At about noon today (EDT) an earthquake of magnitude 4.9 struck El Salvador, centered about 60 miles south of San Salvador.  La Prensa Gráfica reports no injuries and no significant physical damage. 

 

 

La letra original en español sigue.

 

SALVADORAN ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT

San Salvador, 3 September 2007

ALERT IN EL SALVADOR
The people are forsaken and scattered.
“When Jesus saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.”
Matthew 9:36

Pastoral Letter from the Historic Churches

To: All Salvadorans of good will
To: The three powers of the Salvadoran state: the executive, legislative and judicial branches
To: Churches throughout the world
To: Accredited Governments and Diplomatic Corps
To: The United Nations, the Organization of the American States, international organizations, and international solidarity groups

>From this small country, the home of the prophet Oscar Arnulfo Romero, as historic Christian churches and Christian-ecumenical groups, we send this message to world-wide churches and religions and to men and women of good will, greeting you in our faith in the One God.

We name this letter, “Alert in El Salvador,” because we live from one crisis to the next, from one emergency to the next — emergencies caused by natural, political, economic and social phenomena. In light of all these emergencies and crises, our recommendation is “Be alert.” “Alert,” an expression of security, means to be awake, with attentive ears and a clear mind that can glimpse and distinguish the danger that is threatening us and denounce this sin, without forgetting that we also are called to proclaim the Good News of abundant and true life (Matthew 25:46 and Romans 1:17).

In the fifteen years that have passed since the Peace Accords, unjust life conditions persist due to a poor distribution of wealth. The country does not have adequate food and social security. The [United Nations] Millennium Development Goals cannot be accomplished; on the contrary, a generalized deepening of poverty exists. The government has totally abandoned agriculture and industry. Instead, a disproportionate increase in informal commerce is taking place. The principle source of sustenance comes from family “remittances;” almost three million Salvadorans have emigrated to the United States and other parts of the world. Our youth are victims of the violence that is worsening in our country. This violence embraces all classes and sectors of society. Institutionalized violence also facilitates organized crime, gangs, corruption and impunity. Indebtedness and low income continue among most social classes. When social and environmental groups protest, they are repressed and taken as political prisoners under the guise of “terrorists.” They are only people who are defending their right to live. [Note of translator: This last example refers to an incident that took place in July 2007 when 14 people were detained in Suchitoto as they protested the commercialization of water.]

The current situation alarms us: the constitutional process and state institutions have been violated. Principal elements of the right have distorted the constitution and universal jurisprudence with the approval of laws and reforms to the Penal Code in Article 348 by increasing penalties in a disproportionate manner to exact fear. We are concerned that, in cases of legitimate protests by different social sectors, they have responded with the measures of a totalitarian court. These laws transgress basic human, civil and environmental rights and are closing democratic spaces. The institutional system and current government function from a base of corruption, lies, violence and polarization that brings with it a high deterioration of the ethical and moral basis in their institutions, legality and, in general, of society as a whole.

We are alarmed above all that, when faced with public protest, the Salvadoran State uses the mechanism of counter-reaction by hardening the laws. More than discourse or public campaigns, the crisis in which we are living demands state politics that resolve problems with responsibility. This requires a serious and resolute inquiry on the part of the State and Government in order to lessen the different problems that are afflicting the Salvadoran people.

Our God of Life cannot agree with a State whose relationship with its citizens represents a dangerous political polarization that can lead to a larger confrontation and worsening of intolerance in the country. Jesus demands us to denounce the enormous suffering in which our people live. He shows us the profound love that holds us and calls us to raise our voices with force to give a message of hope. He inspires us to engage in joined, ecumenical action — peaceful but also energetic action — to confront this structural problem, because hardening laws and persecuting Salvadorans is not the way to solve these problems.

Again we must remind ourselves of Jesus’ words, “We are not created for the law but the law is created for us.” Our proposed mission is to change all conditions that violate people’s lives and to build relationships on the basis of truth, honesty, justice, responsibility and human solidarity. The sentiment of compassion and solidarity that Jesus had for his people is the same one that moves us today for ours, who are forsaken and scattered. We must build new relations where National Unity becomes a necessary and immediate process, because to do so is an ethical and evangelical mandate, God’s Justice with God’s people. For this reason, in the name of the God of Life, we ask Salvadorans — men and women — to make the decision with faith and without fear to bring about the Christian utopia and be with us in God’s reign (Isaiah 32:1-8).

