committees from the When and why was AMES formed?
AMES was formed in 1978 as an autonomous organisation to put forward women's specific demands. was formed because, although the existing mass and military organisations look up tne struggle tol te peopic as a whole, there was also a need for an would take up olzalbalor women's own demands.
We are an independent organisation but we recognise the FMLN-FDR vanguard une against the Salvadorean regime.
Within AMES there are a range of salvadorean women trom housewives to trade unionists and student women.
Was there a high degree of involvement by women In the military organisation? We recently witnessed the tragic deaths of Marianella Garcia and Ana Maria. struggle in El Salvador.
Say tlal were tional individuals?
Working class women and teachers have a long tradition of participation It was the women who were already active in the trade unions teachers associations who became involved in the armed struggle These women were more politically aware and understood that changes in El Salvador would not take place through elections.
They became part of the struggles and mass mobilisations, participaling in street demonstrations, seizure of lana ana so on Companeras Ana Maria Marianella are clear examples of how women are an important part of the struggle. In that sense they are not exceptions. But at the same time they are also a very clear example of what women achieving.
struggle convoy:
estata wide graduates' of the completely destroyed thi event secret, mass have oc uc calcu o' was considered a double defeat Comandante Would you Wing.
Wing. the has poultry-runs and first feeding the fighters quisitoned COWs.
ICoIsLs.
and where does it work?
the countryside the FMLN. controlled zones these VUL everywhere are capable of We have many more examples. One was an attack on an enemy army department Danaten politico-military *Emma Guadelune • varpio , convoy.
but journalists gave it a lot of publicity and in the cities people spoke about the action for days.
women s barlanol Another action was the requisition of seven thousand hens from a large farm near one of the controlled zones. Supported by militias from the zones, the women carrying sacks, went to the tarm m une carly nours or tne mornThey managed to take the farmyard by surprise. The hens were sleepToday in the zone the population eggs are We have also re.
This is more difthe What kind of work does AMES do At this moment there is a large part of under the control of • AMES works both in alle the cities. In the controlled zones we carry Conse usucos asile with the peasant women, women who nave never had access to education in their lives.
We try to explain to these women that they can come out of their homes and take part in the struggle and we have set up a system ot committees to organise the work of women, ially in the literacy campaigns and in the medical brigades. One of our first to organise collective child SLeus wa. care to allow women to be more involved.
Some women who could already read and write have formed cultura groups which put on theatrical performances in which they show women how they can become involved.
AMES is also represented in system of local popular power in the controled system operate?
Local popular power is the government which exists in the controlled zones. Local assemblies elect 'Farabundista councils' composed of conraucs have proved themselves capable dealing with all the problems that face population in the controlled It is a reflection of the degree of activity that we represented in the councils. We have shown that we are capable of carrying out the tasks reauired. We are part o the councils because of our capacity as Icaucis AMES has won much respect in the war tronts because the consciou. involvement of women has advanced the process of the struggle very rapid ly. This experience is school for the men since today they have to participate more actively in the house and in children and the domestic work. especWhat is the work of AMES in the cities?
The work in the cities is clandestine because of the weight of the represNevertheless significant increase in the activity of cities. We have women trade unionists have gone on the strikes last year when the salaries were frozen we demanded shorter hours this and opposed inflation.
We working women in their campaign for an end lo ine millarisanon or the markels We are also working with housewives, women teachers. who We of workshops to produce clothes, food For example, a grou DICCI Cuca c local these into meals political prisoners Other groups help needs of the comrades in the popular liberation army and the population in Ine controlica zones Collecting medicines is becoming more and more ditticult each dar. We have to organise ourselves to collect them because tion a new elected.
the care of the leaders FDR-FMLN.
we ayer the organisation given solidarity to happening when they During. the market in the USA. sewing organise collective women's , of women wil or our people prepared and make backwards. follow to meet the I am in democratic as a resuit ci the cle States government. We are confron powerful enemy of North American imOur future government will be a revolutionary govern. ment that will protect the rights of the whole population, where the people will elect unel own leaders, wntre al the wealth will be divided equally, where women will have an equal op portunity to be part of the economic cultura and social lite of the countr without discrimination or exploita.
This government has already been At a local level it already exists in the controlled zones as i explained earlier. At a national level the have already been elected within the our within the For this government to take powe Heerstane politica military struggle is necessary and that is what we are carrying out.
We are also very aware that US imperialism won't cease its interven tion with our victory and that what i todav to Nicaragua wil also happen to our country I am confident of victory because we are conducting an heroic struggle We have many proofs of our : advance We have created the FMLN-FDR, we have a large part of the country under our control, we have inflicted defeats on an army trained in the best schools We have won recognition for the FMLN-FDR governments like France and Mexico The massive advance in the work ot the women makes me very conti dent that very soon we will get victor to take single step We prepared ollen the ave gen her bloo example build up solidarity. This is just ene more front in the war. Your solidaris democra is achiere evoluti governmen Salvador and liberation :.::: *:
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