Report From the November 2005 Movement-Building Delegation

"I felt such generosity and hope while traveling in El Salvador. I was deeply inspired by the truly compassionate salvadoreños working in the city and countryside. The experience strengthens my commitment to work with others to build a more just, equitable and humane world." -- Chris Stark, PICA

MPR-12 demonstration against mining and hydroelectric development.

On October 29, 2005, 16 North Americans traveled to El Salvador on a new type of delegation.  We can report that the Movement-Building Delegation met its outlandishly ambitious goals.  We hoped to turn a corner in creating bonds of mutual solidarity nationally and internationally. Through an exhausting and inspiring week of meetings with MPR-12 (the national movement of popular resistance) and CRIPDES (the rural popular movement), and with time spent in San Salvador, Chaletenango City, and to Bangor's and Madison's sister communities of Carasque and Arcatao, we think we did it!

Organized by Bangor, Maine-based PICA, and anchored by U.S. - El Salvador Sister Cities, the delegation comprised representatives from PICA, Maine Fair Trade Campaign, Portland (Maine) Organizing to Win Economic Rights (POWER), the Madison (WI) Sister City project, Kensington Welfare Rights Union (Philadelphia), WERU (a Maine community radio station), Sweatfree Communities, and United Students against Sweatshops.

We were able to have in-depth conversations with CRIPDES and the MPR-12 about our respective political contexts, develop concrete ways to address them together, and agree to coordinate communications and activities through MPR-12, U.S. - El Salvador Sister Cities, and the Poor Peoples Economic Human Rights Campaign.  This work has already produced the U.S. mining group currently working with the Salvadoran movement to resist incursions by Canadian mining companies into Chalate communities.

Within the delegation, individuals and organizations developed deep and durable connections that are already amplifying our work together at home.  We were a work hard, play hard delegation, an experience from which we all came home tired, excited and happy. 

Here’s a few of the highlights for delegates:

• Participating in a public rally in San Salvador celebrating the formation of a new national labor federation, and in a Nov. 2 Day of the Dead memorial observance, honoring the civilian victims of El Salvador Civil war.  Delegate Chris Stark wrote:

“The event took place at the foot of the memorial wall which lists the names of

Day of the Dead at memorial to victims of El Salvador Civil War.

deceased and disappeared loved ones: civilians from the 70's until the end of the Civil War in 1992…At the outdoor service we had the opportunity to speak and offer a wreath. Feeling deeply ashamed of our countries' destruction of human life and the exploitation of resources in El Salvador and other countries, we vowed to work in solidarity with the Salvadoran people to support peaceful coexistence, respect for international standards of cooperation and human rights and an end to this despicable era of U.S. militarism. It was very moving for me to be part of the commemoration, especially when an energetic old salvadoreña hugged us while whispering "Por la Paz" at the end of the services.

• Establishing a sistering relationship between Radio Sumpul in Guarjila, Chalatenango, and WERU Community Radio in Blue Hill and Bangor, Maine. Radio Sumpul broadcasts to PICA’s sister city, Carasque and to Madison, Wisconsin’s sister city, Arcato, both in Chalatenango. A first, exciting meeting occurred with PICA, Madison and WERU representatives at Radio Sumpul. WERU and Radio Sumpul are both intimately connected to the social, economic, and environmental justice issues affecting their communities, facilitating the sharing of information and the fostering of social change. The stations are already sharing programming, and are excited to be developing a relationship using the example of the USESSC model.

• Finding a gold mining company survey marker on Cerro Coyote, the

  PICA director Sean Donahue returns mining tag to sender.

  mountain above Carasque, bringing it back to Bangor, and mailing it back to Martinique Mining in a public “Return to Sender” demonstration scheduled to coincide with massive demonstrations in  El Salvador against the threats of  gold mining and hydroelectric developments. Photographs of the demonstrations were shared between Bangor and El Salvador within hours, and the new WERU – Radio Sumpul sistering relation was put to work sharing audio coverage.

"Mutual good will, respect and hope were feelings that permeated the delegation meetings. The work this US delegation will continue with the MPR-12 and the community groups that are affiliated with it, and with sister cities, is exciting and important work to be done." -- Meredith DeFrancesco, WERU

(The delegation created a slide show to communicate what we saw as  the most important elements of the current political and economic realities in the U.S., and shared it with our Salvadoran brothers and sisters.  We learned a lot in putting it together, and would be happy to share this Powerpoint, with script in English and Spanish.  Contact PICA (info@pica.ws, (207)947-4293) if you’re interested in getting a copy for yourself.)