European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - April 11, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse When we us things happening we hid in our haute and hop file would pan a Totcky of and villager one through a Lawn in Al Salvador. A Village in Al Salvador crushed terrorized by this War by James Lemoyne new York times Here afle places in countries such Asel Salvador where War state terror and wounded recovery have withered the Public will to remember places that stand apart and ouch a nerve in the National character. In Al Salvador thai place might be Al Paisa a peasant Village with nondescript streets and skewed Adobe Homes thai would seem not to Merit a second glance Al Paisal has lived a disturbing life in the last decade. Ten years ago it was the Birthplace of the revolution and the repression that maimed �1 Salvador. Today in is an example of the country s ambiguous revival a Small place whose experience traces the Lale of a people struggling Wilh injuries that will nol easily heal. I have survived to see this Day. But t Iell you barbarities wars Dona Here Hector Cholo Duran 58. A peasant from Al Paisal. Said As he stood on a Village Corner. We were crushed terrorized by this Al Paisal which alls beneath Sharp Hills 24 Miles North of the capital of san Salvador secured its place in salvadoran history in 1977 when it became the Center of resistance along with tha neighbouring Village of Aguilares to the military officers and Large landowners who ran the country As a Feudal estate for most of this Century. Reformist Jesuit priests began to work with local peasants. The villagers demanded higher wages and seized land from giant estates owned by some of the richest and most intolerant families n Iho salvadoran oligarchy. Raftis Guolla organizers found eager recruits among angry pc san is the most outspoken of the Jesuit priests in the Region Rutilio Grande was a native of Al Pat snal one afternoon almost exactly 10 years ago rightist gunmen shot him dead on Tho isolated dirt Road that winds through the surrounding sugar Cane raids the cutting Lerit fied the Village and outraged the roman Catholic archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero from that Day on he used his pulpit to demand an end to official repression until an Assassin also shot him dead As he said mass m 1980 in Al Paisal Many Sia remember the slam Village priest who they say. Gave the Besl sermons a they had Ever heard. The priest s Cousin Luciano Grande is one of a few in his family to remain. Now 83, he says he survived three assassination Alle pts before taking Refuge in a neighbouring town. A came to Al Paisal one morning recently to see his Home and to celebrate he festival of Tho Village Patron is. Joseph. A toothless peasant in a Sun bleached shirt he recalled his slain Cousin in the vague but determined manner of an old Man who has seen Loo much but who cannot keep himself from remembering. He was a Good Man who filled the Church Grande said. It was for Hale for Hale that they killed a Man who did not seek a neighbor Hilda Garcia also knew the slain priest she recalled his killing As a Day filled with fear thai heralded disaster. The calamity came in the form of rightist death squads who. In the months alter the killing of the priest came Al night to drag away dozens of peasants suspected of Jesuit inspired subversive thoughts the killers left the broken bodies of their victims As a lesson to others villagers say pointing out spots where they found the corpses. Today there Are few Young people Boleen 15 and 25 years of Aga in it Paisal. The missing Are of the generation thai led pm fought or died in the decade of civil War thai has now taken �2,000 lives but Hose who remain say they have not forgotten what they saw when they were Young. Some of my friends from school disappeared said Sara Hernandez who was 14 in 1977. I remember this and thai almost All fled in from Al Paisal the killing spread across the country. By 1981 rightist death squads Ware killing As Mahy As 600 people a month. Bui today Many sensor army officers and respected members of salvadoran society acknowledge Only a limited recollection of the killings perhaps because to admit memory would be to admit something More. The violence which was rooted m a demand loj change slowly turned Al Paisal into a Bare abandoned place where villagers say personal grievances Weie settled by denouncing others As suspect in order to have them murdered. A Elhel guerrillas attacked the Village twice and wiped of the civil Welense Force the villagers say carried out saturday april 11, 1987 Many of the death squad killings. The army replied with More shootings. The guerrillas returned to execute those suspected of being informers and burned the mayor s office. In 19b5 they kidnapped the mayor and hold him for 35 Days. Today they appear to enjoy Little support among the lived survivors. Many Many died Here some in the hands of the guerrillas but Moat by deals squads the mayor Francisco Atilio Chavez Estrada said when we saw things happening we hid in our houses Ond hoped is would pass. In this Way we Bui the mayor and several other villagers say things have begun to look up recently in Al Paisal because the Village is one of the places whore the army and the government elected with uni cd Stales support Are trying to bring the conflict to an end after helping destroy Al Paisal a decade ago the army has returned Wilh promises and plans and construction Crews that have improved roads and Bull a new school a new clinic and a mayor s office. An army brass band 0ined in the Village festival the other Day. Playing from the Steps of the Church where Rutilio Grande once preached Afler an army propaganda learn set up loudspeakers a Young Soldier told the villagers that the army was Happy to have saved them from International the armed forces arc always with the people in these Days of love and happiness far this town the loudspeakers told the people Ole pais Nae. The villagers say the army has Olfe cd no apology and no explanation Lor the terror it wrought. Bui several townspeople said Justice was no longer their chief concern. What they want even More they said is an end to the uncertainty of being caught Between two sides a Chance to rebuild their Village. It is a typical Choice in Al Salvador one made by a people exhausted by War in it Paisal Iho political struggle of the past appears to be Over Lor now at least and some of Whoso who lied Are returning. Before we were dead said Cholo who said his son Manuel was killed in i9b1 by guerrillas who accused two of being a gov emment spy now it seems we May move Benl by his 83 years Grande finished his lengthy Lale about his Cousin the Village priest whose deals helped Start a revolution. The army band had Iell the Church Steps and he Rose to visit the Chapel and Pray lost. Joseph the stars and stripes Page 17
