CCPR/C/95/D/1457/2006
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4.6 In relation to the alleged violation of article 2 of the Covenant, the State party considers
that the author’s complaint was dismissed because it was not technically substantiated. The State
party considers that the imposition of the above-mentioned technical requirement is not a
violation of the author’s right to an effective remedy but is a procedural requirement that is
related to the nature of the offence and is provided for by law. The requirement is based on the
need for technical information which will enable the Public Prosecutor to make a proper
assessment of the situation.
Author’s comments
5.1 In her comments of 12 July 2006 the author reiterates that, despite the charges brought by
the Public Prosecutor’s Office, the Tacna Criminal Court ordered that the trial should not be
opened on the basis of a procedural requirement, holding that it cannot initiate criminal
proceedings in cases of environmental offences which have not been previously categorized as
such by the competent authority, namely INRENA. INRENA is an administrative State body,
and in this case is playing the dual role of “judge and party”. She points out that the investigating
judge ensured impunity by not allowing the case against the manager of the company to proceed,
so that the author was left without any possibility of judicial remedy. She adds that the reason for
this refusal was that the State itself and the public agencies of the regional and municipal
authorities were chiefly responsible for the environmental offences.
5.2 The author submits that legislation relating to the environment is the only means the
indigenous communities have to safeguard their land and natural resources. She maintains that
the State party has violated International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 169, given
that there is no national law to protect the Peruvian indigenous communities who are adversely
affected by development projects.
5.3 The author forwarded to the Committee a report prepared privately at the request of the
community in 2006 by a Swiss geologist, entitled “Environmental impact of the
Vilavilani project - some geological and hydrological aspects”. The report states, inter alia, that
the diversion of water considerably intensifies the processes of erosion and transport of
sediments, affecting not only the infrastructure for withdrawal, irrigation and drinking water, but
also exacerbating the serious problems of desertification and morphodynamic stability facing the
area, producing a major negative impact on the ecosystem of the entire region.
Issues and proceedings before the Committee
Consideration of admissibility
6.1 Before considering any claim contained in a communication, the Human Rights Committee
must, in accordance with rule 93 of its rules of procedure, decide whether or not the
communication is admissible under the Optional Protocol to the Covenant.
6.2 As far as the examination of the matter by another procedure of international investigation
or settlement is concerned, the Committee takes note of the State party’s claim that the case was
referred to the Commission on Human Rights under the procedure established by Economic and
Social Council resolution 1503 (XLVIII) of 27 May 1970. However, the Committee points out