From: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu (Rich Winkel)
Subject: El Salvador: Americas Watch on ONUSAL
Followup-To: alt.activism.d
Originator: rich@pencil.cs.missouri.edu
Organization: PACH
Date: Fri, 4 Sep 1992 00:46:11 GMT

/** reg.elsalvador: 159.0 **/
** Topic: Americas Watch on ONUSAL **
** Written  2:05 pm  Sep  3, 1992 by hrwatchdc in cdp:reg.elsalvador **
                           EL SALVADOR
                     PEACE AND HUMAN RIGHTS:
                SUCCESSES AND SHORTCOMINGS OF THE
                UNITED NATIONS OBSERVER MISSION 
                     IN EL SALVADOR (ONUSAL)
 
     (Washington, DC) In a report released September 2, the human
rights monitoring group Americas Watch praised the work of the
United Nations Observer Mission in El Salvador (ONUSAL), saying
that its presence in the country has dramatically improved the
observance of human rights. The size of the mission, its deployment
throughout the country, and its unprecedented ability to visit any
government facility without prior notice have contributed to the
mission's dissuasive or preventive impact.
 
     However, Americas Watch concluded that some senior ONUSAL
officials had mistakenly viewed its promotion human rights and its
overseeing of the implementation of the peace accords as
contradictory. As a conse- quence, ONUSAL has been timid in openly
criticizing the government on human rights matters, even when its
own investigations have pointed to state involvement in abuses.
Americas Watch noted that ONUSAL has yet to use fully the ultimate
recourse of public censure, something which detracts from 
its effectiveness and allows perpetrators of abuse to escape
broader detection.  Americas Watch called on ONUSAL to be more
forceful and timely in its representations to both the government
and the FMLN, and to make public the information it has at its
disposal.
 
     Americas Watch also urged ONUSAL to adopt a broader
interpretation of its human rights mandate, by deepening its
involvement in the creation of the new National Civil Police and by
recommending additional ways to improve the judicial system. The
human rights group also called on ONUSAL to live up to its earlier
intention to carry out a vigorous educational campaign with the
public, by devoting the appropriate financial and human resources
to that work. Americas Watch recommended continued, if not expanded
support of the mission's Human Rights Division, especially given
that tensions are likely to rise following the full demobilization
of the FMLN and the beginning of the 1994 electoral campaign.
 
     Americas Watch emphasized that ONUSAL's success in bringing
about structural change in El Salvador is fundamentally dependent
on the political will of the Salvadoran government. The government
must take seriously ONUSAL's recommendations, something which has
been gravely lacking to date.
 
     Americas Watch maintained that, just as a human rights
agreement played a central role in bringing about the peace
agreement, so the observance of human rights is central to
maintaining the peace. This is true not only in the narrow sense of
guaranteeing the physical integrity of former combatants, but is
also true if El Salvador is to build a democratic society founded
on accountability and the rule of law.
                             * * * 
 
     Americas Watch was established in 1981 to monitor and promote
the observance of internationally recognized human rights. Americas
Watch is one of the five regional divisions of Human Rights Watch.
The Chair of Americas Watch is Peter D. Bell; Vice Chairs, Stephen
L. Kass and Marina Pinto Kaufman; Executive Director, Juan E.
Me'ndez; Associate Directors, Cynthia Arnson and Anne Manuel;
Director of San Salvador Office, David Holiday; Representative in
Buenos Aires, Patricia Pittman; Consultant, Robin Kirk; Research
Associate, Mary Jane Camejo; Associates, Vanessa Jime'nez, R.
Benjamin Penglase and Clifford C. Rohde.
 
     Human Rights Watch is composed of five regional divisions --
Africa Watch, Americas Watch, Asia Watch, Helsinki Watch and Middle
East Watch -- and the Fund for Free Expression. Its Chair is Robert
L. Bernstein; Vice Chair, Adrian W. DeWind; Executive Director,
Aryeh Neier; Deputy Director, Kenneth Roth; Associate Director,
Gara LaMarche; Washington Director, Holly J. Burkhalter; California
Director, Ellen Lutz; Press Director, Susan Osnos; Counsel, Jemera
Rone.
 
                                            For more information:
 
                                        Cindy Arnson 202/371-6592
                                   David Holiday 011-503-25-28-85
 
To obtain a copy of the 29 page report, please send (check or U.S.
money order) US $3.60 (for domestic orders) or US$ 4.80 (for
international orders) to Publications Department, Human Rights
Watch, 485 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY  10017.
** End of text from cdp:reg.elsalvador **
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