque.  our forces also have control of the northern trunk highway and other important routes leading to san salvador.    there are clashes against bracamonte battalion troops in la sultana neighborhood, san francisco, and antiguo cuscatlan.  the enemy has reacted in four different ways.  the enemy sent bracamonte battalion reinforcements in one direction, but their advance was neutralized and halted at the escalon neighborhood.  we repeat.  the first high command response to our incursion into northwestern and western san salvador residential neighborhoods including bracamonte battalion reinforcements has been neutralized.  our forces ambushed and neutralized those bracamonte battalion reinforcements.    a second enemy response to our incursion into and control of northwestern and western san salvador moved along the southern highway and was ambushed with rpg-7 rocket launchers and therefore neutralized.  the enemy's third response moving through santa tecla was also attacked by our forces and has been neutralized with an ambush near la universal and guadalupe gardens.  these atlacatl battalion forces were also neutralized.    we are receiving this report from san salvador.  the high command's first and belated response included four movements, which were all halted by our forces.  those four high command defensive movements have been attacked and neutralized.  both the bracamonte and the atlacatl battalions have been neutralized.  meanwhile the troops coming from sonsonate refused to advance in southwestern san salvador.    clashes now cover a large area from the highway linking santa  tecla and san salvador and through la mascota, las palmas, san           benito, maquiligue, campestre, lomas verdes, escalon neighborhoods, continuing to the san salvador volcano and moving through the entire      northern san salvador including ayutuxtepeque, cuscatancingo,             northern mejicanos, and mejicanos itself and then moving to ciudad delgado, soyapango, and the southern section of the pan-american highway, where our units maintain positions and are advancing toward enemy forces.  in other words, at this hour the fmln has formed the largest arch of attacks during our forces' entire occupation of san salvador.


Input: we have learned that the general staff has erected a human wall, erected by colonel rene emilio ponce, following the artillery attack staged by us at 0515 this morning on the general staff installations.  it was reported that hundreds of little soldiers have been placed as cannon fodder outside the general staff installations.  this gives us new intelligence data on the morale of col ponce, how the crisis is affecting him.  without any military criterion, he has placed a wall of soldiers around the general staff instalations.  this is a good piece of intelligence given to us by col ponce, concerning his physical state and concerning the upset being suffered by the strategic armed forces general staff command.    we call on the inhabitants of the country club, the maquiliguas, san benito, and escalon neighborhoods to immediately abandon that combat zone.  the fighting will get worse and the air force will bomb the fmln positions in san benito and escalon neighborhoods, therefore its inhabitants are urged to abandon that residential district in san salvador.    a report from usulutan indicates at this time that the fmln units are advancing and fighting in the sector of gaviria, el manguito, and los pilotos neighborhoods in the city of usulutan.  also, in the area of santa elena there is fierce fighting.    your attention please.  we have another report from san salvador. important information is being received from lomas verdes.  in the strategic zone of lomas verdes in the northwestern part of the capital, an army armored vehicle was destroyed and its 50-caliber machinegun was seized, as well as many rifles and machineguns from the national police and cavalry troops.  your attention to this report from san salvador.  fighting in the exclusive lomas verdes neighborhood indicates that an armored vehicle was destroyed.  during the fighting a 50-caliber machinegun was seized from the damaged armored vehicle.  it is being emplaced and will be used against the air force helicopters and aircraft that are overflying the area.    since 0000, when the fighting began, to 0940, when we received the report of the fighting in lomas verdes neighborhood in the western part of the capital, near escalon neighborhood, our forces have destroyed an armored vehicle and seized in combat two m-60 machineguns, 8 m-16 rifles, 1 m-79 grenade launcher, three vrc communication radios, and a 50-caliber machinegun seized from the armored vehicle.  this occurred during the fighting with the national police and cavalry troops, which sustained 14 casualties.


Input: we have an acan-efe report on the situation in el salvador.  the report reads: the salvadoran guerrillas today unleashed a new offensive in san salvador with attacks on military installations and fierce clashes with the army in several neighborhoods in san salvador, which continue up until mid-morning on 29 november.  the acan-efe report adds: the guerrillas' actions affected escalon, san francisco, and san benito neighborhoods where the residences of president alfredo cristiani and u.s.  ambassador william walker are located.    a local television station reported there were shootouts early this morning on la capilla street in san benito neighborhood where the residence of u.s. ambassador william walker is located.  the fmln and the army are also fighting in mejicanos and ciudad delgado in northern san salvador.  the fmln is maintaining positions on the highway linking san salvador to the western sector of the country.  the fmln reported this morning that its troops ambushed patrols from the armed forces elite battalions.  witnesses confirmed to acan-efe that the fmln took positions in antiguo cuscatlan, a town southeast of san salvador.    this has been an acan-efe report on the situation in san salvador.


