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CHAPTER IV FINAL ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION A.
Meeting of the Commission in Santo Domingo
During the course of its Thirteenth Session, the Commission
decided to hold a meeting in Santo Domingo for the purpose of observing
the elections of June 1 and, in this way, fully complying with the
provisions of Article 51 of the Institutional Act. The text of the
operative part of the pertinent resolution, adopted on April 25, 1966,
is as follows:
THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS,
RESOLVES:
1. To hold a meeting in the
Dominican Republic during the coming elections to be held in that
country in June 1 of the present year. This meeting shall be called by
the Chairman and its length shall be determined by the Commission
itself.
2. To continue to act, in
accordance with the functions and powers stipulated in its Statute, to
watch over the observance of the human rights set forth in the American
Declaration of the Rights and Duties of Man.
Carrying out this decision, the Commission met in the Dominican
capital from May 29 to June 3, 1966.
This meeting was attended by Professor Manuel Bianchi, Chairman
of the Commission, and by members Mrs. Angela Acuña de Chacón,
Professor Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches, and Dr. Daniel Hugo Martins.
The following staff members of the Secretariat attended: Dr. Luis
Reque, Executive Secretary of the Commission, and Dr. Guillermo Cabrera.
The Commission held four meetings, at which it took cognizance of
the denunciations that had been addressed to it. The Chairman of the
Commission, for his part, reported on the activities he had carried out
in representation of it since the beginning of May.
On May 30, the members of the Commission attended a meeting with
the Ad Hoc Committee of the Tenth Meeting of Consultation, the Technical
Assistance Mission on Electoral Matters, and the group of observers from
the OAS. On this occasion, the Chairman of the Commission made a
statement on the activities carried out by this agency in the Dominican
Republic since May 1965.
On election day, June 1, 1966, the Commission visited various
zones of the capital to observe the conduct of the elections and learn
of any possible violations of human rights. It visited more than 80
polling places and was able to verify that the electoral process was
being carried out in an atmosphere of order and tranquility, without
violations of human rights.
On June 3, upon ending its meeting, the Commission issued the
following press release:
In accordance with the resolution adopted at its Thirteenth
Session, held in April 1966, the Inter-American Commission on Human
Rights held a meeting in the Dominican Republic beginning May 29, 1966,
for the purpose of observing the situation regarding human rights during
the course of the general elections held on June 1.
The Commission is pleased to state that so far it has not
received any communication denouncing violations of human rights in
connection with the elections held yesterday.
Likewise, it states for the record that it was able to verify the
correct form in which the balloting was conducted, in an atmosphere of
perfect order and full freedom. B.
Termination of the activities of the Commission in Santo Domingo
On July 1, 1966, Dr. Joaquin Balaguer, elected in the general
elections of June 1, assumed the presidency of the constitutional
Government of the Dominican Republic. With the installation of the
elected Government, the Commission terminated its stay in the Dominican
Republic, since the conditions set forth in Article 51 of the
Institutional Act had been met.
At the request of the constitutional Government, the Chairman of
the Commission remained in Santo Domingo until July 7, 1966.
Before closing the offices of the Commission, the Chairman, in an
act held on July 6, as a symbolic gesture, handed over various office
supplies for use in the literacy campaign organized by the Archdiocese
of Santo Domingo.
October 5, 1966
(s)
Manuel Bianchi, Chairman
(s)
Gabino Fraga, Vice Chairman
(s)
Angela Acuña de Chacón
(s)
Durward V. Sandifer
(s)
Gonzalo Escudero
(s)
Daniel Hugo Martins
(s)
Carlos A. Dunshee de Abranches
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