San Salvador, Jun 14 (EFE).- Salvadoran civil society organizations condemned here Thursday the “violent and repressive acts” against university students and professors who sought to enter Congress to deliver a petition opposing water privatization.
The Social Initiative for Democracy and the Citizens’ Network for Democracy and Transparency issued a joint statement in which they demand congressional speaker Norman Quijano to “carry out the relevant measures” to determine who was responsible for the repressive acts and “to guarantee that this never happens again.”
Students and professors from the University of El Salvador (UES) had organized a protest Thursday to demand lawmakers to listen to the opinion of academic experts before passing a water bill.
Police attacked the protesters as they approached the Congress, before they were able to deliver their petition.
Legislators are debating a bill that opponents say would open the door to water privatization, a proposal that is opposed by many sectors of Salvadoran society, including the Catholic church.
On April 14, 2015, the Salvadoran government issued a national emergency because of a prolonged drought linked to climate change.
A study carried out by the national ombud’s office published in 2016 said that life in El Salvador would be unviable in 80 years due the water crisis that has grown with climate change.