Input: the fighting in the san salvador residential areas brings up substantial differences in the form and content of the war in el salvador when the fighting takes place in the neighborhoods of the poor and when the fighting takes place in the neighborhoods of the rich.  today, when the fighting took place in various parts of the capital city, including places such as the escalon, san benito, san francisco, and general arce residential areas where u.s.  diplomatic personnel live, where the military officers and government officials have their residences, where the salvadoran high society has its residences, then the repercussions are very different.    u.s. government spokesmen reacted quickly and without delay. marlin fitzwater, james baker, the state department, ambassador walker, everyone was very worried over the fate of u.s. personnel. they expressed angry words against the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln).  if there is someone in the world that is well informed of the war situation in el salvador, it is precisely the pentagon, the state department, and the u.s. embassy, because they have financed and given advice to the salvadoran army.    it is not our presence in the san salvador residential areas that jeopardizes u.s. personnel.  on the contrary, it is the u.s. presence, the u.s. meddling in el salvador that is jeopardizing its staff.  they cannot ask us to get out of san salvador so that the americans will not be trapped in the crossfire.  it is the u.s. intervention in the country that must come to an end, so that we salvadorans will be able to settle our problems among ourselves.  this is our land, our fatherland.    the war was imposed by the injustices, the slaughters, the dictatorships, and to a great extent, by the americans who spend $1.4 million daily in this war.  this is a crucial moment for el salvador. that is why we demand that the u.s. administration, that is, the bush administration, the u.s. congress, and the u.s. people carefully think this over and act sensibly so that we will be able to put an end to this war.  it is imperative that the u.s.  government -- the bush administration -- think this over and promote changes in its policy toward el salvador, and thus make feasible a solution to the conflict.    we have publicly and officially said, as one of our many gestures of good will, that the fmln will not attack u.s. diplomatic installations or personnel in el salvador.  in addition, we have instructed our units, our fighters, and commando groups not to attack diplomatic sites, because naturally they are not military targets for the fmln.  we hope that in the same manner, both the u.s. embassy as well as the other diplomatic representatives will instruct their security guards so they will not become involved in the fighting, thus preventing confusion that we would all regret.    the u.s. government can play a positive role in defining the conflict.  the u.s. congress and other international organizations, such as the united nations and the oas, are already discussing the true situation of our country.  we believe this is the moment to change policies.  the u.s. government cannot continue to finance and support a regime which is bombing the civilian population in the          cities, a regime which murders priests, which publicly threatens the      bishops.  the u.s. government must use its good judgment and contribute to the end of the war, and not continue to support a fascist regime that is not acceptable in our fatherland, el salvador.


Input: the salvadoran army gave assurances tonight that the situation "has been controlled" in the vicinity of the armed forces general staff, where today once again the rebels and the military clashed.    nevertheless, armed forces spokesman major mauricio chavez said on a radio and television network that in the escalon neighborhood "the situation remains difficult because the terrorists have taken several civilians as hostages."    the source said that an unspecified number of civilians are being held hostage by guerrillas in escalon, an exclusive neighborhood in the northen part of san salvador, where clashes resumed at dawn on 29 november.    the farabundo marti national liberation front (fmln) today also attacked the general staff, a residence for u.s. military advisers, and president alfredo cristiani's residence.    the rebels have occupied several mansions from which they are attacking the government troops in an area populated by government officials, diplomats, and where the un office in el salvador is located.    according to the officer, the army has besieged the area and "expects to control the situation within the next few hours."    major chavez caceres reasserted the "army's irrevocable will to defend the civilian population" in that area, while the salvadoran green cross reported that it has evacuated several families from the sector.

terrorists

farabundo marti national liberation

general staff

residence for u.s. military advisers

president alfredo cristiani's residence

alfredo cristiani


Input: national guard personnel stationed in san miguel have captured the fmln (farabundo marti national liberation front) terrorist commander who goes by the pseudonym aristides in a neighborhood in that town.  aristides had been operating in a large sector of the eastern part of the country for some time, and had committed all types of crimes against the salvadoran people.    commander aristides has provided the armed forces with important information directly linking the cynical nicaraguan president daniel ortega's government to the fmln.


