The following notes have been edited to correct errors and to add explanations and updates. Parenthetical notes and remarks from the original are enclosed in parentheses. Present day [2022] updates are italicized and enclosed in square brackets.
Thursday, 17 October 1992 2:15 PM National Debate, and Mass at 22nd of April Parish
The afternoon schedule lists "National Debate" and I am anticipating a return visit to the spacious building where we met last year with this prime player in the move toward a negotiated end to the civil war. Much to my surprise, the van delivers us instead to a neighborhood church, where we walk quickly across the broken concrete of the courtyard and enter a low outbuilding, rather like a garage or large shed. The men inside are annoyed; they had expected us at 1:30 and were about to leave. The younger one is introduced as R., a Presbyterian representing the Presbyterian Church USA, who works for the Lutheran University. The other, of slight build and unassuming mein, turns out to be the Rev. Edgar Palacios himself, co-director of DEBATE. Now it is clear to me where we are – the offices of Shalom Baptist Church, a conclusion which I am able to confirm as we leave by a sign which had escaped my notice on the way in.
Betsy makes the introductions for our group, and I wonder if all of the first time people are aware of what a great honor it is for us to be meeting with Rev. Palacios. Then we listen intently as R. begins a description of the work of DEBATE.
"We here represent the church sector in the movement for peace. The National Debate is what we believe is a miracle of El Salvador. It brings together eighty-five organizations. The principal objective is to bring together during this time of negotiations ideas about what the different sectors of society want when the war is ended. DEBATE is a pluralistic organization, including churches, popular organizations, other religious organizations.
"The role of DEBATE has been to influence the FMLN as well as the government that here there is no more space for war. The Salvadorans want peace and democracy. We believe that the first step is to end U.S. military aid. The government will have fewer arms; then they will hear the cries of the people. With fewer arms they will have less power.
"As for the role of the churches in DEBATE, the historical Protestant churches and the Christian Base Communities believe that we must live out our faith. One way to do this is to begin reconciliation among the Salvadoran family. We are concerned about the spirituality of the people, but also are concerned with their physical well-being. It is important to speak out about the war, about human rights, militarization of society, judicial and economic reform. It is necessary to address all these areas in an integral manner. We are saying that we as Salvadorans want peace and democracy."
Rev. Palacios picks up the narrative: "After eight years of war, of the spilling of blood, for the first time we are beginning to see light at the end of the tunnel. Someone has said that for the first time the process is tilting toward the poor, the masses. The agreements in New York are very important steps in this process.
"We visualize what these agreements could mean in building a new society. First, there is a tendency toward true democracy. We distinguish between a formal democracy and a true democracy. A true democracy expresses itself not only through elections, but also through the integral participation of civilians in society. It has social, economic, and political implications. We believe that the agreements are moving toward a real democracy. In connection with this, we highlight human rights and demilitarization. We need to have the submission of the armed forces to civilian authority. Another aim would be the modernization and independence of the judiciary.
"Second, in the social area, a series of measures is being proposed dealing with the living conditions of the population, especially with respect to land. We need to confront structural adjustments in the way that the economic structure is set up now.
"As part of this process, economic and social forums need to be set up for different sectors of society. One element put in place to see that the agreements are fulfilled has been the formation of COPAZ."
Question: Who initiated the idea of COPAZ?
"It came as a response to the fact that the negotiations had deadlocked because the FMLN was demanding guarantees of their safety if they were to demilitarize and incorporate into civilian life.
"The agreements include the dissolution of these repressive organizations, the treasury police, the national guard, etc. Another point is the reduction in the number of the armed forces, and a new process of formation (training) in order to eliminate the ideological tendency toward national security. The present ideology doesn't focus outside the country, but rather teaches that the enemy of the army is inside the country, the people who are demanding their rights.
"We are optimistic that we will continue moving forward. In the coming year we will see processes leading to the end of the war, and peace with social justice.
"When we speak of private enterprise, we refer to small, medium, and large enterprises. Labor refers to workers in business, in manufacturing, and the campesinos (agricultural workers). It is not our idea to have tri-partite representation as was done in March or April (1991). That didn't work. We need wider representation, including even workers who are unemployed.
