El Salvador, dozens of clandestine graveyards discovered since 2006

Posted on September 28, 2011 • Filed under: Crime, El Salvador, Latin America Health, Police/Military Activity, Social Issues

According to contrapunto.com.sv, since 2006, hundreds of corpses have been discovered in dozens of clandestine graveyards in San Salvador and its outskirts. Ninety five percent of the corpses are for individuals under seventeen years of age and eighty five percent of them are female. These numbers are frightening, even for one of the most violent countries in the hemisphere that averages about twelve homicides per day. Generally, these clandestine graveyards are used by gangs in order to wipe out evidence of their crimes of vengeance and betrayal. Many of the victims may not necessarily be gang members themselves, but they be related in some manner to the gang member. In El Salvador, around fifty three percent of homicides are committed by gang members strongly linked to drug trafficking. Clandestine graves have often been located in the following areas: Gran San Salvador, Colón, Quezaltepeque, La Libertad, Ciudad Arce Sacacoyo, Panchimalco, and Rosario de Mora. Analysts attribute a primary factor in many of the disappearances and high murder levels in El Salvador is due to gangs operating with impunity. They believe that this impunity may caused in part to the enactment of the controversial amnesty law law which was a result of liberation of the former military members accused of murdering Jesuits. Read Article

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