OEA/Ser.L/V/II.54
Doc. 9 rev. 1
16 October 1981
Original: Spanish

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
 1980-1981

 

CHAPTER II

 

ACTIVITIES OF THE INTER-AMERICAN

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

 

 

          Starting in October 1980, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights held five sessions: the fiftieth, the fifty-first, the fifty-second, the fifty-third and the fifty-fourth.

 

          Those sessions were held at Commission headquarters, the General Secretariat of the Organization of American States, Washington, D.C.

 

          As indicated in the summary given in this chapter on each of these sessions, the Commission reviewed and made decisions on a number of topics on the session agenda and took up other topics as required by specific circumstances.

 

          The inaugural meeting of each of the five sessions was opened by the OAS Secretary General and by the President of the OAS Council, who placed on record the fruitful work carried out by the Commission and expressed their hopes that it would continue to be successful in its difficult and meritorious work.

 

          At each session, the Chairman and the Executive Secretary of the Commission gave their reports.

 

          Starting in October 1980, the Commission, as indicated in this chapter, carried out other activities connected with the promotion and observance of human rights.

 

          A.          50th Session

 

          This session of the Commission began on September 29, 1980, and ended on October 4 of that year. The following members attended: Tom J. Farer, Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, First Vice Chairman; Francisco Bertand Galindo, Second Vice Chairman; Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; Luis Demetrio Tinoco Castro; and César Sepúlveda.

 

          At the session the Commission took up a number of important topics in the field of promotion and defense of human rights. These topics included:

 

          1.          Adoption of the annual report, which was transmitted through the OAS Secretary General to the governments of the member countries for consideration at the tenth regular session of the OAS General Assembly. In that document, the Commission reviewed the status of human rights in a number of countries and indicated specific measures to be taken to achieve political participation and the observance of economic, social and cultural rights in the hemisphere.

 

          2.          Consideration of the preparation and organization of an on site observation visit in Nicaragua to review the status of human rights in that country. The observation visit was conducted at the invitation of the Nicaraguan Government of National Reconstruction and took place October 6-11, 1980.

 

          3.          Review of the findings of the on-site observation visit in Colombia in April 1980, which culminated with the freeing of the hostages held in the Dominican Republic Embassy in Bogotá. In addition, the Commission took cognizance of the preliminary studies for the report on the status of human rights in that country; and the activities carried out by the Commission in connection with the observation of the oral courts-martial in Colombia, on the basis of the agreement concluded between the Colombian Government and the Commission in April 1980.

 

          4.          Consideration of the status of human rights in Guatemala. The Commission regretted that the Government of that country decided to postpone setting a date for the on-site observation visit to Guatemala, for which it had invited the Commission in January 1980. Nonetheless, the Commission stated that it was confident that a specific date could be set for its visit, which it felt would help to achieve a more precise appraisal of the Guatemalan human rights situation.

 

          5.          Consideration of the status of human rights in Bolivia. The Commission deplored the fact that the Government of that country has not responded to the note sent to it on August 8, 1980, requesting various information on the observance of human rights, and it requested the Government's approval to conduct an on-site observation visit in accordance with the Commission's regulations. The note was sent by the Commission pursuant to OAS Permanent Council resolution CP/RES. 308 (432/89).

 

          6.          Consideration of the status of human rights in other countries. A number of specific aspects in this field were reviewed in the United States, Cuba, Paraguay, and Chile.

 

          7.          Consideration and adoption of administrative and promotion of human rights measures. Hearings were held for persons and institutions that previously had requested them.

 

          8.          Consideration of the Commission's participation in the Inter-American Institute of Human Rights headquartered in Costa Rica; and in the Tenth Inter-American Congress on Philosophy (October 1981 in Tallahassee), organized by the Inter-American Society of Philosophy and the University of Florida (U.S.).

 

          B.          On-site observation in Nicaragua

 

          As stated in the previous paragraph, the Commission conducted an on-site observation visit October 6-11, 1980, in Nicaragua, in response to the invitation from the Government of National Reconstruction of that country.

 

          The visit was announced by the Commission in a press release of September 15, 1980; and in a press release of October 11, of that year, it announced publicly the activities carried out in Nicaraguan territory.

