Human Rights Focus of OAS Talks

Human Rights Focus of OAS Talks
By Brian Wagner
Santo Domingo
07 June 2006

OAS delegates gathered on the third and final day of the General
Assembly for an assessment of human rights conditions in the Americas.
The president of the group's Inter-American Commission on Human Rights,
Evelio Fernandez, noted several improvements in the region, including
measures to prevent violence against women in Jamaica and Chile. And he
praised Honduras and Colombia for ratifying a treaty to combat political
killings.

But Fernandez told delegates there is still much room for improvement.

He says there are still serious obstacles to human rights in the
hemisphere, especially because of weak legal systems in several
countries. He adds that poor living conditions prevent residents of many
nations from enjoying their social and economic rights. Fernandez also
noted ongoing violence by leftist rebels in Colombia, lack of security
in Haiti and the jailing of political dissidents in Cuba.

The United States Ambassador to OAS, John Maisto, took note of
conditions in Cuba, such as as continued restrictions on freedom of
expression and failures in the justice system.

"For 47 years, the people of Cuba have lived under a dictatorship that
has shown time and again that beneath its rhetoric there is no respect
for the fundamental rights of the individual," said John Maisto.

Maisto also drew comparisons between Cuba and the current government in
Venezuela, which frequently has been at odds with Washington. He
criticized Caracas for failing to respond to a request from the
Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to visit the country.

Commission president Fernandez also called on Venezuela to respond to
its request. And he expressed concern that the goal of human rights
protection is being threatened by a lack of funding from the OAS.

Fernandez says with a staff of only 17 lawyers, the commission cannot
fulfill its mandate to investigate cases, complete reports and visit
countries throughout the region.

OAS Secretary-General Jose Miguel Insulza told delegates that funding
problems remain a concern, and officials are studying a possible
increase in dues from member states to avoid cuts in OAS activities.

Human rights groups at the OAS meeting have already accused the
organization of failing to address their concerns. And Sergio Widder,
Latin America representative for the Simon Wiesenthal Center, told VOA
that possible financial cuts are a serious worry.

He said funding for the commission should not be cut, because its human
rights activities are the final guarantee for protections of civil
rights and human rights.

Widder said his group was calling on the Organization of American States
to create a list of terrorist groups for the Americas, and said the
Palestinian group Hamas should be included. He said Venezuela's
government has invited Hamas members to visit the South American nation.

He said allowing terrorist group members into Latin America is a threat,
and should be opposed before it's too late, especially following
terrorist attacks in Argentina, such as the bombing of a Jewish
community center in 1994.

The final task for delegates from the 34 nations of the OAS was the
signing of a declaration in support of expanding technology and
communication systems across the region. The next General Assembly is
set to take place in Panama next year.

http://www.voanews.com/english/2006-06-07-voa3.cfm