|
| |
Patricia Woodward's letter to Members of the European Parliament
The letter below was also sent to the following Members of the European
Parliament:
Martin Schulz, Germany
Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler, Germany
Francisca Sauquillo, Spain
Raimón Obiols, Spain
Catherine Lalumière, France
Marie-Arlette Carlotti, France
Harlem Désir, France
Richard Howitt, U.K.
Eryl Margaret McNally, U.K.
Michael Cashman, U.K.
21st May 2003
Ms. Margaret McNally M.E.P.,
European Parliament,
Rue Wiertz
B-1047 Bruxelles,
BELGICA
Dear Ms. McNally,
In relation to the authorisation granted by four European governments to the
Chilean government for the visit of the Chilean training ship Esmeralda to ports
in their countries this summer, I am contacting you at the suggestion of your
colleague in the European Parliament, Francisca Sauquillo. I believe she will be
in touch with you shortly about this matter.
I have written to the President of the Council of Ministers of the European
Union, Mr George Papandreou, and to the Secretary General of the Council of
Europe, Mr. Walter Schwimmer, as attached, about the visits of the Esmeralda. As
you will see, in both cases I point out that the ship was the scene of
assassination and systematic torture by agents of the State of Chile in
September 1973. Amongst the victims was my brother Fr. Michael Woodward, of dual
British and Chilean nationality who died after torture.
Despite the conclusions to this effect of the Chilean National Commission of
Truth and Reconciliation in 1991, successive Commanders in Chief of the Chilean
Navy have denied those facts. Successive heads of the Chilean government have
chosen not to require them to rectify their denials.
I have asked Mr. Schwimmer to take up the matter of the ship´s visit with those
four governments - the United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Spain (visits to
Sweden and Holland have been cancelled following protests). I have requested
that the Council of Europe issue recommendations whereby the policy decisions
which authorised such visits be considered as degrading to victims of the
Esmeralda and relatives of victims now resident in Europe on the grounds that
they are in breach of Article 3 of the European Convention for the Protection of
Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms, which reads:
"No one shall be subjected to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment or
punishment"
I have further requested that he recommend that each of these countries should
reconsider its policy and rescind its authorisation for the visit of the
Esmeralda to its ports.
In addition, I have pointed out to Mr. George Papandreou, in his capacity as
President of the European Council of Ministers, that the Chilean government is
in breach of Articles 1, 12, and 16 - in respect of human rights - of the
Association Agreement between the EU and Chile, approved by the European
Parliament in November 2002 subject to ratification by national Parliaments. I
have asked Mr. Papandreou to transmit this to the governments of relevant member
states, thereby enabling them to reconsider the proposed ratification of the
Association Agreement and to urge the Chilean government to amend their human
rights policy, actions, and procedures.
I have expressed the hope to Francisca Sauquillo that she and her colleagues of
the Socialist Group will find it possible to put forward a parliamentary
question urging the approval by the European Parliament of the requests
formulated in my letters. She has agreed to look into this possibility and to
contact you, amongst others, for this purpose. I hope you will find it possible
to support us in this initiative.
The immediate purpose is to stop the visit of the Esmeralda to all European
ports. The ultimate objective is for the Chilean government to assume its
obligation to guarantee due process of law for human rights cases.
Yours sincerely,
Patricia Woodward Bennetts
Attachments:
Letter and
attachment to Mr. Walter Schwimmer
Letter and attachment to Mr. George Papandreou
|