 

          In communication 074 of December 3, 1979, of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Government of Nicaragua formalized its invitation for the Commission to visit that country. Consequently, at its 50th session, the Commission made preparations for the visit, and designated a Special Commission for the on-site observation, composed of the following members: Tom J. Farer, Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, and Francisco Bertrand Galindo, Vice Chairmen; Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; Luis Demetrio Tinoco Castro; and César Sepúlveda, assisted by professional and administrative staff of the Commission Secretariat.

 

          During its stay in Nicaragua, the Commission interviewed members of the Government Board of National Reconstruction, the Council of State, and the Sandinista National Liberation Front, the National Commission on Promotion and Protection of Human Rights, the Supreme Court of Justice and the Special Courts; the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, of the Interior, and of Justice; and other civil and military officials, of both the national and departmental governments. The Nicaraguan Government provided the Commission with the necessary facilities for carrying out its task.

 

          In addition, the Commission met with the President of the Nicaraguan Red Cross, the President of the Episcopal Conference of Nicaragua, leaders of the Permanent Commission on Human Rights, representatives of a number of political, religious, scientific, humanitarian, professional, business, and union organizations, and various press media. All of these persons and entities provided the Commission with important testimony on the human rights situation in Nicaragua.

 

          The Commission also visited a number of detention centers, and heard testimony from many of the prisoners. These centers are the “Jorge Navarro” penitentiary, the former “Model” jail; the former “Héroes y Mártires de Nueva Guinea” jail of the “Zona Franca”; the centers of “Palo Alto”, of the state security centers in El Chipote in the “Germán Pomares” military complex, in the city of Managua; the “Orlando Betancourt” jail and the “Carlos Amaya Talamante” command post in the Department of León; the “José L. Enríquez” jail previously known as “La Pólvora” and the “Ruth Rodrígues” women's jail in the city of Granada; the “Benjamin Zeledón” detention center of Cayotepe, which is now without prisoners, in the city of Masaya; and the “Juan José Quezada” detention center of Jinotepe in the Department of Carazo.

 

          During its stay in Nicaragua, the Commission received complaints about alleged human rights violations to be handled pursuant to its Statute and Regulations. It also operated a permanent office in the Hotel Camino Real of Managua for receipt of complaints. The Government of National Reconstruction reiterated to the Commission its decision not to take any kind of reprisals against persons making complaints and persons and entities providing testimony and information or cooperating with the Commission.

 

          Because it regards the matter as important and urgent, the Commission delivered to the Government of National Reconstruction on the day it completed its on-site observation a document containing recommendations for improving the status of human rights in the country.

 

          C.          51st Session

 

          This session was conducted by the Commission starting November 17, 1980, and ended on November 26. The following members participated: Tom J. Farer, Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, First Vice Chairman; Francisco Bertrand Galindo, Second Vice Chairman; Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; Andrés Aguilar, and César Sepúlveda.

 

          In accordance with its agenda, the Commission carried out a number of activities and reviewed several matters concerning the observance and protection of human rights. Those activities and subjects include the following:

 

          1.          It reviewed the status of human rights in Colombia, Nicaragua, Guatemala, and Bolivia, and formulated guidelines for preparing human rights reports in those countries.

 

          2.          It considered the prevailing situation in the human rights field in El Salvador, and in light of that situation, the possibility of conducting an on-site observation visit in that country. Within the context of that situation, it received in plenary session the Salvadoran Minister of Foreign Affairs, Lic. Fidel Chávez Mena.

 

          3.          It reviewed the human rights situation in other countries. In that connection, it took up particular aspects of the human rights question in the United States, Uruguay, Cuba, Chile, Haiti, Grenada and Jamaica.

 

          4.          It held interviews and hearings with persons and institutions requesting them. Among the hearings were those with Adolfo Pérez Esquivel, an Argentine who won the 1980 Nobel Peace Prize, and with leaders of the Latin American Association of Human Rights, headquartered in Quito, Ecuador.

 

          D.      Tenth regular session of the General Assembly of the Organization of American States

 

          While the Commission was holding its 51st session, the tenth regular session of the OAS General Assembly was held in Washington, D.C., at the General Secretariat headquarters.

 

          At the eleventh regular session of the General Assembly, the Commission was represented by its Chairman, Professor Tom J. Farer; its First and Second Vice Chairman, Drs. Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra and Francisco Bertrand Galindo, respectively; by Professor Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; and by Drs. Andrés Aguilar and César Sepúlveda.

