EL SALVADOR: INPUT FOR PRESIDENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001853

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR G, DRL/SEA
NSC FOR NSC/DEMOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PREL ES
SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: INPUT FOR PRESIDENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS
ROUNDTABLE

REF: STATE 125456


1. (U) Per Reftel request, Embassy San Salvador is pleased to
provide information on Post's efforts to advance human rights
in El Salvador. We trust the following information will
advance Department's efforts related to the Democracy and
Human Rights Roundtable at the UN General Assembly.

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Coordination with Human Rights Ombudsman
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2. (U) Coordination with key human rights stakeholders is at
the forefront of Mission human rights advocacy. The Embassy
maintains strong relations with the office of the Ombudsman
for Human Rights (PDDH by its Spanish acronym). The PDDH was
created as part of the 1992 Peace Accords that brought an end
to the Salvadoran civil war. The PDDH is an autonomous
government agency that facilitates human rights dialogue in
Salvadoran politics and promotes public education on human
rights issues.


3. (U) In a recent meeting with Oscar Luna, the Human Rights
Ombudsman, Ambassador Glazer discussed his "take back the
streets" message and shared his vision of how the Embassy's
anti-crime and anti-gang initiatives focus on one of the most
basic of human rights -- freedom from physical violence. The
Ambassador proposed -- and Luna gratefully accepted --
increasing the level of technical support that the Embassy
provides to the PDDH to help it develop training and outreach
programs in support of their human rights agenda.

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International Visits
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4. (U) The Public Affairs section sent two Salvadorans to the
U.S. to participate in human rights programs. One attended a
program by the Institute of the Americas focusing on public
policy and immigration, with a strong human rights component.
The other is participating in the International Visitor
Leadership Program focusing on combating trafficking in
persons

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Supporting Victims of Trafficking in Persons
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5. (U) El Salvador is a source, transit, and destination
country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of
sexual exploitation. Victims are trafficked internally, from
the rural and eastern parts of the country to the major urban
areas, and coerced into prostitution. The majority of foreign
victims are women and children from Nicaragua and Honduras,
also brought to El Salvador for the sex trade.


6. (U) El Salvador is part of the USAID/G-CAP Regional
Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Program. This program
supports the development of networks to prevent TIP; protect
and reintegrate victims; develop and implement policies; and
increase awareness of vulnerable groups and the population in
general.


7. (U) Human rights protection activities include providing
assistance to selected shelters where rescued victims are
received. These shelters are staffed with doctors and
psychologists, and provide other victim services. This
program also works to improve the quality of remedial
services and overcome attitudes that stigmatize trafficked
people as prostitutes or sexual workers, rather than treating
them as victims.

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Judicial Reform
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8. (U) The Department of State, USAID, and the Department of
Justice support the GOES in improving judicial transparency.
This, in turn, strengthens due process and the rule of law,
and protects human rights. One example of such work is
support for the GOES as it seeks to adopt a new criminal
procedure code. The current lack of unambiguous criminal
procedures, which are aggravated by high levels of crime and
violence, lead to procedural errors and weaken procedural
protections for human rights.

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GOES Priorities
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9. (SBU) The GOES is engaged in a delicate balancing act as
it works to protect human and civil rights while combating
stratospheric domestic crime rates. Addressing the crime
problem, while at the same time respecting human rights, is
at the top of the GOES priority list. The Saca
administration is well aware that government and police
actions are closely scrutinized both by the FMLN opposition
and human rights NGOs. As a result, the government has
addressed swiftly any allegations of excesses by the police
and has taken a serious interest in maintaining public trust
in the National Civilian Police.


10. (SBU) The GOES also approaches migration issues through
the prism of human rights. The GOES is a strong advocate of
Salvadoran migrants' rights. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MFA) has a dedicated Vice-Minister for Salvadorans Abroad
who focuses primarily on the rights of the almost two million
Salvadorans living in the U.S. -- including those doing so
illegally. While it acknowledges the illegal status of many
of its nationals in the U.S., the GOES nonetheless zealously
works to protect and where possible expand the procedural
rights of Salvadorans in the U.S., particularly those who are
living under Temporary Protected Status (TPS).
Butler