WRITTEN QUESTION E-2415/02

by Jillian Evans (Verts/ALE) to the Commission

(14 August 2002)

Subject: Persecution of aid workers in Guatemala

Charity workers in Guatemala are allegedly being openly threatened often by gunpoint, for attempting to help street children.

What, if any, policies does the Commission have to ensure the Guatemala Congress adheres to a recent court ruling stopping them from blocking legislation that would help NGOs such as Casa-alianza and Rigoberta Menchu Tum Foundation to help abused and imprisoned children?

Joint answerto Written Questions E-2407/02 and E-2415/02given by Mr Patten on behalf of the Commission

(17 September 2002)

The Commission is well aware of the situation described by the Honourable Member and is taking action in two complementary ways in line with the resolution on human rights in Guatemala that the Parliament issued in April 2002.

Through political dialogue, the Commission and the Member States are underlining the importance to the Guatemalan government of promoting the well being of all Guatemalan people on the basis of principles of democracy, equality, non-discrimination, peace and social justice. Under this framework, the local public institutions are constantly urged to discourage and investigate any attack against human rights defenders and non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

From the co-operation point of view, the Commission has been supporting concrete actions in favour of children and their families in sectors such as health, education, reinsertion of refugees, fight against drugs and gender promotion. The Commission has also achieved positive results in several specific initiatives in support of street children, which have been carried out by local NGOs, including Casa Alianza.

Present co-operation includes a project run by ECPAT (Ending Child Prostitution, Pornography and Trafficking) aimed at fighting against trafficking in children and the commercial exploitation of children in Central America. The Community's contribution is approximately EUR 450 000 for 2001-2004. Furthermore, the Community is supporting the creation of a training centre for popular education, which includes several NGOs and civil society actors specialised in street children support. The global Community financing is about EUR 960 000.

In addition, in the framework of the co-operation set by the Peace Accords signed in 1996, the Commission is encouraging the Guatemalan authorities, the National Police Force and the whole judiciary system to prevent any attack against the rule of law, including cases such as Casa Alianza or Rigoberta Menchu Fundation. This programme will be complemented within the next few months by means of a specific initiative aimed at sustaining the judiciary system in Guatemala. One of the specific goals of this initiative is to reduce the number of preventive arrests taking into consideration the specific situation of minors, including street children. The Community's contribution will be EUR 10 million over a period of four years.

Finally, the Community strategy for co-operation with Guatemala 2002-2006, which was adopted by the Commission in May 2002, is aimed at breaking the cycle of poverty and exclusion that affects Guatemala through the provision of inclusive basic social services, the promotion of equal rights and dignity, and the fight against social and economic discrimination and impunity. The global indicative budget will be EUR 77 million for the whole period.

The Community is confident that its sustained engagement in the peace process in Guatemala will contribute to the goal of full respect for human rights and the rule of law in this country.