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Fears Over New El Salvador Anti-Terror Law

Legislators in the nation of El Salvador have passed a law on the punishment of terrorists, a law which was strongly opposed by the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, or FMNLF, which fought a 12-year civil war against the Salvadoran government that ended only in 1992. The law established a set penalty for convicted terrorists of 65 years in prison, which can be increased to 86 years if the terrorists are seen to have used or wish to use a weapon of mass destruction.

El Salvadoran officials look at the legislation as a necessary component of the nation`s contribution to the international war on terrorism, but local lawmakers and politicians don`t exactly see eye to eye with the government on the law. It is feared by many that the law could be used as an excuse to stifle dissent. The government insists that the measure is meant only as a way to punish criminal activities.

Sigifrido Reyes, one of the lawmakers belonging to the now disarmed FMNLF, said "We don`t see this as an international measure. What the right-wing government is doing is planning for a scenario of growing social conflicts, given that its strategy for creating jobs and attracting investments has failed." Reyes thinks that the measure is "a terrible temptation for repressive actions of an authoritarian nature, as authorities have the discretion to label anything as a terrorist act."