“Church of the Poor” Revives in Defense of the Right to

SSALVANET
A Publication of Christians for Peace in El Salvador, CRISPAZ
“Church of the Poor” Revives in
Defense of the Right to Water
W
hen residents in Santa Eduviges
entered their second month
without running water,
somebody called a meeting. Community
members expressed outrage that the water
company’s $7 per month bill always arrived
on time, but taps barely flowed. When they
did, the liquid that came out was an ugly
brown.
That evening, police fired tear gas to dislodge
the crowd and arrested five people.
Dozens of communities here have stood up
for their right to water, but they usually do so
alone. Government officials try to squelch
such efforts, since they expose the
shortcomings of leadership. Communities
thus risk physical
repression at the
hands of police, and
the threat of becoming
endlessly entwined in
El
Salvador’s
medusa-like legal and
penal systems.
Anger
quickly
turned toward
system operator
Roberto Saprissa.
He received the
money, but was
doing nothing to fix
More often than not, a
the
system’s
community’s right to
p r o b l e m s .
water goes un-heeded
R e s i d e n t s
because the potential
complained that
service
under “Water is Life, to Privatize it is a Crime.” Inaugural rally benefits of water
access are outweighed
of the National Forum for the Defense of the
Saprissa
was
by the very real
Sustainability
and
the
Right
to
Water
(credit:
J.
Wallach)
deficient, polluted
drawbacks
of
and un-hygienic.
Even after endless meetings with bureaucratic sloth and repressive state action.
governmental officials, the company simply Clergy Take a Leading Role
did not respond.
In Santa Eduviges, things were different.
Jailed for Being Thirsty
In the town assembly, the community
discussed the issue and came to a decision.
Days later on Sept. 7, residents of this small
community near the San Salvador suburb of
Soyapango, overtook the Gold Highway that
leads into the Capital. Young and old
occupied the busy thoroughfare from the
morning rush until 6 pm. The community
made their demand clear: “Clean water and
clean management!”
While government officials and local media
tried to paint the protesters as being
manipulated by radicals, a number of clergy
stepped up to support the community in their
demands.
“Today we gather to celebrate our faith in
community, in this community of Santa
Eduviges, that finds itself standing in
struggle, with its leaders jailed, with the joy
of struggle for justice, and with hope for
(CHURCH continued next page)
Winter 2006/2007 • Page 1
Winter
2006/7
Water as a
Public Right
From the Editor
2
Water: the Worship
Resource Guide
3
Bishop Urges Unity on
Water Issues
4
Honoring Alberto and
Pablito
5
Water Quiz
6
Faith-based Move
Toward Water
Sustainability
7
Erin Bids Farewell
8
CRISPAZ, Christians for
Peace in El Salvador, was
founded in 1984. We are a
faith-based organization
dedicated to mutual
accompaniment with the
church of the poor and
marginalized communities
in El Salvador.
In building bridges of
solidarity between communities in El Salvador and
those in our home countries, we strive together for
peace, justice and
human liberation. As an
organization,
we are nonpartisan and
committed to
nonviolence.
In Focus
From the Editor
Although it is no longer the rule, many people in the U.S. take clean
water for granted. Water flows in (and out) of our homes without us
giving it much thought. Not true in El Salvador, where only about 60
% of homes have water piped in. Even if you are lucky enough to
have a faucet in your house, there’s no guarantee it will run. (…but
the bill comes anyway.)
From a bird’s eye, El Salvador seems to have an abundant water
supply with an ample number river basins, springs and aquifers.
Closer to the ground, we find a different story.
The problems of water management here are extensive and
complex, but they can be boiled down to three primary categories:
management, access, and quality. To get each of these on track
will require massive citizen participation on all levels. Churches
throughout El Salvador have taken leading roles in these struggles.
Water is an issue over which “the church of the poor” has dusted
itself off and is working in close contact with communities, who are
finding a collective voice by addressing the thirst that binds them.
Two divergent visions compete for the future of water management
in El Salvador and worldwide. On one hand, the corporate vision—
being pushed through CAFTA, the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB) and the WTO—eyes water’s profitability in its inevitable
and growing scarcity. Corporations want to gulp up the plentiful
aquifers and convert them into “blue gold.” If prices rise, the logic
goes, then even the poorest will pay, since water is essential
commodity.
