SECTION III

 

ACTIVITIES OF THE IACHR DURING 1978

 

          In 1978, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held three sessions: The forty-third (special), forty-fourth and forty-fifth. With the exception of the special session, which took place in Caracas, Venezuela, the others were held at the headquarters of the Commission, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, Washington, D.C. Also during 1978 the Commission conducted observations in loco in the territories of El Salvador, Haiti and Nicaragua.

 

A.          Observation “in loco” in the Republic of El Salvador

 

          In a note dated September 14, 1977, the President of the Republic of El Salvador, Carlos Humberto Romero, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Alvaro Ernesto Martínez, invited the Commission to visit El Salvador to contribute to the promotion of human rights. Through a note dated November 7, 1977, the Commission answered by accepting the invitation.

 

          The Commission appointed Professor Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Vice Chairman of the IACHR, Dr. Fernando Volio Jiménez and Professor Tom J. Farer to serve on the Special Committee that would conduct the visit.

 

          The visit was made January 9 through 18, 1978. The Special Committee established and office in the city of San Salvador, the capital of El Salvador, and visited other parts of the country. The members of the Special Committee held talks with various government officials, among them President Romero, the Vice President of the Legislative Assembly, members of the Supreme Court of Justice, the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defense and Justice, and the Director General of the National Guard. It also visited the Archbishop of El Salvador, other religious leaders and individuals representing political, professional, business and educational organizations, including the National Bar Association.

 

          The Special Committee inspected the jail of the National Police in San Salvador and the penitentiaries of Santa Ana and San Vicente, where they spoke privately with a number of prisoners. There they had an opportunity to witness how a justice of the peace functioned within the confines of the National Police’s detention centers.

 

          The members of the Special Committee also spoke privately with a number of individuals who had requested interviews. The majority were relatives of victims of alleged human rights violations. Outside San Salvador they spoke with many farmers.

 

B.       Forty-third session (special)

 

          The Commission held its forty-third session from January 26 through February 11, in Caracas, Venezuela, accepting an invitation extended by the Government of that country.

 

          The following members of the Commission attended that session: Dr. Andrés Aguilar, Chairman (Venezuela); Dr. Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Vice Chairman (Brazil); Professor Tom J. Farer (United States); Dr. Gabino Fraga (Mexico); Dr. Carlos García Bauer (Guatemala); and Dr. Fernando Volio Jiménez (Costa Rica). Dr. José Joaquín Gori (Colombia), was not present at that session due to the fact that his country had appointed him Ambassador to the OAS.

 

          During this session the Commission considered the preliminary report of the Special Committee that conducted an in loco observation in the Republic of Panama during December of 1977, following an invitation extended by that country.

 

          Also, Dr. Abranches, Chairman of the Special Committee that conducted the in loco observation in the Republic of El Salvador in early January, presented the preliminary report on that visit.

 

          The Commission approved reports on the situation of human rights in the Republics of Uruguay and Paraguay, which were presented to the General Assembly of the OAS in June of 1978. The reports update the earlier reports of May 24 and 27, 1977, respectively, on the situation of human rights in those countries.

 

          The Commission prepared the Annual Report that it must submit to the General Assembly for consideration. In accordance with its Statute, the Commission pointed out areas in which further steps are needed to give effect to human rights. The Commission concluded that: “As can be seen from the foregoing, the situation of human rights in the Americas in 1978 is marred by many negative points. However, one positive note that must be pointed out is the progress that has already been initiated in certain countries in returning representative democracy, whose effective exercise constitutes a significant contribution to the legal enforcement of the rights upheld in the Declaration.” In that report, in view of the above consideration the Commission reiterated the following recommendations:

 

          1.          That adoption of an international convention to make torture an international crime be promoted;

 

          2.          That all necessary measures be taken to ensure the independence of the judiciary;

 

          3.          That police and military personnel and, in general, all authorities responsible for preserving public order and the security of the state be instructed in the norms of domestic and international law and on the responsibility they have to ensure strict compliance with these norms, and

 

          4.          That the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica, of 1969) enter into force through ratification or adherence by those members that have not yet done so.

