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CHAPTER
III ACTIVITIES IN THE TERRITORY OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
1. With authorities from
the Constitutional Government
On Thursday, June 3, the Chairman of the Commission, the
Executive Secretary, and a staff member of the Secretariat of the
Commission went to the Copello Building in the Dominican capital and
spoke with Colonel Francisco Caamaño, President of the Constitutional
Government. Colonel Caamaño, accompanied by Dr. Héctor Aristy,
Minister of the Presidency, Dr. Jottín Cury, Minister of Foreign
Affairs, and other authorities of that government, received the
Commission.
The Chairman of the Commission referred to the mission he
proposed to carry out, and pointed out that he hoped to have full
cooperation from the authorities of the Constitutional Government.
Colonel Caamaño expressed his gratification at the presence of
the Commission and offered to provide it with all the facilities needed
to carry out its mission. He stated that the Commission would be
entirely free to visit the Ciudad Nueva and to enter the jails or places
of detention in that city, and that it could talk freely to all persons
who were detained therein. Dr. Curry turned over to the Chairman of the
Commission a document containing a list of the violations of human
rights committed by authorities of the so-called Government of National
Reconstruction.
At a later date, the Commission held another interview with
Colonel Caamaño and other members of his government, as well as with
the mayor of Ciudad Nueva, Sr. Víctor Peguero, and with the military
chiefs in charge of prisons.
2.
With authorities from the Government of National
Reconstruction
On the same day, June 3, the Commission held an interview with
the President of National Reconstruction, General Antonio Imbert
Barreras, who was accompanied by Dr. Horacio Vicioso Soto, Secretary of
State for Foreign Affairs, and other members of his Cabinet.
The Chairman of the Commission referred to the work his agency
planned to undertake in the Dominican Republic to ensure respect for
human rights, and to his end he requested the cooperation of the
Government of National Reconstruction.
General Imbert expressed his gratification by the presence of the
Commission once again in the Dominican Republic, and referred to the
work performed by this agency in the country since 1961. He offered to
provide all the facilities needed for the fulfillment of its mission and
pointed out that the Commission was completely free to travel throughout
the country, to visit prisons and other places of detention, to talk to
authorities, individuals or political prisoners under his jurisdiction,
without any kind of restriction.
On subsequent dates, the Commission held further interviews with
General Imbert, to discuss new matters related to its tasks, as well as
with Foreign Minister Vicioso, the Attorney General of the Republic, and
other authorities of that government.
3.
With the Secretary General of the Organization of American
States
On June 2, upon his arrival in the Dominican capital, the
Chairman of the Commission, first of all, held an interview with the
Secretary General of the OAS, Dr. José A. Mora. Professor Manuel
Bianchi expressed to the Secretary General the gratification of the
Commission with the request that that body be present in the Dominican
Republic for the purpose of attending to the numerous cases involving
violations of human rights.
The Secretary General of the Organization, after referring to the
work done by the Commission in the Dominican Republic since 1961,
advised the Chairman of the Commission of various denunciations that had
been received regarding serious and repeated violations of human rights,
which had convinced him, of the essential and urgent need for the
presence of the Commission in Santo Domingo.
On subsequent dates, the Chairman of the Commission, as well as
its representatives, held interviews with the Secretary General of the
OAS, to acquaint him with the measures undertaken by the Commission and
to give him information turned over to the Commission on problems within
the jurisdiction of the General Secretariat.
4.
With the Ad Hoc Committee of the Tenth Meeting of Consultation
The Chairman of the Commission and the other members that
represented this body in the Dominican Republic held various interviews
with Ambassadors Ellsworth Bunker, Clairmont Dueñas, and Ilmar Penna
Marinho, members of the Ad Hoc Committee of the Tenth Meeting of
Consultation of Ministers of Foreign Affairs, to discuss the cases that
raised problems or made requests on matters within the jurisdiction of
the aforementioned Committee.