The other view, shared by the UN, the World Council of Churches,
Catholic Relief Services and environmental groups, states that
water access is a basic human right. Since water is essential for
life, it should not come at an exorbitant price, nor line the pockets of
profiteers. Water nourishes the spirit as well as the body, as
evidenced by countless references to water in Scripture. From this
point of view, people should have access to water unconditionally.
The battle for which vision wins out in El Salvador is far from over,
but some major chapters in that history will be scribed in the
coming months.
In this issue of Salvanet, we look at water in El Salvador. What’s
going on, what needs to be done and how faith-based efforts are
making a difference for all Salvadorans. I hope you find hope in
what we present here. More than that, I hope you take action to
create water sustainability, whether that’s support the growing
consciousness here or in your own community.
victory,” declared Rev. Roberto Piñeda from the
Popular Lutheran Church.
He spoke from an impromptu roadside service held
on the Gold Highway, where residents had
maintained a plantón, a sit-in protest, to demand
the release of their family members. They no longer
blocked the road, but nevertheless handed flyers to
passing motorists to ask for their support.
Piñeda and other pastors from the church backed
the Santa Eduviges action by obtaining legal council
and visiting the arrestees in jail. This act alone
probably cut the jail time from unending weeks to a
livable six days. The pastors also held a press
conference, posted information on a website
(www.ecumenico.org) and maintained constant
contact with national human rights organizations.
Pastor Ricardo Cornejo said, “Yesterday we had a
pastoral visit with our brothers Salvador, Miguel
Ángel, Arnoldo, Vladimir y Efrén. They are in good
spirits and proud to come from a community that
doesn’t get intimidated by PNC (national civil
police) repression.”
Days later, activist Efrén Mejía walked out of jail
and proclaimed, “We are free and the community
of Santa Eduviges will have water.” Miraculously,
ANDA (the national water company) agreed to take
over management from the negligent “owner” and
provide water for the community. Charges were
dropped against the participants in the civil
disobedience.
“Once again, this experience shows us that through
struggle, you find victory,” said Mejía.
Eight Salvadoran Diocese Commit to Water
Access for the Poor
Churches have also been active in the Salvadoran
struggle to stop water privatization. Ramón Morán
is in charge of Cáritas’ education and organizing
work around water. The Cáritas organization works
through El Salvador’s eight diocese and is dedicated
to promoting and defending human dignity.
Internationally, Cáritas runs programs in more
than 200 countries.
Morán is particularly concerned about a proposed
General Water Law that would ostensibly privatize
El Salvador’s water. Representatives from the right
wing ARENA party have said they will introduce
--Jason Wallach, Editor
(CHURCH continued on page 11)
Page 2
•
SALVANET
Photo credit: J. Wallach
Water: A Resource Guide for Worship
Water in Scripture
From the waters of the deep referenced in Genesis to the
“river of the water of life” in Revelation, water plays a
prominent role in our scriptural and liturgical tradition.
Arising from a semi-arid part of the world, the Bible
exhibits a keen understanding of how essential water is to
life and the dire consequences that arise when water is
scarce. Suggested passages for reflection:
Gen. 1:1-10 Creation of land and seas
Ex.14:21-29 Parting the Red Sea
Ex. 17:3-7
Water from the rock
Ps. 107:35-41 He turns deserts into pools
Pr. 25:21
Give water to your enemies
Is. 21:14
Bring water to the thirsty
Is. 35:6-7
Waters shall break forth in the desert
Is. 55:1
Everyone who thirsts, come
Matt. 25:31-45
I was thirsty and you gave me drink
John 4:7-15 Woman at the well
Rev. 22:1-2 The river of the water of life
When the poor and needy seek water,
I will open rivers on the bare heights,
and fountains in the midst of the valleys;
I will make the wilderness a pool of water,
and the dry land springs of water.
Songs:
All Things Bright and Beautiful
For the Healing of the Nations
I am the Light of the World
In Christ There is No East or West
I’ve Got Peace Like a River
Let Justice Flow Like Streams
O For a World
The Water is Wide
Wade in the Water
We Shall Gather at the River
Winter 2006/2007 • Page 3
More liturgy available at: http://
www.churchworldservice.org/
worship-resources/worship-water.html
Isaiah 41:17-18
Well springs
Bishop of Chalatenango Urges Public
Participation in Nurturing Water Sustainability
This homily was delivered by
Monseñor Eduardo Alas, Bishop
of the Diocese of Chalatenango,
at the first meeting of the
National Forum for the Defense
of the Sustainability and Right to
Water on July 14, 2006.
see this liquid with other eyes. To
see if we are valuing this element,
water, until we are able to treat it
with respect, because water is one
of the most abused resources. We
waste it, let it run and until recently
we gave it away.
