SHARE's Programs

Greetings from all of us at SHARE in San Francisco. We hope you are starting the New Year with health and energy to advance the work for justice both locally and abroad.

We have great news to SHARE with you. Last Friday, February 8, marked the deadline to present evidence against the 13 community leaders who were captured on July 2, 2007, and accused of acts of terrorism. The prosecutor could not prove the allegations and the charge of terrorism has been changed to public disorder and aggravated damages. The judge will most likely transfer the case to a lower court. However, if convicted, the defendants could be sentenced to up to 4 years in jail.

As we write this letter, a 3-day solidarity walk from Suchitoto to San Salvador has been organized by our friends at CRIPDES, community organizations and relatives of the 13 victims to pressure the government to remove all the charges from the 13 community members and to respect the right to organize and protest the privatization of water.

This is a great victory, and we want to say thank you for your support of this campaign. The case is not over, and we will monitor it until a final resolution. With your support, we are sending CRIPDES an additional $5,000 to help with the campaign to release the 13 community leaders.

On another note, we want to consult with you about an idea we are exploring. In the spirit of being friendlier to the environment and to reduce expenses, we would like to send the sustainer letter every other month instead of every month. (Some of you receive the letter via email, or only 2, 3 or 4 times a year). This change will help save our resources and staff time. You will receive two envelopes to send your donation .

We also want to let you know that we are planning to visit a number of cities this April and May and wewould like to visit you. Our idea is that you invite a handful of your friends and family to your home for tea, pupusas or other treat, and we will have a conversation about the situation in El Salvador and share with you the highlights of SHARE's new 2008 - 2012 Strategic Plan to kick off another 25 years of solidarity. Our goal is to secure 100 new Sustainers.

We also want to invite you and your friends to join us in El Salvador in the coming months. Please write these dates on your calendar and let others know about these exciting delegations:

SHARE Youth Delegation, July 9-17, 2007, SHARE Elections Delegations (presidential, legislative, mayoral), January and March 2009, Archbishop Romero 30th Commemoration Delegation March 2010.

Please contact Teresa Cruz at 415.239.2595 or teresa@share-elsalvador.org for any questions and return the enclosed coupon at your convenience.

We count on your support to accompany the people of El Salvador we build together a new El Salvador today.

Un fuerte abrazo,

Teresa Cruz & Jose Artiga