Junta, Leftists swap charges

Press, 2 April 1980, Page 9

Junta, Leftists swap charges

NZPA-Reuter San Salvador| El Salvador’s ruling junta; and Leftist militants seeking its. overthrow traded charges yesterday over responsibility for a riot during the funeral of the country’s murdered Roman Catholic Archbishop in which about 30 people died. More than 200 people; were also injured when] shots were fired and ex-; plosives went off as tens of! thousands of mourners gath-i ered for the funeral of Arch-] bishop Oscar Arnulfo Ro-] niero. I ; Red Cross officials said] about half of those killed; died of bullet injuries. i • The others were trampled; to death in a wild stampede, which erupted as people fought to reach safety. The ruling civilian-military junta said the Revolutionary co-ordinator of the Masses (C.R,M.) the Leftist umbrella organisation,' ’ started , the

shooting, but. the group denied the charges. The shooting and explosion broke out when a C.R.M.-organised march arrived at the cathedral. A statement signed by a number of priests and nuns accused the Government of “grave distortion of facts and false interpretations.” ... I “From what we can testify to personally, and from the reports of reliable witnesses, the first shots came from the second floor of the National Palace, adjacent to the cathedral,” the statement said. The Church statement also denied Government charges that Leftist militants tried to steal Archbishop Romero’s body. Monsignor Romero, a champion of the poor, ■ was shot dead 10 days ago while celebrating Mass. He was laid to rest at a crypt inside the cathedral during a lull in, the shooting at his .funeral.