Photo : J. Wallach
We have not placed
enough value on water
and so we do not respect
it. We are unable to
understand the value that
it has for our own lives
and for all living things. So
then, in not valuing water
we underestimate it and
we pollute it, poison it,
waste it and let it be lost,
abusing it.
Water is a gift from God, a gift from
God from which life originates.
Water is an element with creative
power. Year after year, we witness
a patented miracle. When the first
rainstorm falls, everything is dead,
dry. When the first storm comes,
we then notice that many living
things were dead. It is until the first
storm that the earth brings forth life
once again. What has happened?
Water has arrived! Water is life and
the generator of life.
Among all of the natural resources,
that which is most ours is water.
We are ourselves principally made
of water. I am water. How much
water is there in each one of us! We
are water. Take the water out of
us and we die. It is the most vital
thing that I have in my body. If we
don’t have water, then we don’t
have life.
It’s important that we be aware of
this reality so that we can start to
We do not allow water the physical
space to spring out of the core of
the earth or rain down from
heaven. We do not allow it to pass
through this process.
To act against water is to act
against life and life is sacred.
The first thing that we must do is
become conscientious and value
this vital element. But…are we
really aware that we need this
urgently? We can not play around
with these issues, nor can we treat
them lightly, nor make these issues
fashionable, something that is
simply on the national or
international agenda right now.
It’s not a fashionable issue; it’s an
exclusive issue because it is vital.
We should pass from words to
awareness and really understand
the issue, so that we are not playing
with water, so that we are not just
using the issue.
We need to take a stance because
there are many discourses and
actions asking for water, but the
question really is, am I ready to
start to change my attitude
towards this vital liquid and make
a true and serious commitment and
not use it to win votes or favor or
money?
We are playing with life. We must
make a commitment to see what
can be done, what alliances we can
build to work together with a valid,
lasting and sustainable response,
and to find the methods that give
real and viable results.
This issue could lend itself to
leadership winning favor or
money, but we should give up our
positions and interests and make
this purpose the center of our
activity.
“To act against
water is to act
against life and life
is sacred.”
--Monseñor Alas, Bishop of
Chalatenango and President of
Cáritas El Salvador
There are certain publications,
actions, meetings and including
opposition to different actions, but
where are the real proposals that
are going to solve this problem? We
have to solve it, because our life
(BISHOP continued on page 10)
Page 4
•
SALVANET
Honoring Those Who Have Left Us...
CRISPAZ regrets to announce the passing of
brother Alberto Masferrer, who passed away
on August 5, 2006 from complications related
to cancer. He was the keyboardist for the
musical group, Exceso de Equipaje. (Excess
Baggage), known to many CRISPAZ
supporters. He was nephew of the noted
Salvadoran author and poet of the same
name (Alberto Masferrer, 1868-1932).
Exceso was formed nine years ago by
members of a number of historically
recognized musical groups in El Salvador. In
recent years Exceso played as a trio, but the
“super group” remained dedicated to
keeping Salvadoran historic memory alive
through music.
CRISPAZ has four focus areas:
† Economics for People
† Rural Community Accompaniment
† South-North Solidarity
† Alternatives for High-Risk Youth
Exceso de Equipaje
keyboardist Alberto
Masferrer (left) died of
cancer on Aug. 5th. The
group continues to play
as a duo.
They modeled songs off the words of Latin
American poets and religious themes. The group shared stages with
many musical and literary heroes, among them: Luis Enrique Mejía
Godoy, Carlos Mejía Godoy y los de Palacaguina, Los Guaraguao,
Guillermo Anderson, Miriam Quiñones y Delfor Sombra.
Exceso continues to play as a duo. The group has released three CDs:
Regalo para el niño (“A Present for the Child”) (1998), Misa Mesoamericana
(“Meso-American Mass”)(2000), and Dos Alas (“Two Wings,” see page 9)
(2000)
... and Those Who’ve Just Arrived
Look at that hair!
