El Salvador's ex-gang members bake their way to peace
During the 2012 gang truce, we heard several stories about small bakeries established to support individuals who wanted out of gang life. These small businesses provided too few opportunities to make a significant difference in terms of the viability of the gang truce, but that doesn't mean that they didn't provide a needed lifeline for those gang members who wanted out of that lifestyle. Unfortunately, Salvadoran police were intent on ensuring that these businesses failed during the truce and it seems as if that is their intent today.
In From life as thugs to baking, El Salvador's ex-gang members seek peace, Nelson Renteria and Jose Cabezas tell the story of Wilfredo Gomez. Gomez joined a gang in California because "he was enticed by the guns, the girls and the camaraderie of gang life." After serving time in a US prison, he was deported to his native country. He ended up serving time in El Salvador as well. At some point he concluded that gang life had brought him nothing but trouble.
There's no doubt that El Salvador has a serious gang challenge. However, it is not just that police harass young men congregating on the streets. The police do themselves no favors by treating every "young" man as a suspected gang member, especially when they come across them in fast food restaurants, gasoline plazas, and their places of employment, such as bakeries. This is where society needs to support these young men.
Click through to the article as 22 photographs accompany the story.
In From life as thugs to baking, El Salvador's ex-gang members seek peace, Nelson Renteria and Jose Cabezas tell the story of Wilfredo Gomez. Gomez joined a gang in California because "he was enticed by the guns, the girls and the camaraderie of gang life." After serving time in a US prison, he was deported to his native country. He ended up serving time in El Salvador as well. At some point he concluded that gang life had brought him nothing but trouble.
“I’ve only had losses being part of the gang,” Gomez said. “I haven’t won anything. I lost my youth, which was spent in jail. I lost my family due to my bad decisions. I lost my home, my woman, my son, and I lost the best years of my life due to a pointless ideology.”Gomez now employs 10 former gang members at a bakery that he runs in San Salvador. However, the police still look upon Gomez and his employees with suspicion. Two months ago, police raided his bakery and arrested them on suspicion of illicit association. They were released one week later without any criminal charges.
There's no doubt that El Salvador has a serious gang challenge. However, it is not just that police harass young men congregating on the streets. The police do themselves no favors by treating every "young" man as a suspected gang member, especially when they come across them in fast food restaurants, gasoline plazas, and their places of employment, such as bakeries. This is where society needs to support these young men.
Click through to the article as 22 photographs accompany the story.
Post a Comment