On the other hand, the Ad Hoc Committee turned over various
denunciations and documents related to violations of human rights,
requesting that these be handled by the Commission.
5.
With the Chief of the Inter-American Peace Force
The Chairman of the Commission visited the Commander in Chief of
the Inter-American Peace Force, General Hugo Panasco Alvim, at his
headquarters in Santo Domingo, on June 13, 1965, for the purpose of
acquainting him with the work this body was doing in Dominican
territory, and of requesting the cooperation of the Inter-American Peace
Force for the better fulfillment of its task.
General Panasco Alvim was keenly interested in the work of the
Commission, and offered it his entire cooperation.
Later on the Commission’s Representative, Dr. Carlos Alberto
Dunshee de Abranches, interviewed the aforementioned General and again
referred to the desirability of obtaining his full cooperation in order
to accomplish most fully the aims of the Commission.
6.
With the Papal Nuncio
The Chairman of the Commission, on various occasions, held
interviews with the Papal Nuncio in Santo Domingo, Monsignor Emmanuel
Clarizio, and requested his cooperation in the work of this body. The
prelate showed a decided interest in the work of the Commission, and
offered to put at its disposal all of the information he had assembled
in the field of human rights.
The Papal Nuncio cooperated closely with the Commission in the
solution of various problems related to the freedom and security of
Dominican citizens.
7.
Relations with the Representative of the United Nations
Secretary General
On several occasions, the Commission received visits from Dr. José
A. Mayobre, representative of the United Nations Secretary General, and
from General Indar Jit Rykttie, military adviser of the world
organization.
On June 2, 1965, General Rykttie visited the Chairman of the
Commission to inform him, in the absence of the United Nations
representative, Dr. Mayobre, that the United Nations would be quite
willing for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to be the sole
organization in charge of matter concerning respect for human rights in
the Dominican Republic. To this end, he stated that the representation
of the United Nations General Secretariat in the Dominican Republic
would put at the disposal of the Commission all of the denunciations
that it had received regarding violations of human rights. This
statement of the United Nations Military Adviser was confirmed on
various occasions by the Secretary General’s representative, Dr.
Mayobre, who several times also requested the Commission to act in
clearing up certain denunciations.
In accordance with this commitment, representatives of the United
Nations transferred to the Commission, on June 3, 1965, the
denunciations and complaints regarding violations of human rights that
they had received, as well as other background material related to the
situation regarding those rights. For its part, the Inter-American
Commission gave permission to representatives of the world organization,
in specific cases, to accompany it on its trips to the interior of the
country, as well as in the examination of denounced acts, as for
instance the case of Hacienda Haras, and the visits to Isla Beata and to
the naval base of Las Calderas. B.
Denunciations, communications, complaints, and requests presented
to the Commission
After its arrival in the Dominican Republic, the Commission
received a large number of denunciations, some written and some oral, of
acts in violation of the most elementary rights of the individual, as
stated in the American Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.
Those denunciations were forthcoming from both governments established
in the Dominican territory, as well as from private parties, workers’
unions, professional societies, and civil servants whose rights had been
violated.
The number of denunciations corresponding to concrete cases of
persons imprisoned for political reasons had exceeded 1,500 when the
Provisional President, Dr. Héctor García Godoy, took office.
The number of communications addressed to the Commission to
explain serious questions, such as the disappearance and execution of
persons, beatings, and tortures, had been more than 200 by the same
date.
The Commission recorded more than 100 cases of damaging,
destruction, and plundering of properties.
Moreover, an equal number of communications of a general
character were recorded, which included requests for safe conducts,
consular visas, and special permits to leave or enter Dominican
territory.
In all cases, the Commission proceeded to consider the
denunciations and to process them in accordance with its powers, taking
into consideration the special circumstances prevailing in the country
which affected the full exercise of power by a lawful regime.
