E/CN.4/1991/17
page 5
himself to transmitting allegations to Governments without offering advice to
them on how to fight effectively the phenomenon of torture. All Governments
have committed themselves to this effort and the United Nations mechanisms are
specifically designed to support them. In this context the Special Rapporteur
also wishes to refer to resolution 1988/54 of the Commission, in which a
direct link was laid between the work of the Commission's Special Rapporteurs
and working groups and the advisory services programme. In its operative
paragraph 9 the Commission requested its special rapporteurs "to inform
Governments, whenever appropriate, of the possibility of availing themselves
of the services provided for under the programme of advisory services and to
include in their recommendations, whenever appropriate, proposals for specific
projects to be realized under the programme of advisory services."
15. Last year's report also had a section entitled "Follow-up to visits". It
contained the reactions of the Governments of the Republic of Korea and of
Turkey to the recommendations made by the Special Rapporteur in his reports on
the visits to these countries. The Special Rapporteur expressed his deep
appreciation for these reactions since he felt that through this form of
co-operation with individual Governments the prevention of torture is well
served. The Special Rapporteur regrets that no such reaction has so far been
received from the Governments of Peru (visited in April 1988), Guatemala and
Honduras (both visited in September 1989). He wishes to express his
appreciation to the Government of Zaire which provided him with information on
measures taken following his visit to the country in January 1990. This
information appears in the present report in section B, chapter III.
16. Some Governments have provided the Special
information about the human rights situation in
governmental and non-governmental sources. The
thank the Governments of Colombia, El Salvador,
and Turkey for such information.
Rapporteur with general
their country, both from
Special Rapporteur wishes to
Israel, Mexico, South Africa
17. The Special Rapporteur continued, on several occasions, to have informal
consultations with the Chairman of the Committee against Torture. These
consultations have contributed to a better understanding of the scope of the
mandates of the Committee and of the Special Rapporteur and to a shared
strategy to avoid overlapping in the activities of the United Nations in
combating torture, as required by resolution 1990/34. The Special Rapporteur
trusts that working methods have been developed which complement each other
and will make both mechanisms more effective.
18. The Special Rapporteur had, together with the Chairman of the Committee
against Torture, a meeting on 23 January 1990 in Geneva with the newly elected
European Committee for the Prevention of Torture and Inhuman or Degrading
Treatment or Punishment. The meeting was organized after the Committee had
expressed the wish to be informed about the way in which the various
United Nations mechanisms dealing with torture functioned. The meeting was
considered fruitful by all participants and has led to continuing contacts.