______________________________________________________________

AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL

NEWS SERVICE 29/95

______________________________________________________________

TO: PRESS OFFICERS AI INDEX: NWS 11/29/95

FROM: IS PRESS OFFICEDISTR: SC/PO

DATE: 10 FEBRUARY 1995 NO OF WORDS: 368

NEWS SERVICE ITEMS: EXTERNAL - PERU/ECUADOR (reactive item, this is being targeted to Latin American and some European media)

Please note: UPDATE ON SRI LANKA MISSION (refer to NS 26/95)

The press conference scheduled for 10 February has been cancelled due to political reasons.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS RELEASES

Turkey - 8 February - SEE NEWS SERVICE 261

Northern Iraq - 28 February - SEE NEWS SERVICE 266

Campaign on Women - 8 March

** Brazil - 27 March ** Pierre Sané will be travelling on a high-level mission to Brazil. A research mission will precede Pierre's arrival. Media work will be organized in Brazil, including a press conference.

TARGETED AND LIMITED NEWS RELEASES

News Service 29/95

AI INDEX: AMR 46/WU & 28/WU 02/95

10 FEBRUARY 1995

ECUADOR AND PERU: AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL URGES BOTH GOVERNMENTS TO RESPECT HUMAN RIGHTS IN BORDER CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO COUNTRIES

Amnesty International today urged President Sixto Durán Ballén of Ecuador and President Alberto Fujimori of Peru to fully respect the human rights of civilians and combatants caught up in the border conflict between the two countries.

"Although we hold a position of impartiality in the present armed conflict, we are concerned about human rights violations which may be perpetrated against civilians and combatants," Amnesty International said today.

The human rights organization sent letters to both presidents urging their respective governments to take all the measures necessary to ensure that the human rights of civilians and of members of the security forces who are hors de combat are at all times and in all places fully respected.

Amnesty International is closely monitoring all information it receives surrounding the present conflict between Peru and Ecuador. Indeed, the organization received reports which have appeared in the national newspapers of both countries alleging that, in the context of the conflict, civilians of Peruvian nationality who find themselves in Ecuador, and their Ecuadorian counterparts in Peru, are threatened or imprisoned by the authorities.

Amnesty International is not in a position to verify the accuracy or otherwise of these reports. However, the organization is concerned that both governments fully abide by the human rights and humanitarian standards enshrined in international law to which both countries are party.

ENDS/