Ivor Callely
Question:60 Mr. Callely asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs the action, if any, taken against senior Salvadoran authorities in relation to human rights abuses; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [5245/96]
Written Answers. - Salvadoran Human Rights.
Peace negotiations between President Cristiani's Government and the Frente Farabundo Marti para la Liberación Nacional (FMLN), the left-wing guerilla movement opposing the Government, were successfully concluded in New York on 14 January 1992. A comprehensive peace accord (the “Agreement of Chapultepec”) was signed in Mexico on 16 January 1992.
Under the terms of the Peace Accord, an Ad-hoc Investigative Commission on Human Rights was established to investigate the question of human rights violations during the civil war by members of the armed forces. In its report the commission recommended that the Government dismiss 97 army officers, including seven generals.
In addition to the above commission, a "truth commission" was set up under the terms of the peace accord with four main tasks:
(1)to clarify the worst human rights abuses of the war by all sides;
(2)to study with special care the impunity with which the Salvadoran military and security forces committed abuses;
(3)to make legal, political or administrative recommendations to prevent a repeat of past abuses;
(4)to stimulate national reconciliation.
The report of the truth commission, which was released on 15 March 1993, found the military in El Salvador responsible for the vast majority of human rights abuses and atrocities. It also found that the FMLN were responsible for grave acts of violence, including assassinations, disappearances and kidnapping.
Presidential elections were held on 24 April 1994, in which Armando Calderon Sol of the Republican National Alliance (ARENA) achieved 68 per cent of the vote to beat the left-wing coalition candidate, Ruben Zamora. In his victory speech President Calderon promised to promote political dialogue with all political factions including the FMLN, which participated in the elections, as part of the left-wing coalition, for the first time.
The implementation of the recommendations of theAd-hoc investigative commission, supported by the Salvadoran Government, has also meant that a large number of the truth commission's recommendations have been implemented.
The EU continues to monitor closely all developments in relation to El Salvador, particularly the situation in relation to human rights.