BY FRANK SMYTH

AN SALVADOR-Several months ago a friend in­ vi ted me to his sociology class. "Come on," he said, "we're going to see a movie." Beaches, starringBette Midler, was the day's discussion subject. Students milled about the audito­ rium, many in Levis and Reeboks. With a Coke and popcorn in hand, I felt as close to home as a foreigner can feel in El Salvador. EntreAmigos-"Among Friends"­ is how the movie title was translated into Spanish. Readers may be famil­ iar with the plot: two young girls meet by chance in California and build a friendship that stretches to lew York and lasts for life. When the lights came on, a tall man with a long greying beard took his place at the front of the class. He spoke in a deep raspy voice. "What does it mean to be friends?" he asked paternally. "What does it mean to have a friendship?" But the discussion soon took its own track. "What is the meaning of friendship," asked one woman, "in the midst ofwar?"

A Salvadoran soldier interrogates a suspected guerilla during the November fighting in San Salvador.

BOSTON COLLEGE MAGAZINE 21 But I made the trip alone. In Miami I sal next to twoemptychairsadorned with flowers. Before daylight on November 16, in the midst of a major military offensive by leftist guerrillas, U.S.-trained and equipped anTI\ For Nacho, soldiers surrounded and entered UCA's grounds. They marched six jesuit priests, in­ cluding Segundo and Nacho, into a grass\ violence was part of courtyard in their nightclothes. TheJesuits. their housekeeper and her daughter were shot repeatedly with automatic weapons at daily life. Some of point-blank range. ith recent changes in East­ ern Europe, EI Salvador his more recent interviews carried a sense now remains one of the few places in the worlel where ideas are genuineh Wdangerous. Segundo, Nacho and the other of foreboding. 'There is an environment, ' I Jesuits were targeted to be killed preciseh because their ideas were powerful and persuasive. remember him saying, 'of the possibility Segundo, for example, was a noted critic of human rights abuses. He also had done extensive research on refugees created by EI Salvador's 1 O-year civil war betvveen the U.S.­ of being killed any moment of the day. , backed government and leftist guerrillas. Nacho was chairman ofUCA's psycho log' department as well as an astute political and military analyst. He also administereda public opinion poll run out of UCA. It explored Salvadorans' views on subjects such as th t: This more sober theme dominated the economy and the war. rest of the session. In EI Salvador, even the Ignacio Ellacuria, SJ, UCA's rector, \,'ho most deligh tful fil m can offer only transitory also died that night, was another compellin ~ escape from violence. figure. "The truth is the truth is the truth'-' I The bearded man was sociology profes­ remember him telling an auditorium packeci sor Segundo Montes, SJ. Like other jesuit with studentssome years ago. EditorofUCA' professors at the Uni\'ersityofCentral Amer­ main journal, Estudios Centmamericanos or icajose Simeon Canas or UCA (pronounced "Central American Studies," he wasa prolific "ooka"), much of his coursework was de­ writer and a powerful critic ofboth the Salva· voted to exploring El Salvador's "national doran government and U.S. policy toward il. reality." Integration of the lVar and friend­ In interviews with the foreign press, h ship themes was likely part of his plan for and Nacho often told both Salvadoran and that session. U.S. officials what they didn't want to hear: Both Montes and his fellow Jesuit and "Ideology ... had a lot to do with th colleague Ignacio (Nacho) Martin-Baro were American involvement in this civil war," sa id immensely popular among students. The Nacho. "And unfortunately, you American last time I saw them was in October, at an have invested here during the last eight ye an UCA-organized conference on the Salva­ [$3.2 billion] ofyour tax-payers' dollars;ju, doran military. That day I spoke with both. to have in this country more destructio We needed to exchange ideas. Segundo, more death-and no more democracy, 111 Nacho and I were to speak on ajoint panel more peace, no improvement for the major­ at an upcoming Latin America conference ity of the Salvadoran people; just with til l" in Miami. obsession of militarily defeating the reb el~

