By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

 

 

PARAMARIBO, Suriname—An ex-dictator and convicted drug trafficker who has been accused of numerous human rights violations has been elected president in Suriname.  On August 3rd, the new president-elect, Desi Bouterse, will take office.

64-year old Bouterse was elected by lawmakers in Suriname, a small country with less than half a million citizens.  Bouterse ruled Suriname as a military strongman after staging a coup d’etat in 1980.  He gained notoriety during December of 1982, when 15 of Suriname’s intellectuals were executed at Fort Zeelandia.  Among those killed were lawyers, journalists and trade unionists, all of whom were Bouterse’s opponents and deemed political threats.  Bouterse has since taken political responsibility for their deaths, but has pinned legal liability on a now-deceased battalion commander, Paul Bhagwandas.

Bouterse is a defendant in the murder trial, but the trial, which began in 2007, has been stalled repeatedly because witnesses have not appeared to testify.  Although Bouterse has said he will not interfere with the proceedings, he can now grant himself a presidential pardon if found guilty during his five-year office tenure.

Bouterse is also noted for what is known as the Moiwana Maroon massacre.  In 1986, the army under his command murdered villagers in the Surinamese jungle who were suspected of supporting insurgents.

Two organizations in Suriname—the Organization for Justice and Peace and the Foundation December 8, 1982—petitioned the National Assembly, asking that Bouterse’s election be found illegal.  Families of the 1982 murder victims have issued an open letter requesting the same, pointing out that Suriname’s constitution states that “a Presidential candidate shall not have conducted any actions which are in violation of the constitution.”  The families believe that at least three of Bouterse’s violations are unconstitutional:  the 1980 coup, the December 1982 atrocity, and the 1986 Moiwana Maroon massacre.

Bouterse’s reputation is known throughout the world.  In 1997, the Netherlands issued an international arrest warrant for him for smuggling two tons of cocaine into the country between 1989 and 1997.  Bouterse was tried in absentia in 1999 and has yet to serve his 11-year sentence.

Bouterse has attempted to pass himself off as a defender of the poor and has promised more jobs, affordable housing, and a computer for every child.  On Wednesday, Bouterse and outgoing President Venetiaan met for the first time in 18 years and discussed plans for a smooth transfer of power.

For more information, please see:

Democrat Newspaper – Condoners or educated mis-leaders? – 1 August 2010

Caribbean Net News – Transfer of power discussed in Suriname – 30 July 2010

Reuters – Investors cool to Suriname presidential choice – 30 July 2010

Stabroek News-The Hemisphere: Suriname’s strongman or statesman?-29 July 2010

By Patrick Vanderpool
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

SANTIAGO, Chile – The Roman Catholic Church recently called on conservative Chilean President Sebastian Piñera to pardon long-serving human rights violators. 

Specifically, The Chilean Bishops’ Conference urged President Piñera to show clemency to prisoners who showed repentance from human rights violations that occurred during the Augusto Pinochet dictatorship.  Many of the longest-serving prisoners are elderly and ill, including ex-military officials who were directly responsible for abuses.  The proposed pardon would have pardoned 60 individuals.  The Church’s actions come while Chile is set to commemorate 200 years of Chilean independence.

The Church set specific parameters for those that they seek to be pardoned: individuals who are over 70 years old, have served at least half of their sentence, and who are ill.

The Pinochet regime, which lasted from 1973-1990, saw more than 3,000 Chileans killed at the military’s hands.  In a letter sent to President Piñera, the Bishops’ Conference stated that not all human rights violators shared equal responsibility.  The letter provoked a great deal of public outcry from family members representing those who were killed and tortured on Pinochet’s watch.  The victims’ families called the request a setback for justice and fairness.

Despite the effort, the Chilean President has refused to offer a pardon stating, “I have reached the conclusion that it would not be prudent or convenient in the current circumstances to promote a new law of general pardon.”

President Piñera was, however, receptive to the Church’s proposal for improving the country’s prison system, according to the President of the Chilean Bishops’ Conference.  The measures include improving facilities and building more jails to curb overpopulation.

While President Piñera closed the door to a broad sweeping pardon, he did leave the option open for the government to consider pardons on an individualized basis.  However, Piñera also said that no pardons would be considered for those who violated serious crimes, including murder and torture.

Mireya Garcia, vice president of the Group of Relatives of the Detainees and Disappeared, expressed concerns over this case-by-case evaluation.  Garcia fears that people who are sentenced under different categories, but who committed human rights violations, might be incorrectly pardoned.

José Miguel Vivanco, Americas Director for Human Rights Watch, applauded President Piñera’s decision.  Vivanco stated that the Church simply did not offer any compelling reason why these human rights abusers should be pardoned.