 

          Further, in accordance with Resolution AG/RES. 313, adopted by the General Assembly at its seventh regular session, the Commission included in the Annual Report a special chapter on the development of the situation of human rights in Chile since the Commission’s previous report.

 

          Through a special communication, the Commission addressed the Government of Nicaragua expressing its concern regarding the events that had occurred in that country and requesting it to submit, as soon as possible, an official report on the current situation of human rights.

 

          At this session, the Commission decided to prepare a report on the situation of human rights in Argentina, and, should the Argentine Government not extend an invitation to the Commission to conduct an in loco observation to request its permission to do so.

 

          Moreover, the Commission considered the situation of human rights in other countries and in view of the gravity of the denunciations received, decided to request information from the governments concerned.

 

          Finally, the Commission placed floral tributes at the tomb of Simón Bolívar and at the tomb of the first Chairman of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, the illustrious Venezuelan Rómulo Gallegos.

 

C.       Forty-fourth session

 

          The Commission held its forty-fourth session at its offices in Washington D.C., from June 9 through 23, 1978.

 

          All the members of the Commission were present at that session: Andrés Aguilar (Chairman), Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches (Vice Chairman), Gabino Fraga, Tom J. Farer, Carlos García Bauer, Fernando Volio Jiménez and Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra. The latter was elected to complete the term of Dr. José Joaquín Gori, who resigned after having been appointed Ambassador, Permanent Representative of the Mission of Colombia to the OAS.

 

          During this session, the Commission approved the report submitted for consideration by the Special Committee which in December conducted the in loco observation in the Republic of Panama.

 

          Further, the Special Committee that conducted the in loco observation to the Republic of El Salvador, at that Government’s invitation, continued its work on the preliminary report on the situation of human rights in that country. Because the Special Committee was unable to finish its work, it was decided to assign priority to this topic at the Commission’s next session.

 

          The Commission unanimously decided to accept the invitations extended by the Governments of Haiti and Nicaragua to conduct on-site observations in those countries.

 

          During the course of this work session, the Commission received the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Argentina, accompanied by high-ranking officials from that Ministry. The Minister invited the Commission to visit Argentina in order to verify the juridical-legal conditions prevailing in the country. Even though the Commission regarded this as a positive step on the part of the Argentine Government, the Commission felt it necessary to request the Government to specify what sort of activities the Commission would be permitted to carry out during its visit to Argentina, in order to determine whether these conditions were sufficient to carry out its mandate to the fullest.

 

          The Commission also received a visit from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Paraguay, accompanied by other government officials. During the interview the Minister repeated his government’s decision to continue to cooperate with the Commission’s activities.

 

          The Commission considered the communications received since its last session in which 389 cases were denounced involving 828 victims in 12 countries. Further, the Commission continued to examine the cases being processed and adopted the pertinent resolutions.

 

          Bearing in mind the imminent entry into force of the American Convention on Human Rights, the Commission analyzed its implications and legal consequences. The members of the Commission agreed that the General Assembly should adopt whatever measures are necessary for the transition period between the date on which the Convention enters into force and the point at which all the member states of the Organization have deposited their instruments of ratification.

 

          The Commission adopted decisions concerning its relations with other intergovernmental organizations involved in the protection of human rights; it examined its policy concerning publications and the programs that it sponsors in the field of education on human rights.

 

          It also granted a number of interviews requested by institutions or individuals in general.

 

          Finally, it agreed to sponsor a seminar on human rights, together with UNESCO, the International League for Human Rights and the Universidad Simón Bolívar of Venezuela, which was held in Caracas from July 31 through August 5, 1978.

