Risk, prophecy, truth and inspiration: a picture of Archbishop Romero in the education system of El Salvador

Abstract

Born in El Salvador, at the heart of the Americas, Archbishop Oscar Romero came to have a profound impact, both nationally and internationally. Speaking out fearlessly against injustice and oppression, Archbishop Romero's poignant and powerful homilies were heard throughout the world and made him one of the greatest prophets. In the 30-year period since his assassination, Archbishop Romero, known fondly in El Salvador simply as Monseñor, has featured in school curricula around the world, although in his home country the inclusion of the studies of his life, his words, his work and ultimately his death in the education system has been a slow and gradual process, a process which is not yet complete. The following article is based on interviews with students, teachers and university lecturers, together with representatives from Base Ecclesial Communities El Salvador and the Salvadoran Ministry of Education, carried out in August 2013. All names of students have been anonymised.

Keywords:

• Archbishop Romero
• El Salvador
• education
• Base Ecclesial Communities
• risk
• justice

Acknowledgements

The editors and the author thank Sister Anne Griffin of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary for help in facilitating this article.

Notes on contributor

Joanne Hopper has lived and worked in El Salvador throughout the past 10 years in areas of education, development, conflict resolution and reconciliation. She currently teaches in a large secondary school in northeast England.

Notes

1. The civil war in El Salvador (1979–1992) was a conflict between the military-led government of El Salvador and the left-wing Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front, a coalition of left-wing groups who opposed the repressive government regime. While a wealthy and powerful minority of elite families owned and ruled the country, the majority of people lived in extreme poverty and with little or no land of their own. The government was supported by military aid from the United States and in 1980, Archbishop Romero wrote a letter to President Carter, pleading with him to end the military aid to El Salvador which was killing its citizens. The war itself was particularly violent: the use of death squads, torture and forced disappearances by the government targeting anyone believed to be associated with the guerrilla forces. Priests, nuns and catechists were particularly targeted, as highlighted by the pamphlets circulated entitled ‘Be a patriot, kill a priest.’ An estimated 75,000 people were killed during the war.

2. The massacre of six Jesuit priests, their housekeeper and her daughter at the University of Central America in 1989 caused international outrage. The Jesuits in El Salvador, five of whom were Spanish citizens, were known for their concern for the poor and for speaking out against injustices. As such, they came to be associated with leftist groups. The eight individuals were killed by members of the elite armed forces, but those responsible have never been tried. Recent requests for the extradition of these individuals by the Spanish government have failed.

3. Fifteen to sixteen years old.

4. Many rumours focused on claims that Archbishop Romero incited violence, and his support for popular organisations and wider education led to claims that he was a communist who supported the guerrilla movement. Romero's weekly homilies, broadcast throughout the country, as well as internationally, named and shamed anyone guilty of war crimes and so the rumours served to conceal much of this. Among some families, such rumours continue to be passed down to younger generations today, and press coverage continues to be dominated by political biases.

5. Interviews were carried out with: Dr Suyapa Pérez Escapini (UCA); Carmen Elena Hernández Morán (Comunidades de Base de El Salvador); Fr Rogelio Ponseele (Comunidades de Base de El Salvador); Wilfredo Alexander Granados Paz (Ministry of Education, San Salvador); Sussy Carolina Hernández de Cortez (Ministry of Education, San Salvador); Francisco Ismael Castillo Valle (Externado de San José School, San Salvador), S.N. González (Perquín High School), Bachillerato students (16–18 year olds) from Externado de San José School, San Salvador and 9th Grade students (15–16 year olds) at Perquín School, Morazán.

6. The closure has been highly criticised, and victims of human rights abuses fear for the safety of their documentation and evidence. To date, no full explanation has been given; however, it should be noted that the closure follows the decision of El Salvador's Supreme Court the previous week to re-evaluate the legalities of the amnesty laws, as suggested by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in 2012 its sentencing of the Case of the Massacre at El Mozote. A review of these laws could therefore mean that individuals responsible for crimes against humanity during the civil war may be tried. The files for these cases have not been handed over, in spite of requests by the Procurator of Human Rights for the State of El Salvador, as well as numerous individuals and organisations, both national and international.