Romero_Trial_Transcript_8_25_04_53_2

8-25-04 Trial Transcript
23 Subsequently, because the issue of the death squads
24 became so important in the process of the implementation of
25 the peace agreement, there was a joint commission formed to
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1 investigate the death squads themselves and a whole series of
2 investigations on death squads.
3 Q. Joint commission?
4 A. There was a UN Commission that followed the Truth
5 Commission Report to try to get at the questions of who
6 exactly were in death squads still, who was paying for death
7 squads, how were they organized, how could you, essentially,
8 the concern was that somehow the head of this had to be cut
9 off, because Salvadorans couldn't ever really feel safe until
10 this informal apparatus was ended.
11 So there was a UN effort to try to do that. Most of
12 that material, I believe, is not public.
13 Q. And you had some role in that?
14 A. Yes, I did.
15 Q. All right. And turning then, lastly, to the basis for
16 your opinion in this case, do you draw upon any of the United
17 Nations Truth Commission or this Joint Commission material in
18 forming your opinion in this case?
19 A. I drew on the Truth Commission Report, and I think, more
20 importantly, I drew on material that is not public and has not
21 been published from the UN investigation of death squads and
22 the associated interviews that came from that, from that
23 particular investigation, including interviews of Alvaro
24 Saravia.
25 MR. Van AELSTYN: Your Honor, I believe we have
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