An Overview of Human Rights in Colombia in 2007
14/02/2008
- Opinión
Human Rights Watch last week issued their report on Colombia's human rights performance during 2007. In it they describe "an alarming increase in reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by the military", confirming what both the United Nations and Colombian human rights NGOs have documented.
The new report covers numerous issues including the ongoing links between members of Colombian President Uribe's political coalition and paramilitary death squads, the continuing violence against trade unionists and human rights defenders and the alleged 'demobilisation' process that the paramilitaries have carried out with the Colombian Government – a process that they heavily criticise.
The report also mentions UK military assistance to Colombia and the recent changes in US policy towards Colombia that have resulted from human rights concerns among Congressional Democrats.
Extracts of the report follow, the full version can be read online at http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/colomb17754.htm
Violence against Trade Unionists
"Colombia has the highest rate of violence against trade unionists in the world. The National Labour School, a Colombian labour rights group, has recorded over 2,500 killings of trade unionists in Colombia since 1986."
Threats against Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, and Victims of Paramilitaries
"Human rights monitors, journalists, politicians, and victims of paramilitary groups continue to be the subjects of frequent threats, harassment, and attacks for their legitimate work. Investigations of these cases rarely result in prosecutions or convictions.
"In 2007 President Uribe once again made statements attacking the media for its coverage of public issues. In October, journalist Gonzalo Guillén fled Colombia due to the numerous death threats he received after Uribe accused him of making false claims about the president. Another prominent journalist, Daniel Coronell, who had only recently returned to Colombia after nearly two years in exile, also received a death threat after Uribe publicly accused him of being a "liar."
"Victims of paramilitaries who speak about their experiences are also threatened and sometimes killed. Mrs. Yolanda Izquierdo, for example, a mother of five who led a group of 700 paramilitary victims who were demanding the return of land that paramilitaries had stolen from them, requested government protection after receiving repeated threats to her life. The protection was never provided. In February, 2007, she was shot to death in front of her house."
Paramilitary Influence in Politics
"Dozens of Congressmen from President Uribe's coalition, including the president's own cousin, Senator Mario Uribe, came under investigation by the Supreme Court in 2007 for their alleged collaboration with paramilitaries responsible for widespread atrocities. At this writing, 17 congressmen were under arrest. One of them is the brother of former Foreign Minister Maria Consuelo Araújo, who resigned as a result.
"President Uribe's former intelligence chief from 2002 to 2005, Jorge Noguera, is also under investigation for links to paramilitaries.
"The government has provided funding to the court and spoken of the need for full investigations. However, President Uribe has repeatedly lashed out against the court, accusing it of suffering from an "ideological bias" and personally calling one Supreme Court justice to inquire about ongoing investigations.
"In April 2007 President Uribe announced a proposal to release from prison all politicians who are convicted of colluding with paramilitaries."
Demobilization of Paramilitary Groups
"The Colombian government continues to claim that, thanks to its demobilization program, paramilitaries no longer exist.
"Both the Organization of American States and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia reported in 2007 that mid-level paramilitary commanders continue to engage in criminal activity and recruitment of new troops.
"The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights noted in a 2007 report that while over 30,000 individuals may have gone through demobilization ceremonies; some may not have been paramilitaries at all, but persons who played the role to access government stipends."
Military Abuses and Impunity
"Reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by Colombia's army have increased substantially in recent years, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as local groups, including the Colombian Commission of Jurists.
"Colombia continues to suffer from rampant impunity for human rights abuses. The authorities' failure to effectively investigate, prosecute, and punish abuses has created an environment in which abusers correctly assume that they will never be held accountable for their crimes.
"The problem is particularly acute in cases involving military collaboration with paramilitaries. Low-ranking officers are sometimes held accountable in these cases, but rarely is a commanding officer prosecuted."
"Most cases involving violations of human rights and international humanitarian law are never solved."
Guerrilla Abuses
"The FARC also continues regularly to engage in kidnappings. In June 2007, the FARC announced that 11 congressmen from the state of Valle del Cauca that it had been holding for more than five years had been shot to death while under their control."
Key International Actors
"In April 2007, the US Congress froze $55 million in US assistance due to concerns over the increase in reports of extrajudicial executions by the military and lack of adequate progress in reducing impunity in major cases involving military-paramilitary links.
