Representatives of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) and the Salvadoran government signed a peace treaty on January 16 to end the country's 12-year civil war. The agreement, including a cease-fire from February 1, had been initialled at negotiations in New York on December 31. The following information is taken from a report by the US solidarity organisation, Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador.
FMLN leader Schafik Handal summarised the accords as meaning: "The army will be reformed, reduced, and the impunity of the military chiefs ended. There is going to be a great effort to achieve basic levels of social justice."
Details of the pact are contained in more than 90 pages of agreements and more than 100 new laws which must be enacted by the National Assembly. The terms include:
- The accords include a strong role for the United Nations in monitoring human rights violations, opening up the electoral system so that it's no longer under the thumb of the ruling party and cleaning up a judicial system marred by corruption and military intimidation.
- The government agreed to reduce the size of the army. A reduction of at least 50% is assured, leaving a force of approximately 26,000 troops, and deeper cuts are possible.
The army's most murderous units — like the Atlacatl Battalion, which assassinated the Jesuits and carried out the El Mozote massacre — will be dissolved. Civil defence patrols are to be disbanded, along with the army's military intelligence section, which served as an information source for far-right death squads. The army's forced recruitment of young men will be ended.
The FMLN and the government will jointly choose a panel of civilians to evaluate the human rights record, professionalism and respect for civilian authority of every officer in the armed forces. Depending on the panel's recommendation, military personnel will be removed or retained.
The government's most repressive security forces — the Treasury Police, the National Police and the National Guard — will be dissolved, paving the way for a new police force which will include ex-combatants of the FMLN.
- The government has agreed to implement previous land reforms which call for the break-up and redistribution of estates over 605 acres. In addition, the government will assist in purchasing land from its current owners and making it available to landless peasants.
The government agreed to respect the land rights in FMLN zones. The legal status of communities in disputed zones will be reviewed on a case by case basis by a special commission.
- The accords recognise the FMLN's right to participate freely in El Salvador's civil, political and FMLN is committed to a process of reconversion, enabling its military forces to re-enter civilian political life. For the first time ever, the FMLN will be able to operate as an above ground, legal political party.
Other points include the legalisation of FMLN communications systems, allowing the two clandestine radio stations to operate openly. The accords also set up safety guarantees for returning exiles, including FMLN war wounded. FMLN political prisoners will be freed. Finally, the accords formalise the FMLN's full participation in COPAZ, the body which will oversee the implementation of the accords.
When the agreement was announced, in San Salvador the popular movement ignited immediate celebrations, and the metropolitan cathedral was suddenly draped with a large red and white FMLN flag. In the FMLN's zones of control, combatants and civilians organised dance marathons and fiestas.
However, throughout the northern autumn, ultraright groups like the so-called Crusade for Work and Peace have issued thinly veiled threats against negotiators for both sides. It's likely that some sectors of the army and the oligarchy will launch a "dirty war" spearheaded by the death squads in order to eliminate key political leaders and provoke the FMLN into violating the truce.