Tag: Sister Cities

RadioActive 10/18/18

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Environmental and Social Justice: El Salvador Social Movement

Key Discussion Points:

a) We sat down with two members of the Salvadoran social movement, Bernardo Belloso of CRIPDES and Zulma Tobar of US El Salvador Sister Cities, to talk about some of the issues confronting the organized rural communities in El Salvador.

b) These include the growth of the sugar cane industry and the impacts on health from agrochemicals and excessive use of water, national efforts to privatize water and climate change. In 2016, El Salvador became the first country to ban metallic mining, a result of massive social movement efforts.

c) Since 1991, Bangor, through local organization PICA (http://www.pica.ws/) and US El Salvador Sister Cities, has had a sistering relationship with the Salvadoran community Carasque, one of the 300 rural communities organized through CRIPDES. MOFGA (Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association is sistered with the Salvadoran sustainable agricultural organization, CORDES. (www.mofga.org/Publications/The-Maine-Organic-Farmer-Gardener/Spring-2015/Sustainable-Agriculture-in-El-Salvador). WERU Community Radio is sistered with community radio station Radio Sumpul in the organized community Guarjilla. (www.radiosumpul.org/)

Guests:
Zulma Tobar, US El Salvador Sister Cities www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org/
Bernardo Belloso, CRIPDES www.cripdes.net/ www.elsalvadorsolidarity.org/cripdes/

Thanks to Andrea Mercardo for translation.

U.S./El Salvador Report 4/9/11

Producer/Host: Kathleen March

This is Kathleen March with a summary of an editorial from Radio Sumpul. It speaks highly of President Funes’ initiative, Ciudad Mujer. Two years in coming, it has given rise to a center for women’s issues, including education, health, and domestic violence, and has opened in Lourdes Colón. Others will follow. This editorial is courtesy of Ciudades Hermanas-Sister Cities.

(In 3 parts. Total length approx. 4 mins)

Weekend Voices 1/09/10

Producer/Host: Meredith DeFrancesco

Over the holidays , two more anti-mining activists were murdered in the Cabanas region in El Salvador. Area residents allege the Canadian gold mining company, Pacific Rim, is connected to incidents of violence and threats against activists who oppose mining in the community. Because of widespread opposition to the potential environmental and social costs, El Salvador has passed a moratorium against mining. In response, Pacific Rim is suing the Salvadoran government under the Central American Free trade Agreement, through it’s Nevada subsidiary.
William Castillo,  the Center for Research on Investment and Trade(CEICOM) and the National Coalition Against Mining.
Bernardo Belloso, the Association for the Development of El Salvador (CRIPDES) and the National Coalition Against Mining
Tom Shrake, President and CEO, Pacific Rim Mining Corporation (written statement)
Emily Carpenter, US El Salvador Sister Cities