INSTITUTIONAL COOPERATION AGREEMENT BETWEEN CONEP- PAZ Y ESPERANZA AND THE TRUTH AND RECONCILIATION COMMISSION

This document certifies the institutional cooperation agreement entered into by the National Evangelic Council of Peru- CONEP and the Paz y Esperanza Association, represented by Victor Arroyo Cuyubamba, director of CONEP, identified by DNI N° 0721449 and Germán Vargas Farías, Executive Director of Paz y Esperanza, identified with L.E. ( Voter Card) 07563554, with domicile at Jr. Hermilio Valdizán 681 Jesús María, Lima and on the other, the Truth And Reconciliation Commission created by the President of the Republic through Supreme Decree 065-2001-PCM of June 4th, 2001, as amended by Supreme Decree 101-2001-PCM, represented by its Chairman Salomón Lerner Febres, identified with DNI 08771655, appointed to such position through Supreme Resolution 330-2001-PCM, and authorized to sign cooperation agreements through Ministerial Resolution 212-2001-PCM, with domicile at Av. Salaverry 2802- San Isidro, Lima, hereinafter the COMMISSION, under the following terms and conditions:

FIRST: PARTS TO THE AGREEMENT

CONEP-PAZ Y ESPERANZA

CONEP-PAZ Y ESPERANZA are entities of the Evangelic Community associated to defend and promote human rights. For some years they have developed several programs aimed at serving defenseless people and groups who are victims of political violence. CONEP, a representative institution of the National Evangelic Community, and PAZ Y ESPERANZA, an entity specialized in the defense and promotion of human dignity, have signed a common cooperation agreement for promoting human rights in Peru.

Truth and Reconciliation Commission

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission is a high level entity created by the Executive Power through Supreme Decree N° 065-2001-PCM of June 4th, 2001, as complemented by Supreme Decree N° 101-2001-PCM, to clarify the process, tasks and responsibilities related to terrorist violence and violations of human rights from May 1980 to November 2000, by both terrorist organizations and members of the state. It also makes proposals for strengthening peace and creating harmony among Peruvians.

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission has become the ideal mechanism to process and clarify the serious violations of human rights occurred during the violence period –it needs all the support and cooperation of public and private institutions and of citizens at large. In addition, it must direct its efforts at analyzing the causes of violence, contributing to the making of justice by competent entities and preparing proposals for institutional reform and the comprehensive redressing of victims.

SECOND: OBJECTIVES OF THE AGREEMENT

This agreement establishes the framework for cooperation between civil society institutions and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for the achievement of the following general objectives:

• Promoting the process of finding the truth, the rule of law and the redress of victims that will lead to stronger National Reconciliation and democratic government .
• Promoting respect for human rights in Peru, with an emphasis on the restitution of violated rights as a result of violence in Peru.
• Contributing recommendations for legal, institutional and educational reforms; and to prepare proposals for programs to compensate victims of violence.
• Promoting and disseminating the work of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to enhance its significance for national life and embrace the largest possible number of sectors in society. To this effect, an action plan and projects detailing the work of both institutions will be prepared.
  

THIRD: COOPERATION AREAS

In line with the objective of the agreement, the cooperation areas include:

Clarification of acts against human rights.
CONEP and PAZ Y ESPERANZA will hand over to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission information on human rights crimes and violations that affected the evangelic churches and rural communities where there was evangelic leadership.

Education and sensitization
Through evangelic ministers leaders and churches around Peru, and especially in the areas most affected by violence, CONEP and PAZ Y ESPERANZA commit to disseminate the tasks and attributions of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and train local and community leaders, encouraging them to participate in actions to support the Commission.

Mediation and complementation
To bring commissioners and members of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Executive Secretariat closer to the rural population affected by violence that acknowledge the authority of evangelic ministers and churches, CONEP and PAZ Y ESPERANZA will encourage the latter to act as intermediaries and to assist commissioners and victims. This may include providing temporary facilities or premises for the Truth and Reconciliation Commission to carry out their work.

FOURTH: SPECIFIC AGREEMENTS

Specific agreements will be prepared by cooperation areas. The agreement’s scope and duration, and the obligations of the parties will be established in the agreement. Additional areas of cooperation and their scope may also be identified

FIFTH: FUNDING

The parties are free to request the economic and financial support they need, be it from either public or private, national or international sources.

SIXTH: TERM OF THE AGREEMENT

This agreement shall be effective for 18 months as from its signing and until the Truth and Reconciliation Commission completes its mandate, unless one of the parties notifies the other party in writing and one month advance its intention of terminating the agreement.

SEVENTH: OPERATION COORDINATORS

The following operation coordinators will help to comply with the objectives of this agreement:

For the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: Javier Ciurlizza Contreras, Executive Secretary

For CONEP: Victor Arroyo Cuyubamba, Director

For PAZ Y ESPERANZA: Germán Vargas Farías, Director

EIGHTH: INTERPRETATION AND CONTROVERSIES

This agreement is based upon the parties’ good faith. Any controversies arising its interpretation, execution or breach will be resolved by agreement of the parties.

In conformance with the contents and scope of this agreement, the parties sign it in two equally valid copies in Lima on the 9th day of October, 2002.

Salomón Lerner Febres
President
Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Victor Arroyo Cuyubamba Germán Vargas Farías
Director Executive Director
CONEP PAZ Y ESPERANZA