Enemies of War Film Collection (MS104), 1984-1999: A Finding Aid Moakley Archive and Institute www.suffolk.edu/moakley [email protected] MS104: Enemies of War Film Collection, 1984-1999: A Finding Aid Descriptive Summary Repository: Moakley Archive and Institute at Suffolk University, Boston, MA Creator: Cassidy, Esther Collection Title: Enemies of War Collection, 1984-1999 Dates: 1984-1999 (inclusive) Extent: 25.6 cubic ft. 22 boxes Preferred Citation: Enemies of War Collection (MS104), Moakley Archive and Institute, Suffolk University, Boston, MA Abstract: The Enemies of War Collection consists of 22 boxes of materials from the making of the documentary film Enemies of War, which were donated by its director/producer, Esther Cassidy. The film, which aired on PBS in the 1990s, depicts the political and social ramifications of the Salvadoran civil war with a focus on the struggles of a Salvadoran family and the Congressional investigation led by U.S. Congressman Joe Moakley into the 1989 murders of six Jesuit priests. Administrative Information Acquisition Information: Gift of Esther B. Cassidy in 2008 with an additional 18 videocassettes added in 2009. Access Restrictions: Audiovisual material requires special equipment for viewing. Some audiovisual formats may be unavailable for viewing due to their condition or format. Use Restrictions: Use of materials may be restricted based on their condition or copyright status; consult the Archives for more information. Copyright: Although the Archives claims physical ownership of all the materials in the collection, certain materials might have legal use restrictions based on privacy, copyright or stipulations made by donors; consult series notes and the Archives staff for more information. Related Collections and Resources: Congressman John Joseph Moakley Papers (MS100), Jamaica Plain Committee on Central America Collection (MS103), and the Moakley Oral History Project (OH). Processed by: Jan Day, Simmons College GSLIS, 2012 and Sonali Munshi, 2013. 73 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108 | Tel: 617.305.6277 | Fax: 617.305.6275 1 Enemies of War Film Collection (MS104), 1984-1999: A Finding Aid Moakley Archive and Institute www.suffolk.edu/moakley [email protected] Biographical Note Esther B. Cassidy, an American documentary filmmaker, produced and directed Enemies of War (2001). Her film credits include: coordinating producer of American Dream (1990); associate producer of Casting the First Stone (1991), On the Bridge (1992), and Ballot Measure 9 (1995); series associate producer of the documentary series The Question of Equality (1995); producer of With Liberty and Justice for All (Parts I and II) (1997 and 1998); consulting producer of A Healthy Baby Girl (1997); Associate Producer of a biography of Marlon Brando (2000); consulting producer for The Reawakening (2004); and co-producer of Civil Rights the Struggle Continues. She also worked on An American Love Story (1999); and producer of Birth of the Living Dead (2012). Production Background The documentary film Enemies of War aired nationwide on Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in 2001. The film was produced and directed by Esther Cassidy; co-directed and edited by Rob Kuhns; narrated by Martin Sheen with voice overs by Edward James Olmos and Rosie Perez; distributed by SCETV; and the project scholars included Teresa Whitfield, William LeoGrande, Chuck Call, and Alvaro De Soto. Enemies of War was filmed on location in El Salvador, Mexico, and the United States between the years of 1992 and 1999. Cassidy and her crew made four trips to El Salvador and a trip to Mexico City to film the Peace Accords. The documentary contains original footage and archival footage from television news, the University of Central America, and other sources. Historical Note The Central American nation of El Salvador was engulfed in a devastating civil war from 1980 to 1992. The war, fought between the right-wing government and leftist guerillas, claimed the lives of an estimated 70,000 people and caused damage worth two billion dollars, but it also brought about important political reforms. Prior to the start of the civil war, El Salvador had experienced decades of political unrest and violence resulting from widespread economic inequality and political repression by the right- wing Salvadoran government, which was dominated by the military and the country’s elite minority. Land reform and the redistribution of wealth were among the top priorities of a growing leftist movement that included the working classes, rural poor, revolutionary forces, and the Jesuit community. The Jesuit community increasingly found itself at odds with the Salvadoran government because of its efforts to bring national and international attention to El Salvador’s growing problems of inequality and human rights abuses. Starting in the 1960s, many Catholic parishes adopted the doctrine of Liberation Theology, which interprets the teachings of Jesus Christ in terms of liberation from unjust economic, political, or social conditions. Catholic priests and nuns were increasingly targeted by the death squads for their outspoken views. 