Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03SANTODOMINGO6023
2003-10-28 11:03:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:  

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND POLICE ABUSE CENTERS: HUMAN

Tags:  PHUM PGOV PREL KWMN DR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 006023 

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC),DRL/PHD (GILBRIDE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KWMN DR
SUBJECT: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND POLICE ABUSE CENTERS: HUMAN
RIGHTS CONCERNS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

REF: STATE 279217

SUMMARY
-------

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 SANTO DOMINGO 006023

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

DEPT FOR WHA/CAR (MCISAAC),DRL/PHD (GILBRIDE)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PREL KWMN DR
SUBJECT: DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND POLICE ABUSE CENTERS: HUMAN
RIGHTS CONCERNS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

REF: STATE 279217

SUMMARY
--------------


1. (SBU) Poloff and DRL Karen Gilbride called on human rights
partners in Santo Domingo and Bani on October 20-21. In an
effort to emphasize Embassy concerns with recent upsurges in
domestic violence and continuing human rights abuses by the
National Police, Poloff and DRL officer Karen Gilbride met
with local counterparts, such as the Director of an
Anti-Domestic Violence Center, the Secretary of Women, and
Human Rights and Democracy Fund (HRDF) grantees selected to
create police abuse prevention offices (reftel). Grantees
were enthusiastically optimistic about establishing a
database to catalogue complaints against police; they
considered it a long overdue mechanism to help address human
rights abuses. Implementing partners include an
unconventional mix of two respected human rights NGOs and the
Dominican Government's Institute of Dignity and Humanity
(IDIH),administrated by a Police General who is also a
former Director of Prisons. However, sustaining USG-funded
projects (past and present) will require pressuring the GODR
to fulfill its commitment. Engagement by grantees is
evident, but the GODR as a whole must back up its human
rights responsibilities to the citizenry with action. End
Summary.

ANTI-DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CENTER LACKS RESOURCES
--------------


2. (U) On October 20 DRL officer Karen Gilbride, poloff and
NAS program assistant traveled to Bani, a city in the
southwestern province of San Cristobal, to meet with Bibiana
Nunez, director of an Anti-Domestic Violence Center that was
partially funded by NAS. Director Nunez expressed
frustration with the National Police (PN),the Attorney
General's office and the Secretariat of Women for not fully
implementing their contributions outlined in a Letter of
Agreement (LOA) signed in 2002. (Note: In September poloff
and NAS program assistant met with Nunez, who at that time
was preparing to avoid eviction from the original facility
because the Secretariat of Women had not paid rent. End
Note.) Now comfortably re-located in a bigger facility, the
Center continues to confront critical staff shortages and

lack of operational support, including but not limited to:
lawyers, a psychologist and a social worker that the
Secretariat of Women agreed to provide, more Police

SIPDIS
protection, and a medical technologist and Internet
connection to be provided by the Attorney General.


3. (U) During the October 20 meeting with Director Nunez,
Gilbride and Emboffs witnessed an interview of a family
victimized by domestic violence and suspected sexual abuse of
minors. There were more than 50 men, women and children
scattered inside and outside of the building, all waiting to
talk with Ms. Nunez while she juggled the sensitive family
interview, numerous phone calls and impatient clients.
Except for two police officers, a volunteer handyman and a
part-time community worker, there was nobody present to help
Ms. Nunez maintain order. She informed us that Mondays were
typically busy, because domestic violence is most likely to
occur on weekends. She also said that her Center receives
anywhere from 20-30 physical abuse cases monthly; local
newspapers have reported that 110 women have been killed to
date locally in crimes of passion, compared with 119 for all
of 2002. Ms. Nunez' concerns included: lack of training for
police officers assigned to the Center, lack of a
psychologist, lack of a social worker, lack of a physician to
evaluate sexual abuse victims, and general lack of support
for domestic violence survivors. Nunez praised USG
assistance and noted that the Embassy was the only partner
that had fully implemented its share of the LOA.

