91998E2191

WRITTEN QUESTION E-2191/98

by Glyn Ford (PSE) to the Commission

(10 July 1998)

Subject: Death of Monsenor Jose Juan Gerardi

Is the Commission aware of the tragic death of Monsenor Gerardi, Director of the Guatemalan Archbishopric's Human Rights Office in Guatemala City on 26 April this year? Will the Commission do all it can to ensure that the death is thoroughly investigated and those responsible are brought to justice?

Answer given by Mr Marín on behalf of the Commission

(3 September 1998)

As it pointed out at the 14 May plenary in Strasbourg, the Commission was saddened to learn of the brutal murder of Monseñor Gerardi. This tragedy has obviously been a setback to the peace process, still fragile some eighteen months after the signing of the agreements for a firm and lasting peace. The fragility of the process is due mainly to its slow progress, the difficult obstacles in its way and the low level of involvement of the various sections of the population.

The Commission will do everything in its power to ensure, in line with the peace agreements, that the shortcomings in the operation of the rule of law (especially the security forces and the judicial system) are overcome. This would enable the government to fulfil its declared desire to identify and bring to trial those responsible for the crime and to establish the kind of environment needed for peaceful coexistence.

In the meantime, the Commission is closely following the police and judicial investigation and the work of the High-Level Commission (which includes the Foreign Minister, the Interior Minister, the Chief Prosecutor, the Private Secretary to the President and the Human Rights Prosecutor). One of the main reasons for the setting-up of the High-Level Commission was to ease communication with the international public over the crime and its perpetrators.