ratione temporis since the obligation to respect and to guarantee rights protected under the American Convention was already in effect for the State at the date on which the alleged acts occurred. Finally, the Commission is competent ratione materiae because the petition charges possible violations of human rights protected by the American Convention 28. As to the question of competence ratione personae, the Commission has explained that, in general, its competence to consider individual cases relates to facts that involve the rights of one specific person or persons.12 As the Honorable Court has explained, in order to initiate proceedings under Articles 48 and 50 of the American Convention, the Commission requires that a petition include the charge of a specific violation against a specific person.13 29. In the petition under consideration, the petitioners duly identified individual persons as alleged victims whose rights under the American Convention the State of Guatemala committed to respect and guarantee. Indeed, in their first communication of August 26, 2003, the petitioners listed the alleged victims as Luis Rolando Cuscul Pivaral, Francisco Sop Gueij, Corina Robledo, Petrona López González, Aracely Cinto, Olga Marina Castillo, Israel Pérez Charal, Karen Judith Samayoa, Juana Aguilar, Darinel López Montes de Oca, Luis Rubén Álvarez Flores, Audiencio Rodas, Luis Edwin Cruz Gramau, Martina Candelaria Álvarez Estrada, Maria Felipe Pérez, Sayra Elisa Barrios, Felipe Ordóñez, Santos Isacax Vásquez Barrio, Ismera Oliva García Castañon, Guadalupe Cayaxon, Sandra Lisbeth Zepeda Herrera, Cesar Noe Cancinos Gómez, Santos Vásquez Oliveros, Maria Vail, Julia Aguilar, Sebastián Emilia Dueñas, Zoila Pérez Ruiz, Santiago Valdez, Pascula de Jesús Mérida, Iris Carolina Vicente Baullas, Reina López Mújica, Marta Alicia Maldonado PAC, José Cupertino Ramírez, José Rubén Delgado, Elsa Miriam Estrada, Ismar Ramírez Chajón, Félix Cabrera, Silvia Mirtala Álvarez, Facundo Gómez Reyes. That communication was supplemented by a note dated October 4, 2004 which adds the names of Alberto Quiché Cuxeva, Dora Marina Martínez Sofoija, Ingrid Janeth Barillas Martínez, Jorge Armando Tavares Barreno, Luis Armando Linares Ruano, Mardo Luis Hernández, Melvin Yovani Ajtun Escobar, Miguel Lucas Vail, Rita Mariana Dubon Orozco and Teresa Magdalena Ramírez Castro. They affirm that all 49 12 IACHR, Emérita Montoya González Case, Report 48/96, Case 11.553 (Costa Rica), March 14, 1997, paras. 28, 31; María Eugenia Morales de Sierra Case, Report 28/98 on Admissiblity, Case 11.625 (Guatemala), para. 28. 13 I/A Court. H.R., Advisory Opinion OC-14/94, "International Responsibilty for the Promulgation and Implementation of Laws in Violation of the Convention (Arts. 1 and 2 of the American Convention)", December 9, 1994, para. 45, see also, paras. 46-47 10