22 BOSTON COLLEGE MAGAZINE militarily putting an end to the so-called "When in this country you ask for satisfac­ advancement of, or the expansion of, tion for those needs," said Nac ho, "you be­ communism." come a subversive-and you are a subver­ Nacho, Ellacuria and all the Jesuits at sive. \-Vhy? Because if you want to satisfy l'CA advocated a negotiated settlement to those basic needs, you have to change the the war, as opposed to a military victory by social system. You have to change the re­ ei ther side. TheJesuits strongly criticized the gime. But then you become a 'Communist.' United States for pursuing a milit.ary solution. Then you become a rebel. Then you be­ They also took issue with claims by U.S. come a revolutionary. And then you have to officials that EI Salvador's civi I war was foreign be repressed. And you are repressed. And inspired. there you have... the civil \Var." "The problem of this country is not a The Jesuit killings have received more problem of communism or capitalism," attention than any Salvadoran crime since "1acho went on. "The problems of this coun­ the 1980slayingofArchbishopOscarArnulfo try are problems ofvery basic weal th distri bu­ Romero. But over the past decade, over rion, ofvery basic needs. Now more than 60 70,000 Salvadorans-more than one per­ percentofour adultpopulation doesn't have centofthe country's population-have been ajob. Can YOIl imagine-how are our people killed. According to the human rights office able to ... survive without ajob?" of the country's Catholic archbishop, the The Salvadoran government and military vast majority of victims were assassinated by had long equated popular d emands to eitherthe Salvadoran military orallied righ t­ changesuch conditionswith subversion. This ist death squads. They were killed on suspi­ is why, argued theJesuits, EI Salvador's guer­ cion of being "subversives." rilla movement was born. Let me offer one family's story.

Jl-Y" ~---.---" ~ FMLN guerillas check the identities of Salvadoran citizens in a search for government informers.

BOSTON COLLEGE r-1At;r\ZINE 23 In October I in terviewed an inspirational more recent interviews carried a sense of young woman, Tatiana Mendoza. Her fa­ foreboding. 'There is an environment,"' I ther was a leading member of EI Salvador's remember him saying, "of the possibility of early democratic opposition movement, being killed any moment of the day." before it was driven underground. He and Nacho also did not equivocate about [he several colleagues were killed when army likely source of the threat. "As long as [he soldiers raided their offices in 1980. armed forces in this country are over and A decade later, Tatiana, his 21-year-old above the law, as long as the armed forces daughter, wasa union organizer who worked [are] a corruptible and corrupt institution, as long as the armed forces have within its ranks ... terrible human rights violators, you cannot expect to have in this country peace, U.s. officials to have democracy, and to have [least of all] justice." Nacho said these words in his last known interview, one week before he was killed. need to put a good face he UCAJesuits were full partici­ pants in the Salvadoran commu­ on the case in order to nity. In addition to teaching and writing, they were active at the T grassroots and shared a commit­ ment to the poor. ensure continued Congressional approval Joaquin Lopez y Lopez, SJ, was another of the murdered men. He ran a program­ "Faith and Happiness"-which worked in for military and econonlic aid. But when poor areas with base Christian communities: small groups oflocal individuals who meet to worship and read scripture. Despite his death, other UCA Jesuits confronted, some admit they no longer continue similar work. One, Jon Sobrino, is not only a leading interpreter of liberation theology, but is also active with El Salvador's believe in what they're doing. base Christian community movement, whose members receive constant threats and other forms ofintimidation from the armed forces. Another,Jon Cortina, does his pastoral work in Chalatenango, one of the most war-torn provinces in the country. He recently moved there from UCA to live and work among withwomen'sgroups. She hadrecentlybeen newly rebuilt peasant communities. detained on charges ofbeing a "subversive." Most ofthese priests, including Segundo. During her ordeal, Tatiana told me, she was Nacho and Ellacuria, were born in Basque raped by a military guard. Although a court­ country in Spain, and later became natural­ appointed doctor confirmed her claim, in ized Salvadoran citizens. But most of the EI Salvador an attempt to charge a soldier younger Jesuit seminarians who have been with rape is laughable. studying under them are native Salvadorans. Two weeks after I interviewed her, Ta­ The seminarians are spread throughout the tiana was killed by a bomb. An attacker had country. Almost all live and work among placed it in the cafeteria of her trade union poor communities. office. Two generations of activists; two Segundo, who had several seminarians deaths. The story of Tatiana's family is the under his tutelage, notonly studied refugees story of her blood-drenched country. but frequen tly traveled to their places of re­ For Nacho and the other Jesuits, such patriation. He encouraged them to organize violence was part of daily life. Some of his Continued on page 26

