US embassy cable - 05SANTODOMINGO5156

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 005156 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR DRL/SEA-PSAWCHYN AND WHA/CAR-DSEARBY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM, PREL, DR, KPAO, ODIP, PGOV 
SUBJECT: HUMAN RIGHTS DAY 2005 - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 
 
REF: STATE 202764 
 
1. Following is Embassy's response to action requests in 
paras 5-6 reftel: 
 
2. Quotations on the meaning of human rights and freedom: 
 
Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, First Lady of the Dominican 
Republic: 
 
(Begin original Spanish text, as published on 
http://www.primeradama.gov.do/ver discursos.php?id n=28) 
 
Los derechos humanos constituyen la conquista mas importante 
de la humanidad para proteger la dignidad de las personas. 
Con su nacimiento en la epoca del transito a la modernidad, 
se impone a nivel politico el valor de la tolerancia, que fue 
el primer derecho humano, reconocido y reglamentado, en la 
llamada Declaracion de Derechos de 1688, el Bill of Rights, 
que sustenta juridicamente el sistema ingles de proteccion de 
derechos fundamentales. 
 
Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, Primera Dama/First Lady of the 
Dominican Republic 
 
(End text) 
 
Informal translation:  Human Rights are the most important 
victory of humanity for protecting the dignity of the 
individual.  With their origins in the era of the transition 
to modern times, they require political attention to the 
value of tolerance, the first human right to be recognized 
and inscribed, in the so-called Declaration of Rights of 
1688, the Bill of Rights, which serves as the legal basis for 
the English system of the protection of fundamental rights. 
 
Dr. Servio Tulio Castanos Guzman, Executive Vice President, 
Institutionality and Justice Foundation (FINJUS) 
 
(Begin original Spanish text, as published on 
http://www.finjus.org.do/articulos/STC 140605.pdf) 
 
En el mundo globalizado la tematica de los derechos humanos 
ha tomado un sitial preponderante en el contexto 
internacional y a lo interno de los Estados.  Los Derechos 
Humanos constituyen la piedra angular de las democracias 
constitucionales, y en ese orden, se erigen como un baluarte 
al intervencionismo estatal, es decir, constituyen un limite 
al poder politico que recae en el Estado. 
 
Dr. Servio Tulio Castanos (the "n" has a tilde accent) Guzman 
Vicepresidente Ejecutivo 
Fundacion Institucionalidad y Justicia (FINJUS) 
 
Informal translation:  In the world of globalization the 
theme of human rights has taken an overwhelming importance in 
the international context and within countries.  Human Rights 
are the keystone of constitutional democracies, and as such, 
they rise up as a bulwark against intervention by the 
government -- that is, they constitute the limits to the 
political power vested in the state. 
 
(End text) 
 
3. Human Rights Day activity: 
 
Digital videoconference on Trafficking in Persons (TIP) in 
Latin America and the Caribbean and how to combat it, with 
guest speaker Elissa Steglich, on December 8 tentatively at 
11:00 a.m. local time (10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time). 
Ms. Steglich is Managing Attorney, Midwest Immigrant & Human 
Rights Center, Chicago IL, where among other responsibilities 
she provides direct representation to victims of human 
trafficking.  Formerly, as Trafficking Project Officer at the 
International Human Rights Law Institute at DePaul University 
College of Law, Ms. Steglich conducted extensive field 
research on trafficking in Latin America and the Caribbean. 
She is co-editor of "In Modern Bondage: Sex Trafficking in 
the Americas" (Transnational, 2003) and has authored articles 
in law journals.  Ms. Steglich holds a J.D. degree (with 
honors) from the University of Texas School of Law and a B.A. 
in English from Haverford College. 
KUBISKE