Unanswered letter – Carta sem resposta

 

English. For Portuguese scroll down please.

 

I apologize for the delay in responding to the interesting suggestion made by the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, through CIERNDH to HRC, which I learned about during the 125th session of the HRC in Genève.

 

To my knowledge, the only mail in the communication dossier n ° 711/1996 was a letter dated January 12, 2006, signed by Georges Rebelo Chicoti, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.

 

Admitting then that a new flow of ideas existed in the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, I imposed a period of reflection.

 

I therefore address your Excellency with reference to:

 

1. Response presented by the Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports (CIERNDH) to CCPR/C/AGO/Q/2/Add.1– Distr .: General – 3 December 2018 – List of issues in relation to the second periodic report of Angola – Addendum – Replies of Angola to the list of issues * – [Date received: 30 October 2018] – 3. Implementation of the Committee’s Views – 12. The same is expected of the applicant Carlos Dias (communication No. 711 / 1996).

 

2. 125th session of the Human Rights Committee, 4 to 29 March 2019, Genève (Video 03:03:50). Link: http://webtv.un.org/search/consideration-of-angola-3576th-meeting-125th-session-of-human-rights-committee/6011546045001/?term=angola&lan=english&sort=date&page=3#.XlWrfxzSlL4.email

 

3. Communication n° 711/1996 Carlos Dias v. Angola and communication n° 1128/2002 Rafael Marques de Morais v. Angola.

 

4. Intervention at the 125th session 7 March 2019, by Chairperson Yuval SHANY (video clip 00:03:50).

 

5. Letter signed by the VP do World Bank, Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, dated June 8, 2009, addressed to President José Eduardo Dos Santos.

 

6. Letter signed by Ana Dias Lourenço, Ministra do Planeamento, dated 28 January 2002.

 

7. Letter signed by Georges Rebelo Chicoti, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, dated 12 January 2006 (pages 5 and 6 missing from the CCPR files).

 

8. E-mail subscribed by World Bank´s Alternate Executive Director for Italy, Albania, Greece, Malta, Portugal, San Marino and Timor-Leste, dated May 11, 2009. “The only thing missing is the political will to pay the settled amount to Mr. Dias. ”

 

Excellence,

 

As mentioned in paragraph 2. above, CIERNDH, comparing communications No. 711/1996 and 1128/2002, suggests that Carlos Dias submit to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, a request for compensation similar to what Rafael Marques de Morais, did (communication No. 1128/2002).

 

However, communication No. 711/1996, submitted by the author in his own name in 1996, is not comparable to communication No. 1128/2002, submitted by Rafael Marques de Morais, represented by the Open Society Institute and Interights, in 2002.

 

In fact, the author of Communication No. 711/1996, from the fateful year of 1991 to the present day, has always fought for justice to be done with respect, exclusively, to the crimes of rape, torture and murder of his business partner and companion, and that the deliberation of the 68th HRC Assembly, in New York, NY, be carried out.

 

On the other hand, in the case of crimes committed against a citizen of Angolan nationality, in Angolan territory by Angolan and / or Luso-Angolan citizens, the author can do nothing but hope that the Angolan justice, three decades later, will finally present to court for judgement those responsible for the crimes committed.

 

Thus, the author doesn’t see how, from the process 711/1996, can he ask the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, something else, than justice to be done to those responsible for the crimes committed against Carolina de Fátima da Silva Francisco, on the 28th of February 1991, in the city of Luanda.

 

However, still on communication No. 711/1996 Carlos Dias v. Angola, on March 7, 2019, in the city of Genève, during the 125th session of the Human Rights Committee (HRC), Chairperson Yuval SHANY, in his important address, presented two questions. The first, relating to communications 711/1966 and 1128/2002 and the second, relating to communication 711/1996, only. The issues to which I refer are as follows:

 

“… Does not appear quite reasonable a person has exhausted all domestic remedies in Angola and then came before the Human Rights Committee and after a very lengthy process of change views require the State of Angola to provide adequate compensation or reparation then the person would start the all process again for securing the remedies… ”

 

“… A presidential intent to settle the case but the case has never been settled…”

 

This second question asked by Chairperson Yuval SHANY “… the presidential intention to settle the case but the case has never been settled …” requires clarification.

 

Subsequently to HRC, other UN institutions, The World Bank and MIGA-Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, started, like the CCPR, negotiations with the Government of Angola regarding investments made by the author in Cabinda Province.

 

Years later, always under the perseverance of the World Bank, a letter signed by the Vice President, Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, dated June 8, 2009, is sent to His Excellency President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos: “… after having taken the matter to the President of the Republic on various occasions, he had decided to order settlement of the matter in question in the amount of one million five hundred thousand United States Dollars (US $ 1,500,000), the sum previously agreed to between the Government of Angola and MIGA. ”

 

Therefore, and still in relation to the expectation formulated by CIERNDH, to motivate the author to submit a request for compensation to the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, the signatory believe that he only have to wait for the instructions given by the highest figure of the State of Angola, then President José Eduardo dos Santos, at the beginning of this century, be honored and that the amount of US $ 1,500,000 (one million and five hundred thousand American dollars) be paid to him.

 

Anyway, what is the reason for this saga? The answer will certainly be the one that a senior member of the World Bank, writes on May 11, 2009: “The process, its outcome, the Angolan Government recognition and the settlement were crystal clear. The only thing missing is the political will to pay the settled amount to Mr. Dias. ”

 

Seeing an opportunity to take advantage of the suggestion transmitted by CIERNDH to CHR on December 3, 2018, I take this opportunity to request the help of Your Excellency, in order to overcome the incomprehensible blockade that prevents the instructions from the President of the Republic, José Eduardo dos Santos, be honored.

 

I would like to thank you for your availability on the subject.

 

I am at your disposal.

 

With my respectful regards,

 

Lisboa, 29 Março 2020

 

Carlos Dias

 

cdias5555@gmail.com

 

 

Excelentíssimo Senhor

Ministro da Justiça e dos Direitos Humanos

Senhor Dr. Francisco Queiroz

 

Apresento as minhas desculpas pelo atraso desta resposta à interessante sugestão feita pelo Ministério da Justiça e dos Direitos Humanos, através da CIERNDH ao HRC, da qual tomei conhecimento durante a 125.ª sessão do HRC em Genève.

 

Do meu conhecimento, o único correio existente no dossier da comunicação n° 711/1996, era uma carta datada de Janeiro 12, 2006, assinada por Georges Rebelo Chicoti, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs.

 

Admitindo então, que novo flow de ideias existisse no Ministério da Justiça e dos Direitos Humanos, impus-me um período de reflexão.

Assim, dirijo-me a V. Excelência com referência a:

 

1. Resposta apresentada pela Intersectoral Committee for the Preparation of National Human Rights Reports (CIERNDH) ao CCPR/C/AGO/Q/2/Add.1 – Distr.: General – 3 December 2018 – List of issues in relation to the second periodic report of Angola – Addendum – Replies of Angola to the list of issues* – [Date received: 30 October 2018] – 3. Implementation of the Committee’s Views – 12. The same is expected of the applicant Carlos Dias (communication No. 711/1996).

 

2. 125ª sessão do Human Rights Committee, 4 a 29 March 2019, Genève (Video 03:03:50). Link:

 

http://webtv.un.org/search/consideration-of-angola-3576th-meeting-125th-session-of-human-rights-committee/6011546045001/?term=angola&lan=english&sort=date&page=3#.XlWrfxzSlL4.email

 

3. Communication n° 711/1996 Carlos Dias v. Angola e a communication n° 1128/2002 Rafael Marques de Morais v. Angola.

 

4. Intervenção na 125.ª sessão 7 Março 2019, do Chairperson Yuval SHANY (videoclip 00:03:50).

 

5. Carta subscrita pelo VP do World Bank, Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, datada de June 8, 2009, endereçada ao Presidente José Eduardo Dos Santos.

 

6. Ofício assinado por Ana Dias Lourenço, Ministra do Planeamento, datada de 28 January 2002.

 

7. Carta subscrita por Georges Rebelo Chicoti, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs, datada de 12 January 2006 (páginas 5 e 6 em falta nos arquivos CCPR).

 

8. E-mail subscrito pelo World Bank´s Alternate Executive Director for Italy, Albania, Greece, Malta, Portugal, San Marino and Timor-Leste, datado de May 11, 2009.  “The only thing missing is the political will to pay the settled amount to Mr. Dias.”

 

Excelência,

 

Como mencionado no parágrafo 2. acima mencionado, a CIERNDH, comparando as comunicações n°s 711/1996 e 1128/2002, sugere que Carlos Dias apresente ao Ministério da Justiça e Direitos Humanos, um pedido de compensação à semelhança do que fez Rafael Marques de Morais (comunicação n° 1128/2002).