 

D.       Eighth regular session of the General Assembly of the OAS

 

          At the eighth regular session of the General Assembly of the Organization, which was held in Washington, D.C., from June 21 through July 1, 1978, the Commission was represented by its Chairman, Dr. Andrés Aguilar, its Vice Chairman, Dr. Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, and Professor Tom J. Farer, a member of the Commission.

 

          The Chairman of the Commission presented the Commission’s reports, topic 21 on the agenda, “Consideration of the reports of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.”

 

          In addition to the Annual Report submitted to the General Assembly, as required by the OAS Charter, the Commission also presented reports on the situation of human rights in Uruguay and Paraguay.

 

          At its seventh plenary session, held on July 1, 1978, the General Assembly approved five Resolutions in connection with human rights, the texts of which appear below.

 

AG/RES. 368 (VIII-0/78)

 

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

 

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session, held on

July 1, 1978)

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         CONSIDERING:

 

         That the Annual Report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (AG/doc.927/78) notes as positive the steps already taken in certain countries to return to representative democracy, the effective exercise of which contributes significantly to the observance of the rights set forth in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and in the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica);

 

         That, nonetheless, the report also notes that, in a good number of the member states of the Organization of American States, a situation persists that is characterized by serious and repeated violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, and by the inadequacy or inefficacy of the guarantees and means of defense that the domestic laws of these countries offer;

 

         That the principal purpose of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is to promote the observance and protection of human rights in all the member states;

 

         That protection and effective exercise of human rights is a guarantee of respect for human life and the dignity of man is one of the main purposes of the Organization of American States.

 

         That in order to carry out Resolution AG/RES. 313 (VII-O/77), adopted by the General Assembly at its seventh regular session, the Commission has considered it appropriate to include in its Annual Report a section on the developments in the status of human rights in Chile over the last twelve months, beginning on the date of the Commission’s approval of its third report on Chile; and

 

         BEARING IN MIND:

 

         That in that part of its report the Commission shows that while relative progress has been made as compared with the situation in previous years, restrictions on human rights still persist,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To take note of the report and to thank the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for the work it is doing.

 

         2. To note with satisfaction that the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) has been ratified by the Governments of Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Panama, and Venezuela, and the statements of intent by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Peru that his government will soon ratify the Convention, thus bringing it into force.

 

         3. To invite those member states that have not already done so to sign and ratify the American Convention on Human Rights.

 

         4. To recommend to the member states that, bearing in mind Part II of the aforementioned report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, they continue to adopt and apply the corresponding measures and legislative provisions to preserve and maintain the full effectiveness of human rights in accordance with the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.

 

         5. To call upon the Government of Chile to continue to adopt and put into practice the measures necessary to preserve and ensure the complete enjoyment of human rights in Chile, to request it to continue to provide the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with any cooperation it may need to carry out its work, and to request it to respect and grant the necessary guarantees to individuals and institutions that may provide information, testimony, or evidence of any other kind to the Commission.

 

         6. To request the Inter-American Juridical Committee to prepare, in cooperation with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a draft convention defining torture as an international crime.

 

AG/RES. 369 (VIII-0/78)

 

REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN URUGUAY

 

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary

session, held on July 1, 1978)

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         HAVING SEEN the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Uruguay (AG/doc.919/78) and the Uruguayan Government’s observations to that report (AG/doc. 928/78 and AG/doc.928 add.1), and

 

         CONSIDERING:

 

         That the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, as the result of its analysis based on numerous denunciations received, affirms in this report that there have been serious violations of human rights;

 

         That the protection and effective exercise of human rights is one of the main purposes of the Organization of American States and that the observance of these rights is a source of good relations and solidarity among the member states, guaranteeing respect for human life and the dignity of man;

 

         That the opinions expressed during the discussions of this subject show that the member states are concerned about the effective exercise and protection of human rights in the hemisphere; and

 

         That the principal purpose of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is to promote the observance and protection of human rights in all the member states,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To appeal to the Government of Uruguay to adopt and put into practice the necessary measures recommended by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in its report, in order to preserve and ensure the complete enjoyment of human rights in Uruguay.

