EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE To the kind attention of President Mr. H.V. Ross Robertson, MP, New Zealand H.E. President Mauricio Funes Board President of the Republic of El Salvador Dip. Margarita Stolbizer, Argentina San Salvador, El Salvador Ms. Irene Torshie Addo, MP, Ghana Via: [email protected], [email protected] Sen. Jim Walsh, Ireland Dr. Mahreen Bhutto, MP, Pakistan Hon. Syed Naveed Qamar, MP, Pakistan Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala, MP, Sri Lanka Bogota, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Paramaribo, Santo Domingo, 2 May 2014 Dr. Ruth Wijdenbosch, MP, Suriname Ms. Marie Nordén, MP, Sweden Dear President Funes, Dr. Yusuf Ziya Irbec, MP, Turkey Mr. Stephen Tashobya, MP, Uganda We are pleased to write to you as members with responsibilities within Parliamentarians for Mr. Mark Pritchard, MP, United Kingdom Global Action (PGA), a global network of more than 1,100 parliamentarians from 140 Dip. Felipe Michelini, Uruguay countries with democratically-elected parliaments around the world who, in our individual Treasurer capacity, promote peace, democracy, the rule of law and human rights. Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, MP, Sweden Your election to the Presidency in June 2009 produced a favorable change in the foreign INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL policy of El Salvador in relation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) since the Chair ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC was included in the Government platform. Since Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Dominican Republic then, many Parliamentarians and government officials from Latin American countries, as Councillors well as countries in other regions of the world, visited El Salvador and engaged with your Mr. Kelvin Thompson, MP, Australia Administration to promote the ratification of the Rome Statute. Sen. Ana Amélia Lemos, Brazil Dep. Marcel Djimasse, Central African Republic As you know, El Salvador is one of the few Latin American countries that has not yet Dip. Angela Robledo, Colombia become a party to the International Criminal Court. The ratification of the Rome Statute in Dep. Dieudonné Upira Sunguma, DR Congo El Salvador is not only politically possible, it is also strongly supported by vast sectors of Mr. Jeppe Kofod, MP, Denmark Dip. Christian Paredes, Dominican Republic society as a moral mean of reparation for victims and a legal guarantee of non-repetition of Hon. Sigfrido Reyes, MP, El Salvador the crimes that they have suffered during the civil war. Mr. Helmut Scholz, MEP, European Parliament Hon. Alban Bagbin, MP, Ghana As El Salvador has made significant progress under your leadership on economic Shri Tariq Anwar, MP, India development and human security, the ratification of the Rome Statute will leave an Ms. Federica Mogherini, MP, Italy additional important legacy for future generations by advancing the cause of accountability, Hon. Worlea S. Dunah, MP, Liberia justice and deterrence for human rights abuses. Mr. Gabriel Smith, MP, Liberia Hon. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri, MP, Malaysia Mr. Su’a William Sio, MP, New Zealand In this respect, the acceptance by El Salvador of the new system of international justice Sen. Mian Raza Rabbani, Pakistan established by the Rome Statute of the ICC may be seen as an important political and Mr. Shaika M. Sama, MP, Sierra Leone symbolic move by your country, even if such a ratification is completely independent from Hon. Nimal Siripala de Silva, MP, Sri Lanka the issue of accountability for past crimes given the non-retroactive nature of the ICC. We Mr. Hugo Jabini, MP, Suriname are, therefore, looking forward to your leadership to ensure that El Salvador becomes a State Ms. Pindi Chana, MP, Tanzania Dip. Berta Sanseverino, Uruguay Party to the Rome Statute as soon as possible by sending, in your last month as President of El Salvador, the relevant bill to Parliament. SECRETARIAT Secretary-General Allow us to use this opportunity to underscore that we have followed, with great interest, the Dr. David Donat Cattin discussions that, throughout your presidential term, have taken place in your country NGO in general consultative status regarding the International Criminal Court. Out of this extremely interesting debate, we have with the Economic and Social Council understood that all political forces from the Government and significant parties of the opposition have a united voice of support. HEADQUARTERS: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419, New York, NY 10038, USA | T +1.212.687.7755 |F +1.212.6878409 STICHTING PGA: 70 Laan van Meedervoort, The Hague, 2517AN, The Netherlands | T +31.70.360.4433 | F +31.70.364.22.55 www.pgaction.org We are also aware of the existence of a national debate about the misperception that the ICC may have regarding jurisdiction over crimes of the past, or that may have an influence on national decisions relating to the accountability of alleged perpetrators of atrocities that occurred in El Salvador. As evidenced by the technical assistance and research carried out by PGA on the basis