JOHN JOSEPH ARCHIVE & INSTITUTE AT SUFFOLK UNIVERSITY NEWSLETTER SPRING 2010 MOAKLEY’S EFFORTS ECHO IN EL SALVADOR 20 YEARS ON MUCH HAS CHANGED in the two decades since the Nov. 16, 1989, mur- ders of six priests, their housekeeper, and her teen-age daughter on the campus of the University of Central America in San Salvador. In the aftermath of the Jesuit massacre, U.S. Rep. John Joseph “Joe” Moakley directed a Congressional investiga- tion that implicated the military. His efforts led to the cessation of U.S. aid to the Salvadoran military and an end to civil war in the impoverished Central American country. Yet the right-wing ARENA political party stifled the sorts of social and eco- A witness talks with Joe Moakley, Jim McGovern, investigator Leonel Gomez, and U.S. Ambassador to El nomic parity sought by the Jesuits and Salvador William Walker during the Moakley Commission investigation, 1991. (Moakley Archive photo) others in the Liberation Theology move- ment. And while lower-level officers were Moreover, Gen. David Munguia Payes, Human Rights Group Taps found guilty in the Jesuit murders, critics minister of defense, surprised the gather- Archive in Jesuit Case said that justice was not served. ing by saying that the army was prepared El Salvador did a political about-face to seek forgiveness. The general, who THE CENTER FOR JUSTICE and last March when it elected a new presi- had fought in the war against the guerril- Accountability is using information dent, Mauricio Funes, a member of the las, also announced that he would allow gleaned from the Moakley Archive in Farabundo Martí National Liberation judicial investigators access to military building a criminal case against 15 peo- Front, or FMLN party, which evolved archives. ple for their roles in the Jesuit massacre at the University of Central America in out of the guerrilla cause. Meanwhile, the Spanish National Court San Salvador. The Jesuit victims, once labeled sub- has charged 14 former Salvadoran versives by their government, are now military officers in the deaths, and the The international human rights group looked upon in a different light. During Moakley Archive is a resource for the brings cases in the United States and commemoration ceremonies at the organization bringing the case. before the Spanish National Court on behalf of survivors of genocide, war University of Central America, or UCA, This issue of the Moakley Archive and crimes, and crimes against human- where the priests had served, Funes Institute newsletter will focus on the ity. In 2008, the Center for Justice posthumously awarded them his nation’s events surrounding the anniversary of and Accountability, or CJA, filed a highest honor, the order of Jose Matias the Jesuit murders and on Moakley’s criminal case in Madrid against former Delgado, citing their “extraordinary ser- Salvadoran legacy. vice to the nation.” Salvadoran President Alfredo Cristiani Burkard and 14 former military officers HUMAN RIGHTS continued on page 7 2 MOAKLEY ARCHIVE & INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2010 Laying the cement blocks for the Habitat for Humanity Graduate student Chris Dolan with Elias and Mario house, 2010. (Photo by Natalia Amaya) in El Sitio, 2010. (Photo by Derek Lomba) Service Learning Group Builds a Home SUFFOLK STUDENTS, FACULTY, Since 2007, the Moakley Institute has and staff were immersed in the history co-sponsored annual service-learning trips and politics of El Salvador during an to El Salvador, retracing the late congress- Alternative Winter Break service-learning man’s steps and continuing his legacy of visit in January. helping the Salvadoran people. The Suffolk delegation this year met In 2009, a Suffolk delegation made with key Salvadoran political figures, improvements to a cultural center, known businesspeople, community organizers, as La Concha Acústica (Acoustic Shell), and former guerrillas. It also worked with in the community of La Hacienda El Habitat for Humanity to build houses in Sitio, during the service portion of the an impoverished community. trip. In preparation for the trip, the students The Moakley Institute has co-spon- met weekly to learn about El Salvador’s sored these delegations with Suffolk’s history, with a specific focus on the coun- Organization for Uplifting Lives Through Emilia Losowska and Natalia Amaya try’s civil war (1980-1992) and the work Service, or S.O.U.L.S. The delegations react to crime scene photos from the of Congressman Joe Moakley. have received generous support from Jesuit murders, 2010. (Photo by Derek Lomba) the John Joseph Moakley Charitable Foundation. The Suffolk crew helps pave the road The Suffolk delegation taking a break at the Concha Acústica to the Concha Acústica in El Salvador, work site, January 2009. (Moakley Archive photo) January 2009. (Moakley Archive photo) SPRING 2010 MOAKLEY ARCHIVE & INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER 3 Congressman Jim McGovern meets with Suffolk University students, November 2009. (Photo by Joseph Viamonte) A Congressman’s Lessons CONGRESSMAN JAMES P. MCGOVERN met with Suffolk University students in November to discuss and field questions about current affairs and a historic moment. Some of the students were in the planning stages of a service-learning trip to El Salvador, and others were from a Legislative Politics class. McGovern gave students a synopsis of the health care debate in Congress days after the House passed the Affordable Health Care for America Act. He noted that the United States spends more on health care than any other nation. Yet, pointing out that Cuba has lower infant mortality than we do, he said that the United States often “Hearing Congressman McGovern’s lags when it comes to health outcomes. memories added a whole new dimension On the eve of the 20th anniversary of the Jesuit murders in El Salvador that led to the things we are learning about, making to a congressional investigation, McGovern also discussed his role in the Moakley people in the ‘story’ of history real.” Commission. He marveled at the opportunities presented by the new Salvadoran government and shared anecdotes about Joe Moakley and the Salvadoran people who Jamie Livenick, Suffolk student, helped in the investigation. 2010 El Salvador delegation member McGovern was on campus at the invitation of the Moakley Institute. (Photo by Derek Lomba) McGovern Honored at UCA Commemoration CONGRESSMAN JAMES MCGOVERN war. … But most of my memories are once again focused on El Salvador. El was awarded an honorary degree by about good things: The courage of those Salvador faces daunting problems. … But the University of Central America in who work here at the UCA – and the if all the political forces in El Salvador November during the commemoration of spirit and endurance of the Salvadoran can join together to address them … the the 20th anniversary of the Jesuit murders. people,” said McGovern, in a speech at the people and the nation of El Salvador will university. succeed.” As one of Joe Moakley’s key aides, McGovern was asked to look into the issue McGovern traveled to El Salvador for “And if El Salvador succeeds, it will be of Salvadoran refugees in Massachusetts the anniversary ceremonies with his wife a model and a leader, not only for Latin during the 1980s and later was the princi- – whom he married less than two weeks America, but for the rest of the world,” pal investigator probing the Jesuit murders before the priests were slain – and his two said McGovern, who visited days after for the Moakley Commission. children. He has said he wanted them to mudslides and flooding wrought death and be part of a special moment in history. destruction on the nation. “Maybe this Both missions brought him to UCA. sad and tragic moment of natural disaster “I want President Funes to succeed. And “As I stand before you today, my heart might be the opportunity – the door- I think everyone in this country, whether way – for everyone to work together for is filled with many memories. Some of from the FMLN, ARENA, or other politi- them are of the tragic and painful times the common good of the nation and the cal parties, should want the same. Because, Salvadoran people.” that occurred in El Salvador during the as a result of this election, the world is 4 MOAKLEY ARCHIVE & INSTITUTE NEWSLETTER SPRING 2010 Moakley Charitable Foundation Honors William M. Bulger Preparing Legislative Staff for Effective Service THE SAWYER BUSINESS SCHOOL Center for Public Management and the Moakley Archive and Institute co-spon- sored a Massachusetts State Legislature Staff Training Program in September. The daylong session offered 80 State House staffers information on a range of pertinent issues, from legislative process and the state budget to ethics and dealing with the press. Center for Public Management Director Marie “Sandy” Matava introduced the program, which featured Suffolk University faculty and a host of policy- makers from across the state, including Senate President Therese Murray, House Speaker Robert DeLeo, Rep. Charles Murphy, and Sen. Steven Panagiotakos. William Bulger and scholarship recipients at the Moakley Charitable Foundation event, May 2009. (Photo by John Gilooly) Moakley Charitable Foundation President Fred Clark put the day’s lessons into per- spective through his discussion of “The THE JOHN JOSEPH MOAKLEY Charitable Foundation and Executive Public Service Legacy of Congressman Joe Charitable Foundation awarded its Officer of the Council of Presidents of Moakley.” Public Service Award to William Bulger, the Massachusetts State Colleges. the longest serving state Senate presi- TRAVELING EXHIBITS “Given that education has long been a dent in Massachusetts history, at the The Moakley Institute has created Foundation’s Eighth Annual Scholarship focus of President Bulger’s public service traveling exhibits based on two of Award Ceremony held at Suffolk and that his erudition is seldom matched University Law School in May 2009.