02jun03

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Emergency state on Perú, letter to Toledo

En español

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His Excellency Doctor Alejandro Toledo
President of the Republic of Peru
Palacio de Gobierno
Plaza de Armas
Lima 1, Peru
June 2, 2003
Re: State of Emergency in Peru

Excellency: I am writing as President of Rights & Democracy to share with you my deep concern with regards to the declaration of a nationwide 30-day state of emergency in Peru.

Over the past 12 years Rights & Democracy has followed events in Peru with great interest, and has supported the work of Peruvian civil society organizations in their efforts to strengthen democracy and respect for human rights. Most recently, we have supported human rights education and networking, facilitated witnesses access to public hearings organized under the auspices of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, and accompanied a precedent-setting public consultation process in Tambogrande, Piura.

We understand and appreciate that the consolidation of democracy is a complex task. The legacy of authoritarian rule left by your predecessor is well known, and the challenge of building public trust is vast.

Given this context, we would like to express our concern about the restriction of civil and political freedoms and the granting of extraordinary powers to the armed forces; measures which may serve to undermine Peruvians confidence in their democratic institutions. We have observed that the breadth and scale of public protest in Peru has been growing during the past year. Rights & Democracy believes that these expressions of frustration can only be addressed through dialogue and consensus-building.

Towards these ends, we urge your government to:

Lift the current state of emergency, seek a negotiated solution to the crisis, and uphold the principles of democracy and human rights. Ensure that a serious investigation is carried out into the shooting death of student Edy Yany Quilca Cruz, as well as all other violent incidents, detentions and disappearances reported since May 27. Implement the recent recommendations of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, ensuring that Peruvian anti-terrorist legislation is in conformity with standards established under the American Convention on Human Rights.

Rights & Democracy will continue to closely monitor the human rights situation in Peru. We ask that your government ensure full respect for the basic human rights of all Peruvians at this critical time.

Sincerely, Jean-Louis Roy
President
LVI

Rights & Democracy (International Centre for Human Rights and Democratic Development) is a Canadian institution with an international mandate. It is an independent organization, which promotes, advocates and defends the democratic and human rights set out in the International Bill of Human Rights. In cooperation with civil society and governments in Canada and abroad, Rights & Democracy initiates and supports programmes to strengthen laws and democratic institutions, principally in developing countries.

Este documento ha sido publicado el 05jun03 por el Equipo Nizkor y Derechos Human Rights