El Mozote/Operacion Rascate
As of yesterday, December 11th, it's been 20 years since the deliberate & systematic group-executions of innocent men, women, and children in the village of El Mozote.
Today is a sad day for me as I reminisce about that day. I was up late, trying to meet a self-imposed deadline for my oft-misinterpreted "Fertile Wasteland" pamphlet. I was on my second pot of coffee & my typewriter was whizzing along flawlessly. I got an emergency Morse-Code message from Pete, asking me to meet him at the VFW. I was extremely irritated because I figured it was just another late night inebriated fisherman's club meeting. In retrospect, I wish that's all it was...
We received an urgent bulletin through our network informing us of the El Mozote massacres as they were happening.
In the Department of Morazan, select units of the Atlacatl Battalion, the San Francisco Gotera Commandos, and the 3rd Infantry Brigade had locked these innocent people in their homes at night, then the next day, led them to their slaughter.
"Operacion Rascate" was a so-called anti-guerrilla action, torturing the men, then ultimately executing them. Later the women & children met the same fate.
It's sad this time of year, every year, for me because of the facts of this tragedy have been conveniently swept under the rug for so long. Well, now it's been 20 years, and I, Gearson, will not let it go unnoticed any longer.
I hope after the holiday rush settles down, all of you can get back on the right track, and join myself & Pete on the mission. Pete's setting up a new cabin as we speak.
We will not be stopped!
Today is a sad day for me as I reminisce about that day. I was up late, trying to meet a self-imposed deadline for my oft-misinterpreted "Fertile Wasteland" pamphlet. I was on my second pot of coffee & my typewriter was whizzing along flawlessly. I got an emergency Morse-Code message from Pete, asking me to meet him at the VFW. I was extremely irritated because I figured it was just another late night inebriated fisherman's club meeting. In retrospect, I wish that's all it was...
We received an urgent bulletin through our network informing us of the El Mozote massacres as they were happening.
In the Department of Morazan, select units of the Atlacatl Battalion, the San Francisco Gotera Commandos, and the 3rd Infantry Brigade had locked these innocent people in their homes at night, then the next day, led them to their slaughter.
"Operacion Rascate" was a so-called anti-guerrilla action, torturing the men, then ultimately executing them. Later the women & children met the same fate.
It's sad this time of year, every year, for me because of the facts of this tragedy have been conveniently swept under the rug for so long. Well, now it's been 20 years, and I, Gearson, will not let it go unnoticed any longer.
I hope after the holiday rush settles down, all of you can get back on the right track, and join myself & Pete on the mission. Pete's setting up a new cabin as we speak.
We will not be stopped!