The Commission was aware, from the start that the denunciations
referred mainly to the right to life, the right to liberty and personal
security, the right of protection from arbitrary arrest, and the right
to inviolability of the home. Hence the Commission centered its efforts
on the protection of those rights, especially the right to life,
liberty, and personal security. In this respect, the Commission
undertook measures to prevent the execution of persons arrested or
imprisoned, and to locate missing persons. In all cases involving the
possibility of execution by shooting, the Commission got immediately in
touch with the authorities of one or the other government.
The Commission addressed regularly to both Governments lists of
missing persons, or of those who had been arrested but whose whereabouts
were unknown. It was verified, in this connection, that in some places
of detention no lists could be found of the persons detained or freed, a
fact that prevented or rendered difficult the search for persons
allegedly missing.
The Commission received some denunciations of executions by
shooting, or of such imminent happenings, that proved to be false. This
was the case with the denunciation received on June 12, 1965, in which
the Commission was informed that General Pedro Santiago Rodríguez
Echevarría and four officers, who were imprisoned at San Isidro Base,
were in imminent danger of being executed, or had already been so
treated.
In this case, the Commission visited the San Isidro jail the same
day, and was able to verify the inaccuracy of the denunciation, inasmuch
as it was able to interview the five officers concerned.
The same thing happened in the case of the denunciation addressed
to the Commission on June 28, 1965, in which it was stated that 16
conscripts of the National Police had been executed in the Ozama
Fortress on June 19, and that their bodies had been burned.
From the investigation made by the representative of the
Commission, Professor Abranches, assisted by staff members of the
Secretariat, it was proved that the alleged executions had not taken
place.
As of the beginning of August 1965, the Commission had the
following available data:
Persons missing
124
Persons buried in the Obrero Cemetery
(unidentified)
140
Persons buried in the Los Minas Cemetery
(unidentified)
25
A majority of the claims and complaints received referred to
violations of the right to liberty and personal security. The Commission
was asked to obtain the freedom of persons imprisoned for political
reasons, but against whom no concrete charges had been brought. The
Commission’s intervention was also requested to prevent the execution
of prisoners during their transfer from one prison to another, as well
as to better their treatment, to obtain permission for them to receive
visits from their relatives, or to change cells for reasons of health.
The Commission’s work, as regards denunciations of violations
of the right to liberty and personal security, consisted in
communicating to the authorities of both governments the pertinent parts
of the denunciations it received, and obtaining from those authorities
explanations on the questions raised therein, while a representative of
the Commission, assisted by staff members of the Secretariat, was
visiting the prison in question to verify the alleged acts. The
Commission made repeated visits to the following prisons: La Victoria
National Penitentiary, National Police Palace, San Isidro Air Base,
Armed Forces Training Center at San Isidro, Transportation Building,
Ozama Fortress, Salomé Ureña School, Palace of Justice, all situated
in the Capital or in its suburbs.
The most important prisons, which were under the control of the
Government of National Reconstruction, were La Victoria National
Penitentiary, located a few kilometers from the Capital, and the
National Police Palace, in Santo Domingo proper, as well as jails
located at certain military bases, such as that of San Isidro and the
so-called Transportation Building, where the arrested persons were taken
before being transferred to a permanent prison.
In the interior of the country all prisons were under the
authority of the Government of National Reconstruction.
In the zone under the jurisdiction of the jurisdiction of the
Constitutionalist Government there were fewer prisons and a much smaller
number of prisoners, due to the fact that the territory was very small.
The main prison was the Ozama Fortress, the only one that had actual
cells. Other prisons were improvised in the Salomé Ureña School and in
the Palace of Justice, or of the Courts.
The Commission took cognizance of the alleged existence of prison
and concentration camps in various places in the zones of one or other
government, but this could not be verified.
The existence of a political prison at the military base of Sans
Souci, located in one of the banks of the Ozama River, and near its
mouth, was made known to the Commission. According to the information
given to the Commission by the United States authorities in charge of
this base, there was only one place of detention where persons were shut
up for purposes of investigation.
