US embassy cable - 05CARACAS921

UNCLAS CARACAS 000921 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
NSC FOR BARTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, KDEM, PHUM, VE 
SUBJECT:  FREEDOM HOUSE STRENGTHENS VENEZUELAN HUMAN RIGHTS 
ORGANIZATIONS 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1. In response to the alleged human rights violations of 
February/March 2004, USAID Venezuela entered into a 
cooperative agreement with Freedom House in September 2004. 
Through this project Freedom House will increase the 
capacity of human rights defenders in Venezuela to document 
and report on the human rights situation, while maintaining 
a neutral stance and high levels of professionalism in a 
difficult working environment.  End Summary. 
2. The USAID/Freedom House agreement is being implemented 
through a series of workshops carried out in other Latin 
American countries.  The strategy additionally provides the 
opportunity for Venezuelan human rights activists to network 
and build linkages with their counterparts in other 
countries. 
3. The first training event was held in Mexico City, Mexico 
from January 31 - February 4, focusing on "How to Protect 
Human Rights in a Situation of Impunity."  Representatives 
from three Caracas-based NGOs, a Caracas-based university, 
and four regional NGOs participated. 
4. During the five days, the NGO representatives - working 
with Mexican human rights organizations - reviewed and 
analyzed actual and hypothetical cases, studied procedures 
for documenting and researching human rights abuses, 
discussed relations with the media, the preparation of 
annual reports, and planned for how to implement in 
Venezuela what was learned. This work will be followed up by 
the Freedom House representative during his periodic visits 
to Venezuela. 
5. Freedom House then facilitated a two-day workshop 
(February 8-9) for 18 human rights lawyers - including 11 
Venezuelans - on the preparation of court cases related to 
extra-judicial killings in situations of impunity. 
According to the Freedom House representative, the workshop 
evaluations were the most positive he's seen during his five 
years working with Freedom House.  He noted that they 
demonstrated both the effectiveness and relevance of the 
workshops, as well as the general lack of exposure of 
Venezuelan human rights to training and the work of their 
colleagues in other countries. 
6. The next workshop is scheduled for March 29-30 in 
Guatemala City.  The main topic will be the operational 
security of human rights defenders.  Twenty Venezuelans are 
expected to attend. 
McFARLAND 
 
 
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      2005CARACA00921 - UNCLASSIFIED