(16 Sep 1999) Spanish/Nat
El Salvador joined the rest of Central America in celebrating 178 years of independence from Spain this week.
But for many Salvadoreans, independence has not brought prosperity, and students and public workers took to the streets to demand change.
Riot police stood by as demonstrators chanted slogans and waved banners, but the protests passed off peacefully.
El Salvador celebrated Independence Day on Thursday with a host of military parades, air displays and street parties.
Crowds of people lined the main avenue of the Salvadorean capital, San Salvador, to watch.
Over a thousand military personnel took part in the celebrations, along with marching bands and cheerleaders.
The airforce also joined in the festivities, launching an air display over the capital.
In 1821, El Salvador broke away from three centuries of Spanish colonial rule, to join the rest of Central America on its first journey into modern nationhood.
It's transition to nationhood has been peaceful compared to other Latin American countries such as Brazil and Argentina, but independence has not brought prosperity to the country.
Poverty, rising urban crime and lack of public funds for universities and state wages and pensions have created a class of so-called 'disaffected' people.
Many of them used independence day celebrations to try to draw attention to their plight.
While celebrations continued around them students and public workers rallied in the streets, chanting slogans demanding change.
Masked riot police were at hand to quell any possible violence, but the protests were peaceful.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
" We don't really have independence when there is always some kind of politicians telling us what to do and not listening to us (students). So what we are trying to show today is that we are not independent at all and there has to be reforms that will benefit the whole of society."
SUPER CAPTION: Vox Pop, student
Public workers currently battling with the government over unpaid wages urged President Fransisco Flores to negotiate an end to the dispute.
SOUNDBITE: (Spanish)
"We can't carry on waiting for the government to act. He should show that he is president and sit down and negotiate with us and discuss the problems that affect the whole of society."
SUPER CAPTION: Guerber Guevara, trade unionist
Independence from colonial rule may have brought democracy to El Salvador, but inequality in distribution of land and wealth has persisted and shows no sign of improving.
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