 

          The following General Assembly topics were connected with the Commission:

 

          a)          Election of three Commission members;

 

          b)          Annual report and special reports of the Commission;

 

          c)          Annual report of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights;

 

          d)          Draft convention defining torture as an international crime;

 

          e)          Follow-up on the human rights situation in Bolivia; and

 

          f)          Amendments to specified articles of the Commission's statute.

 

          The General Assembly elected three Commission members, and re-elected Drs. Andrés Aguilar, Luis Demetrio Tinoco Castro, and César Sepúlveda, who had completed their terms.

 

          At its eleventh regular session, the General Assembly adopted the following human rights resolutions, whose texts are given below:

 

AG/RES. 484 (X-0/80)

 

FOLLOW UP OF THE SITUATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN BOLIVIA

 

(Resolution adopted at the sixth plenary session, held on November 27, 1980)

 

         WHEREAS:

 

         The Permanent Council of this Organization adopted resolution CP/RES. 308 (432/80),

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To endorse resolution CP/RES. 308 (432/80) of July 25, 1980, whereby the Permanent Council of the Organization of American States resolved to deplore the military coup in Bolivia, which indefinitely suspended the process of democratic institutionalization that was culminating in that sister Republic.

 

         2. To repeat the request to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights that, in the shortest time possible, it prepare a report on the situation of human rights in Bolivia, to be considered by the competent organ of the regional system.

 

AG/RES. 508 (X-0/80)

 

AMENDMENTS TO ARTICLES 6 AND 8 OF THE STATUTE OF THE

INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

 

(Resolution adopted at the sixth plenary session,

held on November 27, 1980)

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         CONSIDERING:

 

         That through resolution AG/RES. 327 (VIII-0/78), adopted by the General Assembly in 1978, it resolved to hold its regular session preferably during the fourth quarter of each year, and decided to standardize the starting dates of the terms of office of the members of the organs, agencies, and entities of the Organization who must be elected by the Assembly;

 

         That, further, the General Assembly, through resolution AG/RES. 447 (IX-0/79), instructed the Permanent Council to study the standards and procedures on incompatibilities that should be incorporated into Article 8 of the Statute of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, and

 

         HAVING SEEN:

 

         The informational document on “Background Material on the General Assembly's decision to standardize the Starting Dates of the Terms of Office of the Members of Various Organs of the OAS” (AG/CP/Sub.-T-50/80), which deals with the amendment in Article 6 of the Statute of the Commission; and

 

         Resolution CP/RES. 320 (442/80) “Standards and Procedures on Incompatibility – Article 8 of the Statute of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights” adopted by the Permanent Council on November 14, 1980 and included in document AG/doc.1269/80,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To amend Article 6 of the Statute of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to read as follows:

 

Article 6. The members of the Commission shall be elected for a term of four years and may be reelected only once. Their terms of office shall begin on January 1 of the year following the year in which they are elected.

 

         2. To extend the terms of office of the members of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights elected during this regular session, as well as the terms of the present members that do not expire until May 21, 1981, to December 31 of the year in which they were due to end.

 

         3. Likewise to amend Article 8 of the Statute of the Commission as follows:

 

Article 8

 

1. Membership of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights is incompatible with the exercise of any functions that might affect the independence, or impartiality of a member, or the dignity or prestige of his post on the Commission.

 

2. The Commission shall consider any case that may arise regarding incompatibility in the light of the provisions of the first paragraph of this Article, and in accordance with the procedures provided for in its rules of procedures.

 

         If on the basis of an affirmative vote of no fewer than five of its members, the Commission determines that a case of incompatibility exists, it shall submit the case, together with its antecedents, to the General Assembly, which shall rule thereon.

 

         3. A declaration of incompatibility by the General Assembly shall be adopted by a majority of two-thirds of the member states of the Organization and shall occasion the immediate removal of the member of the Commission from his post, but it shall not invalidate any actions in which he may have participated.

 

AG/RES. 509 (X-0/80)

 

DRAFT CONVENTION DEFINING TORTURE AS AN INTERNATIONAL CRIME

 

(Resolution adopted at the sixth plenary session,

held on November 27, 1980)

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         HAVING SEEN resolution AG/RES. 368 (VIII-0/78) under which the Inter-American Juridical Committee was requested to draw up, in conjunction with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a draft convention defining torture as an international crime; and,

 

         CONSIDERING:

 

         That the Inter-American Juridical Committee has prepared, in conjunction with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, a draft convention defining torture as an international crime;

 

         That, accordingly, the provisions of resolution 368 of the eighth regular session of the General Assembly have been complied with; and

 

         That the governments of the member states must have an opportunity to make their observations and comments on the draft prepared by the Inter-American Juridical Committee,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To express its appreciation to the Inter-American Juridical Committee and the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights for the work they have done in drawing up the draft convention defining torture as an international crime.

