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From: C-afp@clari.net (AFP)
Newsgroups: clari.world.americas.central,clari.news.crime.murders.misc,clari.world.americas,clari.world.americas.meso,clari.news.crime,clari.news.crime.murders
Subject: Church condemns death-squad killings of criminals
Organization: Copyright 1999 by Agence France-Presse (via ClariNet)
Message-ID: <Qsalvador-violenceURVcm_9FE@clari.net>
Lines: 26
Date: Sun, 14 Feb 1999 17:05:24 PST
ACategory: international
Slugword: Salvador-violence
Threadword: salvador
Priority: urgent
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   SAN SALVADOR, Feb 14 (AFP) - San Salvador's archbishop condemned  
Sunday the alleged new phenomena of death squad killings of 
criminals and members of teenage gangs. 
   "It is an absolute and total condemnation, because no-one has  
the right to take justice into his own hands," Fernando Saenz told 
the press after celebrating Sunday mass. 
   Saenz's statement followed an interview on a local radio station  
during which a member of one of the death squads, the so-called 
"Voice of the People," threatened to execute criminals, gang 
members, and the lawyers that defend them. 
   "Aggressors should be neutralized by the democratic institutions  
established by the State, not by individuals," the archbishop said. 
   "One thing is legitimate defense, but death squads are immoral  
and illegal," he said. 
   According to official statistics, 19 people die by violent means  
and there are 500 armed assaults every day in this country of six 
million people. 
   Since a 12-year-long civil war ended in 1992, crime has  
increased sharply. Observers have blamed the rise on the 
demobilization and unemployment of some 8,000 guerrilla fighters and 
30,000 soldiers. 
   There has also been an increase in violent teenage gangs in  
cities across the country. 
  	   	