Input: salvadoran president alfredo cristiani announced last sunday that the republic of el salvador has broken diplomatic ties with nicaragua.  analyst aleksey pavlov discusses this subject:    for those who are familiar with central american issues, this news is no surprise. given the failure of the negotiations between the salvadoran government and the guerrillas as well as the resumption of the war, the cristiani administration was pressured by certain u.s. circles to break relations with nicaragua.    the (word indistinct) media are conducting a crusade to convince the public that cuba, nicaragua, and certainly the ussr, are providing weapons to the (word indistinct) revolutionaries.  the united states certainly plays an important role in this campaign, and so has president cristiani by declaring that he will not attend the regional presidential summit scheduled for december in managua.    apparently, cristiani needed to break relations with nicaragua in order not to attend to the summit.  this is comprehensible because the central american presidents are supposed to discuss the compliance with the tela agreements, the dismantling of the contras, and the continuation of peace talks in el salvador. in fact, cristiani was unable to justify his refusal to attend this summit.    there are other reasons why cristiani wishes to use the break with nicaragua as a mask.  he is trying to distract public attention from the salvadoran army's heavy bombings of heavily populated areas, including the capital, and the repression against salvadoran religious and labor organizations.    in other terms, cristiani wants to conceal the fact that he cannot control the excesses committed by his generals; that is, the genocide that the salvadoran army is perpetrating against its own people.  the cristiani administration is also unable to control the death squads which are murdering people with impunity.    it is revealing that several days before cristiani declared the break of diplomatic ties with nicaragua, nicaraguan embassy staff in san salvador were evacuated home in face of the death threats by the death squads.  is this mere coincidence?  of course not.  most probably these death squads received orders to make such threats with a view toward the diplomatic break.    by what can be seen, the action of death squads is common practice for the salvadoran government.  however, this diplomatic break is a serious act for which cristiani is largely responsible.  honduran president jose azcona hoyo considers this action a great danger to peace in the isthmus.  this is an unquestionable fact.


Input: regarding the international scandal that the salvadoran government has made over an alleged shipment of surface-to-air missiles found inside a wrecked light aircraft, the fmln expresses the following:    1.  in view of a possible intensification of the salvadoran conflict, it is necessary to note that the salvadoran armed forces were the first ones to escalate the war by launching indiscriminate attacks and air bombings against the civilian population in densely populated urban areas.  the salvadoran armed forces had been doing this for several years in our country's rural areas.  in view of the damage that this causes the population, since 1987 the fmln has made proposals to scale down the war and suspend the use of aircraft and aviation equipment.    the salvadoran government's charges are hypocritical, as the government itself has turned aircraft into real instruments of genocide against the salvadoran people.    2.  the policy of the previous u.s. administration has turned central america into a huge arms market whereby thousands of tons of soviet and u.s. weapons, including surface-to air missiles, have been introduced into the area.  this has created a flourishing black market for weapons, where salvadoran and honduran military men and nicaraguan contras participate as big-time smugglers.    3.  the salvadoran government has begun a campaign of accusations against the nicaraguan government with the intention of putting up a smoke screen to cover the genocide it has unleashed and to divert the attention of the international community, which has been demanding:        a) that the salvadoran government stop the massive and indiscriminate attacks in densely populated urban areas and the persecution against the political opposition and grass roots movements;        b) an investigation to clear up the murder of six jesuit priests and two domestic workers, along with the punishment of those responsible for these and similar crimes; and,        c) that the salvadoran government accept the cease-fire it has heretofore rejected and justify its intransigent and irrational position.    4.  cristiani's decision to suspend relations with nicaragua based on an alleged shipment of missiles for the fmln is not reasonable, not even by saying that this represents an escalation of the salvadoran war.  in fact, the u.s. government has escalated the war by sending $4 billion in aid to strengthen the army and provide it with a powerful air force.    the justification has always been nicaragua's support to the fmln, thus refusing to admit the internal causes of the conflict and also keeping the doors closed to any negotiations.  this has unnecessarily prolonged the salvadoran people's suffering and has        made more dramatic their legitimate struggle for a true democratic, pluralist, and non-aligned government.    based on the above, we reiterate:    1.  that we consider absolutely legitimate our right to obtain all types of weapons to guarantee our defense and to protect our people from the (word indistinct) military escalation promoted by the salvadoran government with the firm support of the previous and present u.s. governments.  this includes the right to obtain weapons from various sources and to guarantee their arrival at our war fronts through any means available.    2.  we maintain our total willingness to de-escalate the war.  we begin by expressing that we are totally willing to agree on a cease-fire with international supervision and to begin real negotiations to end the war with the participation of all the nation's political and social forces.    3.  we are willing to refrain from using the surface-to-air missiles if the air force calls a complete halt to its bombings, strafing, and machinegunning throughout the national territory.    (signed) fmln general command    commanders joaquin villalobos, shafik jorge handal, eduardo sancho, salvador sanchez seren, and francisco jovel    el salvador, 29 november 1989