(The following article is from theSeptember 1-15, 2009, issue of People's Voice, Canada's leading communist newspaper. Articles can be reprinted free if the source is credited. Subscription rates in Canada: $30/year, or $15 low income rate; for U.S. readers and  overseas readers - $50 per year. Send to: People's Voice, c/o PV Business Manager, 133 Herkimer St., Unit 502, Hamilton, ON, L8P 2H3.)

By Myra Reyes

Located at the south east of El Salvador,the Bajo Lempa region includes some 64 communities organized under the name of Associación Coordinadora Mangle. (Mangle is Spanish for mangrove, a common tree in this area.) Their effort to confront the negative effects of the neoliberal policies implemented in El Salvador is not a surprise to those who know the heroic history of its members.

     During the 12-year long civil war in El Salvador, many people were forced to leave their country and start a new life somewhere else. In the case of two villages in the eastern Department of Morazan, where many people were organized around the new theology of liberation, the communities fled the country because of constant harassment and abuses by the military.

     They immigrated to Panama, where then-president Omar Torrijos welcomed them and gave land in the mountains, with the promise to build roads and bring the necessary services. The communities cleared the land to build their homes and to produce food, all in the hope to settle and live in peace.

     A few years later, shortly after the death of Torrijos, the support ended, and the communities decided to go back home. Along the way, others joined their march and arrived at an abandoned farm in Bajo Lempa, Hacienda la Carrera. This settlement was named to honour Archbishop Arnulfo Romero.

     In 1993, as result of the Peace Agreement, one of the negotiated points gave people of Bajo Lempa the legal rights to their land. Economic compensation to each family was also granted, and the money was put in a collective fund to start the Association Mangle‑Coordinator for the Communities of Bajo Lempa.

     The zone is far from ideal, but they are making it work through hard efforts and organization. The principles of democratic participation, past experiences, respect for human dignity, and self-sufficiency as the base for sustainability keep the organized communities productive and strong.

     Their purpose is the progressive transformation of social and productive relations, to build up the conditions that will improve the quality of life of the population of Bajo Lempa and Jiquilisco Bay.

     Their vision is a democratic, autonomous, self‑sufficient organization, based in solidarity, capable of producing such a qualitative transformation.

     Their mission is to consolidate the organization, participation, capabilities and abilities, of the individuals and of the people of Bajo Lempa and the Jiquilisco Bay.

     Now the communities have established a set of policies and actions oriented to execute a plan of action for the construction of an economic, just and autonomous system. There are ten points in their policies, all oriented to develop the necessary skills to defend their rights to the land, work, health, education and peace; to live with dignity; to promote their own development, support and participate in the social and political actions against the neoliberal policies.

     They also are working hard to build the necessary infrastructure for the community, making alliances with other organizations to build houses and services.

     Coordinadora Mangle is leading the movement in the zone to protect the environment and the conservation of native species. It is important to mention the different projects taking place in the communities of Bajo Lempa.

     In Vancouver we have formed a committee, Mangle BC, with the objective to seek support for the communities of Bajo Lempa and their work, by raising awareness of their process and projects, following their principles of solidarity and organization.

     (Myra Reyes is organizer for Mangle BC; she can be contacted at roselia26@yahoo.es)