Document #1098163
IRB – Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada (Author)
1) Please find attached the requested
copies of the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for
1988 (Washington: U.S. Department of State, 1989) chapter on
Argentina and its corresponding chapter of the Critique: Review
of the Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights
Practices for 1988, (Washington: Human Rights Watch, July
1989), pages 17-19.
2) The issues most often discussed among
the sources currently available to the IRBDC since Carlos Menem was
elected in mid-1989 include the presidential pardon granted to
military and guerrillas convicted for crimes during the "dirty war"
of the last decade, the severe economic crisis affecting Argentina,
the corresponding measures adopted by the Menem government and the
resulting social unrest.
Carlos Menem has created controversy by
pardoning former guerrillas and military leaders involved in
serious human rights abuses, prompting demonstrations and receiving
strong criticism from the opposition and non-political sectors. [
"En Amérique latine, les militaires se tirent fort bien de
leurs mauvais coups", in La Presse, 21 October 1989; in
The Globe and Mail: "10 granted pardons for crimes in `dirty
war'", 20 October 1989, p. A10; "Officers pardoned for role in
dirty war", 9 October 1989, p. A4; "Les Argentines Manifestent", in
Libération, 11 September 1989; Documentation
Refugiés, 12/21 September 1989, p. 4 and 2/11 October
1989, p. 5.] The decision to privatise many public companies and
services, which could result in massive lay-offs among the
currently overstaffed state enterprises, was a cause of widespread
unrest and disagreement between the government and the unions, some
of which are affiliated with the ruling party. [ "Buenos Aires va
privatiser des enterprises publiques et suprimer des subventions",
in Le Monde Sélection Hebdomadaire, 14-20 September
1989; "Cut Again", in The Economist, 16 December 1989, pp.
43-44.]
Other unpopular measures have included an
increase in taxes, particularly on farm exports, and the
elimination of a number of subsidies. [ "Buenos Aires va
privatiser..." and "Cut Again".] Further unrest has been created by
Menem's announcement of the termination of food and money
distribution programs for the impoverished population which started
in 1983. [ "News Briefs", in Latinamerica Press, (Lima,
Noticias Aliadas), 14 December 1989, p. 7.]
Other issues include Menem's reluctance to
sign the Tlatelolco nuclear non-proliferation treaty [ "Menem
against Nonproliferation Treaty", Buenos Aires Herald
(Buenos Aires), (FBIS-LAT-89-226), 27 November 1989, p. 44.] and
Argentina's weaponry development, including the long-range missile
"Condor II", which has caused international controversy. [ "Air
Force Displays Technological Advances", Noticias Argentinas
[Buenos Aires, in Spanish], (FBIS-LAT-89-229), 30 November 1989,
pp. 43-44.] On 29 November 1989 the police reported the discovery
and capture of two individuals and a large cache of weapons and
military uniforms in La Plata, although political links reportedly
could not be established. [ "Police Raid Uncovers Cache of Weapons,
Uniforms", Noticias Argentinas [Buenos Aires, in Spanish],
(FBIS-LAT-89-229), 30 November 1989, p. 44.]
Recent sources currently available to the
IRBDC do not report on the human rights situation in Argentina.
3) Information on particular treatment of
supporters of the former Alfonsín government by the current
Menem government could not be found among the sources currently
available to the IRBDC.