Only in a few instances was the Commission prevented from
entering the prisons. One was on June 24, 1965, when the representative
of the Commission was prevented from entering the San Isidro Base to
visit certain army officers imprisoned therein. The other was on June
26, when the representative of the Commission was prevented from
visiting political prisoners who were in San Francisco de Macorís as a
result of the insurrection that had broken out in that city the day
before.
Because of this, the representative of the Commission, Dr.
Abranches, addressed a note of protest to the Government of National
Reconstruction on June 26, 1965.1
On July 3, 1965, the Chairman of the Commission was prevented
from carrying out his functions in the same city of San Francisco de
Macorís, when the military chief of that city avoided the interview
requested by Professor Bianchi, who was accompanied by Dr. Sandifer, a
member of the Commission, and a staff member of the Secretariat.
On the same date, the Chairman of the Commission addressed the
Government of National Reconstruction to explain the situation and
express his protest.2
In both cases the Government of National Reconstruction gave
explanations of the reasons that led the authorities to prevent the
visit. The said government reiterated its intention of permitting the
visits without restrictions, provided, however, that the corresponding
authorities were previously notified.
The Commission gave special attention to the case of minors
imprisoned both in the Capital and in the interior of the country. Among
the measures undertaken by this body, it is worth quoting from the
communication addressed to the Government of National Reconstruction by
Mrs. Angela Acuña de Chacón, the text of which portion is as follows:
… The Commission, moreover, wishes to ask the Members of the
Board of Investigation and Review that they especially consider the
cases involving imprisonment of minors, and that they take into
consideration the fact that, in accordance with modern penal law
doctrines and general legal principles commonly accepted by civilized
nations, a minor cannot be held as much responsible as one who has
attained majority. It would be well for the Board of Investigation and
Review, as regards minors, to consider the matter of the minority of the
offender as an extenuating circumstance, and in the case of conviction
of a minor, it would be well for the Board to order his commitment to a
correctional establishment for minors.3 Designation of a Liaison Officer
In consequence of these and other difficulties, and at the
suggestion of the Commission, the Government of National Reconstruction
designated the lawyer-Colonel, Dr. Rafael Emilio Saldaña, a member of
the National Army, as liaison officer between the Armed Forces of that
government and the Commission. The appointment of Colonel Saldaña
allowed this inter-American body to accelerate the measures, procedures,
and requests for information with the authorities of that government,
and facilitated the communication between the two parties especially in
urgent cases where the life of a prisoner or arrested person was
involved. Action with the Attorney General of the
Republic
Many activities were conducted by the Commission before the
Attorney General of the Republic involving the right to liberty and
personal security, especially in cases of the transfer of non-military
political prisoners, the system of visits, and aspects of applicable
criminal or procedural legislation. Number of political prisoners
While no precise figures could be obtained for the number of
political prisoners in Dominican prisons from the beginning of the
crisis until the installation of the Provisional Government, the
Commission estimates that they numbered more than 4,000 at the beginning
of June, a number that was gradually reduced as the work of the
Commission progressed.
At the beginning of August 1965, the approximate number of
political prisoners in the country’s main prisons was the following: Government
of National Reconstruction
La Victoria Penitentiary:
Civilian
350
Military
132
National Police: 50
San Isidro: 80
Interior:
90
Included in the last item are the following prisons: San
Francisco de Macorís, San Cristóbal, Azua, Santiago Rodríguez, Baní,
Las Calderas, Bonao, Dajabón, El Ceibo, Mao Fortress, Sabana Grande de
Boyá Fortress, La Romana Police, Puerto Plata, Samaná, Salcedo, and
Beata Island.