We firmly commit ourselves to continue walking with and joining in the clamor of the poor, which shapes itself into public protest, warning those who flaunt the economic and political power in this country that there will be no possible reconciliation if the source of these ills is not eliminated (as the history of the world has shown). The hour has arrived to place the interests of the nation above those of individuals, groups and sectors, while at the same time giving up economic, political and religious patronage (Ephesians 4:3-4).

Finally, we ask the God of Life to give us the strength to respond coherently from our Faith and as committed Christians to continue to sow seeds of hope amongst ourselves and with those who will some day rest their hopes in ours. Let us work for consensus and action from all existing, productive and organized groups, becoming salt and light in this country for the construction of a society that is based on values of the Kingdom of God and that sustains a true democracy and a dignified life in better social, economic, and political conditions.

Our Pastoral Call:
(1) To the Salvadoran people: to sponsor a true coming together as a nation, making possible understanding among brothers and sisters and children of God (Isaiah 44:1-5) and forming a foundation for constructing a broad social movement of National Unity.

(2) To the academic and scientific sectors: to have a more active role in the discussion of, analysis of, and proposals for the direction that this country should follow to find alternatives to the crisis.

(3) To productive forces and to big business: to put forward policies that reactivate the productive base through the payment of taxes, so that all Salvadorans and, above all, young Salvadorans can find their future within our borders and not in far-off lands.

(4) To the political parties: to change the positions of confrontation and move to a responsible posture, proposing policies of the State that will contribute to providing direction to the country in development, socio-economic justice and social coexistence.

(5) To the powers of the state: to maintain executive, legislative and judicial independence, facilitate citizen participation by creating civic and democratic opportunities within the institutional framework so that Salvadorans might construct a better future.

(6) To all churches and religions of the country: to take on God’s compassionate love by actively accompanying this process of national consent where, in a preferential manner, our most poor and needy brothers and sisters will be the principal focus of a plan for a democratic and just country.

(7) To governments of the world, the United Nations, the Organization of American States, international organizations, the churches of the world, international solidarity, and our friends: We ask for your backing in solidarity to support in a definitive fashion the construction of a democratic model that will be a guarantee of peace with justice in El Salvador.

Signed.....

 

Movimiento Ecuménico Salvadoreño
                                               
                  FECLAI- EL SALVADOR

                                                                                           SAN SALVADOR,  3 DE SEPTIEMBRE DE 2007

                                      ALERTA EN El SALVADOR.

EL PUEBLO ESTA DESAMPARADO Y DISPERSO.

                                                                                                                       “ Y AL VER LAS  MULTITUDES, TUVO COMASIÓN DE ELLAS;
                                                                                                                         POR QUE ESTABAN DESAMPARADAS Y DISPERSAS COMO 
                                                                                                                     OVEJAS QUE NO TIENEN PASTOR.” -   (SAN MATEO 9:36.) -
Carta pastoral de las Iglesias Históricas

A:  Todos los Salvadoreños y Salvadoreñas de buena voluntad.
A:   Los tres poderes del  Estado Salvadoreño: Ejecutivo,  Legislativo y Judicial
A:   Las Iglesias en todo el Mundo.
A:   Gobiernos  y   Al  Cuerpo Diplomático acreditado en El Salvador
A:    Las Naciones Unidas, OEA, Organismos Internaciones y  La solidaridad internacional.

Desde este pequeño país, patria del Profeta Oscar Arnulfo Romero, como Iglesias Cristianas Históricas y sectores cristianos-Ecuménicos; enviamos este mensaje a  las Iglesias y Religiones, hombres y mujeres de buena voluntad en el  mundo,  saludándoles desde nuestra fe al Dios único. 

Titulamos esta Carta: "Alerta en El Salvador", porque vivimos de crisis en crisis, de emergencia en emergencia, desastres causados por fenómenos naturales, políticos, económicos y sociales. Ante emergencias y crisis la   recomendación es “Estar Alerta”.- Alerta expresión de seguridad que significa estar despiertos, los oídos atentos y la mente despejada para poder vislumbrar y distinguir el peligro que nos amenaza, denunciando ese pecado, sin olvidar que también somos llamados a proclamar la Buena Noticia de la Vida Abundante y Verdadera. (San Mateo  25:46 y   Romanos 1:17) 

