Declaration of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front of El Salvador

DECLARATION OF THE FARABUNDO MARTI NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT OF EL SALVADOR

Interpreting the national sentiment to achieve a just peace as soon as possible, we are taking actions that contribute to reopening the dialogue and to that purpose are adopting measures to create a favorable atmosphere.

Among other measures, we have suspended actions against electrical energy network, telephone communications, and the use of mines and we have decreed a unilateral ceasefire until September 23rd. These measures produced immediate beneficial effects on the population and the troops in the Armed Forces --all this with the goal of creating a favorable atmosphere in the current situation.

To advance toward dialogue and negotiation, the Salvadoran government must adopt a similar attitude.

Nevertheless, what has occured is all to the contrary: there have been no such efforts and the latest actions demonstrate that the fascist sector of the Armed Forces and the government are not considering making any effort to achieve peace in a short time.

The agression carried out by the military on September 15th, deliberately breaking up a peaceful demonstration which was programmed well beforehand, using teargas and clubs inside the church, as well as the increase of arrests and disappearances in the last few days, are actions that do not contribute to creating a favorable climate. To the contrary, social tension has worsened.

Top military chiefs have declared that they are ignoring the truce that we unilaterally decreed. At the same time, the military has escalated offensive actions against our strongholds, trying to prevent the scheduled visit of the United Nations delegation to our zones and its meetings in the area with the FMLN. The Armed Forces have not declared their willingness to suspend their aggressive plans, which has meant victims among the civilian population during the intense bombardments of the zones in question.

Based on all this, we declare that these events have not gone unnoticed. The agreement in Mexico in favor of dialogue must not serve as a cover by the Salvadoran government and Armed Forces to intensify the repression and the war.

All the people, and in particular the popular movement, must be clear that the agreement reached in Mexico does not imply the surrender of the FMLN. Our weapons are momentarily silenced in a gesture of goodwill, but they will remain in our hands to guarantee the achievement of peace and the defense of democratic rights for all Salvadorans.