http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/274195
In 2006 the government of El Salvador replaced lawful dissent with U.S.-inspired anti-terrorism legislation as its national policy. In return, the Salvadoran people are offering Americans an object lesson in the value of our Bill of Rights.
On the morning of July 2, 2007, 400 Salvadorans who were waiting for buses to take them to the central square in Suchitoto to attend a forum on the privatization of water utilities were accused of blocking the road and were attacked by police firing rubber bullets and tear gas. Three were arrested.
...
The fate of the Suchitoto 13 should be of particular interest to Americans who value the right to lawful dissent and free speech. El Salvador's Decree 108 was not only modeled on the USA Patriot Act, but the vagueness and ambiguity of its language rival that used in the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, passed by the U.S. House in December and now in the Senate. The language in both countries' anti-terrorism legislation has been crafted so that constitutionally protected dissent can be prosecuted as acts of terrorism and result in draconian sentences.
El Salvador's right-wing government has close ties to the Bush administration. It was with the urging and support from the Oval Office that Saca was able to implement the Central America Free Trade Agreement in March 2006. Salvadoran critics of CAFTA say it was no coincidence that the anti-terrorism legislation was enacted six months later.
In 2006 the government of El Salvador replaced lawful dissent with U.S.-inspired anti-terrorism legislation as its national policy. In return, the Salvadoran people are offering Americans an object lesson in the value of our Bill of Rights.
On the morning of July 2, 2007, 400 Salvadorans who were waiting for buses to take them to the central square in Suchitoto to attend a forum on the privatization of water utilities were accused of blocking the road and were attacked by police firing rubber bullets and tear gas. Three were arrested.
...
The fate of the Suchitoto 13 should be of particular interest to Americans who value the right to lawful dissent and free speech. El Salvador's Decree 108 was not only modeled on the USA Patriot Act, but the vagueness and ambiguity of its language rival that used in the Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, passed by the U.S. House in December and now in the Senate. The language in both countries' anti-terrorism legislation has been crafted so that constitutionally protected dissent can be prosecuted as acts of terrorism and result in draconian sentences.
El Salvador's right-wing government has close ties to the Bush administration. It was with the urging and support from the Oval Office that Saca was able to implement the Central America Free Trade Agreement in March 2006. Salvadoran critics of CAFTA say it was no coincidence that the anti-terrorism legislation was enacted six months later.
