Plea from Latin American Jewry Transmitted to O.a.s. in Washington

The cooperation of the World Jewish Congress and its affiliated communities in Latin America in protecting human rights has been welcomed by the Organization of American States. Dr. Jose A. Mora, secretary-general of the OAS, said the support of the WJC and its affiliates was “particularly welcomed in these moments when the protection of these rights has become a matter of vital concern to all the peoples of the Americas.”

Dr. Mora made his remarks at OAS headquarters here on receiving from Dr. Maurice L. Perlzweig, director of the WJC’s International Affairs Department, a copy of a resolution on human rights adopted at a recent Congress of Jewish communities held at Sao Paulo under World Jewish Congress auspices. Expressing deep concern over “the recent revival of Nazi and Fascist activity in the Americas,” the resolution addressed “an urgent appeal to the Organization of American States to take the necessary decisions to facilitate the adoption of an Inter American Convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, including the establishment of a Court of Human Rights.”

Dr. Mora said that the Inter-American System was devoting increasing attention to human rights than ever before “because there is growing realization throughout the Americas that the violation of the rights of the individual in any one country, the establishment or perpetration of a regime of tyranny and injustice anywhere, affects not only the citizens who suffer directly under it, but also threatens the peace and security of all of the peoples of the Americas.”