IDENTIFICATION, POLITICAL GOALS, AND ANTICIPATED INITIATIVES ON LEFTIST HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING IN URUGUAY - 1984/04/16

Document Type: 
Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 
00810497
Release Decision: 
RIPPUB
Original Classification: 
U
Document Page Count: 
4
Document Creation Date: 
April 3, 2019
Document Release Date: 
April 12, 2019
Sequence Number: 
Case Number: 
Publication Date: 
April 16, 1984
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Body: 
Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY CONTROLS 161941Z CIA 338363 TEXT WARNING: INFORMATION REPORT, NOT FINALLY EVALUATED REPORT CLASS a_E_C-R-R-t--WNINTEL DIST: 16 APRIL 1985 COUNTRY: URUGUAY SUBJECT: IDENTIFICATION, POLITICAL GOALS, AND ANTICIPATED INITIATIVES OF LEFTIST HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS OPERATING IN URUGUAY WNINTEL INTELLIGENCE. SUMMARY: THE PRINCIPAL LEFTIST ORIENTED HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS CURRENTLY OPERATING IN URUGUAY ARE THE SERVICE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE, THE GROUP OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DISAPPEARED, THE GROUP OF MOTHERS OF THE PROCESS FOR MILITARY JUSTICE, THE SECRETARIAT OF LAWYERS FOR AMNESTY IN URUGUAY, AND THE COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE BROAD FRONT. THESE GROUPS ARE CURRENTLY DEVOTED TO EXPOSING HUMAN RIGHTS CRIMES COMMITTED DURING THE PERIOD OF MILITARY RULE AND BRINGING THOSE GUILTY TO JUSTICE. MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS ARE BASICALLY FROM THE MOST RADICAL URUGUAYAN POLITICAL GROUPINGS, INCLUDING THE PARTY FOR THE VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE, THE URUGUAYAN COMMUNIST PARTY, AND FORMER TUPA- MAROS. URUGUAYAN LEFTIST HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS HAVE A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THEIR ARGENTINE COUNTERPARTS. THE STRATEGY FOR THE UPCOMING PERIOD WILL BE TO KEEP THE ISSUE OF MILITARY HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES ALIVE IN ALL POSSIBLE ARENAS AND ATTEMPT TO CHIP AWAY AT THE POWER OF THE URUGUAYAN S IT Page 1 Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 3.5(c) 3.5(c) 3.5(c) 3.3(b)(1) Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 RET MILITARY AND SECURITY ORGANS. TEXT: 1. SHORTLY AFTER ASSUMING OFFICE AS URUGUAYAN MINISTER OF THE INTERIOR, CARLOS ((MANINI)) RIOS REQUESTED THAT THE MONTEVIDEO POLICE PREPARE A REPORT ON URUGUAYAN POLITICAL PARTIES AND SOCIAL ORGANIZATIONS. 2. THE MOST ACTIVE LEFTIST HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDE: ---THE SERVICE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE (SERPAJ) - FORMED BY RADICAL RELIGIOUS ELEMENTS AND BY MANY FORMER MEMBERS OF THE TUPAMARO NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT; ---THE GROUP OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DISAPPEARED - FORMED BY TUPAMAROS, AND MEMBERS OF THE PARTY FOR THE VICTORY OF THE PEOPLE (PVP), AND THE URUGUAYAN COMMUNIST PARTY (PCU). THE PREDECESSOR ORGANIZATION OUTSIDE OF URUGUAY WAS CALLED THE ASSOCIATION OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF URUGUAYAN DISAPPEARED INDIVIDUALS (AFUDE) WHICH WAS ESTABLISHED BY THE PVP AND LED BY MARIA ELENA ((QUINTEROS)); ---THE GROUP OF MOTHERS OF THE PROCESS FOR MILITARY JUSTICE - ALSO FORMED BY TUPAMAROS, PVP AND PCU MEMBERS. WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE GROUP OF FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE DISAPPEARED AND IS MORE AN ORGAN- IATION FOR WOMEN; ---THE SECRETARIAT OF LAWYERS FOR AMNESTY IN URUGUAY (SIJAU) - THIS ORGANIZATION WAS FORMED OUTSIDE URUGUAY BY THE PVP. IT CENTERED ITS ACTIVITIES IN WORKING WITH FOREIGN JURISTS, ESPECIALLY FRENCH. THE CURRENT OPERATIONS CENTER FOR SIJAU IS IN BUENOS AIRES, WHERE IT ALSO COORDINATES INFORMATION AND ACTIVITIES CONCERNING HUMAN RIGHTS IN ARGENTINA; ---THE COMMISSION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS OF THE BROAD FRONT - THIS ORGANIZATION ADVISES THE FRONT ON JURIDICAL PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THOSE SUBJECTED TO MILITARY JUSTICE AND IS ALSO CONCERNED WITH COMPILING DATA ON HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. 