24 BOSTON COLLEGE MAGAZINE themselves to defend their rights and to find abused by gove rnme nt soldiers two monlh, ways to improve their conditions. Nacho earlier-again on suspicion of "subve rsion.­ also worked closely with peasant and labor­ Martha said she knew who was respoll­ based "po pular organiza ti o ns," as we ll as sible fo r killing the Jesuits-this, before gO\ ' community self-help gro ups. ernment offi cials admitted m ilitary invoh (:"· Nacho and I knew o ne such refugee ment in the case. "The ones who need to Iw community well. Called "Community of the punished ," she said, "are the [ones ru nni ll C Cross," it is not far from UCA, o n vacant land the country]." between lanes of the country's largest high­ way. Its SOO-odd squatters li ve in mud and split-bamboo shacks with roofs of tin . artha must have had belle' Child ren with faces mottled by chicken­ insight than U.S. official, pox and bellies bl oated by amoebic infec­ here. Nearly up until dw ti on rush to greet a stranger. They are likely time that army involve men' to call any fo re ign male they come to know in the case was made publ ic. Padre. U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador 'Willi an People there say that Nacho came every Walker tried to convince Co ngressional lead o nce in a while to say Mass. "Padre Nacho is ers in Washington that lefti st guerrillas and with us," one woman, Martha, told me. not army sold iers were respo nsible. U .S. o ffi · Martha later said she was angered by cials also questi o ned the credibility of a Ke Nacho's death, but no t surprised . Like many witness in the case, seriously straining rel.,­ others, Martha knew at firsthand the effects ti ons with the Catho li c communities in bo il o f repressive violence. She and he r two sons countries. had been taken, interrogated and phys ically Maria Julia Hernandez, a to ugh lil tl<

Green Cross relief workers flee government strafing in a San Salvador neighborhood. "On the second day of fighting_• writes the author, "I saw a [government] helicopter fire a rocket at a mud and split-bamboo shack. I can still see _ victims-a mother and her decapitated daughter. ..

