In El Salvador, a jury–the first of its kind–has taken important steps towards justice. They convicted three former military commanders—Jose Guillermo Garcia, Francisco Moran, and Mario Reyes—to 15 years in prison for the killing of four Dutch journalists during the Salvadoran Civil War. The sentencing took place as part of a long-awaited legal resolution stemming from the tragic events of 1982, when the journalists were killed while reporting on the conflict.
Koos Joster, Jan Kuiper Joop, Johanes Jan Wilemsen and Hans ter Laag were their victims. At the time of their deaths, they were engaged in the efforts of IKON Television. When they were escorting former Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) guerrillas, military forces ambushed them. This latest attack took place during the province of Chalatenango. This incident was a turning point in the struggle for justice. The country is still wrestling with its bloody past.
Even Jose Guillermo Garcia, then the Defense Minister, was charged with promoting the killings. So too did Francisco Moran, the former chief of Treasury Police, and Mario Reyes, a former commander of an infantry brigade. At present, Garcia and Moran are still hospitalized and are still in custody. Reyes now lives in the United States, so the Salvadoran government has requested his extradition.
The jury sent a strong message by sentencing all three men in the strongest terms. They had denounced the Salvadoran state for not bringing them any justice and only delivering a delayed form of it. This judgment signifies increased concerns about accountability for the human rights violations perpetrated during the civil war.
According to the judicial ruling, President Nayib Bukele should issue an official apology to the victims’ families. He shall do this, above all, in his capacity as commander-in-chief of the Armed Forces. While it’s a small symbolic action, this step is viewed as an important part of the healing process for communities still hurt by this historical violence.
Oscar Perez, an advocate for justice in this case, expressed relief at the verdict:
“Truth and justice have prevailed, we have won.” – Oscar Perez
The sentencing represents an important step towards reckoning for this long-lasting injustice in El Salvador. The trial is a testament to the tireless effort to seek atonement for our country’s history. It is intended to bring some measure of closure to the families who suffered unimaginably during one of our nation’s lowest ebbs.