The newest member of
the CRISPAZ community,
Pablo Gabriel Garcia
Rikkers, was born
June, 26, 2006 to
CRISPAZ El Salvador
Country Coordinator
Jeanne Rikkers and her
husband, Gilberto Garcia.
Winter 2006/2007 • Page 5
SALVANET , a project of CRISPAZ,
is published four times a year.
Jason Wallach, Editor
CRISPAZ Board Members:
Chris Nauman, Chair
Bill Van Lopik, Vice Chair
Brenda Hilger, Secretary
Patricia Best Dion, Treasurer
Claudia Asprer
Don Barker
Angela Casanova
Arrington Chambliss
Joseph Currie, S.J.
Peter Hinde, O. Carm.
Chris Janezic
Bob Lassalle-Klein
Sue Lake
Rev. Dan Long
Kelli Oborn
Sue Severin
Sam Weller
Jon Weller
CRISPAZ Staff:
Idalia Argueta, Youth Program Coordinator
Sister Barbara Ficker, US Coordinator
Elizabeth Hernández, ES Office Admin.
Ileana Matamoros, EPP Coordinator
Marielle Murphy-Perez, ESE Coord.
Eduardo Perdomo, Reception
Cristina Pineda, ESE Assistant
Jeanne Rikkers, El Salvador Coordinator
Javier Rivera, RCA Coordinator
Tedde Simon, Human Relations
Jason Wallach, Communications
Liz Whynott, Administrative Assistant
Erin Yost García, SNS Coordinator
CRISPAZ Volunteers:
Colette Hellenkamp, Youth Program
Sally Hansen, RCA
Kate Herbert, RCA
Megan Horton, SNS & Youth
Special thanks to Erin for her translations
and editing!
CRISPAZ relies on your contributions to
produce this publication and to continue
our accompaniment with the Salvadoran
people.
All contributions are tax deductible.
For more information about our programs
or to contribute, please contact:
CRISP
AZ
-US
CRISPAZ
AZ-US
2 Lexington Street
East Boston, MA 02128
Phone: 617.445.5115
E-mail: [email protected]
CRISPAZ Wellsprings
W
ater is a symbol of life. The Bible affirms water as the cradle of
life, an expression of God’s grace in perpetuity for the whole
of creation (Gen 2:5ff). It is a basic condition for all life on
Earth (Gen 1:2ff.) and is to be preserved and shared for the benefit of all
creatures and the wider creation. Water is the source of health and wellbeing and requires responsible action from us human beings, as partners
and priests of Creation (Rom 8:19 ff., Rev 22).
As churches, we are called to participate in the mission of God to bring
about a new creation where life in abundance is assured to all
(John 10:10; Amos 5:24). It is therefore right to speak out and to act
when the life-giving water is pervasively and systematically under threat.
Access to freshwater supplies is becoming an urgent matter across the
planet. The survival of 1.2 billion people is currently in jeopardy due to lack
of adequate water and sanitation. Unequal access to water causes conflicts
between and among people, communities, regions and nations.
Biodiversity is also threatened by the depletion and pollution of fresh water
resources or through impacts of large dams, large scale mining and hot
cultures (irrigation) whose construction often involves the forced
displacement of people and disruption of the ecosystem. The integrity and
balance of the ecosystem is crucial for the access to water. Water is
increasingly treated as a commercial good, subject to market conditions.
Scarcity of water is also a growing source of conflict. Agreements
concerning international watercourses and river basins need to be more
concrete, setting out measures to enforce treaties made and incorporating
detailed conflict resolution mechanisms in case disputes erupt.
Both locally and internationally there are positive and creative responses to
raise the profile of Christian witness to water issues.
Churches in Brazil and in Switzerland, for instance, have made a Joint
Ecumenical Declaration on Water as a Human Right and a Common
Public Good. Churches in various countries and their specialized ministries
have joined together in the Ecumenical Water Network in working for
the provision of freshwater and adequate sanitation and advocating for the
right to water. The United Nations has called for an International Decade
for Action, Water for Life, 2005 to 2015.
It is essential for churches and Christian agencies to work together and to
seek co-operation with other partners, including other faith traditions and
NGOs, and particularly those organizations that work with vulnerable and
marginalized populations who hold similar ethical convictions. This is
essential to promote the significance of the right to water and to point to
alternative ways of living, which are more respectful of ecological processes
and more sustainable in the longer term.
