El Salvador Apologises for El Mozote Massacre

El Salvador Apologises for El Mozote Massacre

By SONJA DECHIAN | Published: DECEMBER 13, 2011

El Salvador’s government has apologized for a 1981 massacre in which soldiers executed more than 1000 people, half of them children.

The 30^th anniversary of the December 11-13 killings at El Mozote  was commemorated with a ceremony in the town where troops rounded up and executed people they accused of collaborating with leftist guerrillas. ‘This event seeks to honor the memory of hundreds of innocent people who were murdered 30 years ago here in El Mozote and in nearby towns,’ said Salvadorean Foreign Minister Hugo Martinez.  ‘I would like to take this opportunity to reiterate on behalf of the government of El Salvador our request for forgiveness to the thousands of innocent victims, but especially the victims of the massacre at El Mozote.’

Those responsible for the massacre have never faced trial. Activists say they are still waiting for justice and hope their case will be taken up by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica.