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Detailed Implementation Timeline: Chapultepec Peace Agreement

Implementations

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 1992

The Parties failed to implement several components of the Agreement by the specified dates: both the Government and the FMLN were over three months late in concentrating their forces in the designated areas; the Government was over three months late in establishing the National Public Security Academy; the FMLN was over three months late in returning the first 20% of its combatants to civilian life; the Government was over three months late in promoting legislation to establish the FMLN as a political party.¹ The Parties subsequently reached a negotiated agreement to adjust the deadlines as follows: concentrate forces in the established areas by 25 June 1992; begin the reintegration of former FMLN combatants to civilian life by 30 June 1992 and finish by 31 October 1992; commence the first course at the National Public Security Academy within 15 days after June 30 1992; present legislation to definitively abolish the National Guard and Treasury Police and establish a “Special Brigade for Military Security” (with no further transfers from military bodies to the National Civil Police) by 30 June 1992; propose legislation to facilitate the legalization of the FMLN as a political party by 30 June 1992; finalize programs to reintegrate former FMLN combatants into civilian life by 15 July 1992; and complete COPAZ verification of inventories of lands presented by the FMLN by 30 June 1992.[fn]”Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador,” United Nations Security Council (S/23999/Add.1), June 16, 1992.[/efn_note] On 23 December 1992, ONUSAL confirmed that the armed conflict between the Government of El Salvador and the FMLN formally ended on 15 December 1992.²

“Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador,” United Nations Security Council (S/23999), May 26, 1992.
“Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL),” United Nations Security Council (S/25006), December 23, 1992.

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 1993

Both parties were slow to implement multiple aspects of the peace agreement, in violation of the detailed timeline. In late August and early September1993, ONUSAL brought the parties together to agree to a new timetable before the electoral campaigns began on 20 November 1993. The parties reached new agreements on the regulation of private weapons and security services, disbanding the old National Police and building up the new National Civil Police, admitting former FMLN combatants in leadership training at the National Public Security Academy, other reintegration programs, and land transfers.¹

“Further Report of the Secretary-General on the United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador,” United Nations Security Council (S/26790), November 23, 1993.

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 1994

On 19 May 1994, the parties agreed to a new “Timetable for the Implementation of the Most Important Agreements Pending.” The contents of this agreement are summarized as follows:
Armed forces: military weapons held by non-military state institutions shall be collected by 20 May 1994, and weapons held by civilians by 30 May 1994.
Public security: the National Civil Police shall complete its replacement of the National Police by 31 March 1995; the new units of the NCP will all be deployed by 31 March 1995, the Government shall appoint an Inspector-General during June 1994 and the General Inspectorate shall be operational by 30 September 1994; the Government shall set up Control and Disciplinary Investigation Units by 31 July 1994; and the Government shall enact new measures to promote recruitment to the National Civil Police, subject to UN verification.
Land transfers: the Government shall fulfill the Acceleration Plan by 30 April 1995.
Reintegration: the Government shall undertake to complete each program for the reintegration of FMLN ex-combatants in a timely manner, with the programs beginning mostly in early 1994 (if not begun already) and concluding mostly in mid-1994 (and the latest, the scholarship program, ending in August 1998).
Recommendations of the Commission on the Truth: the Government shall by 30 May 1994 remove roadblocks preventing the Legislative Assembly from approving all the draft laws necessary to heed the unfulfilled recommendations by the Commission on the Truth.
The parties shall work to reconstitute the Forum for Economic and Social Consultation by 30 June 1994.
The parties shall meet with the UN bi-weekly to follow up on the new timetable.¹

Prompted by concerns raised by the UN Security Council, the parties signed a joint declaration of commitment to fully implement the Chapultepec Agreement by 30 April 1995 at the latest.²

“Letter Dated 24 May 1994 from the Secretary-General Addressed to the President of the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council (S/1994/612), May 24, 1994.
“Letter Dated 6 October 1994 from the Secretary-General Addressed to the President of the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council (S/1994/1144), October 10, 1994.

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 1995

At the conclusion of the ONUSAL mandate and commencement of the new United Nations Mission in El Salvador (MINUSAL), the parties assented to another revised work plan for the full implementation of the Peace Agreement. The new ultimate deadline set was 31 October 1995—with a few exceptions, including training for personnel transferred into the Criminal Investigation Division and Anti-Narcotics Division of the National Civil Police (31 December 1995), land transfers for rural human settlements (30 April 1996), and some assistance programs for reintegrated ex-combatants (as late as 31 August 1998). Important among the reforms left incomplete at the conclusion of the ONUSAL mission were: amendments to the Code of Military Justice and the army rules and regulations; repeal of the 1886 Police Act; habeas corpus act; Criminal Code; Code of Criminal Procedure; Prison Act; amendments to the Constitutional Procedures Act (amparo); amendments to the Judicial Career Act; amendments to the National Council of the Judiciary Act; and amendments to the Act organizing the judiciary.¹

“Letter Dated 18 May 1995 from the Secretary-General Addressed to the President of the Security Council,” United Nations Security Council (1995.S/1995/407), May 18, 1995.

Detailed Implementation Timeline – 1996

There was delay in implementing some provisions, but most of the provisions, except for land redistribution and socio-economic development, were implemented.