73 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108 | Tel: 617.305.6277 | Fax: 617.305.6275 2 Enemies of War Film Collection (MS104), 1984-1999: A Finding Aid Moakley Archive and Institute www.suffolk.edu/moakley [email protected] The assassination of Archbishop Romero in 1980 plunged the country into full-scale civil war as clashes between leftist guerillas and government forces escalated. In September 1980, the five major leftist revolutionary organizations merged to form the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN) to oppose the government and right-wing paramilitary forces. The United States provided military advice and more than five billion dollars in financial assistance to the Salvadoran government with an aim to suppress the spread of communism in Latin America. Another pivotal event in the war occurred in 1989 when six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper, and her daughter were assassinated at the University of Central America (UCA). A congressional investigation, also known as the Moakley Commission, led by U.S. Congressman Joe Moakley of Massachusetts, determined that the murders were carried out by an elite unit of the military and ordered by high-ranking members of the Salvadoran government. The findings of the Moakley Commission investigation prompted Congress to reduce military aid to the Salvadoran government, helping pave the way for a negotiated peace. The United Nations-initiated peace accords of 1992, which included a Truth Commission to investigate war crimes, marked the official end of the civil war and the beginning of rebuilding efforts. The U.N. stipulated the following reforms: free and fair elections, reformation of the military, creation of a civilian police force, dismissal of 100 Salvadoran military officers accused of human rights violations, and the disarmament and integration of the FMLN into political and social life. In 1994, citizens of El Salvador engaged in their first free and open election; the FMLN participated under the platform of land reform and reconstruction. Although the Alianza Republicana Nacionalista (ARENA) party won the election by a large majority, the FMLN gained enough votes to become the second largest party in parliament. The U.N. monitored the next election in 1997; the FMLN won 40 percent of the popular vote to become the largest political party in El Salvador. The rebuilding and reform process will continue for many years to come as the country deals with the long-lasting effects of the war. Scope and Content The collection consists of 22 boxes of videocassettes, sound recordings, notes, and editing logs compiled by Cassidy during the filming and editing processes. The videocassettes represent original footage shot by Cassidy, various edited versions of the film, and archival footage obtained from outside sources. Much of the original and archival footage has been duplicated from the Betacam and U-matic masters onto VHS format. The numbers assigned to tapes typically indicate the sequence in filming. The lower numbers (1-226) are Cassidy's original footage and the higher numbers (227-700s) are typically footage obtained from other sources, with a few exceptions. Some of the cassettes are not numbered but have descriptive labels. Some have numbers but no titles or labels and others are labeled with the film's working titles Hearts That Broke the Sword and From Madness to Hope. One box contains transcripts, translations, correspondence, tape logs, and editing notes by Cassidy. 73 Tremont Street, Boston, MA 02108 | Tel: 617.305.6277 | Fax: 617.305.6275 3 Enemies of War Film Collection (MS104), 1984-1999: A Finding Aid Moakley Archive and Institute www.suffolk.edu/moakley [email protected] Interviews with witnesses to the events and notable figures in the Moakley Commission investigation include William Walker, U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador (1988-1992); U.S. Congressman Joe Moakley; Moakley’s then-aide, U.S. Congressman Jim McGovern; William Ford, brother of slain nun Ita Ford; Father Dean Brackley, an American Jesuit priest who replaced one of the slain priests at UCA; Father Jon de Cortina, a surviving member of UCA’s Jesuit community; Margarita Acosta, a campesina who fled with her children to a refugee camp after her husband Rigoberto joined the FMLN; Eliot Abrams, Assistant Secretary to Latin America during the Reagan Administration; Robert White, the U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador (1979-1981);