 

         2. To express its satisfaction over the declared spirit of cooperation manifested at the eighth regular session of this General Assembly, and to ask the Government of Uruguay, in the same spirit, to consider the possibility of inviting the Commission to pay an in loco visit and to take appropriate measures to provide the Commission with any cooperation that may be necessary for it to carry out its work, to continue to provide the Commission with such information as it may request in the discharge of its duties, and at the same time to grant the appropriate guarantees to those individuals and institutions that may provide information, testimony, or evidence to the Commission.

 

         3. To thank the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for its report on the situation of human rights in Uruguay, and to request it to continue to observe the human rights situation in that country and to report thereon to the General Assembly at its next regular session.

 

AG/RES. 370 (VIII-0/78)

 

REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

ON THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN PARAGUAY

 

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session,

held on July 1, 1978)

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         HAVING SEEN the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on the situation of human rights in Paraguay (AG/doc.920/78), and

 

         That, according to that report, the date and background materials available to the Commission enable it to conclude that in Paraguay the great majority of the human rights recognized in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and in other instruments are not respected in a manner in keeping with the international commitments assumed by that country;

 

         That the Commission affirms that the prolonged state of siege in force in Paraguay has had, and continues to have, adverse effects on the observance of and respect for human rights;

 

         That the protection and effective exercise of human rights is one of the main purposes of the Organization of American States and that the observance of these rights is a source of good relations and solidarity among the member states, guaranteeing respect for human life and the dignity of man;

 

         That the opinions expressed during the discussion of this subject show that the member states are concerned about the effective exercise and protection of human rights in the hemisphere; and

 

         That the principal purpose of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is to promote the observance and protection of human rights in all the member states,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To appeal to the Government of Paraguay to adopt and put into practice the recommendations contained in the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights in order to insure the complete enjoyment of human rights in that country, to remedy the anomalies mentioned by the Commission, and to grant appropriate guarantees to those individuals and institutions that may provide information, testimony, or evidence to the Commission.

 

         2. To request the Government of Paraguay to continue to provide the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights with such cooperation as may be necessary for the Commission to carry out its work and, in view of the permission granted by the Government of Paraguay to the Commission in September of 1977 to visit Paraguay, to establish, by common agreement with the Commission, the scheduling and the details of this visit so that it may be made soon.

 

         3. To thank the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for its report on the situation of human rights in Paraguay and to request it to continue to observe the situation of human rights in that country and to report on the matter to the General Assembly at its next regular session.

 

AG/RES. 371 (VIII-O/78)

 

PROMOTION OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session,

held on July 1, 1978)

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         REAFFIRMING its commitment to promote observance of the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man and of the precepts against the intervention by any state, directly or indirectly, in the internal or external affairs of any other state, and on the inviolability of territory, set forth in Articles 18 and 20 of the Charter of the Organization of American States,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To congratulate the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights on its continuing efforts to promote and defend human rights and for the high level of objectivity and impartiality it has maintained.

 

         2. To recommend that the member states cooperate with the Commission, duly supply it with the pertinent information, take all measures required to facilitate the work of the Commission, and refrain from any reprisals against individuals and institutions that cooperate with it.

 

         3. To request the member states to give their consent to any request the Commission may make to conduct observations in loco.

 

         4. To request each member state to reaffirm its commitment to:

 

         a. foster and achieve the consolidation of human rights and put an end to any violations that may exist in its territory, and

 

         b. achieve economic and social justice in its national and international relations.

 

         5. To reaffirm that, in the search for economic and social justice, human dignity and the freedom of the individual as set forth in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man must be preserved and the rule of law respected.

 

         6. To reaffirm the conviction that there are no circumstances that justify torture, summary executions, or prolonged detention without due process of law, and to deplore these transgressions, which would violate the fundamental rights of man.

