PICO El Salvador: 2014 in Review

Thirty-five years after the assassination of Bishop Romero, Communidades de Fe Organizadas para la Accion continues the struggle in El Salvador for dignity and human rights. In 2014 the daily face of injustice is violence, forced migration, and poverty.  In 2014, nearly 4000 people were killed in El Salvador (pop 6.3 mil) resulting in mass migration to the United States.  Like Romero, COFOA believes that real change will happen when ordinary people and their allies stand up.  In 2014 COFOA engaged a campaign to stop violence.

How?

A team of leaders reached out in municipalities across the Department of La Paz to congregations, schools, associations to ask people how violence affects their lives. They shared the fear and pain of gangs, threats, extortion, and murder. They also shared their ideas for solutions: training, employment, enforcement, prevention, standing up and speaking out.

Standing up and speaking out

And so they did. People, led by their clergy took to the streets in Barahona, Cuyultitan, and  San Juan Tepazontes. Thousands marched to say, STOP the VIOLENCE!  They also demanded that public officials and gang members join the community to bring the resources needed for a solution.

Partnering and planning

Modeled after efforts in San Pedro Nonualco where the community shaped a “dialogue and strategy table” that reduced crime and violence by 50% and increased  citizen involvement by 45%, COFOA leaders met with the Minister of Justice, Governor, Mayors, Police, along with other government, NGO and church officials  to secure commitments to bring needed resources to the table..

Becoming the solution

The first indicator of success is the placement of additional police officers in the Barahona and surrounding villages to institute a real community policing program. Up to 200 leaders are meeting weekly for training and planning with officials to build strategies for intervention and prevention.  There wereno homicide in Barahona last year.

Where are we going?

COFOA leaders believe La Paz can be a model for all of El Salvador and the Northern Triangle of Central America. Partnering with government, clergy, Catholic Relief Services, Caritas, and other NGOs, COFOA is dedicated to sharing the methodology of faith based organizing. When ordinary people own the problem and become the solution, the vision of Romero will flourish.