VZCZCXYZ0003
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSN #1853/01 2571609
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 141609Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY SAN SALVADOR
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7819
INFO RHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUEHZA/WHA CENTRAL AMERICAN COLLECTIVE

UNCLAS SAN SALVADOR 001853 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR G, DRL/SEA 
NSC FOR NSC/DEMOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PREL ES
SUBJECT: EL SALVADOR: INPUT FOR PRESIDENT'S HUMAN RIGHTS 
ROUNDTABLE 
 
REF: STATE 125456 
 
¶1. (U) Per Reftel request, Embassy San Salvador is pleased to 
provide information on Post's efforts to advance human rights 
in El Salvador.  We trust the following information will 
advance Department's efforts related to the Democracy and 
Human Rights Roundtable at the UN General Assembly. 
 
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Coordination with Human Rights Ombudsman 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶2. (U) Coordination with key human rights stakeholders is at 
the forefront of Mission human rights advocacy.  The Embassy 
maintains strong relations with the office of the Ombudsman 
for Human Rights (PDDH by its Spanish acronym).  The PDDH was 
created as part of the 1992 Peace Accords that brought an end 
to the Salvadoran civil war.  The PDDH is an autonomous 
government agency that facilitates human rights dialogue in 
Salvadoran politics and promotes public education on human 
rights issues. 
 
¶3. (U) In a recent meeting with Oscar Luna, the Human Rights 
Ombudsman, Ambassador Glazer discussed his "take back the 
streets" message and shared his vision of how the Embassy's 
anti-crime and anti-gang initiatives focus on one of the most 
basic of human rights -- freedom from physical violence.  The 
Ambassador proposed -- and Luna gratefully accepted -- 
increasing the level of technical support that the Embassy 
provides to the PDDH to help it develop training and outreach 
programs in support of their human rights agenda. 
 
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International Visits 
-------------------- 
 
¶4. (U) The Public Affairs section sent two Salvadorans to the 
U.S. to participate in human rights programs. One attended a 
program by the Institute of the Americas focusing on public 
policy and immigration, with a strong human rights component. 
 The other is participating in the International Visitor 
Leadership Program focusing on combating trafficking in 
persons 
 
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Supporting Victims of Trafficking in Persons 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
¶5. (U) El Salvador is a source, transit, and destination 
country for women and children trafficked for the purpose of 
sexual exploitation.  Victims are trafficked internally, from 
the rural and eastern parts of the country to the major urban 
areas, and coerced into prostitution. The majority of foreign 
victims are women and children from Nicaragua and Honduras, 
also brought to El Salvador for the sex trade. 
 
¶6. (U) El Salvador is part of the USAID/G-CAP Regional 
Anti-Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Program.  This program 
supports the development of networks to prevent TIP; protect 
and reintegrate victims; develop and implement policies; and 
increase awareness of vulnerable groups and the population in 
general. 
 
¶7. (U) Human rights protection activities include providing 
assistance to selected shelters where rescued victims are 
received.  These shelters are staffed with doctors and 
psychologists, and provide other victim services.  This 
program also works to improve the quality of remedial 
services and overcome attitudes that stigmatize trafficked 
people as prostitutes or sexual workers, rather than treating 
them as victims. 
 
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Judicial Reform 
--------------- 
 
¶8. (U) The Department of State, USAID, and the Department of 
Justice support the GOES in improving judicial transparency. 
This, in turn, strengthens due process and the rule of law, 
and protects human rights.  One example of such work is 
support for the GOES as it seeks to adopt a new criminal 
procedure code.  The current lack of unambiguous criminal 
procedures, which are aggravated by high levels of crime and 
violence, lead to procedural errors and weaken procedural 
protections for human rights. 
 
--------------- 
 
GOES Priorities 
--------------- 
 
¶9. (SBU) The GOES is engaged in a delicate balancing act as 
it works to protect human and civil rights while combating 
stratospheric domestic crime rates.  Addressing the crime 
problem, while at the same time respecting human rights, is 
at the top of the GOES priority list.  The Saca 
administration is well aware that government and police 
actions are closely scrutinized both by the FMLN opposition 
and human rights NGOs.  As a result, the government has 
addressed swiftly any allegations of excesses by the police 
and has taken a serious interest in maintaining public trust 
in the National Civilian Police. 
 
¶10. (SBU) The GOES also approaches migration issues through 
the prism of human rights.  The GOES is a strong advocate of 
Salvadoran migrants' rights.  The Ministry of Foreign Affairs 
(MFA) has a dedicated Vice-Minister for Salvadorans Abroad 
who focuses primarily on the rights of the almost two million 
Salvadorans living in the U.S. -- including those doing so 
illegally.  While it acknowledges the illegal status of many 
of its nationals in the U.S., the GOES nonetheless zealously 
works to protect and where possible expand the procedural 
rights of Salvadorans in the U.S., particularly those who are 
living under Temporary Protected Status (TPS). 
Butler