 

Ora, a comunicação n° 711/1996, submetida pelo autor em seu nome próprio em 1996, não é comparável à comunicação n° 1128/2002, submetida por Rafael Marques de Morais, representado pelo Open Society Institute and Interights, em 2002.

 

Na realidade, o autor da comunicação n° 711/1996, desde o fatídico ano de 1991 até à data de hoje, sempre lutou para que justiça seja feita no que concerne, exclusivamente, aos crimes de violação, tortura e assassinato da sua sócia e companheira e que seja cumprida a deliberação da 68.ª Assembleia do HRC, em New York, N.Y.

 

Por outro lado, tratando-se de crimes praticados sobre uma cidadã de nacionalidade angolana, em território angolano por cidadãos angolanos e/ou luso-angolanos, o autor nada mais pode fazer que esperar que a justiça angolana, três décadas depois, leve finalmente a julgamento os responsáveis pelos crimes cometidos.

 

Assim, não vê o autor, como através do processo 711/1996, possa solicitar ao Ministério da Justiça e Direitos Humanos, algo de outro, que justiça se faça aos responsáveis dos crimes praticados sobre Carolina de Fátima da Silva Francisco, no dia 28 de Fevereiro de 1991, na cidade de Luanda.

 

No entanto, ainda sobre a comunicação n° 711/1996 Carlos Dias v. Angola, no dia 7 de Março de 2019, na cidade de Genève, durante a realização da 125.ª sessão do Human Rights Committee (HRC), o Chairperson Yuval SHANY, na sua importante alocução apresentou duas questões. A primeira, relativa às comunicações 711/1966 e 1128/2002 e a segunda, relativa à comunicação 711/1996, unicamente. As questões a que me refiro são as seguintes:

 

“…does not appear quite reasonable a person has exhausted all domestic remedies in Angola and then came before the Human Rights Committee and after a very lengthy process of change views require the State of Angola to provide adequate compensation or reparation then the person would start the all process again for securing the remedies…”

“…a presidential intent to settle the case but the case has never been settled…”

 

Esta segunda questão formulada pelo Chairperson Yuval SHANY “…a presidential intent to settle the case but the case has never been settled…” impõe esclarecimentos.

 

Posteriormente ao HRC, outras instituições também da ONU, The World Bank e MIGA-Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency, iniciaram à semelhança do CCPR, negociações com o Governo de Angola respeitante a investimentos feitos pelo autor na Província de Cabinda.

 

Anos mais tarde, sempre sob a perseverança do World Bank, uma carta assinada pela Vice President, Obiageli Katryn Ezekwesili, datada de June 8, 2009, é enviada a Sua Excelência Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos: “…after having taken the matter to the President of the Republic on various occasions, he had decided to order settlement of the matter in question in the amount of one million five hundred thousand United States Dollars (U.S. $1,500,000), the sum previously agreed to between the Government of Angola and MIGA.”

 

Portanto, e ainda relativamente à expectativa formulada pela CIERNDH, de motivar o autor a apresentar ao Ministério da Justiça e Direitos Humanos um pedido de compensação, em boa verdade, o signatário entende só ter de aguardar que as instrucções dadas pela mais alta figura do Estado de Angola, o então Presidente José Eduardo dos Santos, no inicio deste século, sejam honradas e que, o montante de U.S. $1,500,000 (um milhão e quinhentos mil dólares americanos), lhe sejam liquidados.

 

Enfim, qual a razão desta saga? A resposta será certamente a que um quadro senior do World Bank, redige em Maio 11, 2009: “The process, its outcome, the Angolan Government recognition and the settlement were crystal clear. The only thing missing is the political will to pay the settled amount to Mr. Dias.”

 

Vendo uma oportunidade de aproveitar a sugestão transmitida pelo CIERNDH ao CHR em 3 de Dezembro de  2018, aproveito-a, para solicitar a ajuda de V. Excelência, a fim de vencer o incompreensível bloqueio que impede que as instrucções do eis Presidente da República, José Eduardo dos Santos, sejam honradas.

 

Desde ja agradeço a  disponibilidade que prestar ao assunto exposto.

 

Fico ao dispor de V. Excelência.

Com os meus respeitosos cumprimentos,

Lisboa, 29 Março 2020

Carlos Dias

cdias5555@gmail.com