AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S MARCH 12 MEETING WITH HUMAN

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000531

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV AR PHUM OEXC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S MARCH 12 MEETING WITH HUMAN
RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES NGOS


1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On March 12, Ambassador Wayne met with
human rights and civil liberty NGOs working in Argentina to
discuss their concerns with Argentina's human rights
situation and democracy. The groups expressed concern over
the weakening of democratic institutions and transparency in
Argentina, and they hoped that judicial, education, and
campaign finance reforms would gain traction as a result of
their efforts. They recommended the Embassy help promote
civic participation and democratic principles, increase youth
exchanges, support a "whistle blower" law, support a "Freedom
of Information" law, support campaign finance monitoring,
promote pro bono legal representation, and support an expert
exchange on the tax implications for non-profit organizations
in the U.S. They suggested the Embassy help set up a "Civil
Society in Argentina" fair in Washington to help increase
Argentine NGO exposure to new sources of funding, assistance,
and information. They also asked that the USG sign the
United Nations Convention on The Rights of the Child and the
International Convention for the Protection of all Persons
from Enforced Disappearance. END SUMMARY.

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Participants
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2. (SBU) On March 12, Ambassador Wayne hosted a coffee for
human rights and civil liberty NGOs working in Argentina.
The participants included Gaston Chillier, Executive Director
of Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS); Rosa
Roisinblit of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo; Laura
Alonso, Executive Director of Poder Ciudadano; Nicolas
Ducote, Executive Director of the Center for the
Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth
(CIPPEC); Natalia Garcia Diaz, Institutional Director of
Fundacion Libertad; Susana Finger, Program Director of
Asociacion Conciencia; Oscar Correa, President of Fundacion
Carlos Pellegrini; and Marta Ocampo de Vasquez of the Mothers
of the Plaza de Mayo Linea Fundadora. Embassy has been
working with them for many years and maintains close contact
with them.

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NGO Concerns and Priorities
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3. (SBU) The groups expressed concern over the weakening of
democratic institutions and transparency in Argentina. The
Mothers and Grandmothrs of the Plaza de Mayo agreed that
their initial work of trying to locate their missing children
and grandchildren has evolved into a much bigger effort to
promote transparency and accountability in government. They
would like to see the justice system strengthened and an end
to criminal immunity for former and current government
officials. CIPPEC noted that the education system in
Argentina is unbalanced, with most of the resources and money
being spent on schools in the capital city of Buenos Aires
and not in the provinces. CIPPEC feels that education reform
that more evenly distributes resources across the country is
necessary. CIPPEC also highlighted the lack of legislation
against trafficking in persons, the lack of affordable or
free legal assistance for the poor, and a high level of
discrimination within the military.


4. (SBU) Poder Ciudadano expressed concern over the
concentration of power under the Kirchner administration and
the erosion of the separation of powers between the
executive, legislature, and judiciary. They are especially
concerned about the judiciary and its loss of independence,
which is fueling rampant corruption and clientalism across
the country. Poder Ciudadano also noted an increase in
public protests, which the organization calls a civic
"awakening" and sees as a positive increase in democratic
participation. Asociacion Conciencia said that it is
concerned about reaching the youth of Argentina and preparing
them for democratic participation in the future. They see a
need for educational reform, strengthening of democratic
institutions, and an end to child labor in Argentina. CELS
suggested that since Argentina's economic crisis in 2001, USG
military assistance has increased while social assistance has
decreased. They said that the USG prioritization of the
global war on terrorism has led to
a perceived loss of priority for social issues.

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NGO Suggestions for USG Support

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5. (SBU) The groups suggested several areas in which the
Embassy could help the NGOs promote civic participation and
democratic principles, and to increase youth exchanges. The
Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo asked that the U.S. sign
the United Nations Convention on The Rights of the Child and
the International Convention for the Protection of all
Persons from Enforced Disappearance. Conciencia stressed the
importance of youth exchanges and suggested increasing the
number of exchanges each year. CIPPEC listed four areas for
increased cooperation: public U.S. support for social
initiatives and reforms; increased information on USG
collaboration with the GOA; increased access to academic and
NGO publications from the U.S.; and increased expert
speakers. CIPPEC suggested opening the speaker program to
suggestions from NGOs for types of speakers for the coming
year. Ambassador Wayne said that increased use of
video-conferencing would provide significantly greater access
to experts in the U.S. with much lower costs and less
planning.


6. (SBU) Poder Ciudadano noted six areas of continued
concern in which collaboration with the Embassy would be
helpful: increasing public understanding of a federal system
and democratic institutions; supporting a "whistle blower"
law with all of the protections found in the U.S.; supporting
a "Freedom of Information" law; supporting the organization's
work with campaign finance monitoring; increasing
understanding of and supporting the creation of a law of
public interest that would require pro bono legal
representation; and supporting an expert exchange on the tax
implications for non-profit organizations in the U.S. Poder
Ciudadano then suggested that the Embassy might help set up a
"Civil Society in Argentina" fair in Washington, to help
increase Argentine NGO exposure to new sources of funding,
assistance, and information.

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Comment
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7. (SBU) The March 12 roundtable gave the Embassy an
updated perspective on the work of human rights and civil
liberty NGOs in Argentina. It is clear that these groups are
concerned about the future of democracy in the country and
are working to prevent further weakening of institutions
here. Embassy recommends DRL and ECA consider incorporating
the suggestions outlined by these NGOs into future assistance
plans for Argentina to complement the work that PAS is
already doing in these areas. PAS has, over the last several
years, programmed a number of Speakers on FOIA,
whistleblowing, pro bono legal work, and the tax advantages
given to US taxpayers for charitable contributions. We have
expanded the Youth Ambassadors program from Brazil to
Argentina and other countries and instituted an
English-teaching scholarship for low-income students so that
they can qualify for future exchanges. Last year, we
increased by 25% the number of Argentines we sent to the US
on exchange programs; most of the grantees were students or
young professionals. We have also provided grants to NGOs
like Conciencia to fund innovative programs like "Justice
Goes to School," in which judges visit local high schools to
talk to students about their legal rights. The Information
Resource Center, well-known to all of the NGOs in attendance,
has access to the Foundations Directory database for finding
funding sources and routinely provides help to NGOs seeking
funding assistance. PAS will continue to work with these and
other like-minded NGOs to explore new ways of supporting the
democratic process in Argentina. END COMMENT.
WAYNE