EL SALVADOR STREET GANGS BECOMING MAJOR PROBLEM

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(27 May 1999) Spanish/Nat • In El Salvador, U-S style street gangs called maras have become a major problem for the authorities. • The violent tactics, rackets and rituals that are the hallmark of these gangs have been imported with Salvadorans returning from the U-S. • Without any prospects for the future, youngsters find comfort getting together in these gangs. • Police blame them for the rise in crime that has taken place in the country since the end of the civil war. • Some 300-thousand people live in Apopa, in the outskirts of San Salvador. • Poor housing is a big problem here, but also the lack of money, public spaces and employment. • Without any prospects for the future, youngsters are finding a sense of identity in these gangs, or maras . • They are the children of El Salvador's lost decade - the sons and daughters of rebels, soldiers and immigrants that came back to the country after the war. • Most of these gang members grew up in the U-S after their parents fled the civil war. • When they returned after the war, the youngsters brought the lessons learnt in the crime-ridden cities of the U-S back to their homeland. • The U-S has been deporting Salvadorans ever since. • Last year there were 5,200 -this year the U-S government has already deported 900. • Many come back to join one of the gangs in the country --there are 200 small ones that revolve around two main ones, Mara Salvatrucha, and Mara 18. • Apopa has its own local gang. • SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) • If I could choose... who wouldn't like to be in the US? We would all like to be there and see our families improve. But they are deporting people all the time from there. • SUPER CAPTION: El Topi , leader of gang Mara 18 Madre Tierra II Apopa • The youths are blamed for a wave of violent crime in the country. • That, despite police figures showing that two years ago, only 12 percent of the people arrested were minors. • But the numbers of young people belonging to maras have greatly increased since. • It was estimated that 12-thousand youngsters belonged to gangs in 1996. • They could now number 30-thousand. • SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) • The easiest thing to do for these youngsters is to join our gangs or maras in the country. Why do I say our ? Because they are from El Salvador too and when they can't find a place in any company, in any job in any school, so gangs are the easiest way out. That's why gangs in our country are getting bigger and bigger. • SUPER CAPTION: Carlos Palomo, President of Desarrollo Comunal (communal development) • The police carry out sporadic crackdowns but seem powerless to prevent much of the criminal activity of heavily armed gangs. • El Salvador's National Civil Police - or P-N-C - now have over 10-thousand agents. • There was a dramatic increase in the forces recently as authorities try to crack down on crime, including those carried out by youths. • SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) • There are several reasons for the gang phenomenon to happen and unless these reasons are dealt with, the phenomenon will continue to happen. But we can do something about it and we are indeed doing it. And that is advising young people and fighting crime. When these youngsters, these gang members, commit crimes, we must send them to the tribunals. • SUPER CAPTION: Johnny Gomez Molina, National Police spokesman in Soyapango • Many contend stronger measures are needed to curb the spread of gangs. • They claim laws are not tough enough for the youths and sentences not long enough for criminals, whatever their age. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

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