U.S. Military Assistance to El Salvador

Conrad has done it again! With a few strokes of his pen, El Salvador crucified on a cross of U.S. dollars (May 2), Conrad brings home the message of U.S. involvement in El Salvador. Our “aid dollars” kill innocent Salvadorans.

On the same day your editorial (“It’s Time to Lay into El Salvador”) wimpishly approaches the same subject and in mind-boggling language speaks of “professionalizing” the Salvadoran armed forces--an army whose senior officials have yet to condemn the Jesuit killings.

You would make aid contingent on the prosecution of the Jesuit murders. Justice for this one crime will not exonerate a government which has systematically murdered tens of thousands of its own people. More than 3000 of these deaths have occurred since the Jesuit slaying Nov. 16, 1989.

In the past 10 years, the U.S. has sent over $4 billion to El Salvador--money used to fund the government’s war on the poor. Our tax dollars have been used to capture, torture and kill 74,000 Salvadorans. It is time that The Times calls for an end to all military aid to El Salvador.

For the first time in six years the House Foreign Affairs Committee has voted to cut aid to El Salvador 50%--that’s a false start! All military aid should be suspended immediately. And economic aid should be contingent on successful negotiations between the Salvadoran government and all sectors of the society including the FMLN and members of the National Debate for Peace (representing 80 groups that have come together to act as a bridge between the government and the FMLN). Only through negotiations--without U.S. interference--is there a hope for a democratic process to begin.

MARY BRENT WEHRLI

Executive Director

Interfaith Taskforce on Central America

Los Angeles