This statement on ‘Water for Life’ was adopted at the ninth assembly of
the World Council of Churches (WCC), held in Porto Alegre, Brazil,
February 13 - 26, 2006. ✛
Water Quiz: How much do you know
about the world’s most precious resource?
1.
How many people lack access to water?
a. 3 billion
2.
b. none
d. Over 1 billion
What percent of the human body consists of water?
a. between 60 and 70 percent
c. between 25 and 35 percent
3.
c. 500 million
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b. about 10 percent
d. 90 percent
How is water related to the World Trade Organisation (WTO)?
a. the WTO is not concerned with water
b. the WTO was founded, among other reasons, to find solutions for the water crises
c. the WTO fights in the worldwide movement for the Right to Water
d. the WTO pushes liberalization of the water market through the General
Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS)
4.
Why is water a Human Right?
a. because Jesus walked on water
b. the UN declared it so within the 2002 Declaration of Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
c. because water is essential for life and every person needs access to water
d. it is declared so in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948
Page 6
•
SALVANET
Anatomy of an Alternative:
Clergy Team Up with Environmentalists to
Preserve the Sustainability and Sacred Character of Water
W
hen the Salvadoran
government signed off on
$60 million loan for “hydrosector reform” with the Inter-American
Development Bank (IDB) in 1998, the
Catholic-based group Cáritas saw the
writing on the wall. Analysts at Cáritas
noted that even though the term
“privatization” was never used in the loan
ostensibly obligated the government to
privatize water systems through a
scheme called “concessioning.”
Under the concession scheme, municipal
governments sign 50-year contracts with
private maintenance companies, like the
US-based Bechtel, to run their water
systems. The conversion from
government-subsidized water systems
to for-profit, commercial operation has
often meant sky rocketing water rates,
service deficiencies and decreased
water quality.
Cáritas joined with the prominent
environmental group, UNES, to begin
organizing with parishioners and create
an alternative to a government proposal.
The alternative was developed in close
consulation with 73 rural communities
and presented to the Legislative Assembly
on World Water Day, March 22. The
proposal was delivered by 5000-strong
march organized by Cáritas, UNES, and
SETA, the water worker’s union.
Those groups recently inaugurated the
National Forum for the Defense of the
Sustainability and the Right to Water.
Here are some of the key points of the
Cáritas-UNES proposal:
(Source: “Toward Sustainable Water
Management in El Salvador”; Cáritas/
UNES, August 2005)
Winter 2006/2007 • Page 7
Water is a public resource, not a commodity to be
bought or sold—As a vital element for all life, water
is a resource of strategic national interest. The State
should never renounce its water management role
and should continue to guarantee water access and
sustainability for all Salvadorans.
Recognize water’s societal function —
Prioritize the provision of potable water to families,
especially poor families, to improve the quality of
life. This priority should be favored over the provision of water for industrial
or commercial use.
Recognize the environmental significance of water —
Water should not only been seen as a “natural
resource” to be managed, but as the source of
life without which human existence would not
be possible. The water cycle is linked to the
vitality of other important environmental
elements like soil health and climate. “Crimes
against water”—such as chemical dumping,
etc.—should be clearly outlined in the criminal
code.
River basins are the center of water management—
To support sustainable management, the watershed
should be established as the reference point for all
environmental management in El Salvador. Action
should be taken to maintain, protect, and/or re-establish
healthy ecosystems within each watershed, taking into
account the various factors in each basin.
Special status for the Lempa River Basin—
Special attention should be paid to the deteriorated state
of the Lempa River, where 60% of Salvadoran water
consumption originates. Since the Lempa flows in
Honduras and Guatemala, international agreements
regarding river basins that cross borders should be abided. It is not an
exaggeration to say that the future of the Lempa River in good measure defines
the future of El Salvador.✛
Photos (top to bottom): World Water Day: Youth from Panchimalco march to
Legislative Assembly; Ramón Morán of Cáritas signs a copy of the alternative
proposal moments before it is delivered to Legislators; Lutheran Bishop Medardo
Gomez addresses the inaugural rally of the National Forum in Defense of the
Sustainability and the Right to Water, October 17, 2006. Credit: Jason Wallach
CRISPAZ Connections
Erin Yost García Bids CRISPAZ Farewell After Five Years
Over the 5 years that I have worked with CRISPAZ I have said a lot of goodbyes
to folks on delegations, to volunteers and co-workers who make up the
CRISPAZ family. I never gave much thought to the day that people would be
throwing me a farewell party. But after a lot of discernment, I came to the
very difficult reality that it is time for me to move on.
