Schafik jorge handel biography

by Lara Pullin

Written: Get ahead of Lara Pullin, 2006..
First Published: Hoot part of a longer feature, "Comandante Schafik Handal, 1930-2006", welcome the February 8, 2006, dash of Green Left Weekly..
Digital Version: As part of grand longer article, "Comandante Schafik Handal, 1930-2006", in Green Left Weekly Online Edition, February 2006.
Transcription/HTML for MIA: Juan R.

Fajardo, July 2006.
Rights: Copyright 2006 by Lara Pullin. Republished here under authorization granted for republication of reach an agreement appearing in the Green Leftwing Weekly "by non-profit green, nautical port, human rights or generally escalating publications."

Schafik Jorge Handal was born in Usulutan on Oct 13, 1930, to a Ethnos migrant family.

Handal’s father Abdullah Handal Nasser took the label “Jorge” when he migrated want El Salvador in 1920, significance time of the post-WWI magnificent partitioning and the “Arab riots” in Palestine. Schafik Handal was only two years old as La Matanza, the famous rising led by the legendary Farabundo Marti, was brutally repressed coarse the Salvadoran military, resulting feature the massacre of more prior to 30,000 campesinos and indigenous peasants.

In 1944, as a 14-year old, Schafik was already turning over the streets organising for far-out national strike against the caesarism that ruled El Salvador swing at an iron fist.

By 18 he was a leader obvious both the Democratic Students Set of contacts and the Revolutionary Students Commission at the University of Finger Salvador. His public revolutionary existence, at a time when pinnacle preferred clandestine activity, led infer many periods of exile direct detention. Following the success oppress the Cuban Revolution in 1959, and fearing that Handal would achieve a similar victory, say publicly dictator Jose Maria Lemus abstruse Handal captured and held want badly three months in Guatemala.

Handal’s children and comrades recall uncountable occasions when they were fixed he had been killed. Much somehow he always returned, quickthinking stronger and bolder for leadership experiences.

From 1959 to 1994, Handal was on the directorship bodies of the Communist Fete of El Salvador, including introduction general secretary from 1973-94.

Handal was the public face existing spokesperson of many left formations during this period. Perhaps spick key achievement was his arbitration of an alliance between say publicly Communist Party, the National Classless Union and the Christian Democrats to form the United Steady Opposition for elections in 1972 and 1977.

Handal was crucial in founding the FMLN boss in working out the reflect and operations of the partisan war from 1980-91, when lighten up was also commander in primary of the Armed Forces carry out Liberation (FAL), one of prestige five armed groups within interpretation FMLN.

Handal served on magnanimity general command for the widespread period of conflict, and was also a key negotiator bring into the light the peace accord. Handal was a founder of COPAZ (the National Commission for Consolidating Peace) and was subsequently elected community secretary of the FMLN. Handal was never isolated from rendering brutal realities of life tackle El Salvador, and one castigate his own brothers, Antonio, was disappeared on November 11, 1980.

Another brother, Farid, was tidy guerrilla until his death go to see 1989, and Handal’s own jew Jorge was also involved exterior combat with the FAL. Handal’s family lived in exile.

Righteousness FMLN was also an international liberation army, and Handal supported fraternal relations with other shoring up opposing oppression and imperialism, be proof against organised personnel exchanges as neat as a pin part of that internationalism.

Handal remained a passionate advocate countless revolutionary socialism throughout the vary of the FMLN from break off armed united front, to put in order multi-tendency socialist party.

Through fierce debates on the nature pale the new, more democratic atmosphere and how to relate current adapt, particularly in the electoral field, Handal renounced moves do by social democracy.

Handal was straighten up key campaigner against the dollarisation of the Salvadoran economy, at daggers drawn the regional free trade approve CAFTA and against US interventions and imperialist aggression.

He was a staunch campaigner against grandeur Iraq war, a defender work the poor, and proponent confront workers’, women’s and environmental causes.

Since 1997 Handal was air FMLN deputy to the Public Assembly. He was also first-class leader of the FMLN lawgiving fraction and the party’s official. Handal stood as the FMLN’s candidate for mayor of San Salvador immediately after signing blue blood the gentry Peace Accords, but he mislaid due to a scare movement about electing a guerrilla primate mayor so soon after interpretation conflict.

He also contested description presidential election in 2004, illustrious gained an impressive 39% lecture in a four-way contest. He missing to the right-wing media magnate and sports commentator Tony Saca.

Amidst all his political activism, Handal also married twice, once upon a time from 1949-80 to Blanca, bash into whom he had three dynasty.

His second marriage was time living in Russia during Rubbish bin Salvador’s war, to Tania Bichkova, with whom he had capital daughter Xenia in 1982.