 

         2. To forward the draft with its statement of reasons and explanations of votes, together with all antecedents on the draft, including the preliminary draft prepared by the Committee, to the governments of the member states for their consideration so that they may send before April 30, 1981, their observations and comments to the Permanent Council in order for the Council to amend the draft convention as appropriate and submit it to the next General Assembly.

 

AG/RES. 510 (X-0/80)

 

ANNUAL REPORT AND SPECIAL REPORTS OF THE INTER-AMERICAN

COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS

 

(Resolution adopted at the sixth plenary session,

held on November 27, 1980)

 

 

         THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY,

 

         HAVING SEEN:

 

         The annual report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (CP/doc.1110/80), the Commission's special reports (AG/CP/doc.254 and 253/80) and the replies of the governments (AG/CP/doc.256 and 259/80 and AG/doc.1261/80); and

 

         CONSIDERING:

 

         That the protection and exercise of human rights is one of the lofty objectives of the Organization of American States, and their observance is a source of solidarity among the member states and a guarantee of respect for human life and the dignity of man;

 

         That the principal goal of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is to promote the observance and defense of human rights in all member states;

 

         That a democratic structure is essential to the establishment of a political society where human values can be fully realized;

 

         That in its study of the status of human rights in the hemisphere, the Commission emphasized that the return to representative democracy already under way or completed in certain countries was a positive step;

 

         That the annual report and the special reports of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights states that the measures taken in certain countries that represent significant contributions 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) are a positive sign;

 

         That, nevertheless, the reports also state that a situation persists that is characterized by serious and repeated violations of fundamental rights and freedoms and by the inadequacy or ineffectiveness of the guarantees and means of defense that the national laws of these countries provide;

 

         That the Commission recommends that an immediate end be put to such serious violations of human rights as disappearances of persons, the use of torture, detention without due process, and arbitrary exile;

 

         That Chapter VI of the report of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights makes reference to economic, social and cultural rights and emphasizes the limitations on the exercise of human rights that are the result of the extreme poverty endured by many segments of the population; and

 

         That, in order to reaffirm the importance of the IACHR, to contribute to the effectiveness of its work by preserving its technical independence, to enlist the maximum cooperation of all the governments, and to strengthen the solidarity of the member states, this General Assembly has adopted procedures for the examination of reports on human rights in the hemisphere, confident that they will help foster the effective promotion and defense of human rights,

 

         RESOLVES:

 

         1. To take note of the annual report, which includes consideration of the situation of human rights in Chile, El Salvador, Paraguay, and Uruguay and of the special reports on the situation of human rights in Argentina and Haiti.

 

         To express its strongest support for the work done by the IACHR and to reaffirm the importance of its reports for the promotion and defense of human rights.

 

         2. To take note of the observations, objections and comments by those governments and of the information on the measures that, on their own initiative, they have freely taken and will continue to take to guarantee human rights in their countries, and to emphasize the importance of the adoption of additional measures, on their own free initiative, that pursue like objectives, particularly those that heed recommendations contained in the reports.

 

         3. To urge the governments of the member states that have not yet done so to adopt and put into practice the necessary measures to preserve and safeguard the full exercise of human rights, especially in those cases that concern the status of individuals detained without due process, the disappearances of persons, the return of exiles and the lifting of states of emergency.

 

         4. To recommend to the member states that, bearing in mind Chapter VI of the annual report of the Commission, they continue to adopt and apply measures and legislative provisions for preserving and maintaining the full exercise of human rights in accordance with the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.

 

         5. To reiterate the need to avoid and, where appropriate, to put an immediate end to serious violations of fundamental human rights, especially the rights to life and to personal security and freedom, and to reaffirm that summary execution, torture and prolonged detention without due process are violations of human rights.

 

         6. To recommend to the member states that have not yet done so that they reestablish or perfect the democratic system of government, in which the exercise of power derives from the legitimate and free expression of the will of the people, in accordance with the particular characteristics and circumstances of each country.

