AFAD Condemns Raid of PRO-BÚSQUEDA's Office…

The Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD), a partner organization of the Asociación PRO-BÚSQUEDA de Niñas y Niños Desaparecidos (Association for the Search of Disappeared Children) of El Salvador condemns in its strongest terms the violent attack against the organization.  In an official statement, PRO-BÚSQUEDA said that on November 14, 2013 at 4:45 a.m., its office was raided by three armed men.  The driver of the institution was threatened at gunpoint and forced to call the guard so that the perpetrators could get access to the office. 

The guard and the president of the association were knocked down by the three armed men, who barged into the office where they stole documents, destroyed pieces of equipment  and worse still, doused gasoline and set the place on fire, thus causing damage to office property and documents, including essential archives on the disappearances of children during the armed conflict in the country.

PRO-BÚSQUEDA said that the violent act was meant to destroy specific objectives of the association by getting rid of things of vital importance to its work such as documents of cases that have been presented to the justice system at the national and international levels.  The perpetrators also got access to the financial information of the organization.

While the association has not fully estimated the total damages, it mentioned the destruction of DNA samples and data of families of victims of various forms of human rights violations perpetrated during the armed conflict in the country.

Moreover, on the same day, a lady employee of the institution suffered persecution at around 7:50 a.m.  A vehicle approached the bus stop close to the city center where she was followed by three men, forcing her to run and get a taxi to the office in utter shock only to see the above-stated devastation of the office.

PRO-BÚSQUEDA believes that this act against the families of the disappeared in El Salvador is perpetrated in the context of special concerns on the closure of Tutela Legal and the uncertainty of the posible declaration of the unconstitutionality of the Amnesty law.  Tutela Legal, which was established by the assassinated Salvadorean archbishop, the late Oscar Arnulfo Romero, was an important human rights and legal aid office that denounced and investigated serious cases of atrocities during the country’s civil war.

The PRO-BÚSQUEDA calls for a transparent and immediate investigation of the crime, which is not just a simple one, but a grave violation of the right to truth, justice and reparation for victims of enforced disappearance.  In its statement, it reiterates to continue its tireless efforts to ensure investigation, prosecution and psychosocial rehabilitation for victims and their families.

On the eve of its public event and Council meeting to be held in Dili, Timor Leste,  the AFAD is supposed to benefit from the presence of Board Member and former Director of PRO-BÚSQUEDA , Ms. Ester Alvarenga.  On the day of the raid, Ms. Alveranga was going to the airport of San Salvador to travel to Indonesia and Timor Leste when at 5 a.m., she received the call informing her about what happened.  Supposed to share the success stories of finding disappeared children in El Salvador to human rights organizations in Timor-Leste and Indonesia during the AFAD activities, she had to cancel her flight because of the terrible attack against her organization.  It is important to note that because of a similar situation of disappeared children as a consequence of the Indonesian occupation of Timor- Leste, the supposed solidarity visit of Ms. Alvarenga is very important to AFAD.

The AFAD, which is a partner organization of   PRO-BÚSQUEDA in its Research and Documentation project and its co-member of the International Coalition Against Enforced Disappearances (ICAED), condemns in its strongest terms this attack as a serious violation of human rights.  The AFAD believes that it is a grave violation of many international human rights treaties, specifically of the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance.  Art. 24, Par. 7 of the Convention states:  “Each Party shall guarantee the right to form and participate freely in organizations and associations concerned with attempting to establish the circumstances of enforced disappearances and the fate of the disappeared persons, and to assist victims of enforced disappearance.”  While El Salvador has not ratified the said treaty, it is morally bound by the provisions of the UN Declaration on the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance which was unanimously adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 18 December 1992. 

AFAD joins PRO-BÚSQUEDA in calling for the immediate investigation of the crime and the punishment of the perpetrators to the full extent of the law. 

Signed:

MARY AILEEN D. BACALSO        MUGIYANTO

Secretary-General                    Chairperson

Asian Federation Against Involuntary Disappearances (AFAD)
Rms. 310-311 Philippine Social Science Center Bldg.,
Commonwealth Ave., Diliman, 1103 Quezon City

Telefax: 00-632-4546759
Mobile: (63)917-792-4058
Website: www.afad-online.org