When you hear of police brutality in the United States, do you get angry? Do you feel a sense of righteousness that drives you to protest the deaths of civilians at the hands of police officers? Well, pack your bags, get your passports ready, and get ready to soak in the violence that is choking El Salvador. You've heard, right? The police and military forces are killing everyone you care about. You don't know? Well, let me help you grasp the gravity that is forcing this country down.
There is an extensive timeline that shows you how long El Salvador has been either at war, fighting for its independence, or in a time of bloodshed. Starting in the year 1811, the first battle for independence from Spain, all the way to the year 2016 El Salvador has not been able to maintain peace. In August 2015 El Salvador had 43 deaths in one day making it their bloodiest day yet. Many news media put the blame on gang wars in El Salvador making the gangs the problem there. This isn't the whole truth, though. During the late 1980's to early 1990's, El Salvador was caught in their own civil war. The right wing government had been committing many violations of human rights to the people of El Salvador. The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) felt that the government needed to answer to all the violations of human rights being committed so both sides ended up going to war. The war impacted the country on many levels such as an increase in poverty, an increase in mass migration, a decrease in the standard of living, and a decrease in unity. The gangs that inhabit the country now weren't always there. In fact, the gangs originated in California. The people that left the war in El Salvador were fleeing from the violence due to the war. Children were unable to attend school because of fear of being forced to join the government forces or FMLN forces. At times, people would be ripped from the homes and have their families threatened if they didn't choose a side to fight for. These circumstances caused the mass migration of Salvadorans to the United States. It was here that the gang, Mara Salvatrucha-13 (MS13), was created.
Today we find that the gang members have been deported to El Salvador and have found their home in worse conditions. The ending of the civil war left El Salvador in a worse economic, political, and social state. There are absolutely no opportunities available to those that have been deported back to El Salvador. To make matters worse, the people of El Salvador do not see the gang members as one of their own anymore. The members have adopted the American culture of tattoos, clothing, speech, and a violence that is not welcomed in El Salvador. They have found themselves the victim of segregation and discrimination in their home. This causes a higher rate of death, crime, and put fear into the eyes of El Salvador. The military and police responded back with violence against the gangs for the purpose of bringing order back to the country. The violence only worsened with this until the gangs and government came to a peace treaty. The treaty dropped the murder rate by more than half in 2012 and 2013. Unfortunately, the attorney general of El Salvador has begun to arrest any officials that have helped with the treaty. The plan here is to completely wipe out any of the gangs in El Salvador. In June 2015 there were 300 gang members murdered by police and only 50 soldiers and police. This is an effort made by the government to put an end to the gangs in El Salvador. Naturally, the gangs fight back by halting the bus lines that lead directly to the capital of El Salvador. In an effort to further strengthen the police, Salvadoran legislature has passed a law that labels the gangs as terrorists along with anyone that attempts to hold any peace treaties with them.
Needless to say, El Salvador is in need of reform. The civil war is still impacting the country in more ways than one. Our very own American policies that impact people of color in the states is adding on to that impact. Fortunately, many people in El Salvador understand that violence will not end violence. Many shop owners or farmers offer up sanction to the gang members that are asking for another peace treaty and reform. The government of El Salvador is against any efforts towards peace with the gangs and has continued to create death squads, military soldiers, and police, to murder gang members.
El Salvador is at war still. Where is their hashtag?
