From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: CODEHUCA: UN HR conference #4
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Sun, 24 Jan 1993 22:16:36 GMT

/** carnet.alerts: 124.0 **/
** Topic: human rigths conference #4 **
** Written 11:33 am  Jan 20, 1993 by nicarao:codehuca in cdp:carnet.alerts **
SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA - PRESS RELEASE 4
January 20, 1993, San Jose, Costa Rica
     In this communique, the Commission for the Defence of Human
Rights in Central America (CODEHUCA) presents its position on theme
8 of the agenda being addressed here at the United Nations Regional
Pre-Conference ("Pre-Con"), 18-22 January, leading up to the U.N.
World Conference on Human Rights, that will take place in Vienna,
in June, 1993. 
     N.B. - SHORT WAVE RADIO LISTENERS - you can listen to live
coverage of the Pre-Con on short wave radio on the frequencies of:
i- 7375 khz, in the 41 metre band; ii- 7385 khz, usb, in the 41
metre band; 13630 khz, usb, in the 22 metre band; and 15030 khz in
the 19 metre band. The human rights Pre-Con will be broadcast
between 0000 - 0400 u.t.c.
     Theme 8 deals with identifying the obstacles that exist with
respect to full realization of all human rights. A summary of this
paper was presented to the Delegates by Sivia Porras, General
Coordinator of CODEHUCA. The organizers allow non-government
organizations (NGOs) only three minutes each to present their
positions, a limitation that has been hotly disputed by the NGOs.

Dear Friends,

     To talk of the achievements and obstacles in the region, we
have to address the peace and negotiation processes that are under
way. These processes are the result of efforts at the international
level but particularly of Central American men and women. Real
peace must be built on a society that fully respects all human
rights, particularly the most basic right to life.

     Real peace must be built upon the elimination of the many
different manifestations of impunity that exist in our countries,
in the region, and internationally. The processes of
democratization are dependent, in part, on those persons and
institutions responsible for the commission of human rights
violations being be brought to trial. The total demilitarization of
our societies, and of the nations of the international community,
is an aspiration of our populations who have suffered at the hands
of militaries from inside and outside the region.

     Real peace must be built on an integral respect for all human
rights. The fragile peace of the region won't be maintained if
systematic violations of the economic, social and cultural rights
of the majorities of our population continue.

     A New Impunity - The structural adjustment programs -SAPs- are
a "new" form of impunity, and one of the biggest obstacles that
exist today to the construction of societies that respect and
guarantee all human rights. The SAPs must not be seen in isolation,
but rather as part of historical and contemporary development
models that are marked by profound dependency of many third world
nations on first world nations, and that violate systematically
human rights.

     'The increasing disparity between the economically developed
     and the developing nations is an obstacle to the realization
     of human rights in the international community. ... Therefore
     it is very important, and especially so in the developed
     nations, that measures are taken to put an end to this
     disparity'. (Art.12, Proclamacion de Teheran)

     On studying how the implementation of the SAPs impacts on the
non-realization of economic, social and cultural rights, one
concludes that the violations are not accidental - they are
systemic and foreseeable.

     Some of the conditions that appear in most SAPs, signed by
governments with the IMF and\or the WB, are: the lowering of public
spending on social programs; the reduction of access to local,
national and international credit; the limiting of the role that
the State can play in the economy; the promotion and support of an
export economy; the privatization of State services and businesses.

     In 1992, according to CELAC (the Economic Commission of Latin
America and the Caribbean), 6 of every 10 central americans suffer
some degree of hunger; 4 of every 10 lack access to adequate health
services; and some 57% are unemployed. Between 1980 and 1990 the
percentage of persons living in poverty rose from 60 to 68% of the
region's population. The percentage of persons living in extreme
poverty rose from 47 to 59%. In the rural areas one finds the worst
indices of poverty.

     The Panamerican Health Organization -OPS- says that in the 7
central american nations there were, in 1992, 28,320 new cases of
cholera reported. This was five times the number of cases reported
in 1991. The number of persons killed by cholera tripled, between
1991 and 1992, totalling 351 in 1992.

     This situation is due in large part to the development
programs implemented by the governments of the region. There is a
clear lack of programs, on the part of the governments, to deal
with all these violations of these economic, social and cultural
rights.

     And this situation is due also to the demands by the first
world, and the international financial institutions -IFIs-
controlled by the first world, that neo-liberal economic measures
be implemented.

     Tomasevski () explains that: 'the rights to food, education
and work have lost all sense. ... The mere notion of human rights
is in danger due to the economist policies of the World Bank; they
demand cuts in the same public expenditure that are necessary to
create the conditions for the realization of human rights.
According to international human rights principles, human rights,
as far as public spending is concerned, are the government's
priority. The implementation of World Bank demanded programs
renders this principle impossible to fulfil'.

     The feminization of poverty is also a result of the governing
development model, and a phenomena that the UN and the Member
States must seriously consider, when examining how the SAPs
contribute to violations of economic, social and cultural rights.
Within the framework of these systematic violations, often it is
the case that women suffer a double violation of their rights due
to the fact that they are women and they live in a discriminated,
subordinated situation in society.

     This signifies a challenge for the UN and the Member States
     Given the above, the struggle for the realization of human
rights in central america must be carried on locally, regionally
and internationally - focusing on transforming policies of local
governments, first world governments, and IFIs.

     It is urgent that the definition of international "actors" be
enlarged to be able to include the IFIs that, de facto, have more
real power than most governments of the third world and depending
on how the act can effectively prevent a small government from
implementing programs to promote and guarantee human rights.

     The UN should incorporate into its regular human rights agenda
the investigation and denunciation (where necessary) of actions of
the IFIs that contribute to violations of human rights, and
pressure (where necessary) the IFIs (and the countries that
effectively control them) to ensure that their policies and actions
comply fully with the demands of international human rights law,
and those of a healthy environment.

     The powerful Member States of the UN, that effectively control
the IFIs, should reaffirm and assume their commitment as set out in
articles 55 and 56 of the UN Charter to 'undertake measures, solely
and conjointly with the UN ... to achieve universal respect of
human rights ...'. This could include the imposition, in the
country where the IFI has its head office, of human rights criteria
on all the decisions and actions of the IFIs.

     The UN and the member States must incorporate into their human
rights work and obligations gender, race, and Indigenous People's
perspectives, so as to understand and be able to properly respond
to what is often the double and triple violation of their rights.

     The mandate of the Special Rapporteur on economic, social and
cultural rights should be broadened to have him or her analyze the
impact of the IFIs policies and programs on the non-realization of
economic, social and cultural rights.

     End Commique #4
** End of text from cdp:carnet.alerts **

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