Human Rights Groups condemn Nieves murder and border badlands insecurity

<a href=www.vheadline.com>Venezuela's Electronic News Posted: Wednesday, May 07, 2003 By: Patrick J. O'Donoghue

Human rights umbrella group Foro por la Vida has condemned the assassination of a well-known human rights activist, Jorge Nieves on April 26, 2003 in Guasdualito (Apure).

Foro spokesmen, Jose Gregorio Guarenas, Fernando Pereira (Cecodap) and Carlos Correa (PROVEA) recall that Nieves founded the Apure State Paez Municipality Human Rights Committee (Codehum) and undertook an important role in highlighting and following up HR abuse cases during the suspension of guarantees between 1995 and 1999.

• More than 50 persons have died in the border area since December 2002.

The Foro calls on the central and state governments to adopt urgent security measures in line with respect for the rule of law and human rights principles established by international organs.

"We are not requesting a suspension of guarantees because the experience in 1995 and1999 showed that far from resolving the crisis of insecurity, it made it worse by criminalizing the peasant population and increasing the number of arbitrary arrests and tortures. "

The group wants the government to ensure what it calls a "democratic policy of citizen security which implies not just measures of democratically activating security organs but strengthening civil institutionality in the zone."

Concluding, Foro has asked for a thorough and independent investigation into the circumstances leading to the death of Nieves and others before him with the corresponding penalties for those responsible.

The Foro communique made no mention of Nieves militancy in Patria Para Todos (PPT) or the running conflict between PPT and El Universal journalist, Roberto Giusti.