Constitutionalist Government Ozama Fortress:
Civilian
30
Military
140 Work of the Investigating and Review Board
of the Government of National Reconstruction
On May 27, 1965, the Investigating and Review Board appointed by
the Government of National Reconstruction began its work of finding out
about the reasons underlying the imprisonment of numerous persons as a
result of the events that took place in the Dominican Republic on April
24, 1965. The authorities of that government put at the disposition of
the Commission the lists of persons who were being released by order of
the Board. The first of those lists is dated May 27, 1965, and the
others consecutively up to July 15, 1965.
On the later date, the activity of the Investigating and Review
Board was paralyzed.
Following certain steps by the Commission, and with the
cooperation of Colonel Saldaña, the Board was again established on July
27, 1965, and was composed of Colonel Rafael Oswaldo Leger Báez, of the
National Army; Lieutenant Colonel Rolando Hache Rodríguez, of the Air
Force; Lieutenant Colonel Eurípides de León Calcaño, of the National
Police; Lieutenant Commander Oscar E. Miguel Jacobo, of the Navy, and
Major José A. Rodríguez Alba, of the Armed Forces Training Center.
In accordance with the instructions given the Investigating and
Review Board by the Secretary of State for the Armed Forces, Commodore
Rivera Caminero, it “should meet every day … in La Victoria National
Penitentiary” and “order the release of those persons against whom
there is no charge”.
On July 28, the Investigating and Review Board resumed its
activities, setting free 15 to 30 persons per day, and in some cases as
many as 40.
In accordance with the official criterion, the procedure of the
Board was not precisely of a legal nature, but rather of a summary
character in order to accelerate the release of persons against whom no
substantial charges were made. Those who were not released were given a
regular trial, civilians been turned over to civil courts, and military
personnel to military courts.
According to the information given to the Commission by the
authorities of La Victoria Penitentiary, 2,189 political prisoners had
been released as of August 14, as a result of the work of the Board.
According to the aforementioned authorities, prisoners had the
right to legal counsel if this was desired.
The Investigating and Review Board closed its work on August 31,
1965, and sent a report to the Secretary of State for the Armed Forces
in which it stated that 2,481 persons “involved in the events of April
24 and subsequent days of this year, against whom evidence was found to
be turned over to the regular courts” had been released, “but upon
instructions from the Higher Authorities and through the magnanimity of
the Board were released”. Action of the Commission on behalf of the
remaining political prisoners
On August 27, 1965, the representative of the Commission, Dr.
Abranches, had appealed to the Presidents of the two contending
governments for the release of all remaining political prisoners.
On August 31, President Caamaño notified the Commission that on
that day, at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, all of the military prisoners
in his area would be delivered to that body, and invited the Commission
to receive the said prisoners. In accordance with this statement, there
were turned over to the representative of the inter-American body 108
members of the National Police in the patio of Ozama Fortress, including
16 officers and 92 enlisted men. All of them were clean, and well
dressed, and no vestiges of physical injuries could be found on their
bodies. The transfer of the released men was made in a bus of the
Inter-American Peace Force, the representative of the Commission having
signed a receipt for the prisoners. One of the prisoners decided to
remain in the Constitutionalist zone.
On September 1, following negotiations of the Commission with
Commander Rivera Caminero and General Herman Despradel, Chiefs of the
Armed Forces and of the National Police, respectively, of the Government
of National Reconstruction, a promise was obtained to release the
imprisoned officers the following day and the enlisted men later. This
commitment was carried out at 3 p.m. on September 2, in La Victoria
Penitentiary, with respect to officers, and the ten were turned over to
the representative of the Commission, Dr. Abranches.
On the morning of September 3, there were turned over to the
Commission 51 ordinary soldiers from the National Army, and 4 marines,
frogmen, the pertinent document of receipt being signed in La Victoria
Penitentiary itself.
The Commission took cognizance that on the same day, September 2,
18 marines imprisoned in Beata Island, who had been visited in August by
the Commission, were released. C.
