E/CN.4/2006/16 page 8 resourced local, community-based, free media. Relevant activities included the holding by the Presidential Commission on Discrimination and Racism against Indigenous Peoples and civil society of awareness-raising workshops for social workers. 21. Pursuant to one of the Special Rapporteur’s recommendations (E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.2, para. 47 (g)), the work initiated by the Commission for Historical Clarification, set up to shed light on past human rights violations, should be pursued and its recommendations implemented quickly. By Government Decree No. 258-2003 of 7 May 2003, amended by Decree No. 188-2004 of 6 July 2004, the National Compensation Programme was established in order to provide individual and/or collective compensation for civilian victims of human rights violations and crimes against humanity perpetrated during the internal armed conflict. The programme includes the establishment of government policies, projects and activities to provide reparation, compensation, restitution, indemnification, assistance and rehabilitation for victims. 22. At present the programme’s geographical coverage extends to the departments of Chimaltenango, Quetzaltenango, Alta and Baja Verapaz and Sololá. Notwithstanding the efforts made, it seems that there is some disenchantment at the regional level, and there have been complaints against staff employed under the programme of discriminatory treatment of victims. The Presidential Commission on Discrimination and Racism against Indigenous Peoples and the Indigenous Women’s Ombudsman have publicly denounced such incidents. At present the two institutions have procedures in place for follow-up to such complaints. Among other initiatives, the United Nations Development Programme’s Civil Society Participation programme (PASOC) works with civil society organizations, in particular the Commission on the Location of Disappeared Children and organizations of wives and widows of the armed conflict in various departments, to promote local reconciliation processes. These forums help communities to prepare and train for participation in the National Compensation Programme. 23. The Special Rapporteur recommended that non-governmental organizations should take an active part in drawing up and implementing a national programme to combat racism and racial discrimination by making proposals to eliminate racism and racial discrimination, with the focus on resolving communities’ specific problems. Most national and regional indigenous organizations are engaged in specific awareness-raising activities, mostly through seminars, workshops and diploma training courses for men and women in communities, as well as for public officials, on the implementation of national and international instruments for the protection of the human rights of indigenous peoples. 24. In the context of the Special Rapporteur’s follow-up visit, Maya, Garifuna, Xinca and Ladino culture-awareness days were held in the Garifuna region, together with training and recreational activities, at the end of 2004. These activities were supported by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Guatemala project. The Garifuna people spoke to the Vice-President about their proposal for the establishment of a Garifuna institute intended to provide a development fund for the Garifuna people. The project is now in its initial phase, which includes: (a) the establishment of the basic infrastructure, and (b) the definition of the mandate for the technical training of Garifunas who will direct the institute in the future. 25. In his reports the Special Rapporteur also included recommendations to the Organization of American States (OAS) (E/CN.4/2005/18/Add.2, para. 48). In particular, he recommended