A letter received by the DIRB on 31 May 1995 from the Los Angeles branch of El Rescate, one of the most prominent human rights groups which monitors the situation in El Salvador lists a chronology of events pertaining to the situation of ANDES 21 de Junio for the years 1992 and 1995.

The following information was provided by the Documentation Coordinator for the Human Rights Department of El Rescate. El Rescate's information regarding ANDES' situation for the years 1993 and 1994 only dealt with strikes and teachers' claims for salary increases. Organized violence aimed at ANDES members, such as threats and assassinations conducted by death squads, was minimal if not nonexistent during 1993 and 1994. However, it has reappeared in 1995 with the emergence of two new death squads, the CEAT and the Black Shadow, dedicated to fight common criminality. In a press communiqué in May 1995, the CEAT warned ANDES unions to "refrain from holding protests which could destabilize the country."

For further information on the situation of teachers and of ANDES 21 de Junio, please consult the attached documents.

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.

Reference

El Rescate Legal Services. Los Angeles. 31 May 1995. Letter to the DIRB.

Attachments

El Rescate Legal Services. Los Angeles. 31 May 1995. Letter to the DIRB.

El Salvador Processo. 21 September 1994. "100 Days Without Labor Consensus." (Central America NewsPak [Austin]. 19 Sept.-2 Oct. 1994, Vol. 9, No. 17, pp. 4-5)

United Press International. 5 July 1992. BC Cycle. "Salvadoran Teachers Lift Strike." (NEXIS)

_____. 23 June 1992. BC Cycle. Daniel Alder. "Salvadoran Teachers Begin Hunger Strike." (NEXIS)

_____. 29 May 1992. BC Cycle. "Teachers Plan To Go To Strike Monday." (NEXIS)

_____. 5 February 1992. BC Cycle. Rina Guadalupe Serrano. "Rebel Leader Admits Famous Poet's Execution." (NEXIS)

Additional Sources Consulted

Amnesty International Report. 1992-1994. New York: Amnesty International.

Central America Newspak [Austin, Te]. 1992-1995.

Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1992-1995.

Central America Update [Toronto]. 1992-1995.

Critique: Review of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. 1992-1995. New York: Lawyers Committee for Human Rights.

Foreign Broadcast Information Service (FBIS) Reports. 1992-1995.

Human Rights Watch. 1992-1995. Human Rights Watch World Report. New York: Human Rights Watch.

Inter-Church Committee on Human Rights in Latin America (ICCHRLA). 1992-1995. Annual Reports: General Concerns and Brief Country Reports.

Keesing's Record of World Events. 1992-1995. Edited by Roger East. London: Longman.

News From Americas Watch [New York]. 1992-1995.

Latin America Update [Washington]. 1992-1995.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1992-1995.

Latin American Newsletters [London]. 1992-1995.

Mexico Newspak [Austin, Te]. 1992-1995.

NACLA Report on the Americas. 1992-1995.

On-line searches.

Oral sources.