By Jose Gutierrez
For the past three months the political situation in El Salvador has been focused on government's failure to comply with some points of the peace accords, and the consequent delay in their implementation by the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front (FMLN).
One of the main causes of discontent has been the land problem, which has affected mainly former FMLN combatants. The government accuses them of having illegally taken over their lands and has supported landowners in evicting peasant families by force. This violates the peace accords, which agreed that the state would legalise the land tenure system as it existed at the time.
Another problem has been the failure to dismantle the death squads, which are responsible for a wave of murders of trade union leaders. Some ultraright groups have even attacked members of the armed forces with the aim of creating confusion and blaming the FMLN.
The Cristiani government claims that these crimes are being carried out by elements outside its control, but the state has not been doing enough to uncover and punish those responsible for violence. Cristiani still claims that he doesn't know who these groups are. However, being chief of intelligence, the president must know who is behind the death squads.
The ultraright is determined to sabotage the peace process. They fear an FMLN electoral victory in 1994, and, consequently, the establishment of a democratic government implementing an alternative type of economic model which will eradicate oligarchic power once and for all.
In the meantime, the government and FMLN are renegotiating the timing of the peace accord's implementation. The FMLN had been concentrating on three points: legalisation of the FMLN as a political party, which took effect on August 1; establishment of the National Civilian Police, which allows the participation of ex-combatants; implementation of programs to assist demobilised combatants.
While concentrating on these three points, the FMLN emphasises full implementation of the peace accords in order to democratise and demilitarise the country. This will allow the reconstruction of the economy and the free participation of the left in the political process.
For the FMLN, political stability is very important in order to wage a successful electoral campaign. The peace accords, the FMLN political platform and the different forms of struggle are helping the FMLN to win popular support. Hence the ultraright efforts to provoke unrest.
There is a realignment of forces taking place within the Salvadoran left. The Democratic Convergence, the National Revolutionary Movement, the Christian Democratic Party, the Nationalist Democratic Union, and the FMLN seem to be heading towards an electoral alliance.
The right is made up by the Party of National Conciliation, the Authentic Christian Movement, the Nationalist Republican Alliance (ARENA) and other small ultraright parties. Within the rightist camp, ARENA is the biggest party.
A broad unity of left-wing organisations, including political parties and the many grassroots social and political forces, favours the FMLN in the 1994 elections.
The FMLN has so far managed to avoid another war with the ultraright. But if the Cristiani government leaves no room for other options and the ultraright persists with its attacks, the FMLN does not rule out confrontation as a necessary and legitimate option. But the fact that the United Nations is monitoring compliance with the peace accords, and North America and the European Economic Community observe the outcome of the peace process, pressures the Cristiani government not to pursue war and leaves the FMLN in the most favourable position to engage in political struggle.
According to the latest Central American University poll, popular support for the FMLN is growing very rapidly.
[The writer is the representative in Australia of Radio Farabundo Martí.]