Compilation of recent articles on human rights and social issues [CRI21777.E]

Please find attached several 1995 articles that provide information on social and human rights issues in Costa Rica. These add to recent Responses to Information Requests available through your Regional Documentation Centre, such as CRI20917.E of 16 June 1995 and CRI20510.F of 9 May 1995, on domestic violence, and CRI19006.E of 29 November 1994 and CRI17538.F of 20 May 1994 on the situation of homosexuals.

The two most recent articles attached to this Response were published in the 1 September 1995 issue of Central America Report. One refers to significant drug-interdiction actions in which the Rural Assistance Police (GAR), the Drug Control Police (PCD) and the Judicial Investigations Unit (OIJ) were involved (2-3). The report mentions Costa Rica's role as a trans-shipment route for drugs and money laundering. It also deals with Costa Rica's low-priced growing domestic drug market, which results from the fact that local traffickers are being paid for their services in drugs (ibid.). A May 1995 report also refers to alleged links between Costa Rican personalities and drug trafficking (Latin American Regional Reports 18 May 1995, 3).

The other recent 1 September 1995 Central America Report attachment refers to the disbanding of the Centre of Police Information (CIP), a unit created in 1994 to replace the disbanded Crime Prevention Unit (5). The article mentions police brutality as a problem that "undermines the often-promoted image of the country as an island of tranquil democracy defying the authoritarian regional trend," adding that "it demonstrates that the abolition of the Costa Rican army in 1949 does not necessarily imply the absence of militaristic methods of citizen control today" (ibid.).

One of the most recent articles refers to the deaths of environmentalists who had been working on controversial cases involving a transnational lumber and paper company and a Canadian mining corporation (IPS 15 Aug. 1995). Controversy arose over handling of the case by police, who attributed their deaths directly or indirectly to alcohol, despite contradictory evidence (ibid.).

Four attached articles report on the situation of legal and illegal foreign residents in Costa Rica, an agreement between the Costa Rican and Nicaraguan governments on this matter and travel restrictions between these countries (Central America Report 7 July 1995, 1-2; IPS 19 Jan. 1995; Latin American Regional Reports 6 Apr. 1995, 3; Tico Times 3 Feb. 1995).

One attached news item refers to the precedent-setting conviction of a man for raping his wife (Central America Report 5 May 1995, 6). Another report that refers to violence against women reports on the death of women who had sought protection from authorities (Latinamerica Press 22 June 1995, 6). According to the report:

Worried by this and other such cases where the law failed to protect women, a group of lawyers and academics recently studied Costa Rica's legal treatment of violence against women. They concluded that there were laws in place, the problem was the bureaucracy, insensitivity and the ignorance of lawyers, police and judges, and a lack of information available to citizens (ibid.).

Another attachment refers to a new training program for teaching police officers how to handle cases of domestic violence (Central America Report 24 Mar. 1995, 2). Finally, another article reports on allegations of political corruption and fraud surrounding a tourist development project (ibid. 28 Apr. 1995, 6).

The other attachments refer to labour and social unrest deriving from the economic policies of the government, as well as other social problems. These include reports on strikes by doctors, teachers and public sector workers, responding to cuts in services and pensions, and other "neo-liberal" economic policies. For further details on this subject, please consult the attached documents.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the DIRB 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.

References

Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1 September 1995. "Costa Rica: Drug Network Disbanded."

_____. 1 September 1995. "Costa Rica: Police Unit to be Disbanded."

_____. 7 July 1995. "Costa Rica/Nicaragua: The Central American Republic of Airrecú."

_____. 5 May 1995. "Rape Conviction."

_____. 28 April 1995. "Costa Rica: Problems at Papagayo."

_____. 24 March 1995. "Sensitivity Training."

Inter Press Service (IPS). 15 August 1995. Maricel Sequeira. "Environmentalists Pursued by Trail of Death." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 7-20 Aug. 1995, Vol. 10, No. 14, pp. 1-2)

_____. 19 January 1995. "Costa Rica Denies 'Witch Hunt' for Nicaraguan Immigrants." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 9-22 Jan. 1995, Vol. 9, No. 25, p. 3)

Latin American Regional Reports: Caribbean & Central America [London]. 18 May 1995. "Costa Rica: Business Figure Linked to 'Cartel'."

_____. 6 April 1995. "Costa Rica/Nicaragua: Tension Grows Over Illegal Immigrants."

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 22 June 1995. Vol. 27, No. 23. "Law Takes Slap in the Face."

Tico Times [San José]. 3 February 1995. John McPaul. "Costa Rica, Nicaragua to Ease Migrants' Woes." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 6-19 Feb. 1995, Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 2)

Attachments

Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1 September 1995. "Costa Rica: Drug Network Disbanded," pp. 2-3.

_____. 1 September 1995. "Costa Rica: Police Unit to be Disbanded," p. 5.

_____. 28 July 1995. "Teachers' Strike Ignites Protests." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 24 July-7 Aug. 1995, Vol. 10, No. 13, pp. 1-2)

_____. 14 July 1995. "Costa Rica: PLN: Administration vs. Party," pp. 2-3.

_____. 7 July 1995. "Costa Rica/Nicaragua: The Central American Republic of Airrecú," pp. 1-2.

_____. 26 May 1995. "Costa Rica: Full Speed Ahead for Figueres," pp. 4-5.

_____. 5 May 1995. "Costa Rica: Government and Opposition Agree!" pp. 5-6.

_____. 5 May 1995. "Rape Conviction," p. 6.

_____. 28 April 1995. "Costa Rica: Problems at Papagayo," p. 6.

_____. 24 March 1995. "Sensitivity Training," p. 2.

Inter Press Service (IPS). 15 August 1995. Maricel Sequeira. "Environmentalists Pursued by Trail of Death." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 7-20 Aug. 1995, Vol. 10, No. 14, pp. 1-2)

_____. 6 May 1995. "Child Prostitution Big on Capital's Streets." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 1-14 May 1995, Vol. 10, No. 7, pp. 2-3)

_____. 20 April 1995. "Layoffs Further Threaten Social Stability." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 17-30 April 1995, Vol. 10, No. 6, p. 2)

_____. 19 January 1995. "Costa Rica Denies 'Witch Hunt' for Nicaraguan Immigrants." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 9-22 Jan. 1995, Vol. 9, No. 25, p. 3).

Latin American Regional Reports: Caribbean & Central America [London]. 18 May 1995. "Costa Rica: Business Figure Linked to 'Cartel'," p. 3.

_____. 6 April 1995. "Costa Rica/Nicaragua: Tension Grows Over Illegal Immigrants," p. 3.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 22 June 1995. Vol. 27, No. 23. "Law Takes Slap in the Face," p. 6.

Miami Herald. 20 July 1995. John McPhaul. "Costa Ricans Take to Streets Against Government Spending Cuts." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 10-23 July 1995, Vol. 10, No. 12, p. 3)

Tico Times [San José]. 17 February 1995. Gabriela Quirós. "Medical Strike Spreads." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 20 Feb.-5 Mar. 1995, Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 2-3)

_____. 3 February 1995. John McPaul. "Costa Rica, Nicaragua to Ease Migrants' Woes." (Central America NewsPak [Austin, Tex.] 6-19 Feb. 1995, Vol. 10, No. 1, p. 2)