Erin Yost García
started working with
CRISPAZ as the SIP
Program Coordinator in
2002. She’s been
Coordinator of the
South-North Solidarity
Program since 2003.
For many, CRISPAZ and the Salvadoran people have played a huge role in
opening our eyes to the difficult realities that the world’s poor majority endures.
When I first arrived in El Salvador, I experienced something new and exciting
everyday: the way the rains made everything come alive, visiting different
organizations and hearing about their work to educate and organize, traveling
out in the countryside and talking to people about their crops, their pasts, and
their dreams.
After a year or so of getting to know El Salvador, I felt a deeper understanding
and commitment to accompaniment and justice. And after almost 5 years of
working to build Solidarity between North Americans and Salvadorans, El
Salvador is my home. The people I work with are my family.
Since coming to CRISPAZ and El Salvador, I have grown in ways that I never
would have in the United States. I have experienced things that shook me up and
that have pained me deeply. I have choked back tears as I translated the stories of
women being tortured and losing their babies as a result. I didn’t let their pain
overcome me until the end of the day when I went home.
“I walked the
hills of
Chalatenango,
where people
once found
refuge from
bombers flying
overhead...”
I walked the hills of Chalatenango, where people once found refuge from
bombers flying overhead, and wondered if I could have survived it. I met
young men and women in prisons and listened to their stories about being
abused, neglected and the violence they suffered. I shared their hopes for
a better life, but was left feeling that this country has nothing to offer them.
Last week, I attended an event commemorating the life and work of Herbert
Anaya, a human rights activist who was murdered by death squads. He
was the father of my friend and former CRISPAZ staffer, Rosa. To see
Rosa and her family at the event, organizing, remembering, celebrating
and crying was bitter sweet. This was the courage of the Salvadoran people
come to life, their refusal to let the memory of those who fought for justice
die.
In her reflection, Rosa talked about the pain of living with the daily death
and violence that surrounds us. I realized that I, too, share this pain and
the fear that comes with it. The fear that the violence will continue because
we choose apathy over standing up for what we know is just.
As Rosa read her reflection, I felt sad because I would no longer be a part of an
organization that is dedicated to educating my people about peace, justice and
liberation through the testimony of El Salvadorans. But, despite that sadness, I
know that CRISPAZ has helped me lay the foundation for future work. I will still
be part of that struggle.
(ERIN continued on page 11)
Page 8
•
SALVANET
1. How many people lack access to clean water?
Answer: D
Today about 1.2 billion people lack access to sufficient and
clean drinking water. 6000 people around the world die each
day from the consequences. According to the United Nations
and other specialists the situation will become even more
critical, with the most alarming projections that in 2050 nearly
7 billion people “will live water-scarce lives”. One of the
Millennium Development Goals is to reduce by half the
number of people without access to a sufficient and safe
drinking water supply and basic sanitation by 2015; the UN
declared 2005 to 2015 as the International Decade “Water for
Life”.
(sources: UN World Water Development Report Water for
People Water for Life,
http://www.unesco.org/water/wwap/index.shtml,
http://www.un.org/waterforlifedecade/ )
2. What percent of the human body consists of water?
Answer: A
Between 60 and 70 percent of the human body consist of
water. A human being can not survive more than 3 days
Dos Alas (Two Wings)
Exceso de Equipaje
(see related story on page 5)
Based on the poem “Ascension”
(poem: Alfredo Espino/ music: Guillermo Cuellar)
(translated by Erin Yost García)
Two wings!...who would have two wings for flight!
This afternoon on the summit I almost had them.
From here I see the ocean, so blue so asleep,
That if it weren’t the sea, it could be another sky...
Summits, divine summits, lofty look outs...
How small the men!
The rumors of down below, of mire, do not reach here,
Nor the terrifying scream with which desire wails,
Nor the boundless clamor of evil passions...
The vile does not ascend:
This summit is the kingdom of the bird and the cloud.
Two wings!...who would have two wings for flight!
This afternoon on the summit I almost had them.
From here I see the ocean, so blue so asleep,
that if it weren’t the sea, it could be another sky...
Winter 2006/2007 • Page 9
without water. A human being requires between 25 and 30
litres per day to ensure the basic need for water for personal
and domestic use.
