E/CN.4/1997/7 page 17 60. The Special Rapporteur also transmitted allegations on 16 individual cases and 2 urgent appeals on behalf of 2 persons. The Government replied to one of the urgent appeals. Observations 61. The information reaching the Special Rapporteur continues to justify concern at the situation. Recent legal developments could make a positive contribution, the impact of which would be a focus of a visit to the country should he receive an invitation, as requested in 1995 (see E/CN.4/1996/35, paras. 5 and 47). Colombia 62. By letter dated 16 September 1996 the Special Rapporteur transmitted 17 cases to the Government, to which the latter replied on 26 November 1996. The Government also replied to two cases that had been transmitted in 1995. 63. On 29 October 1996 the Special Rapporteur, together with the Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, sent a letter to the Government reminding it of the recommendations made after their visit to the country in October 1994 (see E/CN.4/1995/111) and requesting information about a number of issues, such as the following: the reform of the military criminal justice system as well as the regional justice system, the programme for the protection of witnesses intervening in proceedings on human rights violations, the bill on compensation for victims of human rights violations, the measures to dismantle the paramilitary groups and the measures to combat the social cleansing killings. Observations 64. The Special Rapporteur welcomes the conclusion of the agreement between the High Commissioner/Centre for Human Rights and the Government of Colombia which seems to offer the prospect of being a significant response to the need, referred to in his last report “to set up a standing international human rights mechanism ... to report publicly on the human rights situation and to monitor human rights violations in situ , as well as to assist the Government and non-governmental organizations in this field” (E/CN.4/1996/35, para. 54). Such a field presence could contribute to preventing the occurrence of torture and ill-treatment as well as the impunity which permits them to continue, in particular through the implementation of the recommendations formulated in the joint report of the Special Rapporteurs. It will be desirable for the Commission to keep the matter under review with a view to assessing the effectiveness of the new office at its fifty-fourth session. Congo 65. The Special Rapporteur transmitted two urgent appeals on behalf of four persons.