of the existing literature and jurisprudence concerning other countries with internal armed conflicts prior to the ratification of the Statute, allow us to stress that the absolute principle of non-retroactivity of the Rome Statute affects neither positively nor negatively the sovereign decision(s) that El Salvador may undertake to remedy past wrongs. The people of El Salvador have recently suffered a tragic story. The ratification by El Salvador will help to consolidate a multiparty platform in support of the principle of "never again,” a vital legacy of your Presidential term and a promise to future generations. We would like to reiterate the offer of full support, both technical and political, with respect to the possible transmission of the Rome Statute to the Legislative Assembly for ratification, which will enable El Salvador to become the next State Party to the Rome Statute. Thank you in advance for your consideration of this important matter and please receive, Honorable President Funes, the assurances of our highest consideration. Sen. Iván Cepeda (Colombia) Sen. Julio Cesar Valentín Member, PGA (Dominican Republic) Member, PGA Dip. Felipe Michelini (Uruguay) Convenor, International Law and Human Rights Program, PGA Dip. Minou Tavarez Mirabal (Dominican Republic) Chair, International Council, PGA Dr. Ruth Wijdenbosch (Suriname) Deputy Convenor, International Law and Human Rights Program, PGA Dip. Margarita Stolbizer (Argentina) Co-Convenor, peace and Democracy Program, PGA Dip. Angela Robledo (Colombia) Member, PGA International Council HEADQUARTERS: 132 Nassau Street, Suite 1419, New York, NY 10038, USA | T +1.212.687.7755 |F +1.212.6878409 STICHTING PGA: 70 Laan van Meedervoort, The Hague, 2517AN, The Netherlands | T +31.70.360.4433 | F +31.70.364.22.55 www.pgaction.org EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Su Excelencia Presidente Mauricio Funes President Presidente de El Salvador Mr. H.V. Ross Robertson, MP, New Zealand San Salvador, El Salvador Board Via: [email protected], [email protected] Dip. Margarita Stolbizer, Argentina Ms. Irene Torshie Addo, MP, Ghana Presente Sen. Jim Walsh, Ireland Dr. Mahreen Bhutto, MP, Pakistan Hon. Syed Naveed Qamar, MP, Pakistan Bogotá, Buenos Aires, Montevideo, Paramaribo, Santo Domingo, 2 de mayo de 2014 Mr. Thilanga Sumathipala, MP, Sri Lanka Dr. Ruth Wijdenbosch, MP, Suriname Ms. Marie Nordén, MP, Sweden Estimado Presidente Funes, Dr. Yusuf Ziya Irbec, MP, Turkey Mr. Stephen Tashobya, MP, Uganda Nos complace escribirle como miembros con responsabilidades dentro de la Acción Mundial Mr. Mark Pritchard, MP, United Kingdom Dip. Felipe Michelini, Uruguay de Parlamentarios (PGA, por sus siglas en inglés), una red mundial de más de 1100 parlamentarios de más de 140 países con parlamentos democráticamente electos en todo el Treasurer mundo quiénes, en nuestra capacidad individual, promovemos la paz, la democracia, el Ms. Margareta Cederfelt, MP, Sweden Estado de Derecho y los derechos humanos. INTERNATIONAL COUNCIL Su llegada a la presidencia en junio del 2009 produjo un cambio favorable en la política Chair exterior de El Salvador en relación a la Corte Penal Internacional (CPI) ya que se incluyó la Dip. Minou Tavárez Mirabal, Dominican Republic ratificación del Estatuto de Roma en la plataforma programática del Gobierno. Desde Councillors entonces numerosos parlamentarios y oficiales de gobierno de países latinoamericanos y Mr. Kelvin Thompson, MP, Australia como así también de países de otras regiones del mundo han visitado El Salvador y Sen. Ana Amélia Lemos, Brazil entablado un diálogo con su gobierno promoviendo la ratificación del Estatuto de Roma. Dep. Marcel Djimasse, Central African Republic Dip. Angela Robledo, Colombia Dep. Dieudonné Upira Sunguma, DR Congo Como usted ya sabe, El Salvador es uno de los pocos países latinoamericanos que aún no es Mr. Jeppe Kofod, MP, Denmark Estado Parte de la Corte Penal Internacional. La ratificación del Estatuto de Roma por El Dip. Christian Paredes, Dominican Republic Salvador no sólo es políticamente posible, sino que también es fuertemente apoyada por Hon. Sigfrido Reyes, MP, El Salvador vastos sectores de la sociedad como una medida moral de reparación a las víctimas y como Mr. Helmut Scholz, MEP, European Parliament garantía legal de no repetición de los crímenes que ellas han sufrido durante la guerra civil. Hon. Alban Bagbin, MP, Ghana Shri Tariq Anwar, MP, India Ms. Federica Mogherini, MP, Italy Bajo su liderazgo, importantes progresos se han llevado a cabo en El Salvador en materia de Hon. Worlea S. Dunah, MP, Liberia seguridad humanitaria y económica, la ratificación del Estatuto de Roma dejará un Mr. Gabriel Smith, MP, Liberia importante legado para las generaciones futuras promoviendo la rendición de cuentas, la Hon. Dato’ Seri Mohamed Nazri, MP, Malaysia justicia y disuasión criminal de violaciones a los derechos humanos. Mr. Su’a William Sio, MP, New Zealand Sen. Mian Raza Rabbani, Pakistan Al respecto, la adición de El Salvador al nuevo sistema de justicia internacional establecido Mr. Shaika M. Sama, MP, Sierra Leone por el Estatuto de Roma de la CPI puede ser visto como un importante paso político y Hon.