(sources: www.wikipedia.org, http://www.unesco.org/
water/wwap/facts_figures/basic_needs.shtml )
3. How is water related to the World Trade Organisation
(WTO)?
Answer: D
The General Agreement on Trade in Services (GATS) was
established in 1995 as part of the World Trade Organisation
(WTO). It aims to promote further liberalization of services.
In the treaty, water management and distribution are treated
like environmental services. The European Union, e.g., as
member of the WTO and home to the largest water
companies, demands the liberalization of the water market
in over 60 developing countries and thus strongly promotes
the commercialization of water worldwide. Water in GATS
is still being negotiated.
Within the World Water Movement, the Ecumenical Water
Network demands that water be taken out of these and other
commercial negotiations.
(sources: http://www.menschen-recht-wasser.de/warewasser/488_ENG_HTML.php,
http://www.wdm.org.uk/campaigns/GATS.htm )
4. Why is water a Human Right?
Answer: B and C
In 2002, the United Nations (UN) declared in the
General Comment Nr. 15 of the Committee on
Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, that “the human
right to water entitles everyone to sufficient, safe and
acceptable, physical accessible and affordable water
for personal and domestic use” (para. 2). This
declaration is seen as a milestone by the international
Water Movement - up to this point the right to water
had not been explicitly stated.
(source: http://www.menschen-recht-wasser.de/
menschenrecht-wasser/
492_ENG_HTML.php)
Produced by the Ecumenical
Water Network
(www.menschen-rechtwasser.de) ✛
Photo: J. Wallach
Answers to Water Quiz (from pg. 6)
(BISHOP continued from page 4)
depends on it. We can’t go around putting out little
fires; this is a fire that we won’t be able to put out if
we don’t go into it as a group truly working together.
We should be united, from where we are, until we
arrive at the issue of water, putting aside our own
interests. If we don’t, we will wear ourselves out
and the situation of water will be worse off.
Water is poisoned because we have not been
conscious of the fact that
there is a serious problem and
that if we do not join together
to respond to it, we will not
find a solution. Because
really, we would all like to
solve the problem, but who is
doing that?
water because people don’t have water, because there
is not enough.
We are not going to drown in the flood, but we will die
of thirst. We mustn’t wait for that to convince ourselves
that there’s a problem that we must mitigate or solve.
It is up to us and we are many, we must unite in order
to have a voice and to find solutions together, real
solutions. Even if they are small
solutions, they must be on track
to resolve the problem. There
isn’t going to be water: What are
we waiting for to take this
problem seriously?
“We should be
united, and put aside
our differences when
we arrive at the issue
of water.”
What advances are we going to
make with this assembly? Alone,
we can achieve nothing, we can
only advance if we are together,
united, only joining forces and
the resources that we have,
because the problem is so serious
that if we are not united, we will
There are even actions that
deny the great need for water.
--Monseñor Alas
Tree
planting
and
reforestation are not being
supported and we know the
direct damage that this causes
die of thirst divided.
to aquifers and no one is conducting any serious
projects. There are romantic projects, for photo Some people will have water, but what about the
people, those in need? There already are sectors where
opportunities, but it ends there.
you turn on the faucet and there’s no water. We can’t
We have to start to change attitudes because they wait, we can’t digress in discussions. We must work
walk hand in hand with Testimony. We have to together, because together we have influence.
become Apostles on this issue to help and correct.
As humans, we do not believe until we see that there I am a campesino and I see reality. Before there was a
is no remedy. We don’t think, we don’t know thirst, waterfall here, but they cut down the tree that gave it
shade and it dried up. They cut it down to grow crops
we don’t know what it is to die of thirst.
and the water disappeared. The reality is that there
Reading the Bible, I found that there was a flood will not be water.
that was announced, prophesized and the people
didn’t believe it was true until they were drowning. Water is being privatized. The large countries are
God promised that there would be no more floods privatizing water. The CEL (El Salvador’s Hydroelectric
and I felt relieved that we wouldn’t die drowning, Agency --ed.) is privatizing the water from the dams.
but I would like to find words that say that we will Ownership is being taken over water by unscrupulous
not die of thirst. And thirst is upon us. We don’t people and here no one is excluded.
believe that the campesino will have to walk miles Defending water is defending myself. Fighting for water
and miles with his bucket to find water.
is to fight for survival. This isn’t about convincing
In Brazil I bought a medium sized bottle of water
for $2 and a large bottle for $4 and still we do not
believe.
