EL SALVADOR: HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP91B00874R000100180009-4
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 28, 2011
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: June 16, 1986
• Content Type: MISC

Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/10: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100180009-4
16 June 1986
El Salvador: Human Rights Update
The human rights performance of the Salvadoran armed forces has shown a
marked improvement since President Duarte's election in May 1984.
--Over the past two years, some of the most notorious human rights
offenders, such as Lt.Col. Marquez, have been removed from senior positions
in the uniformed services.
--The reorganization of internal security functions under new deputy defense
minister Col. Lopez Nuila--who had tried to reduce rights abuses and
corruption in the National Police while its director--has greatly enhanced
the government's ability to investigate alleged human rights abuses.
--In combat operations, tougher requirements have been implemented to govern
the use of artillery and airstrikes in o ul ed areas in order to prevent
civilian casualties. civilian casualties have
declined.
--The US Embassy has reported that even the Salvadoran Catholic Church and
leftwing human rights groups have conceded that military abuses of civilians
and rightwing death squad activities have declined.
The recent flurry of protests against alleged human rights abuses by the
Duarte government has been prompted by the detention of nine Salvadoran
human rights activists suspected of being members of the FMLN insurgency.
--On 20 May the Treasury Police detained Luz Janeth Alfaro, the Director
of Relations of the Salvadoran Nongovernmental Human Rights Commission,
who they suspect is a member of one of the FMLN factions.
--The US Embassy reports that Alfaro was well treated by the police during
three days of interrogation immediately following her detention and that
she has been allowed visits by her family and the International Red Cross.
The Embassy says that she offered to cooperate in exchange for agreement by
the police to help her relocate to the U.S.
--Based on information provided by Alfaro, the Treasury Police detained
eight other insurgents involved in three FMLN-backed human rights groups.
Alfaro admitted she has been a member of the political arm of the Armed
Forces of National Resistance (FARN) since 1983 and said that the Human Rights
Commission and two other Salvadoran human rights groups--the "Co-Madres"
("Committee of Mothers and Relatives of Political Prisoners, Disappeared, and
Assassinated of El Salvador") and the "Christian Committee for Displaced
Persons"--were infiltrated and manipulated by the FMLN.
--In a 30 May press conference, Alfaro also said that most of the informa-
tion provided by the Human Rights Commission to international and foreign
official and private groups is false. For example, many civilians said by
her human rights group to have been killed by the Army actually were
Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/10: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100180009-4
 Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/10: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100180009-4
guerrilla combatants, and many of those listed as disappeared were in fact
released by the government after questioning.
--Alfaro also admitted that some Salvadoran human rights groups use
misleading methods to secure international funding and that 95 percent
of all money they obtain really goes to the guerrillas for the purchase
of munitions and other supplies.
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, , Declassified in Part -Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2012/01/10: CIA-RDP91 B00874R000100180009-4