Pasados 15 años de los acuerdos de Paz,   persisten  las injustas  condiciones de vida,  por la mala distribución de la riqueza. El país no tiene seguridad alimentaría ni social. Los objetivos del Milenio no podrán cumplirse., por el contrario existe profundización generalizada de la pobreza.   El gobierno tiene en total abandono la agricultura, la industria y crece de manera desmedida el comercio informal. La principal fuente de sostenimiento son las remesas familiares, de casi 3 millones de Salvadoreños /as que han emigrado a Estados Unidos y otras partes del Mundo. Nuestros jóvenes son víctimas y  victimarios de la violencia que impera en el país. Violencia que abarca diferentes niveles y sectores. También existe la violencia institucionaliza que posibilita el crimen organizado, las maras, la corrupción e impunidad.  Se mantiene el endeudamiento y bajo presupuesto para las áreas sociales. Y cuando los sectores sociales y ecologistas se manifiestan, son reprimidos,  les toman  como reos políticos bajo la figura de “terroristas”,  son gentes,  que solo defienden su derecho a vivir.

La coyuntura actual, nos alarma:  se ha violentado el orden constitucional  e institucional del Estado . Se han distorsionado,  principios elementales del derecho, la constitución y la jurisprudencia universal, con la aprobación de leyes y reformas al Código Penal en su articulo 348, donde se incrementaron penas de una manera desproporcionada, imponiendo el miedo.  Nos preocupa, que ante legitimas protestas de los diferentes sectores sociales, se responda con medidas de corte totalitario, leyes que transgreden los elementales derechos humanos, civiles y ambientales y que se están cerrando los espacios democráticos.  El sistema institucional y el actual Gobierno funcionan sobre la base de la corrupción, la mentira, violencia y polarización trayendo como consecuencia un alto deterioro de la base ética y moral en su institucionalidad, legalidad y en general  de la sociedad en su conjunto.
Nos alarma sobremanera, que ante la protesta pública El Estado Salvadoreño utiliza el mecanismo de contrareacción, endureciendo las leyes.   Más que discursos y campañas publicitarias, la crisis que vivimos,  demanda que se generen  políticas estatales que resuelvan la problemática  con responsabilidad,  requiere de una gestión de Estado y de Gobierno, seria y decidida para atender las diferentes problemáticas que aquejan al pueblo Salvadoreño.

Nuestro Dios de la VIDA, NO puede estar de acuerdo con un Estado donde su relación con los ciudadanos marca una peligrosa polarización política, lo que puede llevar a una mayor confrontación y agudización de la intolerancia  en el país.  Jesús nos interpela, a denunciar tan grande sufrimiento que  vive el pueblo, nos muestra el profundo amor que nos tiene y llama a levantar con fuerza nuestra voz, para dar un mensaje de esperanza y animándonos actuar en acción conjunta, ecuménica y solidaria, pacifica pero enérgica frente a esta problemática estructural, porque  no es endureciendo las leyes y persiguiendo a cada Salvadoreño como se resolverán los problemas.

Nuevamente tenemos que recordar las palabras de Jesús “no es el hombre para la ley, sino la ley para el hombre” la misión propuesta es, cambiar todas aquellas condiciones que violentan la vida de las personas y construir las relaciones sobre la base de los valores de la verdad, honestidad, justicia, responsabilidad y la solidaridad humana. El sentimiento de compasión y solidaridad que tuvo Jesús por su pueblo es el mismo que nos mueve hoy por  el nuestro, que esta : desamparado y disperso.  Tenemos que construir nuevas relaciones, donde la Unidad  Nacional se vuelve un proceso necesario e impostergable.  Porque es un imperativo ético y evangélico, que sea la Justicia de Dios con su pueblo.  Por eso en el nombre del Dios de la Vida, les pedimos a los y las salvadoreñas, que tomemos la decisión, con Fe, sin temor, de conquistar la utopía cristiana y sea con nosotros /as ese REINO DE DIOS (Isaías 32 1-8) .  

Con firmeza nos comprometemos a seguir caminando y acompañando ese clamor de los pobres,  que se plasma en la protesta pública,  previniendo a quienes ostentan el poder económico y político en este país, que no hay reconciliación posible si la fuente de los males no se extermina, como lo ha demostrado la historia de los pueblos.  Ha llegado la hora de poner por encima de los intereses particulares de individuos, grupos y sectores:  los intereses de la nación;  olvidándonos del clientelismo económico,  político y religioso. (Efesios 4: 3-4)

Finalmente pedimos al Dios de la vida,  nos de fortaleza para responder coherentemente desde la Fe y como Cristianos /as comprometidos en seguir sembrando esperanzas para con nosotros mismos y con aquellos que un día fincaron sus esperanzas en nosotros.  Trabajemos por el consenso y la acción de todas las fuerzas vivas,  productivas y organizadas, siendo sal y luz en este país, para la construcción de una sociedad que se base en los valores del Reino de Dios, que sustenten una DEMOCRACIA REAL Y  UNA VIDA DIGNA, EN MEJORES CONDICIONES SOCIALES, ECONÓMICAS Y POLÍTICAS.  