They say that water will be more expensive than
petroleum, than gasoline. Because there will be no
more water! There are already actions to demand
anyone or motivation. It’s about everyone becoming
conscientious. This is a personal matter. What will
happen if we don’t protect it, if we don’t take care of it,
if we don’t defend it? That is the issue.✛
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SALVANET
(CHURCH from page 2)
their water reform bill in November. A similar measure was
introduced in August 2005, but withdrawn by ARENA
deputies after a firestorm of popular opposition.
According to Morán, Cáritas is defending poor folks’ access
to water in two ways: through popular education and by
organizing a grassroots base that expresses itself politically.
“So far, we’ve worked with the technicians from the diocese
and held two workshops on watershed management. We’ve
worked with the communities by involving them in the
development of a proposal for an alternative General Water
Law that was presented to the Legislative Assembly [last
March 22].”
The Cáritas proposal was developed through a constant
consultation with 73 base communities that identified the
major (and some minor) issues linked to water management.
UNES, a prominent environmental group, provided technical
support and integrated the communities’ concerns into the
alternative proposal. The result is a truly grassroots document
that would, if enacted, provide for sustainable management
of water and expanded access for rural communities, where
only 2 in 5 enjoy potable water.
After the completion of the proposal, Caritas drew from its
large base of parishoners and organized a march to coincide
with World Water Day (March 22). The 5000-strong march,
(ERIN from page 8)
Of course, there are many things I will miss: the excitement
of meeting folks who come to El Salvador for the first time,
being part of an experience that helps people see beyond their
own world helping people get past the language barrier and
enjoying the evening reflections at the guesthouse.
As my departure from CRISPAZ draws nearer, I look forward
to sharing time with my family in the US and then return
again to my family in El Salvador to make new plans.
Perhaps the thing that makes it easier for me to move on is
the realization that there are so many of you who believe in
Solidarity and the struggle for justice, and knowing that
CRISPAZ will continue to make connections and build
bridges with the people of El Salvador. And I am proud to
have had a hand in that.
And so I say farewell, and thank you to all of you who are
committed to Solidarity and who support CRISPAZ. I hope
that you continue to believe in our work and to walk with us
and with the people of El Salvador.✛
Winter 2006/2007 • Page 11
which also included support from UNES, and SETA, the water
worker’s union, delivered to the proposal to the doors of the
Legislative Assembly, where it faces an uphill battle for
approval.
Water Sustainability vs. Privatization
A 1998 loan from the Inter-American Development Bank
(IDB) for $60 million obligated the Salvadoran government
to begin a series of “concession” schemes—50-year contracts
granted by local governments to private water management
companies. So far, the government has been unable to pass
legislation—like the impending ARENA proposal—and
begin widespread implementation of concessions.
Religious leaders have rejected “concessions” as a back-door
privatization that would allow the Federal Government to
evade its constitutional responsibility to provide water for
all Salvadorans, regardless of poor people’s ability to pay.
Similar schemes in other Latin American countries have led
to rate spikes of 200%, and significant reductions in quality
and access.
Current Law governing water-sector management impedes
concessions, since under the Salvadoran Constitution, ANDA
(the state-run water works) is the sole guarantor and provider
of water services wherever it operates. ANDA subsidizes costs
and administers water systems in 162 of El Salvador’s 262
municipalities. Its reign includes all of the larger water
systems (Santa Ana, San Salvador, and San Miguel).
The IDB loan instructs the Federal government to dismantle
ANDA’s administrative role and encourages the creation of
a new water commission, which would be defined differently
under the constitution than ANDA.
Until now, the government hasn’t been able to push through
the IDB’s suggestions, but the political calculus of water
management changed after this year’s March elections.
ARENA and the PCN political parties won control of a 44vote majority in the Legislative Assembly. In May, President
Tony Saca exacted a shakeup at ANDA and named ARENA
leader Cesar Fúnes to guide the privatization process. His
first act as President of the government entity was to declare
that the government’s reform law would be presented before
the end of the year.
Caritas faces some tough challenges: powerful corporate
interests and their allies in the Salvadoran government are
pushing for privatization. But Moran remains positive:
“We have to educate about water issues so that people in the
communities can become conscious of what is necessary for
water conservation.”✛
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SALVANET