Visits to towns and localities in the interior:
San
Francisco de Macorís
The Commission made several
visits to this town, one of the most important in the interior of the
country, for the purpose of examining the situation regarding human
rights and of verifying by all possible means the denunciations
presented of acts committed there in violation of human rights.
The first visit took place on June 5. A tour of the town was
made, and complaints from the public were received in the central park.
Some citizens told the Commission that they were mistreated and
persecuted by the police and army, that their home had been searched,
and that they themselves had been arrested several times without just
cause. The Commission was told that some prisoners were released upon
its arrival, only to be arrested again as soon as it departed.
On this occasion, the Commission visited the Military Fortress,
interviewing several political prisoners there. The Commission was
accompanied by the Civil Governor of the province, who helped it in its
mission. At this prison first-hand information on conditions in the
cells and problems of the prisoners was obtained.
The second visit took place on June 26, following denunciations
received after the outbreak of an armed attack in that town. That event
resulted in several deaths and injuries, as well as the arrest of a
large number of persons. The authorities in charge of the Military
Fortress this time did not give their permission to the Commission to
visit the cells or to interview prisoners. The representative of the
Commission, Dr. Abranches, limited himself to going about the town and
verifying, at the door of the local cemetery, the existence of several
bodies, which were allegedly victims of the armed attack. Professor
Abranches protested to the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs of the
Government of National Reconstruction, to which reference is made in
another part of this report, for having prevented him from visiting the
prisoners in the Military Fortress and in the Police barracks of that
town.
On June 28 the Commission returned to San Francisco de Macorís,
and this time it was permitted to visit both places of imprisonment. The
representative of the Commission was informed that the prisoners had
been transferred to the Capital, and only one prisoner remained who was
under investigation.
During this visit the Commission interviewed several relatives of
political prisoners and of persons arrested in connection with the armed
assault of June 25. Further complaints were received of acts allegedly
violating human rights.
On July 3 the Commission went again to the City of San Francisco
de Macorís but the Chairman of the Commission was not able to interview
the Military Chief of the place, in spite of the steps carried on by the
Civil Governor of the province, Mr. Alfredo Ouais. The military
authorities alleged that they could not receive the representative of
the Commission unless he presented a written authorization, signed by
the Chief of the Armed Forces of the Government of National
Reconstruction.
The Chairman of the Commission, as stated elsewhere in this
report, protested to the Government of National Reconstruction over this
incident.
On July 22 another visit was paid to the city. During this visit
it was possible to visit the cells of the Military Fortress and
interview its chiefs, who reported that there were no political
prisoners there. The Commission received several citizens who orally
presented some complaints and claims.
San Pedro de Macorís
This city was visited by the Commission on July 2, at the request
of the Government of National Reconstruction, which declared to it that
the police station of Ramón Santana, a place under the jurisdiction of
San Pedro de Macorís, had been attacked.
The Commission, after visiting the said police station and taking
note of the circumstances denounced, on the spot, went to San Pedro de
Macorís, where it was able to see the wounded policemen and the people
arrested on account of afore mentioned events. The wounded persons were
at the Carl Theodore George Hospital and the bodies of the two policemen
killed during the attack had been transferred to the Capital.
The Commission also interviewed Messrs. Israel Caminero, Miguel
Angel Pichardo, and Antonio Beato, and Dr. Munir Kury, who had all been
arrested in connection with the events of Ramón Santana.
On July 6, the Commission returned to San Pedro de Macorís to
learn the condition of the wounded persons and to verify on the spot the
denunciations that had been made of violations of human rights as a
result of the events of July 2. The Commission was received by Colonel
Gilberto Fernández Medina and was informed that Messrs. Israel
Caminero, Miguel Angel Pichardo, and Antonio Beato, and Dr. Munir Kury
had been transferred to the prison of the National Police in the
Dominican capital.