GRANTEES COMMITTED BUT NEED LOGISTICAL ADVICE
--------------


4. (U) Gilbride and Emboffs met with the Institute of Dignity
and Humanity (IDIH) Director General Manuel Perez Sanchez;
Vielka Polanco, director of the Santo Domingo Human Rights
Institute; Virgilio Almanzar, chairperson of the Dominican
Human Rights Committee, a technical assistant from Hifab
International (a Swedish consulting firm) and other IDIH
staff to discuss implementation of the HRDF grant to create
Police Abuse Prevention Offices. The implementing partners
represent an unusual mix of the PN and NGOs working together
to acknowledge human rights problems in the police ranks*-a
project the partners said may prove to be controversial if
not dangerous in the long run.


5. (U) IDIH, set up by the Mejia administration in 2001,
already provides basic human rights courses to sensitize
members of the PN; 9,000 PN personnel have received this
training. These courses are not mandatory, but General Perez
Sanchez said he wants to change that culture. He told us
that this pilot project is critical to ultimately reducing
extrajudicial killings and police harassment. Almanzar is a
respected activist who has followed human rights cases for
more than 20 years. As the chairperson of the Dominican
Human Rights Committee, he is quoted frequently in local
press concerning abuses. Even so, he lacks the appropriate
operational resources necessary to run his NGO efficiently.
The HRDF grant is intended to give him the support he needs
to further his objectives. Also involved is Vielka Polanco,
a lawyer who has worked at the Santo Domingo Human Rights
Institute (IDHSD) since 1999. Polanco has legal expertise
and experience from working with academia on human rights
curricula.


6. (SBU) The discussion with implementing partners revealed
unresolved logistical issues. Gilbride raised concerns about
victims, protection from disgruntled accused police
officers, which the partners echoed. General Perez Sanchez
noted that the Law Against Domestic Violence has a provision
for witness protection that could be applied in such
instances. Gilbride also questioned to what extent the
Police Abuse Prevention Offices should be publicized,
considering a likely increase in demand for services that the
offices would be ill equipped to handle. The partners agreed
that too much publicity too soon could adversely affect the
project. Gilbride and Poloff agreed to provide partners a
list of recommended next steps for their comment before money
is disbursed.

DESTACAMENTO IN BANI: THE BLAME GAME
--------------


7. (SBU) Secretary of Women Yadira Henriquez discussed with
Poloff and McBride her concerns with the Bani anti-domestic
violence center, locally referred to as the &destacamento8
(&post8 or &station8). Secretary Henriquez asserted that
increasing domestic violence alarmed the Women's Secretariat
and that the Bani destacamento had the Secretariat's full
support. When asked about the lack of agreed upon personnel
in Bani, Henriquez responded that though the Secretariat's
budget was minimal, a lawyer had been provided and a
psychologist would be assigned soon. She blamed the National
Office for Personnel Administration (ONAP) for not approving
personnel for Bani that the Women's Secretariat had
recommended. (Note: ONAP is an office within the executive
branch responsible for protecting civil servants, rights.
End Note.) She said that it is more appropriate for the PN to
fund most of these positions, because destacamentos
countrywide fall under police jurisdiction. Henriquez
lamented, &The Women's Secretariat is not a traditionally
respected institution like other ministries.8


8. (U) In a separate meeting on October 23, Attorney General
Victor Cespedes told Poloffs that he is also concerned with
domestic violence problems. As for the uninstalled Internet
connection at the destacamento in Bani, he seemed not to
recall offering that service. He emphasized that Director
Nunez needs to put all requests in writing and undertook to
honor them. (Note: Emboffs will raise this issue again in a
follow-up courtesy call with the police chief, who was out of
the country at the time of Gilbride's visit. End Note.)

COMMENT
--------------


6. (SBU) Promoting human rights is and will continue to be a
key Mission objective. The HRDF grant money is timely, given
local press reports of an increase in extrajudicial killings
this year. Implementing partners appear eager to get to
work, and the logistical details should not be difficult to
resolve with time. The Attorney General himself addressed
the perceived problem of an increasingly violent Dominican
society in a press story a few weeks ago. The upsurge in
domestic violence can probably be attributed in part to a
worsening economy and high unemployment, currently estimated
at more than 16 per cent. Budget constraints might also
explain why the National Police, Attorney General and
Secretariat of Women have been unable to dedicate more

SIPDIS
resources to the anti-domestic violence centers. It remains
to be seen whether the lack of money is a cover for a lack of
political will.
HERTELL