Dokument #1229073
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Autor)
On 2 March 1992, the Salvadoran government
officially disbanded the old National Guard (UPI 2 Mar. 1992).
Later in the spring of 1992 the Salvadoran government was accused
of trying to keep the National Guard alive by creating the Military
Police, which amounted to little more than a simple change of name
(Central America Report 10 Apr. 1992, 8 May 1992; Central
America Newspak 19 Apr. 1992; UPI 27 Apr. 1992). Although it
was supposed to be disbanded on 1 March 1992, the National Guard
was still in place in mid-April and early May (Central America
Newspak 19 Apr. 1992; Le Monde 23 Apr. 1992; The
Washington Post 2 May 1992).
Of the 7,000 police officers working for
the National Guard and the Treasury Police when they were disbanded
in March 1992, 4,000 were expected to be integrated into the army,
and 3,000 to resign (Le Devoir 3 Mar. 1992). Because of
delays in forming the new National Civilian Police (PNC), the
Salvadoran government transferred 1,200 former members of the
National Guard and the Treasury Police to the "National Police" to
fight crime before new recruits could be formed (The Boston
Globe 24 July 1992). In September 1992, shortly after the
actual training of PNC recruits started, it was estimated that 20
per cent of the new police force would be former rebels, 20 per
cent of former national police agents, and 60 per cent civilians
(Central America Newspak 20 Sept. 1992). However, according
to the head of the United Nations Observers' Mission in El
Salvador, the government was attempting to recruit former soldiers
by permitting them to conceal their past experience and apply as
"civilians" (Central America Update 13 Nov. 1992). The
nomination of army officers to head the PNC was another area of
disagreement that the FMLN deemed to be contrary to the peace
accords (AFP 3 May 1993). It is not clear from the reports whether
any of these soldiers and officers belonged to the National Guard,
formerly a part of the army.
An October 1993 article states that the
"National Police" remains active (Reuters 22 Oct. 1993), and that
death squad killings have resumed in El Salvador (ibid.; AFP 5 Nov.
1993). This may be due in part to the fact that "units from the old
[police] force have been transferred into the new one without
screening those accused of past rights abuse" (The Christian
Science Monitor 21 Dec. 1993). The problem is likely to
continue, however, since the director of the new police academy has
accepted members of the officially dissolved National Guard and
Treasury Police as cadets in the training program for the PNC
officer corps (Human Rights Watch 1993, 110).
This response was prepared after
researching publicly accessible information currently available to
the DIRB within time constraints. This response is not, and does
not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular
claim to refugee status or asylum.
Agence France Presse (AFP). 5 November
1993. "U.N. Demands Salvadoran Authorities Bring Assassins to
Justice." (NEXIS)
_____. 3 May 1993. Frederic Castel. "La
guerrilla salvadorienne accuse le gouvernement de ne pas respecter
les accords de paix." (NEXIS)
The Boston Globe. 24 July 1992.
City Edition. Steve Fainaru. "An Uneasy Peace for El Salvador; A
Crime Problem Pushes Former Enemies Together to Form a Security
Force." (NEXIS)
Central America Newspak [Austin,
Tx]. 20 September 1992. "Funds Channeled to New Police Force."
(NEXIS)
_____. 19 April 1992. "FMLN Decides to
Postpone Demobilization and Turning Over Weapons." (NEXIS)
Central America Report [Guatemala
City]. 8 May 1992. "El Salvador." (NEXIS)
_____. 10 April 1992. "Patching up the
Peace Process." (NEXIS)
Central America Update [Toronto].
13 November 1992. "Summary of Developments: Implementation of
Salvadoran Peace Accords and Related Events." (NEXIS)
The Christian Science Monitor
[Boston]. 21 December 1993. Lucia Mouat. "Wave of Violence
Threatens Salvadoran Vote." (NEXIS)
Le Devoir [Montréal]. 3
March 1992. "Deux corps de police dissous au Salvador."
Human Rights Watch 1993. Human Rights
Watch World Report 1993. New York: Human Rights Watch.
Le Monde [Paris]. 23 April 1992.
"Salvador: La guérilla du FMLN craint l'échec du plan
de paix." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 22 October 1993. Alberto
Barrera. "U.N. Concerned at Death Squad Killings in El Salvador."
(NEXIS)
The United Press International (UPI). 27
April 1992. BC Cycle. Daniel Alder. "Salvadoran Peace Process Runs
into Trouble." (NEXIS)
_____. 2 March 1992. BC Cycle. Daniel
Alder. "Salvadoran Labor Activist Found Dead." (NEXIS)
The Washington Post. 2 May 1992.
Final Edition. Tom Gibb. "Mutual Accusations Stall Salvadoran Peace
Accord." (NEXIS)
Agence France Presse (AFP). 5 November
1993. "U.N. Demands Salvadoran Authorities Bring Assassins to
Justice." (NEXIS)
_____. 3 May 1993. Frederic Castel. "La
guerrilla salvadorienne accuse le gouvernement de ne pas respecter
les accords de paix." (NEXIS)
The Boston Globe. 24 July 1992.
City Edition. Steve Fainaru. "An Uneasy Peace for El Salvador; A
Crime Problem Pushes Former Enemies Together to Form a Security
Force." (NEXIS)
Central America Newspak [Austin,
Tx]. 20 September 1992. "Funds Channeled to New Police Force."
(NEXIS)
_____. 19 April 1992. "FMLN Decides to
Postpone Demobilization and Turning Over Weapons." (NEXIS)
Central America Report [Guatemala
City]. 8 May 1992. "El Salvador." (NEXIS)
_____. 10 April 1992. "Patching up the
Peace Process." (NEXIS)
Central America Update [Toronto].
13 November 1992. "Summary of Developments: Implementation of
Salvadoran Peace Accords and Related Events." (NEXIS)
The Christian Science Monitor
[Boston]. 21 December 1993. Lucia Mouat. "Wave of Violence
Threatens Salvadoran Vote." (NEXIS)
Le Devoir [Montréal]. 3
March 1992. "Deux corps de police dissous au Salvador."
Human Rights Watch 1993. Human Rights
Watch World Report 1993. New York: Human Rights Watch.
Le Monde [Paris]. 23 April 1992.
"Salvador: La guérilla du FMLN craint l'échec du plan
de paix." (NEXIS)
Reuters. 22 October 1993. Alberto
Barrera. "U.N. Concerned at Death Squad Killings in El Salvador."
(NEXIS)
The United Press International (UPI). 27
April 1992. BC Cycle. Daniel Alder. "Salvadoran Peace Process Runs
into Trouble." (NEXIS)
_____. 2 March 1992. BC Cycle. Daniel
Alder. "Salvadoran Labor Activist Found Dead." (NEXIS)
The Washington Post. 2 May 1992.
Final Edition. Tom Gibb. "Mutual Accusations Stall Salvadoran Peace
Accord." (NEXIS)