On August 1, 1965, a third visit was made, to learn the situation
of the political prisoners held there about whom relatives had stated to
the Commission that they were going to be transferred to the La Victoria
penitentiary and requested the good offices of the Commission so that
these prisoners might remain in San Pedro de Macorís. On this occasion
the Commission again visited the four prisoners previously interviewed,
who had been taken to San Pedro de Macorís.
La Vega
The Commission went on June 5, to the city of La Vega, where
complaints and claims were received regarding acts allegedly violating
human rights. It visited the municipal prison, where it was informed
that there were 133 political prisoners. The Chairman of the Commission
and the Secretariat personnel who accompanied him were able to speak
freely with the prisoners there. The complaints stated by the prisoners
were noted and their requests were forwarded to the authorities.
The Commission was attended by the Governor of the Province, Mr.
Ibo Riba, the Governor of La Vega, Mr. Rafael Díaz, and Liutenant
Colonel Santiago Rojo Molina, Military Chief of the place.
Barahona
The Commission visited the city of Barahona on June 10. It was
received by the local military and police authorities, who took the
Chairman and the Secretariat personnel accompanying him on a tour of the
municipal prison, where several political prisoners were interviewed.
Some of them complained to the Commission about being accused of being
communists, without specific charges having been presented that
justified their imprisonment. The authorities informed the Commission
that the judicial proceeding against those prisoners would begin on June
14.
During this visit the Commission received testimony from two
Haitian students, who stated how some of their companions had been
murdered in Ciudad Nueva, Santo Domingo, when they refused to join the
command headed by the Haitian leader Jean Baptiste, on May 6 and 7,
1965. The authorities in Barahona told the Commission that on the day of
its visit there were 64 political prisoners there.
On July 19 the Commission went again to the city of Barahona. The
municipal prison was examined but no political prisoners were found
there. The authorities reported that all of them had been transferred to
the Center of Studies of the Armed Forces at San Isidro.
On this occasion the Commission requested information about the
arrest of the Spanish citizen Horacio Pérez González, and Major
Marmolejos stated that that person had been transferred to San Isidro.
Baní
The municipal prison of Baní, located in the Army Headquarters,
was visited by the Commission on August 18, and 8 political prisoners
were found there, many of whom had been imprisoned originally in the
Palace of the Police, later in La Victoria, and afterward transferred to
Baní.
These prisoners stated to the representative of the Commission
their fear of being classified as prisoners held for common crimes,
which would prevent the examination of their cases by the Board of
Investigation and Review.
The Commission examined the cells and found them in a very poor
condition, except for the one reserved for the political prisoners.
The Commission was attended by Lieutenant Vitelio Céspedes
Zayas, who provided all necessary facilities to the Commission. This
officer explained to the Commission that the political prisoners had
been transferred to this prison at the request of their relatives.
Isla Beata
On August 6 the Commission paid a visit to Isla Beata to learn
about the situation of the political prisoners who where held there. A
representative of the United Nations and foreign newspapermen were
allowed by the Commission to accompany it. On this island, where a naval
station is located that was under the command of Lieutenant Sebastián
Escarramán Vázquez, 18 political prisoners were found, who were in a
satisfactory state of health. Many of them alleged that they had been
held in solitary confinement in the Palace of the Police in the capital.
The Commission verified that communication between the prisoners
and their relatives was difficult and recommended to the competent
authorities that they find a solution to that problem.
Santiago de
los Caballeros
This city was visited by
the Commission on June 14. The Chairman and the Secretariat staff
visited the local prison and interviewed a number of political
prisoners, many of whom had been held for several weeks without any
charge.
The Commission went through some streets of the city and spoke
with several citizens and local leaders. The authorities, who offered
the Commission every facility for the performance of its mission,
informed it that, in connection with the event of June 14, 32 persons
had been arrested, but that they would be released in the next 48 hours.
All told, there were 164 political prisoners.
