Information on Alonso Acosta Osio; his political office throughout the 1990s (1990-1999) [COL39685.E]

From 21-22 November 2000, a conference on parliamentarians of Italian origin from around the world was held in Rome (n.d.). A November 2000 document from this conference, found on the website of the parliament of Italy, provides the following information on Alfonso Rafael Acosta Osio:

Alfonso Rafael ACOSTA OSIO
(Barranquilla, April 8, 1959)
Conservative Party
Member of the sixth Standing Committee (communications, public services, transport, culture). In his second parliamentary mandate; in the previous legislature [1994-1998], [he] held the post of Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Representatives. From 1994 to 1998, [he] was delegated by the Congress of the Republic to the Andean Parliament.
A lawyer and university professor in constitutional law, [he] has held administrative posts in public and private corporations. He is the author of various publications, has given university courses and seminars on political and institutional topics; he has also been a speaker at numerous study conferences. He is a member of the Colombian government's advisory committee for external affairs. He is the recipient of numerous awards and decorations; he is a member of the Army's professional reserve with the rank of captain.
Region of origin in Italy: Calabria.

According to the CIA World Factbook, members of the House of Representatives are elected to four-year terms (2001). Elections were held on 8 March 1998 (ibid.) and, most recently, on 10 March 2002 (ICG 17 Apr. 2002).

The Geneva-based Inter-Parliamentarian Union is an international organization of Parliaments of sovereign states that works to promote "world-wide parliamentary dialogue," "peace and co-operation among peoples," and the "establishment of representative democracy" (IPU n.d.). The IPU regularly considers and adopts resolutions concerning alleged violations of human rights of parliamentarians in different countries and in its 163rd and 164th sessions (12 September 1998 and 16 April 1999 respectively) the IPU considered the case of a group of 109 Colombian parliamentarians, of which Alonso Acosta Osio was one (IPU 12 Sept. 1998; ibid. 16 Apr. 1999).

The Resolution adopted by the IPU at session 163 states that the 109 "persons concerned," of which Osio was one, were "all members of the former House of Representatives sitting from 1994 to 1998, of whom 47 were re-elected in 1998" (12 Sept. 1998). Few details are given on the case, however it centred on the fact that "judicial prosecution was instituted against members of Parliament for a vote they ha[d] cast and opinions expressed in the exercise of their parliamentary mandate and functions" (ibid.).

In its 164th session, the IPU resolved to close the case of the 109 parliamentarians because the charges against the parliamentarians were dropped in Colombia (16 Apr. 1999).

Further information on Alonso Acosta Osio during the 1990s could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

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


CIA World Factbook. 2001. "Colombia." http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ [Accessed 19 Aug. 2002]

International Crisis Group (ICG). 17 April 2002. The 10 March 2002 Parliamentary Elections in Colombia. http://www.intl-crisis-group.org/projects/showreport.cfm?reportid=620 [Accessed 19 Aug. 2002]

Inter-Parliamentarian Union (IPU) [Geneva]. N.d.a. "What is the IPU?" http://www.ipu.org/english/whatipu.htm [Accessed 19 Aug. 2002]

_____. 16 April 1999. "Human Rights of Parliamentarians: 164th Council Session."

http://www.ipu.org/hr-e/164/co11.htm [Accessed 13 Aug. 2002]

_____. 12 September 1998. "Human Rights of Parliamentarians: 163rd Council Session." http://www.ipu.org/hr-e/163/co11.htm [Accessed 13 Aug. 2002]

Parliament of Italy. November 2000. "Parliamentarians of Italian Origin Around the World." ("Parlamentari di origine italiana nel mondo: Colombia.") http://www.parlamento.it/att/eventi/cpoi/bio/colombia.htm [Accessed 29 July 2002] Translation by Multilingual Translation Directorate, Public Works and Government Services Canada.

_____. n.d. "Conferenza dei parlamentari di origine italiana." http://www.parlamento.it/att/eventi/cpoi/ [Accessed 19 Aug. 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted


Europa World Yearbook

IRB Databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

People in Power

Political Handbook of the World

World News Connection

Internet sites including:

Amnesty International

Country Reports

Derechos-Human Rights

Human Rights Watch

Inter-American Commission on Human Rights

International Crisis Group

Latin America Network Information Centre

Political Resources on the Net

Resource Centre of the Americas