 

AG/RES. 372 (VIII-0/78)

 

SEAT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS

 

(Resolution adopted at the seventh plenary session,

held on July 1, 1978)

 

         WHEREAS:

 

         The entry into force of the American Convention on Human Rights, (Pact of San José, Costa Rica) signed at the Inter-American Specialized Conference on Human Rights in San José, on November 22, 1969, is imminent;

 

         Article 33 of the Convention provides for the establishment of an Inter-American Court of Human Rights as an organ having jurisdiction with respect to matters related to the fulfillment of the commitments made by the State Parties;

 

         Article 58 provides that the Court shall have its seat at the place determined by the States Parties to the Convention in the General Assembly of the Organization, and

 

         The Government of Costa Rica formally has offered its territory for the seat of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights,

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         To recommend that the seat of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights be established in due course in Costa Rica.

 

E.          Observation “in loco” in the Republic of Haiti

 

          By means of a note dated January 26, 1978, the Government of Haiti, through its Permanent Representative to the OAS, invited the Commission to conduct an in loco visit to observe the progress achieved in the field of human rights. The Commission, by means of a communication dated February 3, accepted the invitation.

 

          At its forty-fourth session, the Commission appointed a Special Committee to conduct the visit, composed of Dr. Andrés Aguilar, Dr. Carlos García Bauer and Dr. Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, from August 16 through 25, 1978.

 

          On the date in question, which was agreed to by the Government of Haiti, the Special Committee arrived in Port-au-Prince and set up an office to receive those individuals who wished to present denunciations of human rights violations.

 

          The Special Committee spoke with President Jean Claude Duvalier; the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defense, Education, and Health and of Labor; the President of the Legislative Assembly, and the Magistrates of the Court of Appeals. It also held talks with the Archbishop of Port-au-Prince, members of the Haitian League for Human Rights, representatives of professional and student associations, labor unions and civil and political organizations.

 

          The Special Committee also visited the city of Cap Haitien and Jacmel, where it met with local authorities and the public in general. It also visited the National Penitentiary at Port-au-Prince and the local jails in the aforementioned cities, where it spoke privately with the prisoners.

 

F.          Observation “in loco” in the Republic of Nicaragua

 

          In a communication dated June 20, 1978, the Government of Nicaragua, through its Permanent Representative to the OAS, invited the Commission to visit Nicaragua for an in loco observation. At its 44th session, the Commission decided to accept the invitation and appointed a Special Committee composed of Chairman Dr. Andrés Aguilar, Vice Chairman Dr. Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, and Dr. Carlos García Bauer, Professor Tom J. Farer, Dr. Fernando Volio Jiménez and Dr. Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra. It was decided, in principle, that the month of November would be the most suitable time to conduct the in loco observation in Nicaragua.

 

          Due to the serious events occurring in Nicaragua, the Commission decided to advance its visit to October 5, a date which later, on the recommendation of the XVII Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, was moved ahead again to October 3.

 

          During its visit, which lasted until October 12, the Commission established an office in Managua and visited the cities of León, Estelí, Masaya, Diriamba, Jinotepe, Granada, Chinandega and Matagalpa. The members of the Special Committee held talks with a number of government representatives, including President Anastasio Somoza, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Minister of Government; the President and Vice President of the National Congress and members of the Supreme Court. They also spoke with members of the Permanent Committee on Human Rights, leaders of the Broad Opposition Front (Frente Amplio Opositor – FAO), other political groups, the Archbishop of Managua, other Catholic Church officials, educator, businessmen and professional organizations.

 

          Because of a special interest visits were made to the cities that had suffered serious damage during the September fighting and talks were held with neighborhood residents who had seen the worst destruction.

 

          The members of the Special Committee also visited the jails of Managua and of other cities and spoke privately with some prisoners.