"It is necessary to change the move toward a neo-liberal economy and privatization. This neo-liberal economy just means that the oligarchy would consolidate power and resources even more. The economic forum would address this issue, to try to change this neo-liberal economy.
"We don't have other people here to exploit, so we will be open to trade with the U.S. We hope that the same thing doesn't happen here as happened with Nicaragua and Panama, where the U.S. forced changes in government and then abandoned the country."
Question: How did the closing of the IRA (The Institute for the Regulation of Basic Goods) affect the country?
E.P.: "There is a basic shortage of goods. The IRA's goal was to regulate prices. The consumer is now much less protected, so the population has been greatly affected.
A.: "Besides the price increase, unemployment has grown. Sin is related to the economy. We have a saying: 'The Bible teaches that where two or three are gathered, God is present, but in El Salvador, where two or three are gathered, there is a soldier present.' So sin is much more evident. For me it is easier to be a pastor in El Salvador than in the United States. In the U.S., the people have everything, but they also have nothing. So it is harder to show them what they are lacking.
"Both in the U.S. and in El Salvador people are trying to find out the meaning of life. The U.S. looks for this individually; in El Salvador we look in community. So if you go to a marginalized community or a prison and preach Jesus from St. Luke, where he says that he has come to open the eyes of the blind and give good news to the oppressed, you just read the gospel and sit down. There is nothing more to explain. In the U.S. I have to look for significance removed from the reality that the people are living. Oppression is in television, computers. Idolatry is in material things. Here when prisoners are freed, spirituality is strengthened."
Question: How often do you meet?
E.P.: "The whole directorate of DEBATE meets every Monday."
Question: Do you have any problems assuring representation from the campesinos as well as from urban groups?
"There are no rivalries between the rural and urban sectors."
Question: What will be the most important issues in the coming months?
"There will need to be advances in demilitarization to achieve the changes necessary in the social and economic areas. All of this must be done within a framework of national reconstruction."
Question: How will you deal with USAID?
"The government of the United States has only been supporting war in practical terms. We think that with the accords in place, the U.S. government will support the Salvadoran government and the ARENA party in order to win votes in 1994. For example, there is a $75 million fund for social investment which is presided over by Umberto Mesa, the owner of a beer company in El Salvador. He is being put forward as the ARENA candidate for president in the next round of elections. This shows that the U.S. is channeling resources where there is greater political debate that it is in their interest to win.
"There is another parallel to Nicaragua. We see that the ARENA platform is much like that of the UNO party. The problem is that the FMLN is not like the Sandinistas. The Salvadoran people have achieved some independence. We will struggle greatly so that the New York accords will make peace arrive. I think that this is where we have to be hand in hand. Don't be surprised when they say that everything is over. This is when we will need you the most. The Salvadoran National Council of Churches has said that it will help with the war wounded. The government has said that it will help with wounded combatants. But there are many civilian victims, also, and they will not get the same care. Here is something concrete on which you can work. Perhaps you can present this to your churches. The Salvadoran National Council of Churches includes the Lutheran, Episcopalian, Reformed, and some Baptist churches."
Question: Please clarify what these funds are for the war wounded.
"They will channel funds for the government armed forces, but not for the FMLN or for civilians."
At this point Rev. Palacios excuses himself and leaves for another appointment. R. then visibly relaxes and continues the conversation in English. We ask him to tell us more about himself.
"I first studied at the UCA, but then became a political refugee and was one of the first in sanctuary in Arizona. While I was in the United States, I was able to continue my studies for the ministry.
"Here I am a minister for all of the political prisoners, visiting all of the prisons. I began this ministry in 1989. We are having all sorts of trouble because the people who visit prisoners are always being followed, and eventually we get death threats. But the work continues.
"I teach at the Lutheran University, too, in the workshops. We are involved in re-reading the gospel of Mark, trying to break away from the traditional reading and do theology from below. We also study the history of the Church in Latin America, and try to claim a history of the protestant movement. We distinguish between the theology of death and the theology of life. We are not going just to sit back and wait for changes in society.
