Reports of harassment of Radical Civic Union (Unión Cívica Radical, UCR) members by Peronist (Justicialista) party members after December 2001 could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The only reference found on violence specifically targeted against UCR members or facilities since December 2001 relates to an explosive thrown and detonated at the UCR National Committee in Buenos Aires on 23 December 2002 (Global News Wire-Asia Africa Intelligence Wire 24 Dec. 2002). The morning of the attack, an explosive device was also detonated at the Peronist (Justicialista) National Council in Buenos Aires (ibid.). No reports identifying a possible perpetrator or perpetrators could be found among the sources consulted.

Please find attached a 7 June 2003 article, which provides the most recent reference found on the state of security and police in Argentina in general and Buenos Aires in particular. The article includes comments on the level of public security amid rising crime and distrust for the police, indicating that

The roots of the conflict are largely the same as always. What no one...has managed to do yet is straighten out the Buenos Aires police. Purges have been conducted left and right, but in practice they have done little good. The institution is plagued by irregularities from top to bottom, and thus any overhaul that follows a logical order would seem useless.

...Last week Beliz was also looking for some way to reduce crime in the capital. He put 20 percent more officers on the street and is looking into a reform that promises to have repercussions. It will set up a small unarmed force with special training just to control protests and demonstrations. All of the other agents who are doing this job now will join the ranks of those pursuing criminals (Clarín 7 June 2003).

No references to availability of police protection for specific individuals could be found among the publicly available sources consulted by the Research Directorate. Please note that UCR headquarters could not be contacted within the constraints of this Response.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. 7 June 2003. Eduardo van der Kooy. "Problem of Lack of Security Catches Argentine Admnistration Off Guard." (WNC/Dialog)

Global News Wire-Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. 24 December 2002. "Argentine Ministers Condemn Bomb Attacks on Political Parties' Offices." (BBC Monitoring/NEXIS)

Attachment

Clarín [Buenos Aires, in Spanish]. 7 June 2003. Eduardo van der Kooy. "Problem of Lack of Security Catches Argentine Administration Off Guard." (FBIS-LAT-2003-0706 8 July 2003/WNC)

Additional Sources Consulted

Amnesty International Report 2002-2003. 2002-2003

Clarín [Buenos Aires]. Searchable archives. 2002-2003

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2002. 2003

Human Rights Watch World Report 2002-2003. 2002-2003

IRB Databases

La Nación [Buenos Aires]. Searchable archives. 2003

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites and search engines