Page 32 - Argentina - Carter, Regan, and Bush VP

227 ******* C-Q-JJ F I■ D £ N '$ I 4Hb***»***E COPT

OP IMMED
UTS961
DE RUESBA #7776 2701950
0 261841Z SEP 80
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES

TO SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6913

INFO AMEMBASSY LIMA 3689

CONFIDENTIAL

LIMITED OFFICIAL USE SECTION 7 OF 7 BUENOS AIRES 7776
OF THE NEW LAW WILL NOT BE CLARIFIED UNTIL THE MINISTRY
OF LABOR ISSUES DETAILED REGULATIONS, WHICH MAY TAKE UP
TO ANOTHER 120 DAYS TO BE DRAFTED. THE ICFTU CONDEMNED
THE LAW AS A VIOLATION OF UNION RIGHTS.
ALTHOUGH ENJOYING NO OFFICIALS STANDING OR RECOGNITION BY
THE GOVERNMENT, SEVERAL LABOR GROUPINGS ARE ACTIVE IN MAYING
THEIR VIEWS KNOWN. FOR EXAMPLE, THEY OPPOSE THE
GOVERNMENT'S TRADE UNION LAW ON GROUNDS THAT IT RESTRICTS
FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION AND THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE AS DEFINED
IN CONVENTIONS 87 AND 98 OF THE INTERNATIONAL BABOR ORGANIZA­
TION AS RATIFIED BY THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT. THEY ALSO
OPPOSE THENEW LAW'S PROHIBITION AGAINST POLITICAL ACTION
BY TRADE UNIONS.

4. GOVERNMENT ATTITUDE AND RECORD REGARDING INTERNATIONAL
AND NONGOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATION OF ALLEGED VIOLATIONS
OF HUMAN RIGHTS:
IN LATE 1978, THE ARGENTINE GOVERNMENT INVITED THE
INTER-AMERICAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION (IAHRC) TO VISIT
ARGENTINA. THAT VISIT TOOK PLACE FROM SEPTEMBER 6 TO 20,
1979. THE COMMISSION MET WITH PRESIDENT VIDELA AND OTHER
HIGH-LEVEL GOVERNMENT, HUMAN RIGHTS, RELIGIOUS, POLITICAL
AND LABOR OFFICIALS, TOOK TESTIMONY FROM FAMILY MEMBERS
OF DISAPPEARED PERSONS AND FROM FORMER PRISONERS AND
VISITED SEVERAL PRISONS AND DETENTION CENTERS. THE IAHRC
RECORDED A PAST PATTERN OF WIDE SCALE HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSES,
INCLUDING VIOLATIONS BY THE GOVERNMENT RE THE RIGHT TO
LIFE, TO PERSONAL SECURITY, TO PERSONAL LIBERTY, TO DUE
PROCESS, TO FREEDOM OF OPINION, EXPRESSION AND ASSOCIATION,
THE IAHRC ALSO OBSERVED, HOWEVER, THAT WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF THE JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, FREEDOM OF RELIGION PREVAILS ’

PSN:039449 PAGE 01 TOR:270/22;09Z DTG:261841Z SEP 80

N -p-T D E N T I A l***»***E COPY