February 8, 2005

CHICAGO – The Rev. Mark S. Hanson, presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and president of the Lutheran World Federation (LWF), is appealing to the president of El Salvador to investigate a raid and death of a security guard at the Salvadoran Lutheran University, San Salvador.

"We deplore this vicious act against the university" and ask "for an immediate and thorough investigation to uncover the identities of those responsible," wrote Hanson in a Feb. 7 letter to President Elias Antonio Saca.

On Jan. 29 Salvadoran Lutheran University "was raided and sacked," according to a news release issued by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada. The guard on duty, Manuel de Jesus Martinez, was killed. Almost all of the university's equipment – computers and educational materials from the department for environmental services – was stolen, including a school bus left abandoned two blocks away from the home of the institution's acting rector.

Police have captured two suspects in response to the crime, according to laprensagrafica.com, an online news source. The university's equipment has been recovered.

"We are concerned about the future safety of this entire university community, those employed there as well as faculty and students," Hanson said, asking the president of El Salvador to "direct the Policia Nacional Civil to provide increased protection to the university and the surrounding area. We are concerned that further violence could be directed toward the university, which will make it impossible to fulfill its educational mission."

In September 2004 Hanson visited the university. The ELCA "has strong relationships with both the Salvadoran Lutheran Church and the university," he said. "I was very impressed with the commitment of this relatively young university to serve the poor of El Salvador through its course offerings and scholarships for members of marginalized communities."

The LWF is a global communion of Christian churches in the Lutheran tradition. Based in Geneva, Switzerland, the LWF has 138 member churches in 77 countries. The ELCA is a member of the LWF.

ELCA News Service