Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TEGUCIGALPA2
2009-01-06 12:36:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tegucigalpa
Cable title:
ZELAYA EXECUTIVE DECREE FOR 1980S HUMAN RIGHTS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000002
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR DRL (GMAGGIO)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2018
TAGS: PHUM KDEM KJUS SOCI PGOV HO
SUBJECT: ZELAYA EXECUTIVE DECREE FOR 1980S HUMAN RIGHTS
REPARATIONS
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b &
d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEGUCIGALPA 000002
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR DRL (GMAGGIO)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2018
TAGS: PHUM KDEM KJUS SOCI PGOV HO
SUBJECT: ZELAYA EXECUTIVE DECREE FOR 1980S HUMAN RIGHTS
REPARATIONS
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b &
d)
1. (U) President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya announced the formation
of a National Program of Reparations on December 10, the 60th
anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. The program
will compensate victims and the family members of victims who
were the victims of human rights violations in the period of
1980 to 1993. The new request is the result of an Executive
Decree by Zelaya which was published in the Legal Gazette on
December 5. Zelaya tasked the Committee of Family Members,
of the Detained or Disappeared (known in Spanish as COFADEH)
with carrying out the new program.
2. Despite the program's claimed intention of supporting all
victims, only two names were included in the official decree
published by the government, according to December 19 press
reports. One is Milton Jimenez, Zelaya's legal advisor;
Jimenez is said to have been tortured by Honduran Security
Forces in the 1980s after being caught with seven other
students planting bombs throughout the capital. The other,
Berta Oliva, is head of COFADEH and an ally of Zelaya's; her
husband allegedly died after being tortured by the military
in 1980s.
3. (C) Comment: Honduras previously has provided reparations
to victims of violations from this period, due to cases
brought before the Interamerican Court of Human Rights. This
is the first time, however, that they have created a process
to provide reparations to victims from this period. Zelaya's
desire to be seen as a populist may be the reason behind the
creation of the commission. However, the fact that only two
names were included in the publication of the decree suggests
that this may be a pay-off to two close allies. Oliva has
received compensation in the past. Jimenez has not. When
the Zelaya administration first took office, Jimenez was
appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs; he publicly announced
at that time that he would not pursue his case while
Minister. Since he has left the MFA and is now in a much
more low-profile position as legal counsel, he has again been
pushing his case. End Comment.
LLORENS
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR DRL (GMAGGIO)
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/12/2018
TAGS: PHUM KDEM KJUS SOCI PGOV HO
SUBJECT: ZELAYA EXECUTIVE DECREE FOR 1980S HUMAN RIGHTS
REPARATIONS
Classified By: Classified by Ambassador Hugo Llorens, reasons 1.4 (b &
d)
1. (U) President Manuel "Mel" Zelaya announced the formation
of a National Program of Reparations on December 10, the 60th
anniversary of the Declaration of Human Rights. The program
will compensate victims and the family members of victims who
were the victims of human rights violations in the period of
1980 to 1993. The new request is the result of an Executive
Decree by Zelaya which was published in the Legal Gazette on
December 5. Zelaya tasked the Committee of Family Members,
of the Detained or Disappeared (known in Spanish as COFADEH)
with carrying out the new program.
2. Despite the program's claimed intention of supporting all
victims, only two names were included in the official decree
published by the government, according to December 19 press
reports. One is Milton Jimenez, Zelaya's legal advisor;
Jimenez is said to have been tortured by Honduran Security
Forces in the 1980s after being caught with seven other
students planting bombs throughout the capital. The other,
Berta Oliva, is head of COFADEH and an ally of Zelaya's; her
husband allegedly died after being tortured by the military
in 1980s.
3. (C) Comment: Honduras previously has provided reparations
to victims of violations from this period, due to cases
brought before the Interamerican Court of Human Rights. This
is the first time, however, that they have created a process
to provide reparations to victims from this period. Zelaya's
desire to be seen as a populist may be the reason behind the
creation of the commission. However, the fact that only two
names were included in the publication of the decree suggests
that this may be a pay-off to two close allies. Oliva has
received compensation in the past. Jimenez has not. When
the Zelaya administration first took office, Jimenez was
appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs; he publicly announced
at that time that he would not pursue his case while
Minister. Since he has left the MFA and is now in a much
more low-profile position as legal counsel, he has again been
pushing his case. End Comment.
LLORENS