The
Working Group on the use of mercenaries as a means of violating
human rights and impeding the exercise of the rights of peoples
to self-determination will visit Honduras and Ecuador from 21
August to 1 September 2006, at the invitation of the respective
Governments.
During the visit to Honduras from 21 to 25 August
2006, the Working Group will hold meetings in Tegucigalpa and
Lepaterique. The Working Group will visit Ecuador from 28 August
to 1 September, where they will hold meetings in Quito, Porto
Viejo and Manta. While in both countries, the Working Group delegation
will meet with Governments, intergovernmental and non-governmental
organizations and individuals to discuss questions relating to
its mandate with a view to study and identify emerging issues,
manifestations and trends regarding mercenaries, mercenary-related
activities and the role of private military and private security
companies and their impact on human rights.
The
Working Group delegation will be headed by the Chairperson of
the Working Group, Ms. Amada Benavides, and include Working Group
member Mr. José Luis Gomez del Prado. The Working Group
will later report on the visits to the Human Rights Council and
the General Assembly.
The mandate of the Working Group on the use of
mercenaries as a means of violating human rights and impeding
the exercise of the rights of peoples to self-determination was
established by the Commission on Human Rights in 2005. The Working
Group is composed of five independent experts, serving in their
personal capacities: Ms. Najat Al-Hajjaji (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya),
Chairperson Ms. Amada Benavides (Colombia), Mr. José Luis
Gomez del Prado (Spain), Mr. Alexander Nikitin (Russia) and Ms.
Shaista Shameem (Fiji).
For
more information on the resolution establishing the mandate of
the Working Group, please consult the website of the Office of
the High Commissioner for Human Rights at: http://www.ohchr.org/english/issues/mercenaries/index.htm
