VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0531/01 0791332
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 201332Z MAR 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7610
INFO RUEHAC/AMEMBASSY ASUNCION 6050
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 5907
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1138
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ MAR MONTEVIDEO 6293
RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO 0291

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000531 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV AR PHUM OEXC
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR WAYNE'S MARCH 12 MEETING WITH HUMAN 
RIGHTS AND CIVIL LIBERTIES NGOS 
 
¶1.  (SBU)  SUMMARY: On March 12, Ambassador Wayne met with 
human rights and civil liberty NGOs working in Argentina to 
discuss their concerns with Argentina's human rights 
situation and democracy.  The groups expressed concern over 
the weakening of democratic institutions and transparency in 
Argentina, and they hoped that judicial, education, and 
campaign finance reforms would gain traction as a result of 
their efforts.  They recommended the Embassy help promote 
civic participation and democratic principles, increase youth 
exchanges, support a "whistle blower" law, support a "Freedom 
of Information" law, support campaign finance monitoring, 
promote pro bono legal representation, and support an expert 
exchange on the tax implications for non-profit organizations 
in the U.S.  They suggested the Embassy help set up a "Civil 
Society in Argentina" fair in Washington to help increase 
Argentine NGO exposure to new sources of funding, assistance, 
and information.  They also asked that the USG sign the 
United Nations Convention on The Rights of the Child and the 
International Convention for the Protection of all Persons 
from Enforced Disappearance.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------ 
Participants 
------------ 
 
¶2.  (SBU)   On March 12, Ambassador Wayne hosted a coffee for 
human rights and civil liberty NGOs working in Argentina. 
The participants included Gaston Chillier, Executive Director 
of Center for Legal and Social Studies (CELS); Rosa 
Roisinblit of the Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo; Laura 
Alonso, Executive Director of Poder Ciudadano; Nicolas 
Ducote, Executive Director of the Center for the 
Implementation of Public Policies Promoting Equity and Growth 
(CIPPEC); Natalia Garcia Diaz, Institutional Director of 
Fundacion Libertad; Susana Finger, Program Director of 
Asociacion Conciencia; Oscar Correa, President of Fundacion 
Carlos Pellegrini; and Marta Ocampo de Vasquez of the Mothers 
of the Plaza de Mayo Linea Fundadora.  Embassy has been 
working with them for many years and maintains close contact 
with them. 
 
--------------------------- 
NGO Concerns and Priorities 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  The groups expressed concern over the weakening of 
democratic institutions and transparency in Argentina.  The 
Mothers and Grandmothrs of the Plaza de Mayo agreed that 
their initial work of trying to locate their missing children 
and grandchildren has evolved into a much bigger effort to 
promote transparency and accountability in government.  They 
would like to see the justice system strengthened and an end 
to criminal immunity for former and current government 
officials.  CIPPEC noted that the education system in 
Argentina is unbalanced, with most of the resources and money 
being spent on schools in the capital city of Buenos Aires 
and not in the provinces.  CIPPEC feels that education reform 
that more evenly distributes resources across the country is 
necessary.  CIPPEC also highlighted the lack of legislation 
against trafficking in persons, the lack of affordable or 
free legal assistance for the poor, and a high level of 
discrimination within the military. 
 
¶4.  (SBU)  Poder Ciudadano expressed concern over the 
concentration of power under the Kirchner administration and 
the erosion of the separation of powers between the 
executive, legislature, and judiciary.  They are especially 
concerned about the judiciary and its loss of independence, 
which is fueling rampant corruption and clientalism across 
the country.  Poder Ciudadano also noted an increase in 
public protests, which the organization calls a civic 
"awakening" and sees as a positive increase in democratic 
participation.  Asociacion Conciencia said that it is 
concerned about reaching the youth of Argentina and preparing 
them for democratic participation in the future.  They see a 
need for educational reform, strengthening of democratic 
institutions, and an end to child labor in Argentina.  CELS 
suggested that since Argentina's economic crisis in 2001, USG 
military assistance has increased while social assistance has 
decreased.  They said that the USG prioritization of the 
global war on terrorism has led to 
a perceived loss of priority for social issues. 
 
------------------------------- 
NGO Suggestions for USG Support 
 
------------------------------- 
 
¶5.  (SBU)  The groups suggested several areas in which the 
Embassy could help the NGOs promote civic participation and 
democratic principles, and to increase youth exchanges.  The 
Grandmothers of the Plaza de Mayo asked that the U.S. sign 
the United Nations Convention on The Rights of the Child and 
the International Convention for the Protection of all 
Persons from Enforced Disappearance.  Conciencia stressed the 
importance of youth exchanges and suggested increasing the 
number of exchanges each year.  CIPPEC listed four areas for 
increased cooperation: public U.S. support for social 
initiatives and reforms; increased information on USG 
collaboration with the GOA; increased access to academic and 
NGO publications from the U.S.; and increased expert 
speakers.  CIPPEC suggested opening the speaker program to 
suggestions from NGOs for types of speakers for the coming 
year.  Ambassador Wayne said that increased use of 
video-conferencing would provide significantly greater access 
to experts in the U.S. with much lower costs and less 
planning. 
 
¶6.  (SBU)  Poder Ciudadano noted six areas of continued 
concern in which collaboration with the Embassy would be 
helpful: increasing public understanding of a federal system 
and democratic institutions; supporting a "whistle blower" 
law with all of the protections found in the U.S.; supporting 
a "Freedom of Information" law; supporting the organization's 
work with campaign finance monitoring; increasing 
understanding of and supporting the creation of a law of 
public interest that would require pro bono legal 
representation; and supporting an expert exchange on the tax 
implications for non-profit organizations in the U.S.  Poder 
Ciudadano then suggested that the Embassy might help set up a 
"Civil Society in Argentina" fair in Washington, to help 
increase Argentine NGO exposure to new sources of funding, 
assistance, and information. 
 
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Comment 
------- 
 
¶7.  (SBU)  The March 12 roundtable gave the Embassy an 
updated perspective on the work of human rights and civil 
liberty NGOs in Argentina.  It is clear that these groups are 
concerned about the future of democracy in the country and 
are working to prevent further weakening of institutions 
here.  Embassy recommends DRL and ECA consider incorporating 
the suggestions outlined by these NGOs into future assistance 
plans for Argentina to complement the work that PAS is 
already doing in these areas.  PAS has, over the last several 
years, programmed a number of Speakers on FOIA, 
whistleblowing, pro bono legal work, and the tax advantages 
given to US taxpayers for charitable contributions. We have 
expanded the Youth Ambassadors program from Brazil to 
Argentina and other countries and instituted an 
English-teaching scholarship for low-income students so that 
they can qualify for future exchanges.  Last year, we 
increased by 25% the number of Argentines we sent to the US 
on exchange programs; most of the grantees were students or 
young professionals. We have also provided grants to NGOs 
like Conciencia to fund innovative programs like "Justice 
Goes to School," in which judges visit local high schools to 
talk to students about their legal rights.  The Information 
Resource Center, well-known to all of the NGOs in attendance, 
has access to the Foundations Directory database for finding 
funding sources and routinely provides help to NGOs seeking 
funding assistance. PAS will continue to work with these and 
other like-minded NGOs to explore new ways of supporting the 
democratic process in Argentina.  END COMMENT. 
WAYNE