High rates of homicides by firearms in El Salvador.

Presents: Ignacio Paniagua/ El Salvador, Central America

IMPACT OF ARMED VIOLENCE IN THE CENTRAL

AMERICAN REGION

Central America is the geographic portion composed by seven countries:

•Guatemala, •Belize, •Honduras, •El Salvador,•Nicaragua, •Costa Rica and•Panama.

INTRODUCTION

Its location is the forced land bridge

between South America and North America, between the Atlantic Ocean and the Pacific.

In the past 50 years, the region went from being: an economy exporting coffee agro-exporting region to humans and went from being the most violent political region to the most social violent.

In El Salvador it is notable that the number of violent deaths during the period of armed conflict (1980-1992) has been like in times of "peace" (1993-2013).

A third of the population lives abroad, sending remittances totaling 4,000 million dollars per year, this is equivalent to the Annual General Budget of the Nation and corresponds to 12% of GDP

The Salvadoran peoples are good worker and have high sense about their family and community.

• Problem:

High rates of firearm homicides in El Salvador. Violent Situation in the region.

To get an idea of the magnitude of this problem in the Central Region is important consider the following comparison: both Spain and Central America have a population of 40 million people, however, Spain in 2006 recorded 336 murders ( less than one per day), while Central American 14,257 recorded ( almost 40 per day), only in El Salvador were 14 deaths per day.

40 million people 40 million

people14,257 murders/year

336 murders/year

One /day

40 /day

In the region, El Salvador in 2011 had the highest homicide rate in Latin America , 58 per 100,000, Guatemala and Honduras have homicide rates of 45 and 43 per 100,000 population, respectively. The same

index in Latin American countries is about 20 per 100,000, and for all of Central

America in general are 35.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.

The Salvadoran Association of Physicians for Social Responsibility (MESARES) developed a research on injuries and deaths by firearms in hospitals of Sonsonate and Santa Ana Among other data, the research showed that 90% of those injured were male and over 50% of patients were younger.

Central American had the highest homicide rate in Latin America

Central America in general are 35.4 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Measuring violence without specifying its type below the regional average. (Public Opinion Project (LAPOP), for its acronym in English).

But the statistics burglary of all Central American countries is below the average for Latin America.

Four Central American countries also have overall rates of victimization

but the question is, whether the violence

plaguing this region is less related to the traditional crimes against property and more crimes where the weapons is involved.

Crimes have increased due to their easiness and to weapons use

Distribution of violence is not consistent across the region, delimiting areas have high rate of homicides similar declared WAR combat zones.

These are located in the border areas, the migration routes, the most densely populated cities, and Peten Jungle of Guatemala and the Atlantic Coast of Honduras.

1. CAUSES: ASSOCIATED FACTORS THAT PROMOTE CRIME AND VIOLENCE.

Rather than talk about causes of violence, we prefer to do reference to factors associated, following the approach proposed by PAHO: its epidemiological concept of cause and causality of violence, such as:

• Social factors (social network)

• Cultural factors (Conflict Resolution /Attitude to arms)

• Economic factors (Poverty / Crisis)

• Institutional factors (Citizenship)

• Situational Factors (Urban)

• Family Factors (Head of Household / Migration)

• Personal factors (Youth/ Drug)

• Global Factors (Markets/Drug)

In order to make evidence-based study we limit to analyze the most relevant factors.

(An exploratory analysis broader- See MESARES presentation at the International Congress of IPPNW in Paris 1995).

Overall drug trafficking promote violence in many forms, including fights trafficking organizations (inside), fights between traffickers and police officers, increased availability of firearms, and the weakening of the system criminal justice by diverting judicial or corrupting the judicial system itself. Most of the perpetrators and victims of crime and violence are young people, mostly men. The third factor contributing to criminal violence in the region is the history of armed conflict and the widespread availability of firearms.

We analyze the root causes of crime and violence in Central America:1. Drug trafficking,2. Youth violence and gangs,3. The availability of firearms.

