In the morning we went to Pro-Busqueda, which is an agency that helps to re-unite children from the El Salvadoran civil war with their families of origin. During the civil war in El Salvador (1980-1992), the military of El Salvador sought to exterminate the land of the indigent peasant persons. These individuals had been so oppressed by their government and through colonization that they were trying to reclaim their voice and fight for basic civil liberties such as a fair wage for work, the opportunity to own and to claim the land on which they worked, and to have education and health for their families. The military of the El Salvadoran government had been corrupt for many years as a dictatorship. Then, the corruption continued even as a democracy and military power and presence continued to grow through financial aid of The United States government, specifically the Reagan Administration. As a result, the people of El Salvador were terrorized, raped, and tortured. All of this was done under the false-pretense of eradication of "Communism." What actually happened was that the country experienced conditions similar to genocide thanks in part to the $1.5 million dollars/day that was pumped into the country from the USA. The war lasted an agonizing 12 years.
The government of El Salvador would raid the countryside and stalk and murder families that were a part of the resistance, also known as Guerilla movement. When the parents of the children had been imprisoned or tortured, the government would take the children away from them and would bring them to camps or hospitals. The military would either give the children away to other military members or they would sell the children into adoptions. The bulk of the children were sold (around $20,000/per child) to families within the USA through adoptions. The government of El Salvador pocketed these dollars and turned the trafficking of children into a lucrative business. Pro-Busqueda estimates that 5,000 children were sold via adoption into the USA alone. The adoptive families were told that the parents of the child(ren) had died in the war. The children were re-programmed to forget their lives, their names, and their heritage. It wasn't until a few years ago and the dedication of a priest, Padre Jon Cortina, and others that the search for these missing children was brought to light. Pro-Busqueda works very hard to assist families in El Salvador with the search for their missing child or to assist persons who were adopted who are seeking to reconnect with their families of origin. The work that they do is unbelievably difficult and is so critical to the healing process within this country. The effects of the civil war still permeate this country and will not soon be forgotten.
The government of El Salvador would raid the countryside and stalk and murder families that were a part of the resistance, also known as Guerilla movement. When the parents of the children had been imprisoned or tortured, the government would take the children away from them and would bring them to camps or hospitals. The military would either give the children away to other military members or they would sell the children into adoptions. The bulk of the children were sold (around $20,000/per child) to families within the USA through adoptions. The government of El Salvador pocketed these dollars and turned the trafficking of children into a lucrative business. Pro-Busqueda estimates that 5,000 children were sold via adoption into the USA alone. The adoptive families were told that the parents of the child(ren) had died in the war. The children were re-programmed to forget their lives, their names, and their heritage. It wasn't until a few years ago and the dedication of a priest, Padre Jon Cortina, and others that the search for these missing children was brought to light. Pro-Busqueda works very hard to assist families in El Salvador with the search for their missing child or to assist persons who were adopted who are seeking to reconnect with their families of origin. The work that they do is unbelievably difficult and is so critical to the healing process within this country. The effects of the civil war still permeate this country and will not soon be forgotten.
The website for Pro-Busqueda is: www.probusqueda.org.sv
Don't forget about our precious Jimmy Carter - he had a penchant for sending lots of money to the ARENA party too. ;-)
ReplyDelete