Newsday (New York) April 27, 2004
Salvadorans torn over war
By Bart Jones
Spanish-speaking nations with troops in Iraq - Spain, Honduras and the Dominican Republic - announced last week that they are pulling their soldiers out. All, that is, except one: El Salvador.
The Central American nation's president, Francisco Flores, said he will maintain 374 troops in Iraq - a pledge matched by Tony Saca, who will replace him June 1.
Long Island's estimated 100,000 Salvadorans, the largest immigrant group here, appear divided over whether the troops should stay overseas. The debate intensified after a Salvadoran soldier was killed in Iraq in early April. Some nations are pulling out because of simmering tensions.
Outside St. Brigid's Catholic Church in Westbury on Sunday, Guillermo Mejia, 26, and a friend who identified himself only as Jesus, took opposite sides in the debate, which has sparked protests in their homeland that was wracked during a 1980-92 civil war. "President Flores is selling out to [President George W.] Bush," Jesus said. But Mejia shot back, "We have to support this country because it has given so much to El Salvador."
Others were equally split. Guillermo Chacon, 40, of Huntington, said he, too, believes Flores follows the dictates of Bush. "The foreign policy of El Salvador is determined by Washington," the community organizer said. "We who lived through 12 years of war with our own flesh know that it only brings destruction and pain."
But Hempstead businessman Rafael Flores, 32, said he favors keeping the troops in Iraq. "El Salvador has excellent relations with the United States and we want to keep it that way."
The debate is reviving tensions from El Salvador's civil war, when the U.S.-backed government fought leftist guerrillas. Human rights groups accused the government and its paramilitary "death squads" of murdering peasants, teachers, unionists, even clerics. The government accused the guerrillas of their own abuses, and warned they wanted to impose communism.
Flores and Saca are from the right-wing ARENA political party, which supported the war against the guerrillas. Many Salvadorans opposed to keeping troops in Iraq back the FMLN party founded by ex-guerrillas.
Yet some ARENA supporters have doubts about keeping troops overseas. "They should come back to El Salvador," said Melvi Calderon, 32, a hairdresser in Hempstead.
Others asked how Salvadorans will communicate with other soldiers in Iraq since they have been under the command of Spain. "Giving orders in battle and translating - forget it," said Yanira Chacon, a community organizer in Westbury.
Westbury restaurant owner Lee Bonilla, 34, said he opposed the war, but favored keeping troops there. "It was a big mistake, but we have to finish."
In Iraq
Current number of troops contributed by Spanish-speaking nations. All except El Salvador have announced a pullout.
Country Troops
Spain 1,300
El Salvador 374
Honduras 370
Dominican Republic 300
SOURCE: Global Security.ORG
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