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Archived Urgent Action
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KAIROS is deeply concerned about death threats made against striking doctors and health care workers in El Salvador. The strike, which has been ongoing since September 19 of last year, aims to block government efforts to privatize health care in El Salvador. |
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- Introduction
- Background: Free trade and the privatization of health care
- Recommended Action
- Sample Letter
Update: Doctors and other public health employees in El Salvador returned to their jobs in June of 2003 after signing an agreement ending their nine-month strike. Although the walkout had a devastating impact on health care in the country, it successfully blocked the partial privatization of the social security system, and dealt the government a harsh blow.
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Introduction |
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KAIROS is deeply concerned about death threats made against striking doctors and health care workers in El Salvador. The strike, which has been ongoing since September 19 of last year, aims to block government efforts to privatize health care in El Salvador.
The struggle against privatization of health services has received overwhelming popular support, with an estimated 200,000 people taking to the streets in the capital city of San Salvador on October 23, 2002. Such actions have been replicated throughout the country. On November 14, the health care workers and the FMLN (opposition party) won a temporary victory when the national legislature passed Article 1024, also known as the “State Guarantee of Health and Social Security,” which outlawed the privatization of health care. The law was later overturned, however, when the PDC party withdrew their support in December in order to back the ruling ARENA party on the privatization agenda.
The ongoing tension between the government and the strikers has created a situation of severe social crisis. The government has refused to negotiate with the striking workers. Instead, while threatening to terminate the contracts of striking health care workers, it has effectively militarized the four largest hospitals in the country by sending in armed police to protect the scab workers and doctors running the facilities.
Meanwhile, two doctors were reported kidnapped this week. CISPES (Committee in Solidarity with the People of El Salvador) reports that over 50 members of the Social Security Health Care Union (STISS) have received anonymous death threats. While the circumstances surrounding these incidents are unclear, the reports of death threats are extremely alarming, given the history of death squad activity during the civil war of the 1980s.
On December 6, the Jesuit Universidad Centroamericana issued a proclamation calling both sides to dialogue in a struggle that has severely impacted the quality of health care available to poor Salvadorans. The proclamation clearly denounces both the privatization agenda and the authoritarian response to the strike, citing reports of police brutality and irresponsible use of rubber bullets and tear gas in a hospital zone. It calls for a negotiated solution and full restitution of striking workers to their jobs.
KAIROS joins Salvadoran church voices in calling for:
- An end to the confrontation and
- Effective guarantees of public health care in El Salvador.
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Background: Free trade and the privatization of health care |
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On January 8, as trade representatives formally opened negotiations in Washington, DC for the US-Central America Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA), the Salvadoran social movement escalated its ongoing protests against the privatization of health care. Since free trade agreements supercede national law, a law against privatization such as the contested "State Guarantee of Health and Social Security," which seeks to protect the people's right to affordable quality health care, would likely be overturned by CAFTA's chapter on "Freedom of Investment."
The struggle against privatization of health care is also a struggle against CAFTA. As one Nejapa community leader testified before the US Trade Representative, "CAFTA negotiations will intensify the already-strong popular resistance to privatization, and destabilize the country." The current actions are just the beginning of a year-long series of escalating protests against CAFTA, protests which both the US and Salvadoran right recognize as one of the greatest threats to CAFTA.
For more information on free trade agreement provisions which jeopardise public health care, see the KAIROS “e-kit” and campaign materials on the Free Trade Area of the Americas.
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Recommended Action |
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1) Please send a message to Salvadoran President Francisco Flores, urgently calling on the Salvadoran government to:
a) Guarantee the safety of all strikers who have received death threats and initiate an immediate, impartial and thorough investigation into these threats, as well as the two kidnappings, making the results public and bringing those responsible to justice.
b) Put an end to the militarization of the hospitals and ensure that all those involved in the strike are restored to their labours.
c) Reconsider its position on privatization, acknowledging the negative impact of privatization of public services on the Salvadoran people in a context of increasing poverty.
2) Write to Bill Graham, Minister of Foreign Affairs (see sample letter below):
a) Urging the Canadian government to call upon its Salvadoran counterpart to guarantee the safety of strikers and put an end to the militarization of the hospitals.
b) Calling on the Canadian government to reject investment rules in free trade agreements that facilitate the privatization of health care.
Send Letters to:
S.E. Francisco Flores
Presidente de la República de El Salvador
Casa Presidencial
Avenida Los Diplomáticos,
Barrio San Jacinto,
San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A.
Fax: 011 503 243 9947 or 011 503 243 3710
E-mail: casapres@casapres.gob.svcasapres@casapres.gob.sv
Hon Bill Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of Commons, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario, K1A 0A6
(postage free)
Fax: 1 613 996 9607
E-mail: graham.b@parl.gc.ca
(When the Parliament is not in session please write to:
Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade:
125 Sussex Drive, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0G2 )
Send Copies to:
Ambassador James Lambert
Canadian Ambassador to El Salvador
Office of the Canadian Embassy
1 Centro Financiero Gigante, Torre A, Lobby 2;
Alameda Roosevelt y 63 Avenida Sur, Colonia Escalón,
San Salvador, El Salvador, C.A.
Fax: 011 503 279 0765
E-mail: assal@dfait-maeci.gc.ca
Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado
Comisión Archidiocesana de Justicia y Paz
Urbanización Isidro Menéndez
Calle San José y Avda. Las Américas
San Salvador, El Salvador
Fax: 011 503 225 2603
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Sample Letter |
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Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Hon. Bill Graham
Minister of Foreign Affairs
125 Sussex Drive
Ottawa, Ontario
fax: 613-996-3443
Dear Mr. Graham,
I am writing to you on behalf of the member churches of KAIROS: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives to express our deep concern about the escalating tension between government and striking doctors and health care workers in El Salvador and, in particular, death threats made against the strikers. The strike, which has been going on since September 19 of last year with overwhelming popular support, aims to stop government efforts to privatize health care.
The privatization agenda of the Salvadoran government and their authoritarian response to the strike needs to be seen in the context of the free trade agreements currently under negotiation such as the US-Central America FTA and the broader FTAA. The drafts of these agreements contain investment rules that would facilitate privatization and jeopardize peoples’ rights to affordable, quality health care. These policies will clearly have a negative impact on the Salvadoran people, particularly in the context of increasing poverty.
According to information we have received, the mounting tension has created a situation of severe social crisis. Among the most disturbing developments are the report of anonymous death threats to over 50 members of the Social Security Health Care Union (STISS) and the reported kidnapping of two doctors. The government has effectively militarized the four largest hospitals in the country by sending in armed police to protect the scab workers and doctors running the facilities.
Given this alarming situation in El Salvador, KAIROS urges the Canadian government to reject investment rules in free trade agreements that facilitate the privatization of health care. We also urge the Canadian government to call on its Salvadoran counterpart to guarantee the safety of strikers and bring an end to the militarization of hospitals.
We anxiously await your response.
Yours sincerely,
Pat Steenberg
Executive Director
KAIROS
cc: S.E. Francisco Flores, Presidente de la Republica de El Salvador
Ambassador James Lambert, Canadian Ambassador to El Salvador
Oficina de Tutela Legal del Arzobispado, Comision Archidiocesana
de la Justicia y Paz
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