MR. PRESIDENT,

On behalf of the members and personnel of Development and Peace in Canada, I am writing to inform you of our grave concern in light of the well-publicized circumstances surrounding the unlawful arrests on terrorism charges of Martha Lorena Araujo, Rosa Maria Centeno, María Haydee Chicas and Manuel Antoño Rodríguez of CRIPDES, which were made at Suchitoto by members of the Salvadorean national police (la Police Nationale Civile - PNC) on July 2, 2007.

The peaceful expression of opinions should never be thought of as terrorism. We strongly protest the ongoing detention of these persons and request their immediate release along with respect for their physical and moral safety.

In addition, we would like to inform you that in Canada we are following closely the outcome of this grievous abuse of civil liberties, and if this situation continues we will be following up in the diplomatic arena, with the goal of stopping these unwarranted detentions.

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace, the international solidarity organization of the Catholic Church in Canada and a member of Caritas Internationalis has been supporting peaceful civil society organizations in El Salvador for more than 30 years.

I am counting your immediate support, help and assistance to ensure the freedom of Martha Lorena Araujo, Rosa Maria Centeno, María Haydee Chicas and Manuel Antoño Rodríguez of CRiPDES.

Yours very sincerely,

Doctor Hélène Trépanier, m.v., m.sc.
Presidente de Desarrollo y Paz
1425, boul. René-Lévesque ouest,
3rd Floor, Montréal (Québec),
H3G 1T7, Canada