"There are not many political prisoners in Mariona now. My congregation left. This is a great miracle."
He has said this last with an impish grin, referring to the recent prison break which liberated nearly four hundred political prisoners.
"After this I started to have some problems. The authorities said that I orchestrated the whole thing, but I didn't know what was going on. There were about ten political prisoners left in Mariona, and they have been moved to Santa Ana."
We ask him about the possibility of a future delegation's being able to visit the prison.
"It is impossible for a large delegation to get in. It can take a month to get permission for one or two to visit. I would need a copy of your passport and a letter of support in Spanish from your Senator. Then we could work on getting all the permissions before you arrive in El Salvador."
Question: How do you feel about the two Lutheran pastors' being sent to study in the U.S.?
"We have five Salvadorans studying in Mexico City, two in Costa Rica, and three in Brazil. This opportunity came up, and these two had some experience and some English. Medardo thought they could do some good in the U.S."
Question: What percent of the prison population is political prisoners?
"About 15%. Many people are not political when they are captured. Eventually they are tortured and convicted and become political prisoners.
"Mariona was built to hold 700, and there are now about 2,500 held there. It is a jungle inside. The Lutheran Church is trying to find a way for prisoners to write proposals to help themselves. All the support that we have had in the past has been draining, draining away. We don't even have the resources to take them the basic things they need, like tissue paper and tooth paste."
Our final visit of the day is to the 22nd of April community. We stop first at the clinic, where we meet J., the dedicated parish worker who has made such an impression on PVC delegations over the years. He has delightful news to tell us, for just two weeks before, his wife had given birth to a son whom they have named Jaime in honor of Father Jim Barnett.
For our walk through the community, we divide into two groups. Wanda, Betsy, and I go with J., while Mary, Lucy, and Kathy stay with Gary, and we set off in opposite directions. I welcome this opportunity to walk in the community, since last year we were here too late in the day to venture beyond the church. We stop at a day care center and an elementary school, both of which are empty of children at this hour of the afternoon. Then we proceed to the woodworking shop, and finally to the craft shop where a roomful of young women carefully draw and paint the wonderful notecards for which this parish is famous. Here we are met by the other group, and after we have all had an opportunity to purchase craft items, we walk back to the church, where we are to attend the 7:00 PM mass.
Supper becomes a matter of discussion, and I mention that Linda had said there was an excellent pupuseria just down the street from the church. It is obvious that Gary is not a great fan of pupusas, but I have talked about them so often and with such enthusiasm that the rest of the group is eager to give them a try. Down the hill we walk to the open front porch of a home where a table is set and two women are just beginning to fry the evening's selection of pupusas. This will be my only chance at pupusas this trip, and these are indeed delicious.
J. meets us again back at the church, where we gather in a circle in the rear of the sanctuary to hear a brief version of the history of the community. The dimness of the light, coupled with the difficulty of hearing over the band rehearsal going on in the front of the church, make note taking impossible. Soon it is time for the service to begin. Father Gerardo is away, and the priest who is tonight's celebrant is newly arrived from the Netherlands. He greets us in halting but passable English, which proves to be better than his Spanish, according to those of our group who can understand his homily.
Relinquishing any attempt at precise verbal understanding, I surrender myself to the beauty of form and music of the mass, caught up in the joy of worship which permeates this sanctuary. Near the end of the service, suddenly we are being invited to send a representative forward to bring greetings and introduce ourselves to the congregation. I find myself claiming this privilege, and feel the warmth of welcome returned to us from the gathered community.
Just as we are leaving the building, the entire neighborhood is plunged into darkness. The rotating electrical outage has arrived in 22nd of April at precisely 8:00 PM this evening. There is a collective gasp, and a few muffled cries. I fumble in my backpack for my flashlight, but find that the waxing moon gives more than sufficient light to see the street ahead once my eyes adjust to the diminished brightness. The van is nearby, and we are quickly loaded into it and on our way back to the guest house. The entire mountain had gone black, but as we near the center of the capital, we return to lighted neighborhoods. The electricity rationing may indeed be rotated throughout the city, but there is no doubt that it hits the poorest communities during the least convenient times.
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