1.1 Drugs and Drug Trafficking

U.S. government estimates that

90 percent of all cocaine entering the USA (approximately 560 metric tons in 2007) comes through Mexico-Central America corridor. Official figures show that 72 metric tons (13 percent) were intercepted in Central America. According to studies United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC, for its acronym in English), the fight for control of the Central Transit Corridor is a phenomenon of the past two decades.

For Central America, the amount of money on this trade is large and to get an idea of the implications of

this movement of money in a poor region we presented the following calculation: If we distribute 560 metric tons of cocaine shipped through the region among each one of the 40 million people living in Central America it would represent the equivalent of 14 grams per individual, an amount that in the United States has a value of $ 2,300 dollars, this for a Salvadoran is equals the annual minimum wage ( it is said, a sufficient amount to ensure annual basic foods needs). With this example is not hard to imagine the amount of resources available to the narco-trafficking to influence the region.

The drugs generate violence in three ways:

• For Addiction: Violence triggered by the effects of a drug on the consumer.

• For economic- compulsive reasons: Violence used to generate money for drugs.

• For systemic reasons: Violence related to disputes over territory to sell drugs, debts related to these and other problems related to the drug trade.

Between trafficking organizations. Within the drug trafficking organizations. Diverting of criminal justice resources or corruption in the judicial system itself.

Availability of weapons. Compliance with the prohibition and prosecution of crime.

1.2 Youth violence and gangs.Dimension of the phenomenon of the Maras: Currently in El Salvador higher authorities publicly accepted that the

number of gang members is 60,000, and at least 300,000 depend on them directly and a similar

number indirectly (between 5% and 10% of Salvadorans).Gang involvement in the execution of the killings has been widely studied (as discussed below these data becomes uncertain given recent events) the Institute of

Legal Medicine of El Salvador, described that 14 percent of the killings in El Salvador between 2003 and 2006 were related to the activities of the gangs. In Honduras (IUODOP, 2006), gangs were responsible for about 33% of all deaths in the investigation, including those between gang members and when they renounces as gang members. Another study in Honduras (Casa Alianza, 2006) showed that about 15 percent of the murders were committed by gangs.

Gangs in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras are held responsible for extorting (Demanding payment) to local businesses, major retailers, street vendors, buses and taxis in return for protection, and less are involved in drug-retail and common crime.

This process has increased to form a parallel state that distributes control of territory, applies his own righteousness, have their own code and hierarchy, taxation and defense, all sustained by violence and marked by death. Recent actions indicate that gangs have used force to seize business and increasingly penetrating properties to organized crime.

1.3. Firearms

Definitely firearms in El Salvador is a major factor in the increase of violence, play a role in the prevalence, the magnitude and the lethality of it.

Before 1960, firearms were scarce in El Salvador, the military had a stock obsolete weapons World War I composed of non-automatic rifles (Czech made, Garands, Carbines M-1), a major consideration was the amount of weapons in civilian hands (small arms) held by landowners as a symbol of social power and unfair labor relations.

It was due to the war with Honduras (1970) that the government spending 20 million dollars raised through the "patriotism" of more affluent families to buy automatic rifles-type G-3, HK-21 machine guns among others, this war only lasted "100 hours", but leave the ruling class prepared for any internal threat.

During the Civil Armed Conflict (1980-1992) entered as many weapons for the military and insurgent groups from the United States, the Soviet Union, Israel, Argentina and Cuba. We have information transfers by the United States clandestinely made including the Contras of Nicaragua.

The organization Latin American Country Data, Geneve: Small

arms Survey, 2012 says there are 2.2 million registered guns of these 870,000 in the hands soldiers and the rest civilians. It adds that there are 2.8 million registered NO weapons.

If this is correct it could mean that 1 in 3 adult male carries a weapon.In the region according to the Military Balance and Small Arms

Survey, there are more weapons that soldiers, only in Nicaragua there are 35 weapons for each and Guatemala and Salvador 7-8 per soldier

in El SalvadorIt is estimated, based on survey projections, there

are more than 450,000 weapons in the hands of civilians .

That means that at least one in four men have a firearm in his possession.