3. THE ABOVE ORGANIZATIONS CAN COUNT ON THE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION OF LEFTIST MILITANTS. EACH ORGANIZATION CONTAINS A WELL DOCUMENTED RESEARCH SECTION DEVOTED TO COMPILING DATA ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES THAT OCCURRED DURING THE ANTI-SUBVERSIVE STRUGGLE WHICH LASTED FROM CIRCA 1969 TO 1980. EACH ORGANIZATION HAS FIVE BASIC GOALS IN COMMON: ---COLLECT INFORMATION ON HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES DURING THE PERIOD 1969 TO 1980; ---DOCUMENT THE ABUSES WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF COURT SPECIALISTS; ---LEAD MOVEMENTS TO MAKE DENUNCIATIONS IN THE PRESS, TELEVISION AND RADIO, IN FRONT OF PARLIAMENT AND IN THE COURT SYSTEM; ---PUBLISH BULLETINS AND OTHER MATERIALS CONCERNING THEIR ACTIVITIES; ---CONDU ICT ""EDUCATION SEMINARS" ON HUMAN RIGHTS THAT EVOKE A POLITICAL CHARACTER. 4. ALTHOUGH HUMAN RIGHTS IS A THEME THAT CUTS ACROSS ALL POLITICAL GROUPS IN URUGUAY, THE ABOVE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ARE GENERALLY COMPOSED OF THE MOST RADICAL MEMBERS OF URUGUAYAN SOCIETY WITH A PREDOMINANCE OF PVP MEMBERS. ALL SECTORS OF THE BROAD FRONT (FAU) PROVIDE SOME SUPPORT TO THE ABOVE GROUPS. CERTAIN SECTORS OF THE NATIONAL (BLANCO ) PARTY ARE ALSO PROMINENT IN RADICAL ELEMENTS OF THE ABOVE ORGANIZATIONS, ESPECIALLY DEPUTY OSCAR ((LOPEZ)) BALESTRA, WHO IN THE PAST WAS ASSOCIATED WITH CALLS FOR ARMED REVOLUTION IN URUGUAY. LOPEZ AND OTHERS IN THE BLANCO Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 Page 2 Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 PARTY OF SIMILAR BELIEFS CALL THEMSELVES "FEDAYEEN", REFERRING TO RADICAL MOSLEM ELEMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST. THIS BLANCO SECTOR IS CLOSELY ALLIED WITH THE INDEPENDENT DEMOCRATIC LEFT FACTION OF THE FAU AND IS MORE RADICAL THAN THE PCU IN DENUNCIATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS. 5. THE ABOVE HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS ALL HAVE A CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH SIMILAR GROUPS IN ARGENTINA SUCH AS THE LEGAL AND SOCIAL CENTER (CELS), THE PERMANENT ASSOCIATION FOR HUMAN RIGHTS, THE ARGENTINE CHAPTER OF SERPAJ, ETC. THIS COORDINATION AND COOPERATION WITH ARGENTINE GROUPS HAS RESULTED IN GREATER RADICALIZATION AND AGGRESSION BY THE URUGUAYAN ORGANIZATIONS. ARGENTINE CELS MEMBER DR. JORGE ((BANOS)) IS A DECLARED SUPPORTER OF TUPAMARO LEADER RAUL ((SENDIC)). BANOS PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN FORMING STRATEGY FOR HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGNS IN URUGUAY AND WAS RECENTLY IN URUGUAY VISITING ALL THE ABOVE URUGUAYAN HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS. 6. THE BASIC STRATEGY OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IS THE FOLLOWING: ---IN THE FIRST THREE MONTHS OF A NEW CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE WITHDRAWAL OF THE MILITARY FROM POWER TO PRESSURE THE NEW GOVERNMENT TO ENSURE THAT "THE GUILTY WILL BE PUNISHED"; ---MAKE SPECIAL USE OF THE URUGUAYAN PARLIAMENT TO AGITATE FOR JUSTICE AGAINST VIOLATORS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES; ---IN THE MAJORITY OF CASES, ATTEMPT TO DENOUNCE PUBLICLY AN INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP RATHER THAN INITIATE A COURT PROCEEDING. IN THIS MANNER, THE MILITARY AND SECURITY FORCES WILL LOSE PRESTIGE IN THE PUBLIC'S EYE AND THERE WILL BE LESS CHANCE THAT THESE INDIVIDUALS CAN REGROUP TO ATTACK THE LEFT AT A LATER DATE; ---INCREASE PUBLIC DENUNCIATIONS AFTER THE RELEASE OF ALL POLITICAL PRISONERS. ( COMMENT: THE RELEASE OF POLITICAL PRISONERS TOOK PLACE SHORTLY AFTER THIS DII REPORT WAS WRITTEN.) 7. THE REPORT CONCLUDES WITH A SERIES OF INITIATIVES WHICH THE LEFTIST HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS ARE EXPECTED TO BEGIN IN THE FIRST SIX MONTHS OF A NEW CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT. THESE INITIATIVES INCLUDE: ---AN ATTEMPT TO AVOID A DIRECT CONFRONTATION WITH THE ARMED FORCES; ---A REPEATED CALL TO DISMANTLE WHAT IS TERMED THE "REPRESSIVE INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY" ENTITIES IN URUGUAY WITH THE GOAL OF WEAKENING THESE ORGANS; ---AN ATTEMPT TO UNIFY VARIOUS LEFTIST GROUPS SO THE URUGUAYAN LEFT CAN SPEAK WITH ONE VOICE IN ITS CAMPAIGN AGAINST WHAT IT TERMS "REACTIONARY" SECURITY AND MILITARY OFFICIALS; ---A CAMPAIGN TO CONVINCE THE URUGUAYAN PUBLIC THAT NO RECONCILIA- TION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED THAT WOULD INCLUDE ANY AMNESTY FOR MILITARY AND SECURITY OFFICIALS ACCUSED OF HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES. WARNING: REPORT CLASS J_I,L-7--WARNING NOTICE-INTELLIGENCE SOURCES OR METHODS INVOLVED S T Page 3 Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 3.3(b)(1) 3.3(b)(1) 33.5(c)1) 3.5(c) Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 ,,SECIg-T Page 4 Approved for Release: 2018/10/02 C00810497 3.5(c)