Nuestro llamado pastoral:

1. Al pueblo Salvadoreño a propiciar un verdadero encuentro como nación, posibilitando el entendimiento como hermanos/ as, hijos e hijas de Dios (Isaías 44: 1-5 ); que sean base para  construir un amplio movimiento social  de Unidad Nacional.

2. A los sectores académicos y científicos a tener un papel mas activo en la discusión, análisis y propuestas sobre el rumbo que debe seguir el país para encontrar alternativas a la crisis,

3. A las fuerzas productivas y a la gran empresa, proponer políticas de reactivación de la base productiva y cumplir con el pago de sus tributos,  para que todas las y los salvadoreños y especialmente los jóvenes,  encuentren su futuro dentro de nuestras fronteras y no en tierras lejanas.

4. A los partidos políticos , que cambien las posiciones de confrontación y pasen a una postura responsable,  proponiendo políticas de Estado que contribuyan a dar rumbo al país por el camino del desarrollo, la justicia socioeconómica y la convivencia social.

5. A los tres poderes del estado, a mantener la independencia  de cada uno, facilitar la participación ciudadana creando los espacios civilizados y democráticos en el marco de la institucionalidad para que los Salvadoreños /as construyamos un futuro mejor.

6. A todas las iglesias y religiones del país asumir el amor compasivo de Dios, acompañando activamente este proceso de consenso nacional, donde nuestros hermanos y hermanas, de manera preferencial los mas humildes y necesitados sean los principales sujetos de una propuesta de país democrática y justa.

7. A los Gobiernos del Mundo, a las Naciones Unidas, a la OEA,  a los Organismos Internacionales, a las Iglesias del Mundo, a la Solidaridad Internacional, A nuestros amigos y amigas  les pedimos su respaldo solidario, para apoyar en forma decidida, la construcción de un modelo democrático que sea garante de la Paz con justicia en El Salvador.

Firmamos.....

"...a few million doesn’t go as far as it used to. Maybe in the ’70s, a few million bucks meant ‘Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous,’ .... But not anymore.” said Hal Steger, 51, Silicon Valley executive.

http://www.theonion.com/content/video/in_the_know_are_americas_rich

 

 

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.--(BUSINESS WIRE, 06SEP)--Hanesbrands Inc. today announced that it has acquired the textile manufacturing operations of Industrias Duraflex, S.A. de C.V., in San Juan Opico, El Salvador.  The acquisition concluded a successful first year as an independent company.

The 1,300-employee Duraflex operation, which will be known as Hanesbrands El Salvador Textiles, is the company’s second self-owned offshore textile fabric manufacturing plant. In the past year, Hanesbrands also successfully ramped up production at its new textile plant built in Bonao, Dominican Republic. Hanesbrands, a leading manufacturer and marketer of innerwear, outerwear and hosiery apparel under leading brands such as Hanes, Champion, Playtex and Bali, also operates 27 sewing and cutting plants offshore.

“The addition of fabric production capacity in El Salvador is another significant milestone in our efforts to create a lower-cost supply chain operating fewer, larger plants that are more effectively aligned with our production flow. We already own sewing plants in El Salvador and elsewhere in Central America. We now have a textile and sewing base in Central America that gives us flexibility to expand and leverage our large scale of production.”

The 350,000-square-foot Hanesbrands El Salvador Textiles plant, which already makes fleece, T-shirt and underwear fabric for Hanesbrands, will continue operations uninterrupted. The management team at the plant, located 20 miles west of San Salvador, will remain affiliated with Hanesbrands. Terms of the acquisition are not being disclosed.

Industrias Duraflex had supplied Hanesbrands with apparel fabric since the early 1990s. The companies entered a supply alliance in 2005 that allowed Duraflex to quadruple its production capacity. With the purchase, Hanesbrands expects to make additional investment for growth.

“This is an extremely strong operation with an outstanding management team and workforce who are already very familiar with our products and way of doing business,” said Gerald Evans, Hanesbrands executive vice president and chief global supply chain officer. “We are expanding in El Salvador as we create a balanced global supply chain and move production to lower-cost countries to remain competitive.”

http://home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20070906005627&newsLang=en