A little over 60 percent of the weapons circulating in the country are illegally.

Around 175,000 weapons are duly registered or have the permission of the authorities.

in Central American It is estimated that

circulating total 429.237 legally firearms.

In Guatemala is who has the highest percentage of weapons with 37.96 percent of the total. El Salvador is not far from the situation in Guatemala, with a percentage of 33.35. The remaining countries show lower percentages: the 12.21 percent Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Honduras on the 6.41 and 10.07 percent.

But the situation on firearms is more complex, given the magnitude represented by the illegal circulation of weapons. Researchers argue that circulate in the area about 2 million illegal weapons (Godnick, 1999).

More than 80 percent of the murders that have been

committed in the country in recent

years have been carried out with firearms and about 70 percent of assaults and armed robberies reported by the National Civil Police have committed using firearms.

2. CONSEQUENCES: SOCIAL, ECONOMIC AND HEALTH

2.1 Economic impactEconomic situation in El SalvadorThe country received a total of U.S. $ 4,000

million in remittances last year, mostly from the United States, according to a report released by the Central Reserve Bank

(BCR).:::::::::::::::What it means this?????The BCR report highlights "to El Salvador,

remittances now account for 17 % of gross domestic product."

GENERAL BUDGET OF THE NATION (PGN) OF EL SALVADOR FOR THE YEAR 2013 DISTRIBUTION BY BRANCHES

Revenues / Appropriations Ingresos/Asignaciones

$ Million Millones de $

% of PGN% del PGN

% GDP% PIB

Total Gross Domestic Product (GDP) Total del Producto Interno Bruto (PIB)

23,054 100.00%

Remittances to GDP enters Remesas Familiares ingresa al PIB

4,000 17.00%

PGN TOTAL (% of GDP) T O T A L del PGN (% del PIB)

4,505.3 18.03 %Justicia y Seguridad Publica

Justice and Public Safety 356.0 7.90 %

1.42 %

Education Educación

862.4 19.14 %

3.45 %

Health Salud 565.4 12.55 %

2.26 %

Public Works / Transportation Obras Publicas/ Transporte

255.3 5.67 %

1.02 %

National Defense Defensa Nacional

153.3 0.61 %Other Branches of Government Otros Ramos del Gobierno

Data provided by the Ministry of Finance, Directorate General of Budget, November 2012

Calculating the Costs of Violence in El Salvador

These include different areas:

1. Costs in health1.1.1. Medical expenses1.1.2. Production loss due to death1.1.3. It costs of the victims in Injuries and emotional

damage.

2. Institutional costs2.1.1. Additional government spending on security and

justice system

3. Security Costs3.1.1. Homes and businesses

4. Materials costs.4.1.1. Loss of goods4.1.2. Both individuals and companies.

Cost of Violence in Central America as a percentage of GDP

Cost Type Tipo de Costos

Guatemala

El Salvador

Honduras

Nicaragua

Costa Rica

Average

In the Matter of HEALTH En Materia de SALUD

4.3 % 6.1% 3.9% 4.5% 1.5% 4.06%

InstitutionalJustice and Public Safety InstitucionalesSeguridad Pública y Justicia

1.0% 1.5% 2.6% 1.6% 1.0% 1.54

Private SecurityCorporate and individual Seguridad PrivadaEmpresarial e individual

1.5% 1.8% 1.9% 2.3% 0.7% 1.64

Other Otros 0.8% 1.4% 1.2% 1.5% 0.4% 1.06TOTAL 7.7% 10.8% 9.6% 10.0% 3.6

%8.34%

Total in Millions of Dollars Total en Millones de Dólares

2,291 2,010 885 529 791 6,506

Source: Acevedo / BM, 2008

The result of the calculation performed by Acevedo accounting approach in 2008 for the National Security Council and UNDP El Salvador, allows a comparison between the Central American countries:

• Total costs for all of Central America are

of the order of 6.506 million dollars, equivalent to 8.34% of regional GDP.

