Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!uwm.edu!wuarchive!mont!rich From: MATHRICH@UMCVMB.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel UMC Math Department) Newsgroups: misc.activism.progressive Subject: Bush releases military aid to El Salvador Message-ID: <1991Jun28.181807.8259@pencil.cs.missouri.edu> Date: 28 Jun 91 18:18:07 GMT Sender: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel) Followup-To: alt.activism.d Organization: PACH Lines: 155 Approved: map@pencil.cs.missouri.edu >From: Peter Shell From: The CISPES National Office June 27, 1991 ADMINISTRATION BEGINS SPENDING $42 MILLION IN UNFROZEN WAR AID On June 26, the Bush Administration announced that it will soon begin sending the $42.5 million in military aid to El Salvador which Congress withheld last fall. The aid has been unfrozen since January but not yet obligated, and its fate has been considered an important political symbol by the Salvadoran government and Armed Forces, the FMLN, Congress and the Administration. President Cristiani came to Washington in mid-June specifically to lobby for the $42 million. To justify its move, the Administration has been releasing a series of charges that the FMLN is escalating the war by deploying SA-16 missiles, which the State Department alleges -- without evidence -- to have come from Cuba. Cuba denies the charge. The FMLN acknowledges having the missiles and points out that they are readily available on the Central American arms black market. In reality, the Salvadoran Armed Forces are the ones who have been escalating the war. Since April, they have launched some of the largest-scale offensives in the history of the war into the zones of FMLN control. As part of the offensives, they have captured dozens of civilians, killed several, occupied villages and destroyed food stores and livestock. To reassure critics, the Administration says that for now it is just spending up to $21 million of the total, and only for so- called "non-lethal" purposes: spare parts for trucks and aircraft, as well as food, medical supplies and clothing. The first $3 million of goods will be shipped to the Salvadoran Army in the next few weeks, followed by spare parts shipments over the summer. What is Congress' response? "This is probably better than most of us had dared hope," the New York Times quotes Rep. Robert Torricelli (D-NJ), chair of the House Western Hemisphere Affairs Subcommittee, as saying. "Measured against the expectations, the signal is not necessarily negative." Other Congressional reactions are not yet known. The effect on the Salvadoran peace talks will almost certainly be negative. Already, the government has been blocking progress on the topic of Armed Forces reform by retrenching on previous agreements and insisting, contrary to the Caracas agenda, that a ceasefire should precede political accords. The aid flow is likely to reinforce ultra-right opponents of negotiations in ARENA and the Armed Forces. These forces will feel confident of being able to continue blocking agreements without losing U.S. backing. Moreover, the aid release will send a green light to the Armed Forces which are right now occupying and repressing rural communities. It will embolden the death squads whose threats against the popular movement and international humanitarian organizations have been proliferating recently. Bush's move will say to them, "Go ahead and carry out your threats -- we're behind you." - - - - - - - - - - Although the aid release will negatively affect the negotiations, it also presents an opportunity for those organizing pressure on Congress. For example, Senator Leahy (D-VT), chair of the Senate Foreign Operations Subcommittee, said last week that Congress and the Administration were enjoying a "mood of mutual restraint". However, if the Administration spent the aid, he continued, he would consider the mood broken and would not appropriate more aid. Now is the time to hold Sen. Leahy to his word, and to tell Congresspeople that the appropriate response is to CUT OFF ALL WAR- RELATED AID. The Administration has amply demonstrated that it will use war aid to block the political agreements necessary for a lasting ceasefire. Giving Bush oversight over the aid is equivalent to sending the aid straight to the Armed Forces. It is past time for Congress to take strong action where the Administration will not. Otherwise, the war will be prolonged, and many more people will fall victim to abuse by the Armed Forces and newly-emboldened death squads. DEMANDS Our demands of Senators and Representatives should be: (1) Publicly denounce the sending of the unfrozen military aid. Sign a Dear Colleague letter to that effect (we're working to get one introduced; do you have a Senator or Representative who could be an author or co-author?) (2) Support a cut-off of all war-related aid by co-sponsoring the Adams and McDermott bills. Senators, who face a vote sometime in July on the Dodd bill to further restrict new aid and pipeline aid, should be our special focus. This is a good time to increase Senate co-sponsorship on the Adams bill from the current figure of 10. Those who haven't signed yet in either house should be told that NOW IS THE TIME -- they have no excuse! Senators should also be told to vote for the strongest possible aid-cut measure that comes to the floor in the next few weeks. RECOMMENDED ACTIONS Congress will be at home on recess the week of July 1-7. (1) Activities of protest and pressure with Congresspeople, particularly both your Senators, as the target. This is a good time to contact and involve religious allies. Some committees already have protests planned for later in July, in conjunction with the Senate floor vote, and more are encouraged. The aid release calls for a simple and IMMEDIATE response, focusing on the offices of Congresspeople, and increasing the level of confrontation. We suggest drop-in delegations of 5-10 people, including community leaders who are allies, or "community forums" in Congressional offices. Bring along interesting visuals: a coffin, a tape recording of machine gun fire or helicopters. Read testimony about recent Armed Forces atrocities, such as the FMLN combatants who were captured and mutilated. Let the press know ahead of time that you will be visiting your Congressperson while s/he is at home. Insist that you need to stay until they agree to the above demands! (2) Visible opposition in the media. * op ed pieces, signed by religious or other prominent figures, denouncing the aid restoration and calling for a cut-off. * letters to the editor, addressing your Congressional representatives by name. * paid ads signed by community leaders -- we can provide a sample.