AMERICA/EL SALVADOR - OAS and government together in the peace process, the truce between the gangs is a first step

Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Washington (Agenzia Fides) - The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Government of El Salvador signed a cooperation agreement and the creation of a mission of security assistance to support the process of social peace that has already obtained a first result with the truce between the gangs.
The truce of peace between the two main gangs in El Salvador, the MS-13 and Barrio 18, began in March 2012, with the decisive participation of the castrense bishop Monsignor Fabio Colindres and the social leader Raul Mijango, and with the support of OAS, through the Secretariat for Multidimensional Security (see Fides 19/06/2012).
The truce led to a considerable reduction in the murder rate from 14 to 5.9 murders per day.
The Secretary General of OAS, José Miguel Insulza, according to a note sent to Fides, said: "A year ago, the city of San Salvador was in third place in the list of the most violent cities in the world, now it is not on this list," then he added:" the truce between the gangs is only the beginning; to change the way of life of a significant number of young people, giving them hope, promote peace and rehabilitate them is a much more complex task." (CE) (Agenzia Fides 10/04/2013)


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