Committee on El Salvador Petitions Senator Tsongas

The Harvard Committee on El Salvador gave a petition protesting United States aid to EL Salvador--signed by almost 400 students--to Sen. Paul E. Tsongas (D-Mass.) Saturday, a committee organizer said yesterday.

The petition, presented to Tsongas at the Somerville High School, where he was presiding over a town meeting, demands that the U.S. "end all military and economic aid to the El Salvador junta."

Body English

"We presented this petition to Tsongas to show there is a body here at Harvard that cares about what is going on in El Salvador," Greg A. Eckstrom '84, a member of the committee, said yesterday.

Ecksurom said that Tsongas was pleased with the petition, but commented that although the situation in El Salvador is a "sad one," nothing can be done "right away" to resolve it.

Tsongas was unavailable for comment yesterday.

Tsongas and Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-Mass) are currently sponsoring a bill to stop aid to El Salvador. A similar proposal is now being presented to the House of Representatives by Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.).

"The petition is part of a protest that includes a candlelight march to be held Thursday in memory of the estimated 10,000 people killed in the ongoing fighting in El Salvador," a committee organizer said.

City-Wide

"The march will start in Harvard Yard, but we hope to make it city-wide." Eckstrom said, adding that the committee expects a few thousand participants from MIT. Boston University and Tufts.

James B. Raskin '83, a committee member, said yesterday more than 20 Harvard student organizations will cosponsor the march.

"This is just a start," Raskin said, adding. "The situation in El Salvador could become catastrophic. The longer we wait, the less effective we will be."