 

         7. To share the Commission's concern in stressing the importance of economic, social and cultural rights in the context of human rights for the integral development of man.

 

         8. To reaffirm that effective protection of human rights should also extend to social, economic and cultural rights, and, in that regard, to emphasize to the governments of the member states the responsibility of making every possible effort to participate fully in cooperation for hemispheric development since it is a fundamental means of helping alleviate extreme poverty in the Americas, especially that in the most needy countries and regions.

 

         9. To note with satisfaction the decision of the governments of the member states that have invited the Commission to visit their respective countries and to urge the governments of the states that have still not accepted or that have not agreed on a date for that visit to do so as soon as possible.

 

         10. To request the Commission to continue to monitor the situation of human rights in such member states as it deems appropriate, and to include its conclusions in its report to the eleventh regular session of the General Assembly, pursuant to the provisions of Article 18 of the Statute of the Commission.

 

         11. To invite the governments of the member states that have not already done so to consider the advisability of signing or ratifying the American Convention on Human Rights (Pact of San José, Costa Rica), which has been ratified or acceded to by Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Grenada, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Jamaica, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru and Venezuela.

 

         12. To emphasize the need to put an immediate end, in those countries in which it may occur, to any practice that leads to the disappearance of persons and also to urge that the necessary efforts be made to determine the status of persons whose disappearance has been reported.

 

         13. To recommend to the governments, in connection with the preceding paragraph, that central records be established to account for all persons that have been detained, so that their relatives and other interested persons may promptly learn of any arrest that may have been made; to request that arrests be made only by competent and duly identified authorities, and that the arrested persons be kept in premises designed for that purpose.

 

         14. To urge all the governments to continue to provide the Commission with the necessary cooperation to enable it to accomplish its tasks.

 

          E.          52nd Session

 

          This session of the Commission began February 26, 1981, and ended March 7. All members participated: Tom J. Farer, Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, First Vice Chairman; Francisco Bertrand Galindo, Second Vice Chairman; Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; Andrés Aguilar; Luis Demetrio Tinoco Castro; and César Sepúlveda.

 

          At this session, the Commission dealt with important subjects in the human rights field and took such steps as it deemed timely and appropriate. Those subjects and steps include the following:

 

          1.          It approved the preliminary reports on the status of human rights in Colombia and Nicaragua, which were drawn up on the basis of the on-site observation visits to those countries in April and October of 1980, respectively, and on the basis of other sources. Both documents were sent to the Governments of Colombia and Nicaragua for them to submit their comments to the Commission.

 

          2.          Under the agreement concluded with the Colombian Government, the Commission decided to observe the public phase of the military trials of M-19 members, and it was decided that the Chairman, accompanied by Secretariat staff and other Commission members, would travel to Bogotá in the following months for that purpose.

 

          3.          Resolutions relating to the Commission that were adopted by the OAS General Assembly at its tenth regular session were reviewed. With regard to the resolution on follow-up on the human rights situation in Bolivia, the Commission decided to send another note to the Government of that country repeating the request for permission to conduct an on-site observation visit and asking for a reply by June 1981.

 

          4.          Consideration of the status of human rights in a number of countries, especially Bolivia, Cuba, El Salvador, and Guatemala; and a decision to continue with preparation of the reports on those countries.

 

          5.          A number of complaints of alleged violations of human rights in several OAS member countries were reviewed and appropriate measures were taken or resolutions on them were submitted to the governments concerned. Complaints were received that the Coordinator of the Nicaraguan Permanent Commission on Human Rights had been detained in Managua and that six Argentine leaders of institutions defending human rights had been detained in Buenos Aires. The Commission immediately expressed its concern about those cases to the Governments of Nicaragua and Argentina, requesting information from them about the facts that gave rise to the complaints. It also placed on record its satisfaction at the subsequent release of the Coordinator of the Nicaraguan Permanent Commission on Human Rights, and the release of the six Argentine leaders.

 

          6.          Proposals made by a number of entities to promote human rights were taken up, and cooperation measures on them were adopted.

 

          7.          As on previous occasions, hearings were held for persons and institutions requesting them. After detailed evaluation of the applications from a number of candidates, the “Rómulo Gallegos” scholarship was awarded for studies connected with human rights.