Puerto Plata
On the same day, June 14, the Commission visited the city of
Puerto Plata and made a tour of the local prison, where 4 political
prisoners were found. The Commission had complete liberty to carry out
its mission.
San Cristobal
On July 8 the Commission visited the city of San Cristobal, where
it was attended by Mr. José María Peña Cabral, aide to the Civil
Governor. At the prison the Commission was received by the Major Martínez
Puello and by the Mayor Mr. Elías Hasbún, and also Liutenant Carlos
Vinicio Félix, Military chief of the place. The Commission was informed
by the military authorities that on this date there were 183 prisoners
held for common crimes and 11 for political offenses.
The Commission verified the list of political prisoners from its
files and conversed freely with each of them. They stated to the
Commission that they were being well treated but their imprisonment was
not justified.
Haina Naval Base
The Commission visited this base on June 12, 1965, and
interviewed 12 officers of the Dominican Navy being held prisoner in the
hold of a ship of the B-A type, anchored at this naval base.
The prisoners told the Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Bianchi,
that they had not been questioned since the date of their arrest, about
one and half months previously. They added that their salaries were
being withheld and that the place where they were being held was
completely inadequate for a prison.
The naval authorities of Haina facilitated the interview but
later the Commission learned that the officers who had authorized the
interview had been subjected to disciplinary punishment.
Las
Calderas Naval Base
The Commission visited this
base on August 18, 1965, and found 32 political prisoners, all of them
belonging to the Navy. The Commission also observed that their state of
health was good, the food was good, and all the places intended for
prisoners were clean.
Captain Rivera, the commandant, attended the Commission and
showed all the buildings of the base. The prisoners were interviewed by
the Commission and all of them said that they were in good health and
had contact with their relatives.
Azua
On July 3, the Commission visited the city of Azua for the
purpose of finding out the possible whereabouts of Mr. Arsenio Ortíz
Ferrand, whose mother had denounced his disappearance to the Commission.
At the Military Fortress of Azua, the Commission was attended by
Lieutenant Félix Abreu, in the absence of Captain César Augusto Díaz
Tavares.
Later the Commission interviewed Captain Díaz Tavares, who gave
it additional information. He also informed the Commission that all the
prisoners captured during the first days of the revolution had been
transferred to the capital, and that during these days no record of the
political prisoners had been kept, and so there was no evidence to
verify the imprisonment of Mr. Ortíz Ferrand.
In the course of this visit the Commission was accompanied by Mr.
Ortíz Ferrand’s mother and by his wife, Mrs. Dulce María Campos de
Ortíz.
Monte Plata
On June 23, 1965, in the morning, the Commission was informed
that on the previous day three persons had been executed in Monte Plata:
the Canadian priest James Arthur McKinnon, of the Scarborough Order, and
two policemen.
On the same day, in the afternoon, the Commission visited the
afore mentioned place in order to learn the facts and to observe the
situation regarding human rights in that place. The representative of
the Commission talked with the authorities of Monte Plata, who informed
him that an investigation had been started to clarify what had happened.
The representative of the Commission was also able to converse with the
Papal Nuncio and other persons, who provided some data about the
homicides that had taken place.
The physicians Bianites Espinosa Acosta and Jorge Hasbún Roedán
examined the cadaver of the priest McKinnon at the request of the
Commission. Afterward they delivered to this agency the legal-medical
certificate corresponding to that examination.
The Commission also received additional information about the
afore mentioned events from Rafael Quezada and Víctor Alejandro
Navarro, who said they were brothers-in-law of one of the policemen
whose bodies were found near the cadaver of the priest McKinnon.
The Commission, in addition to asking the authorities to take
adequate measures in order to clarify the facts of this bloodshed, urged
them to observe human rights, especially the right of life.
1
Communication Nº 155, in the files of the Commission. 2
Communication Nº 221, in the files of the Commission. 3
Memorandum Nº 424, in the files of the Commission.
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