News



DATE=6/25/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-234560
TITLE=U-S / SALVADOR KILLINGS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=BILL RODGERS
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  NEWLY DE-CLASSIFIED U-S DOCUMENTS SHOW U-S OFFICIALS WERE
AWARE OF REPORTS THAT A TOP SALVADORAN MILITARY OFFICER MAY HAVE 
ORDERED THE KILLINGS OF FOUR AMERICAN CHURCHWOMEN IN 1980.  
V-O-A'S BILL RODGERS REPORTS THE DOCUMENTS WERE MADE PUBLIC THIS 
WEEK, AS SOME OF THE SALVADORANS CONVICTED OF THE MURDERS ARE 
ABOUT TO BE FREED. 

TEXT:  THE DECLASSIFIED STATE DEPARTMENT DOCUMENTS REVEAL U-S 
EMBASSY OFFICIALS WERE AWARE THAT A MEMBER OF THE SALVADORAN HIGH
COMMAND -- A COLONEL EDGARDO CASANOVA -- MAY HAVE ORDERED THE 
KILLINGS OF THE FOUR CHURCHWOMEN.  THE DOCUMENTS SHOW THIS 
INFORMATION WAS RELAYED TO THE U-S OFFICIALS, INCLUDING THE U-S 
AMBASSADOR AT THE TIME, BY TOP SALVADORAN MILITARY OFFICERS.  
HOWEVER, EVEN THOUGH THESE REPORTS WERE PASSED ON TO WASHINGTON, 
NO  ACTION WAS TAKEN TO INVESTIGATE THE ACCUSATIONS AGAINST 
COLONEL CASANOVA.

INSTEAD, BOTH THE U-S AND SALVADORAN GOVERNMENTS MAINTAINED FOR 
YEARS THAT THE SLAYINGS WERE COMMITTED BY A FEW MEMBERS OF THE 
SALVADORAN NATIONAL GUARD ACTING ON THEIR OWN.  THE FOUR VICTIMS,
THREE ROMAN CATHOLIC NUNS AND A LAY WORKER, WERE RAPED AND 
MURDERED IN DECEMBER, 1980, AS THE UNITED STATES WAS BEGINNING A 
MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR EFFORT TO HELP THE SALVADORAN GOVERNMENT 
DEFEAT A LEFTIST INSURGENCY.  FIVE NATIONAL GUARDSMEN WERE 
CONVICTED FOR THE CRIME IN 1984 AND SENTENCED TO 30 YEARS IN 
PRISON.

HOWEVER, THIS PAST MARCH, FOUR OF THE FORMER GUARDSMEN CONFESSED 
TO A NEW YORK-BASED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUP -- THE LAWYERS COMMITTEE 
FOR HUMAN RIGHTS -- THAT THEY WERE ACTING UNDER ORDERS FROM A 
HIGHER AUTHORITY.  FOLLOWING THESE REVELATIONS AND AT THE URGING 
OF THE LAWYERS COMMITTEE, THE STATE DEPARTMENT DECLASSIFIED ITS 
RECORDS ON THE CASE.  THE DOCUMENTS HAVE BEEN MADE PUBLIC AND 
ALSO GIVEN TO THE COMMITTEE, WHICH IS ACTING ON BEHALF OF THE 
VICTIMS' FAMILY MEMBERS. 

COMMITTEE MEMBER ROBERT WEINER SAYS THE DECLASSIFIED CABLES AND 
MEMORANDA RAISE QUESTIONS ABOUT WHETHER U-S OFFICIALS AT THE TIME
TRIED TO COVER-UP INFORMATION TO PROTECT U-S POLICY INTERESTS IN 
EL SALVADOR.  

                       ///WEINER ACT///  

         THERE CERTAINLY WERE PEOPLE WHO TRIED TO DO ALL THEY 
         COULD, BUT CLEARLY FROM THIS EVIDENCE THERE WERE 
         ATTEMPTS TO COVER UP THINGS THAT REALLY SHOULD BE SAID 
         AND I DON'T THINK THE RECORD REVEALS A POLICY OR 
         POLICY-MAKERS THAT ARE UNBLEMISHED -- AND IT IS TO THEIR
         CREDIT THAT THEY REVEALED IT NOW, BUT IT'S ALSO 18 YEARS
         AFTER THE FACT. 

                          ///END ACT///

// OPT //  MR. WEINER SAYS THE FAMILIES AND THE LAWYERS COMMITTEE
CONTINUE TO PURSUE THIS CASE, IN THE HOPE THAT JUSTICE WILL BE 
DONE.  HE SAID EVEN THOUGH THE 10-YEAR STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS HAS
RUN OUT IN EL SALVADOR, THE KILLINGS CAN BE CONSIDERED A WAR 
CRIME AND SUBJECT TO INTERNATIONAL PROSECUTION. 

                   /// OPT /// WEINER ACT ///

         THIS IS A CRIME.  THIS IS THE RAPE AND MURDER OF 
         NON-COMBATANTS IN A SITUATION OF ARMED CONFLICT COVERED 
         BY THE GENEVA CONVENTION.  THAT'S A WAR CRIME.  SO, IT 
         SEEMS PRETTY CLEAR TO US THAT EL SALVADOR AS A NATION IS
         A) SUBJECT TO THE GENEVA CONVENTION; AND B) SUBJECT TO 
         INTERNATIONAL CUSTOMARY LAW, AND SO THERE IS ABSOLUTELY 
         NO  OBSTACLE TO PROSECUTING THIS CASE.  THIS IS  NOT  A 
         SIMPLE HOMICIDE.

                   /// END ACT /// END OPT ///

THE RELEASE OF THE DOCUMENTS THIS WEEK COMES AS SALVADORAN 
AUTHORITIES MAY BE PREPARING TO FREE THREE OF THE JAILED FORMER 
GUARDSMEN.  A SALVADORAN JUDGE RULED WEDNESDAY THAT THE THREE ARE
ELIGIBLE FOR PAROLE FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR.  

AT THE STATE DEPARTMENT THURSDAY, SPOKESMAN JAMES RUBIN CALLED ON
EL SALVADOR  NOT  TO FREE THE THREE -- AND PLEDGED TO CONTINUE 
RELEASING INFORMATION SO THAT THE FULL TRUTH WILL BE LEARNED.  
(SIGNED)   

NEB/WFR/MMK

25-Jun-98 4:43 PM EDT (2043 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.