 

          8.          The Commission considered a number of administrative matters, including its program-budget for 1982/83.

 

          F.          53rd Session

 

          This session was held by the Commission on June 22 – July 2, 1981, and was attended by the following members: Tom J. Farer, Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, First Vice Chairman; Francisco Bertrand Galindo, Second Vice Chairman; Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; and César Sepúlveda.

 

          At this session, the Commission considered and adopted measures on a number of human rights questions. Those measures and questions include the following:

 

          1.          It elected its new Governing Board pursuant to the applicable legal provisions. The following were reelected by acclamation: Tom J. Farer, as Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, as First Vice Chairman; and Francisco Bertrand Galindo, as Second Vice Chairman. A press release was issued June 22, 1981, on these elections.

 

          2.          The Commission took up and analyzed the comments of the Colombian and Nicaraguan Governments on its reports on the status of human rights in those countries. On the basis of those comments and the new information available, the final reports were approved. These documents were transmitted to the OAS Secretary General for distribution to the governments of the member countries and to the news media.

 

          3.          The preliminary reports on the human rights situation in Bolivia and Guatemala were approved. These reports were sent to the Governments of both countries for comments.

 

          4.          The Commission took up and reviewed the statements relating to the Commission by the Permanent Representative of Chile to the OAS.

 

          5.          It considered the status of human rights in other countries, and took up specific aspects of the situation in El Salvador, Jamaica, Chile, Haiti, Brazil, and Paraguay.

 

          6.          The Commission considered the request from the Government of Colombia to clarify the agreement concluded between that Government and the Commission in April 1980, based on the seizure of the Dominican Embassy in Bogotá and the on-site observation visit conducted. The agreement calls for observation by the Commission of the public phase of oral court-martials.

 

          7.          Specific guidelines were issued for the form of the Commission's 1980/81 annual report, to be submitted to the eleventh regular session of the OAS General Assembly, to be held in St. Lucia in December 1981.

 

          8.          The Commission reviewed compliance with Resolution AG/RES. 314 (VII-0/77) of the OAS General Assembly, and decided to update the study previously made on that resolution. Under the resolution, the General Assembly recommended that the Commission prepare, for the OAS Permanent Council's examination and comment, a study on the systems and methods of investigation of violations of those rights, based on non-discriminatory principles that recognize the juridical equality of states and that set forth their obligations to carry out the commitments assumed in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.

 

          9.          It considered other matters, including award of the “Rómulo Gallegos” scholarship. It also reviewed other aspects and took the measures and resolutions it considered appropriate with regard to claims of alleged human rights violations in a number of OAS countries.

 

          10.          As in previous occasions, it held hearings for persons and institutions that made timely requests for them and dealt with a number of administrative topics.

 

          G.          Fifty-fourth session

 

          This session was held by the Commission on October 8 through 17, 1981 and all its members participated, Messrs. Tom J. Farer, Chairman; Marco Gerardo Monroy Cabra, First Vice Chairman; Francisco Bertrand Galindo, Second Vice Chairman; Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches; Andrés Aguilar; and César Sepúlveda.

 

          At this session the Commission analyzed and took measures on various topics concerning human rights, and for that purpose approved the corresponding program. Among those measures and topics the following may be mentioned in particular:

 

          1.          It approved the definitive Reports on the Situation Regarding Human Rights in Bolivia and in Guatemala, which were sent to the Secretary General of the OAS for their distribution to the governments of the member states and to the mass communication media.

 

          2.          It approved this Annual Report to be presented to the General Assembly of the OAS at its eleventh regular session, to be held in December 1981 in Saint Lucia.

 

          3.          It considered the situation regarding human rights in El Salvador and in other countries and for that purpose followed the corresponding regulatory procedures.

 

          4.          It received the President and Vice President of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, Dr. Carlos Roberto Reina and Dr. Pedro Nikken, respectively, in a special audience. It conducted a broad exchange of views on matters in this field with those Judges, aimed at maintaining close and continuing cooperation between the two bodies for international protection of human rights established by the Pact of San José, Costa Rica.

 

          5.          It considered a communication from the Inter-American Court of Human Rights submitted to it in consultation in relation to the case called “Viviana Gallardo and others.”

 

          6.          It considered the situation regarding human rights in other countries and, for that purpose, attended to individual cases concerning the situation regarding human rights.

 

          7.          It attended to an decided on various activities related to the promotion of human rights, as well as various matters of an administrative nature.

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