• Text size  | | |
• Email this document
• Printable version

El Salvador: State initiatives to relocate squatters from privately owned land in San Salvador to other areas, including number of individuals affected by these initiatives, funding levels, suitability of land made available for squatters, involvement of non-governmental organizations; reports of wrong-doing, complaints or investigations related to these initiatives (1998-September 2001)

The Human Settlements Program (Programa de Asentamientos Humanos), also known as the Communities in Progress Program (Programa de Comunidades en Progreso), was established in 1991 by the Vice-Ministry of Housing and Urban Development (Viceministerio de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano, VMVDU) in order to facilitate poor families' legal acquisition of housing lots (VMVDU n.d.a; ibid. n.d.b; La Prensa Gráfica 27 Mar. 2001). The New Organized Settlements (Nuevos Asentamientos Organizados, NAO) initiative, a component of this program, is responsible for the relocation of families living on illegally occupied lands and/or in high-risk areas such as river banks (VMVDU n.d.b; La Prensa Gráfica 27 Mar. 2001; UNDP 2000).

Under the terms of the NAO initiative, families who are relocated receive roughly 16,360 colones (CND$2,924) to pay for building supplies, installation of basic services and lot acquisition (ibid.). According to the San Salvador newspaper La Prensa Gráfica, the majority of families participating in the initiative have been relocated to areas close their existing homes, either on state lands or, when such lands are insufficient to meet demand, on lots acquired from municipalities or private sector owners (27 Mar. 2001). No information on the suitability of land made available for relocation could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Between June 1999 and May 2000, the Human Settlements Program disbursed a total of 13,975,820 colones (CDN$2,489,454) countrywide, with 15,229 low income individuals benefiting through the legal acquisition of a home (ibid.; VMVDU n.d.a). Between 2001 and 2004, the government will allocate a total of 84 million colones (CDN$14,962,566) to the NAO initiative, with 27,943 families expected to benefit (ibid. n.d.b).

No specific information on the degree of involvement of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in squatter relocation initiatives could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, according to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), as recently as 1997 approximately 58 NGOs were involved in the implementation of state housing programs (2000). Furthermore, on 27 March 2001 La Prensa Gráfica stated, citing Housing Vice-Minister César Augusto Alvarado, that housing construction carried out under the aegis of the NAO initiative in 2001 had benefited from the support of international organizations and "friendly countries" (paises amigos).

In an 11 September 2001 interview, an advisor to the director of the Salvadoran Foundation for Development and Basic Housing (Fundación Salvadoreña de Desarrollo y Vivienda Mínima, FUNDASAL), a San Salvador-based non-governmental organization involved in housing-related projects throughout the country, stated that he was aware of a number of initiatives undertaken in recent years in the region of San Salvador to relocate families living in high risk areas, including one in May 2001 carried out jointly by the VMVDU and the Municipality of San Salvador. While there have been no cases of forced relocation from illegally occupied land, the advisor indicated that because affected individuals are often well-established in their existing homes and believe the land should rightfully belong to them, they are often highly reluctant to move to other areas (ibid.). The advisor further stated that he knew of no cases of corruption or wrong-doing involving the VMVDU, adding that the greatest challenge facing the vice-ministry is the lack of sufficient resources to address Salvadorans' housing needs (ibid.).

Among the documentary sources consulted by the Research Directorate, only one report referring to alleged corruption by individuals linked to a VMVDU project could be found. On 31 August 2001, La Prensa Gráfica claimed, citing unidentified complainants, that municipal government officials in Apaneca, Ahuachapán had exercised favouritism when allocating housing lots to earthquake-affected families. However, the mayor of Apaneca, Osmín Antonio Guzmán, denied any wrong-doing. No information on whether the VMVDU launched an investigation of the allegations could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Fundación Salvadoreña de Desarrollo y Vivienda Mínima (FUNDASAL), San Salvador. 11 September 2001. Telephone interview with advisor to the director.

La Prensa Gráfica [San Salvador]. 31 August 2001. Omar Morán. "Denuncian a concejo por irregularidades en entrega de lotes." <http://www.probidad.org.sv/local/noticias/2001/0826/054.html> [Accessed 11 Sept. 2001]

_____. 27 March 2001. Karla Ramos. "Avanza creación de nuevos asentamientos humanos." <http://archive.laprensa.com.sv/20010327/economia/ecm9.asp> [Accessed 11 Sept. 2001]

United Nations Development Program (UNDP). 2000. "Estado de la nación en desarollo humano 1999." <http://www.desarrollohumano.org.sv/07cap2.pdf> [Accessed 11 Sept. 2001]

Viceministerio de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (VMVDU). n.d.a. "Asentamientos humanos." <http://www.vmvdu.gob.sv/asentamientos_humanos.htm> [Accessed 11 Sept. 2001]

_____. n.d.b. "Política salvadoreña de vivienda." <http://www.vmvdu.gob.sv/web_personal/PoliticaVivienda.htm> [Accessed 11 Sept. 2001]

Additional Sources Consulted

IRB databases.

Unsuccessful attempts to contact the VMVDU, the Office for Strategic Planning (Oficina de Planificación Estratégica, OPES) and the Coordinating Agency for Marginal Communities (Coordinadora de Comunidades Marginales, CCM).

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International.

Asociación de Proyectos Comunales de El Salvador (PROCOMES)

Centro de Recursos para el Desarrollo Sostenible en los Asentamientos Humanos de Centroamérica (CERCA)

La Prensa [Tegucigalpa]. 1998-2001.

Probidad.

Viceministerio de Vivienda y Desarrollo Urbano (VMVDU)