Rebuild El Salvador the Right Way

On Jan. 13, a powerful 7.6-magnitude earthquake racked El Salvador, the worst natural disaster in memory in the tiny and troubled Central American nation. A pitiless nature delivered a second quake, this one 6.6, exactly a month later. The combined devastation: more than 1,200 killed and hundreds of homes, schools, public buildings and highways destroyed. Since the first quake, there have been more than 3,000 aftershocks, and survivors are shaken, often shattered. Now, however, they are starting to look to the future, and they need help.

Even before the latest catastrophes, Salvadorans were certainly no strangers to either natural or man-made disasters. They suffered devastating temblors in 1917, 1965 and 1986 and a brutal civil war in the 1980s. More than 75,000 died or were killed in the war, and at least one-fifth of the population went into exile.

The latest quakes have brought an international response. Aid from Spain, Mexico, the United States, Taiwan, Honduras and elsewhere has arrived, but more is needed, particularly medicine, clothing, drinking water, food and shelter. The best way to help is to send money to relief agencies. Directly giving clothes or medicines creates a logistical nightmare.

In time the Salvadorans will rebuild their towns, cities, roads and highways. That too is a matter of money. In preparing for a meeting with donor nations in Madrid next month, President Francisco Flores has developed a plan for reconstruction. That’s fine, but voices outside government, like that of San Salvador Auxiliary Bishop Gregorio Rosa Chavez, should also be heard. Chavez has called for a broad program that includes municipal governments, so the needs of the smaller towns can be met.

Regions across the world share the pain of El Salvador, especially Southern California, the adopted home of hundreds of thousands of Salvadorans.

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To Take Action: American Red Cross, www. redcross.org or (800) HELPNOW. Catholic Relief Services, www.catholicrelief.org or (800) 736-3467.