 

G.       Forty-fifth session

 

          The forty-fifth session of the Commission was held in Washington, D.C., from November 2 through 18, 1978. All the members of the Commission were present at that session: Dr. Andrés Aguilar, Dr. Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, Professor Tom J. Farer, Dr. Gabino Fraga, Dr. Carlos García Bauer, Dr. Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra and Dr. Fernando Volio Jiménez.

 

          The first item on the agenda was the election of officers for a two-year term. Dr. Abranches and Professor Farer were unanimously elected Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively. Dr. Volio Jiménez was chosen as the third member of the Permanent Subcommittee.

 

          The better part of this session was dedicated to the preparation of the Commission’s report on the in loco visit to Nicaragua that took place a month earlier in response to the invitation extended by the Government of that country. The Commission approved the report and sent it to the Government of Nicaragua so that the latter might present its observations. After considering the observations submitted by the Nicaraguan Government and in view of the serious situation, the Commission decided to refer it to the XVII Meeting of Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs and to publish the report once it had been sent to the Secretary General of the Organization, for distribution to the Permanent Delegations of the member states. The IACHR also approved the report submitted to it for consideration by the Special Committee that conducted the in loco observation in the Republic of El Salvador at the beginning of the year.

 

          The IACHR considered the observations presented by the Government of Panama on the Report on the situation of human rights in that country, which had been approved by the Commission at its previous session.

 

          The Commission decided to publish the report together with the Government’s observations, which dealt only with certain changes in the country’s legal structure and some decisions taken by the Government subsequent to receipt of the report.

 

          The Commission received a preliminary report on the situation of human rights in Haiti, prepared by the Special Committee that conducted the in loco observation in that country.

 

          The Commission unanimously decided to accept the invitation extended by the Government of Argentina to conduct an in loco observation in Argentina, in view of the fact that the Government had agreed to the standards established for such visits.

 

          The Commission also decided to prepare a new and comprehensive report on the situation of human rights in Cuba and instructed the General Secretariat to prepare a preliminary draft.

 

          The Commission adopted resolutions with regard to individual cases in various countries. These resolutions were forwarded to the respective claimants and to the governments and will be published in the Annual Report for 1978.

 

          Among the other topics studied by the Commission were the following: commemoration of the thirtieth anniversary of the Universal Declaration and American Declaration of Human Rights; fulfillment of the mandates of the last session of the General Assembly, and its programs to promote human rights. In connection with the latter, the Commission decided to sponsor, together with the Inter-American Bar Association and the University of Costa Rica, a seminar on the American Convention on Human Rights, which will be held in San José, Costa Rica, in February of 1979. It also agreed to sponsor another seminar on the teaching of international law, one of whose subtopics will be the teaching of human rights; this seminar will be held in Bogotá from September 24 through 28, 1979.

 

H.       Other activities

 

          Among its programs to promote human rights, the Commission, together with UNESCO and the Universidad Simón Bolívar, sponsored a seminar on “Protection and Promotion of Human Rights; Universalism and Regionalism,” held in Caracas, Venezuela, from July 31 through August 4, 1978. This seminar, which was attended by experts from various parts of the world, was inaugurated by the President of Venezuela, Carlos Andrés Pérez, at a ceremony attended by high-ranking government officials. It was closed by the former President of Venezuela, Rafael Caldera. The conclusions of this seminar are expected to be published in the near future.

 

          Together with the Institute of International Studies of the University of Chile, the Institute of Historical Humanism and the Center for Human Rights of the University of Notre Dame of the United States, the Commission sponsored a “Seminar on International Relations and Human Rights,” which took place in Santiago, Chile, from November 15 through 17, 1978. Participating in the seminar were individuals from intergovernmental organizations and nongovernmental organizations working in the field of human rights.

 

          In collaboration with the State University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, it sponsored an historical exhibit on the major national and international documents concerning human rights. This exhibit was held in December 1978.

 

 

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