El Salvador: Healing wounds, new and old

Earlier this month, El Salvador suffered heavy rains and landslides resulting from Hurricane Ida. According to the National Police, the death toll is almost 200, many more are without homes. Most of the damage occurred in the eastern San Vicente region where many crops were destroyed. President Mauricio Funes declared a national emergency and seeks to deliver aid as fast as possible. According to Funes, lack of risk prevention and disregard for the deteriorating environment are partly to blame for the crisis.

In other news, Nov. 16 marked the 20th anniversary of the murders of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter while they slept, a brutal attack by members of the army during the height of the country’s civil war. President Funes presented the victims’ families with the country’s highest honor attempting to atone for past governments who historically downplayed or denied its suspected connections to the killings.

For more information on El Salvador’s current weather crisis, see the link below:

http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/World/Story/A1Story20091116-180190.html

For more information on the anniversary of those murdered on Nov. 16, 1989 see the link below:

http://www.laht.com/article.asp?ArticleId=347484&CategoryId=23558