26 BOSTON COLLF.GF. MAGAZli\:F Shortly after the

murders, a second woman who directs the Catholic human rights Jffice, said she's not surprised by this behav­ ior. "I don't know if they are aware of it or not," she said, "but U.S. Embassy officials meeting took place in have the ability to deceive themselves, and to never hit the mark [on human rights] in EI Salvador." the military's intelligence complex. An Some U.S. officials-speaking privately­ seem to agree. "If we can have 55 military advisors," sa id one, "why can't we have 55 hu­ man rights officers?" TheJesuit case has dis­ army officer interrupted to announce the il lusioned many. U.S. officials need to put a good face on the case in order to ensure con­ inued Congressional approval for military and economic aid. But when confronted, Jesuits had been killed. According to mili­ ,ome admit they no longer believe in what they're doing. Many Congressional leaders have also lost tary sources present, the attending officers J i tho The idea thatan army trained, financed ,Ind advised by the United States would commit such a crime proved too much for hem. A bipartisan task force looking into clapped in approval. the slayings recently visited EI Salvador. By [he time members finished their investiga­ tion, they were openly questioning whether .;en iorSalvadoran mili tary officers were trying to cover up the murders; whether the killings ing took place in the military's intelligence were "the acti ons ofa few renegade military complex, which shares facilities with the fi gures or whether, in fact, they stem from CiA. An army officer interrupted the meet­ attitudes and actions thatgo to the very heart ing to announce theJesuits had been killed. of the armed forces and other major institu­ According to military sources present, th e ions in this country." attending officers clapped in approval. The evidence doesn't look good for the Nevertheless, only one army officer pres­ ~\ rmed forces. For years army officers had ent at the first meeting has been charged accused the UCAJesuits ofbeing allied with with th e crime. Many non-American ' '''est­ he guerrillas. Last April, then Army ern diplomats here believe other senior offi­ Illlelligence Chief Colonel Juan Orlando cers were involved in planning the m urders. Zepeda accused the Jesuits of running Preliminary treatment for accused Colo­ .o;uerri lla operations out of the university. nel Guillermo Alfredo Benavides doesn't For several days prior to the murders, the offer much cause for hope thatjustice will be rmed forces radio program broadcast threats served. He is being held in a luxury apart­ .taain st the UCAJesuits. "Anonymous" phone- ~ . ment at the headquarters of the Nati onal In call ers were encouraged to express their Police. The "prisoner" has also been seen at \i ews. The army ai red repeated demands for a military-owned resort hotel on the Pacific he Jesuits' deaths in revenge for the offen­ Coast. ,i\e by leftist guerrill as. Approximately five hours before the kill­ ngs, the military high command held an was in a small parish in San Salvador (' tnergency meeting. Military sources quoted the morning of November 16. It was II I The Washington Post and elsewhere said the fifth day ofcombat since the guer­ : e officers presen t decided to use greater rill a offensive had begun. An orphan­ I .1 ir power to putdown th e guerrilla offensive age, call ed Mary, Mother of the Poor, ,I .l nd also decided to attempt the assassina­ had been hit by a grenade. Young Jesuit 'ion of suspected guerrilla leaders in the seminarians were evacuating civilians under IIi Jpital city. heavy fire. One of them stopped to tell me Shortly after the murders, a second meet- I BOSTON COLLEGE MAGAZINE 27 thatEllacuria and the others had been killed. ury offlight. For them, violence is a recurring I felt relatively little on learning this shock­ agony to be endured. ing news. My senses were numbed by the Nevertheless, there is some reason for wanton violence I had seen over the previ­ hope. In the wake of the November offen­ ous days. The most extraordinary experi­ sive, an increasing number of players on all ence of many was watching a government's sides of the conflict have come to see that a helicopters and planes strafe, rocket and negotiated settlement, rather than a military bomb its own people. On the second day of victory, would indeed be the best solution. fighting, I saw a helicopter fire a rocket at a The slain Jesuits certainly believed this. It is mud and split-bamboo shack. I can still see worth noting that as a community theJesuits the victims-a mother and her decapitated believe that the most efficacious way to bring daughter. about genuine negotiations is to cut U.S. aid Many similar incidents occurred. The to the Salvadoran government and army. Jesuit murders are only the most celebrated in a series ofatrocious acts. Leftist guerrillas share in the blame.Their worst violation was was recently invited to a base Chris­ to discourage or even temporarily prevent tian community meeting. It took place people from leaving combat areas, in order in one of the areas I had reported to use them as a deterrent against govern­ from during the fighting, the same ment air strikes. But both human rights community in which I had learned of groups and international monitoring or­ Ithe UCA massacre. ganizations cite army soldiers as the most A family had invited me to commemorate consistent and flagrant offenders. One of a previous tragedy-the ninth anniversary of the most inexcusable crimes was not allow­ their son's death. In 1981, along with 25 ing the International Red Cross and other other young men from his community, he relief groups to evacuate wounded from had been dragged from his home and shot battle areas-out of fear they might un­ by army soldiers. knowingly treat "subversives." A Christian catechist, brother of the The violence of November has left the murdered man, led the ceremony. After a country scarred. Most UCA students, for short reading he asked, "What is the fruit of instance, who come from EI Salvador's his death?" wealthier classes, seem generally repulsed "Well," said a peasant woman, addressing by the killing of some of their most prestig­ the mother, "the fruit of his death is in the ious and popular professors. But indicative children you still have." of the country's mood, few are willing to "But," responded another, "we are all express their views. According to several children of God. The fruit is in all the chil­ students I've talked to, most will keep their dren, all of us. " feelings private rather than admit them even But the mother had a different answer: to each other. "For me, I cope with his death by giving [Q UCA's academic programs have been other children who have no one else." A scaled back. Several professors have fled the seemingly frail woman, the mother, since country in fear. At least one senior editor her son's death, has tenaciously managed a and writer for UCA'sjournals barely missed home for children abandoned or orphaned encountering a death sq uad ofheaviIy armed because ofthe war. "I had a choice," she said. men in civilian clothes at his home. He has "I could have gone into despair. But I de­ now taken refuge in another Latin Ameri­ cided to make something good come out of can country. it. " Many lesser known Salvadorans have fled It's possible there may be no negotiations as well. Jesuit seminarians have arranged in EI Salvador-and no cuts in U.S. aid. I visas for people who feel particularly tar­ wonder, what then would be the fruit of the geted to flee to Canada-it is not possible to Jesuits' deaths? obtain such visas from the United States. But others have been smuggled into the United Frank Sm),th '82, has lived in El Salvador sin(( States illegally by the religious-based sanctu­ February 1988. A radio reporter for CBS News, he ary movement. also writes for the "Village Voice" and olher But most Salvadorans don't have the lux­ publications. •

28 BOSTON COLLEGE MAGAZINE