• This is more than spending on public health throughout the region. • The health costs (including moral damage costs) accounted for the

largest portion of the additional financial burden for all countries in

the survey, reaching 6.1 percent of GDP in El Salvador.

• El Salvador is the one with the highest percentage of costs of crime, 10.8% of its GDP.

• Honduras has the highest institutional cost (Public Safety: 1.6%).• Nicaragua is the most spending is on Private Security.• Guatemala is the country with more violence costs.

In El Salvador the costs of violence on health (6.1%) are similar to those budgeted annually to the Govermment Social Spending including: Education line, line of Health and Local Development Financing (Funds for Mayors, Local Development Funds (FISDL), pensions, etc..).

A calculation exercise (World Bank, 2006) shows that a 10% reduction of the murder rate would result in an annual increase of 1% GDP for El Salvador.

2. DATA ANALYSIS

Violence in El Salvador has multi-causal origin, rather this is a process that tends to reproduce and increase.

INFAMOUS FORMULA

At the base is the marginalized social system that closes doors to most Central American youngster with their real needs and created by the same system which require satisfaction.

Central America youngster only have two alternatives: migrating to developed countries or joining to local gangs or local organized gangs enabling them to survive in the marginalizations.

Outside the legal code of conduct imposed is violence and death, encouraging crime and organized crime, this behavior competes against the whole social network structure, radically affecting productive investment, business investment limited only usufruct business heritage of the state and creating a consumer economy that feed on remittances from

abroad, resulting in low productivity increased poverty and a cycle of violence.

Where are these guns?, Firearms involved in different parts in this circle perennial violent, act as catalysts for this disastrous chemical formula, accelerating and are facilitating the process of violence. The weapons allow different forms of crime to the inexperienced. Moreover, the presence of firearms prevent other forms of understanding forcing immediate solutions and superficial.

3. SolutionsThe weapons are not only part the problem

they have also been part of the wrong solutions.

In the two previous presidencies period (2000-06) attempted to implement a repressive strategy called " Hard hand" and "Super hard hand", the results were disastrous increased the number of victims of armed violence.

It Has been tried all kinds of solutions,

usually disintegrated:• Death squads• Hardening of laws and prosecution of

gang organizations

• Disarmament Campaigns and arms-free public spaces

• Comprehensive plans for prevention and care of youngsters people at risk.

• Gang pact truce and peace agreements

The results of these measures are more or less known, for its novelty expand the latter.

Truce Among Gangs

This process started at the initiative of a hierarch of the Catholic Church and a civilian veteran guerrilla combatant obvious supported high government authorities,

consisting of a non-aggression pact among the two largest gangs and achieved through the heads of the gangs who are in prisons .

Before March 2012 (Date of signing the truce between gangs) had an

average of 14 homicides per day has now

fallen to 5.5 homicides per day. Put more simply, since the truce began eight Salvadorans killed less each day.

The truce between the major gangs has had many detractors

On the other hand the government

Citing lack of transparency from the government,

Doubts about the concessions given to the criminal groups and

The acceptance of a parallel power.

Talks of a "peace process" begun with the truce and accompanied

Progressive introduction of free municipalities of violence and

Representative of the society foundation to support the process.

Raul Mijango says (one of the main facilitator of the Truce): "The problem is that to talk about rehabilitation, social integration and prevention, we should enter the mentioned second phase. To achieve this, both the state and society need to overcome skepticism, which in his opinion is "the main enemy of this process", and access a direct negotiation with the gangs. "

Certainly after 14 months of truce the number of homicides has fallen by more than half and the decrease in the number of injuries by firearms has been evident by 33% comparing the months of 2011 with those of 2012. According to the SILEX is found that the injuries for other violence (knives, trauma, family) have not diminished.

Conclusions from this experience:

• The practical effects have been evident• The armed violence homicides depend at

least 50% of gangs.• The criminal acts is mediated by firearms,

are the instrument to facilitate violence.• The peace process goes through social

inclusion (reintegration into the system) of youth at risk and this requires the contribution of the whole society (civil society organizations, government, politicians, businessmen, etc..).

• The truce alone is not sustainable