Visit by CCDH President to Columbia and Peru

The President of the Advisory Council on Human Rights (CCDH), Mr. Ahmed Herzenni, paid working visits to Colombia and Peru, from October 16 – 25, 2009. Leading a delegation of the CCDH composed of Mr. Mustapha Iznasni and Mr. Mohamed Soual, Mr. Herzenni had a series of discussions with Colombian and Peruvian representatives on the Moroccan, Colombian and Peruvian experiences in transitional justice. These meetings shed light on the initiatives, actions and the programs implemented by the institutions of these countries to protect and promote human rights, as well as the respective experiences as regards reparation, reconciliation and reinforcement of democratic processes and the rule of law.

The meetings with the Colombian and Peruvian officials were an opportunity for Mr. Herzenni to give an outline of the Moroccan experience in transitional justice, highlighting the work done by the Equity and Reconciliation Commission (IER) and the follow-up undertaken by the CCDH relating to the establishment of the truth about past human rights violations, compensation for victims and other individual and collective methods of reparation as well as legal, institutional and education reforms adopted by Morocco.

Additionally, Mr. Herzenni proposed that a consultation mechanism be set up to facilitate exchange of experiences, including Latin-American, Arab and African institutions.

During his stay in Colombia, from October 16 – 29, 2009, Mr. Herzenni met Mr. Carlos Echeverria, Director of the Presidential Program for Human Rights and humanitarian rights, Mr. Eduardo Pizarro Leongomez, President of the Colombian National Commission of Reparation and Reconciliation, and Mr. Oscar Arboleda, President of the First Commission of the House of Representatives of the Colombian Congress. He also had discussions with Mrs. Clemencia Forero Ucros, Vice-Minister of Foreign Relations, Ms. Adrianna Mejia Hernadez, Vice-Minister of Multilateral Affairs, Mrs. Angela Margarita Rey Anaya, Director of Human Rights and Humanitarian International Law, as well as a non-governmental group of Colombian human rights organizations.
After Colombia, Mr. Ahmed Herzenni headed for Peru from October 21 – 25, 2009. In Lima, Mr. Herzenni met with Mr. Luis Alarcon, executive secretary of the National Council for Human Rights – Ministry of Justice, Mr. Juan Pablo Vegas, Managing Director of Human Rights at the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Dr. Bedsi Cordova Quine, Permanent Secretary of the National Commission on Human Rights at the Ministry of the Interior, Dr. Ronald Gamarra, Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Coordination Body and Dr. Solomon Lerner Ferbres, Executive President of the Institute of Democracy and Human Rights at the Catholic University.