Merco Press – Piñera Rejects Bishops’ Plea To Pardon Military Involved In Human Rights Abuses – 26 July 2010

NPR – Chile Rejects Pardons Proposed By Catholic Church – 25 July 2010

New York Times – Chile Rejects Church Call To Pardon Officials – 25 July 2010

By Ricardo Zamora
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BUENOS AIRES, Argentina – On July 15^th, the Argentinian Senate approved a bill legalizing same-sex marriage.  Gay rights supporters prevailed with a 33-27 majority after 14 hours of debate.  The decision was announced to hundreds of supporters waiting outside the Senate.

The bill became law when President Christina Fernandez de Kirchner, a gay rights supporter, signed it on July 21^st.  “Today we are a society that is a little more egalitarian than last week,” Fernandez said at the signing.

Approximately 70% of Argentinians support same-sex marriage.  However, as in other cultures, Argentina remains divided on the issue.  The Examiner reports that while opponents of the bill proposed a “union bill” as a compromise, it omitted several rights that were provided by the Senate bill.

The Associate Press stated that the “union bill” would have limited rights, including the right to adopt children or pursue in-vitro fertilization.  It added that civil servants could unilaterally object to registering homosexual couples in a same-sex union.

The new bill grants same-sex couples the full legal protections and responsibilities given to heterosexual couples in marriage.  Those rights include the ability to inherit property and to jointly adopt children.

Mexico City was the first region in South America to legalize same-sex marriages. Argentina may be the second, but it is the first country to do so.  Argentina’s first gay marriage is scheduled for August 13 between two partners who have lived together for 34 years.  Mexico City has promised the couple a free honeymoon to Mexico.

The Catholic Church is a major voice of opposition.  ABC reports that Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio called gay marriage in Argentina “a loss for everyone,” saying “children need to have the right to be raised and educated by a father and a mother.

The passing of the bill has worsened the Fernandez administration’s already strained relationship with the Roman Catholic Church.

For more information, please see:

Time – International Gay Marriage – 22 July 2010

Associated Press – Argentina’s Gay Marriage Law Signed by President – 21 July 2010

ABC – Mexico City Promises a Free Honeymoon to Argentina’s First Married Gay Couple –  17 July 2010

The Examiner – Argentina’s Senate Passes Historic Same-Sex Marriage Bill – 16 July 2010

By R. Renee Yaworsky
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

CARACAS, Venezuela—Public debate in Venezuela is again in jeopardy after the creation of a new governmental office.  The office, formed by controversial President Hugo Chavez, may silence opposition in a country already stifled under censorship.

The Center for Situational Studies of the Nation (Centro de Estudio Situacional de la Nacion) emerged after Chavez issued a presidential decree on June 1 of this year.  The Center was given a high degree of discretion and can limit public dissemination of “information, facts or circumstance[s]” that it determines should be “reserved, classified or of limited release.”

The Center, a part of the Ministry of the Interior and Justice, has been given the power to “compile, process and analyze” information from governmental entities and civil society  “regarding any aspect of national interest.”

Chavez recently launched criminal investigations into human rights organizations working in the country and accused such groups of being funded by the United States.  Any information considered capable of compromising “the security and defense of the nation” will now be subject to criminal prosecution under the Venezuelan National Security Law.

Human Rights Watch, a New York-based group, has been critical of the Center.  The group’s director of the Americas, Jose Miguel Vivanco, called attention to Venezuela’s official efforts to silence critics and human rights defenders.  He said that Chavez “has created a new tool for controlling public debate in Venezuela.  The new decree would allow the president to block the discussion of topics that are inconvenient for his government, blatantly violating the rights of expression and to information, which are at the heart of a democratic society.”

Human Rights Watch believes that the Center may lead to more restrictive legislation.  A broad clause in Chavez’s decree states that laws or other norms determined by the government may grant the Center even more expansive powers to block information sharing.  The American Convention on Human Rights, of which Venezuela is a party, prohibits censorship of this kind.

Chavez has shut down several independent media outlets, and recently took control of the last remaining opposition TV station, Globovision.  He now has plans to disrupt Vale TV, a Catholic channel which the Archdiocese of Caracas has operated since 1998.  “I have ordered a review [into Vale TV] so that we can repossess the channel and put it at the service of the nation,” Chavez said.  Vale TV, a non-profit station, issued a statement saying “editorial independence” and “plurality” is at stake.

For more information, please see:

UPI-Human Rights Watch: Venezuela government office muzzling critics-23 July 2010

CNA-Venezuelan president aims to shut down Catholic television channel-23 July 2010

AP-Rights Group Criticizes New Venezuela Info Office-22 July 2010

The Western Star-Rights group concerned about new Venezuela gov’t agency that will monitor information-21 July 2010