BRAZILIAN HUMAN RIGHTS SECRETARIAT DOWNGRADED;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRASILIA 001922

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV BR TIP
SUBJECT: BRAZILIAN HUMAN RIGHTS SECRETARIAT DOWNGRADED;
HUMAN RIGHTS SECRETARY RESIGNS

REF: A. BRASILIA 2684

B. BRASILIA 1849

C. BRASILIA 1862

D. BRASILIA 1867

1) (U) Summary. On July 12, President Lula announced that
the Special Secretariat for Human Rights (SEDH) would lose
ministerial status and would be folded into the Ministry of
Justice (MOJ). That same day, Human Rights Secretary
Nilmario Miranda announced his plans to step down to enter
Minas Gerais State politics. NGOs and human rights activists
protested Lula's decision, and believe that it is an attempt
by the GOB to divert public attention away from SEDH's
"incompetence." SEDH Under Secretary for Human Rights
Defense and Promotion Perly Cipriano told poloff on July 14
that a number of GOB officials disagree with Lula's decision.
End Summary.

CORRUPTION PLAGUES GOB; LULA DOWNGRADES SEDH
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2) (U) Since May, a series of corruption scandals have
battered President Lula da Silva and his administration. As
a result, a number of high level GOB officials have resigned
and Lula has been forced to shake-up his ministerial cabinet
(ref B). Human Rights Secretary Nilmario Miranda resigned on
July 12 (ref C). That same day, Lula announced that the
Special Secretariat for Human Rights (SEDH),a special
ministry attached to the Presidency, would lose ministerial
status and fall under the auspices of the Ministry of Justice
(ref D). Miranda has announced that he plans to campaign for
the 2006 presidency for the Workers' Party (PT) in Minas
Gerais state.

NGOS PROTEST LULA'S DECISION
--------------
3) (U) Brazilian human rights NGOs and civil society
organizations protested Lula's decision to downgrade SEDH,
and questioned why secretariats with a less significant role,
such as the Special Secretariat of Aquaculture and Fishing,
were spared. In an open letter to the GOB, the NGO Human
Rights National Movement released a statement that read in
part: &The decision of the President of the Republic (to
downgrade SEDH) clearly signals to the Brazilian public that
human rights are definitively not a priority for this
government.8 The Forum of National Human Rights Entities
(FENDH),an alliance of Brazilian NGOs, believes that the
recent downgrade is an attempt by the GOB to divert public
attention away from what some activists characterize as
SEDH's &incompetence.8

4) (SBU) During a July 13 conversation with poloff, Elizabeth
Silveira e Silva, President of the Rio de Janeiro branch of
the nationwide Torture Never Again NGO said that the
stripping away of SEDH's autonomy represents a step backward
in the fight for human rights in Brazil. Silva openly
critiqued Miranda's performance, and specifically cited
SEDH's failure to secure the release of dictatorship era
dossiers as a possible reason for Lula's decision (ref A).
Silva was not optimistic that SEDH under the MOJ would
advance human rights successfully in Brazil.

GOB OFFICIALS DISAGREE WITH LULA'S DECISION
--------------
5) (SBU) Contrary to press reports, Perly Cipriano, Under
Secretary for Human Rights Defense and Promotion at SEDH,

SIPDIS
told poloff on July 14 that the announced plan to remove
SEDH's ministerial status and move it to the MOJ has not been
confirmed. Cipriano said that many within the GOB believe
that Lula's decision is "contrary to the GOB's plans to
support human rights in Brazil." Cipriano also told poloff
that a number of GOB officials do not support the plan and
have met to discuss SEDH's future.
6) (U) Cipriano could not confirm that SEDH's internal
structure would remain intact after moving to the MOJ, but
believed that significant administrative, staffing, and
policy changes would occur.

COMMENT
--------------
7) (SBU) Lula's decision to downgrade SEDH is surprising,
given the priority that Lula and his administration have
placed on promoting human rights. If SEDH moves to the MOJ,
it will be more difficult for NGOs, human rights activists,
and the GOB to advance human rights in Brazil since MOJ
priorities could take precedence over human rights issues.
Although Cipriano and other GOB officials believe that SEDH's
ministerial status should be maintained, Lula's decision is
likely final.


MANGANIELLO