"The Democratic leadership in the US House of Representatives announced in June 2007 that it would not support a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia until there is "concrete evidence of sustained results on the ground" with regard to impunity for violence against trade unionists and the role of paramilitaries."
"The United Kingdom provides military assistance to Colombia, though the full amount is not publicly known."
Source: Justice for Colombia (UK), http://www.justiceforcolombia.org
The new report covers numerous issues including the ongoing links between members of Colombian President Uribe's political coalition and paramilitary death squads, the continuing violence against trade unionists and human rights defenders and the alleged 'demobilisation' process that the paramilitaries have carried out with the Colombian Government – a process that they heavily criticise.
The report also mentions UK military assistance to Colombia and the recent changes in US policy towards Colombia that have resulted from human rights concerns among Congressional Democrats.
Extracts of the report follow, the full version can be read online at http://hrw.org/englishwr2k8/docs/2008/01/31/colomb17754.htm
Violence against Trade Unionists
"Colombia has the highest rate of violence against trade unionists in the world. The National Labour School, a Colombian labour rights group, has recorded over 2,500 killings of trade unionists in Colombia since 1986."
Threats against Human Rights Defenders, Journalists, and Victims of Paramilitaries
"Human rights monitors, journalists, politicians, and victims of paramilitary groups continue to be the subjects of frequent threats, harassment, and attacks for their legitimate work. Investigations of these cases rarely result in prosecutions or convictions.
"In 2007 President Uribe once again made statements attacking the media for its coverage of public issues. In October, journalist Gonzalo Guillén fled Colombia due to the numerous death threats he received after Uribe accused him of making false claims about the president. Another prominent journalist, Daniel Coronell, who had only recently returned to Colombia after nearly two years in exile, also received a death threat after Uribe publicly accused him of being a "liar."
"Victims of paramilitaries who speak about their experiences are also threatened and sometimes killed. Mrs. Yolanda Izquierdo, for example, a mother of five who led a group of 700 paramilitary victims who were demanding the return of land that paramilitaries had stolen from them, requested government protection after receiving repeated threats to her life. The protection was never provided. In February, 2007, she was shot to death in front of her house."
Paramilitary Influence in Politics
"Dozens of Congressmen from President Uribe's coalition, including the president's own cousin, Senator Mario Uribe, came under investigation by the Supreme Court in 2007 for their alleged collaboration with paramilitaries responsible for widespread atrocities. At this writing, 17 congressmen were under arrest. One of them is the brother of former Foreign Minister Maria Consuelo Araújo, who resigned as a result.
"President Uribe's former intelligence chief from 2002 to 2005, Jorge Noguera, is also under investigation for links to paramilitaries.
"The government has provided funding to the court and spoken of the need for full investigations. However, President Uribe has repeatedly lashed out against the court, accusing it of suffering from an "ideological bias" and personally calling one Supreme Court justice to inquire about ongoing investigations.
"In April 2007 President Uribe announced a proposal to release from prison all politicians who are convicted of colluding with paramilitaries."
Demobilization of Paramilitary Groups
"The Colombian government continues to claim that, thanks to its demobilization program, paramilitaries no longer exist.
"Both the Organization of American States and the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia reported in 2007 that mid-level paramilitary commanders continue to engage in criminal activity and recruitment of new troops.
"The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights noted in a 2007 report that while over 30,000 individuals may have gone through demobilization ceremonies; some may not have been paramilitaries at all, but persons who played the role to access government stipends."
Military Abuses and Impunity
"Reports of extrajudicial executions of civilians by Colombia's army have increased substantially in recent years, according to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights as well as local groups, including the Colombian Commission of Jurists.
"Colombia continues to suffer from rampant impunity for human rights abuses. The authorities' failure to effectively investigate, prosecute, and punish abuses has created an environment in which abusers correctly assume that they will never be held accountable for their crimes.
"The problem is particularly acute in cases involving military collaboration with paramilitaries. Low-ranking officers are sometimes held accountable in these cases, but rarely is a commanding officer prosecuted."
"Most cases involving violations of human rights and international humanitarian law are never solved."
Guerrilla Abuses
"The FARC also continues regularly to engage in kidnappings. In June 2007, the FARC announced that 11 congressmen from the state of Valle del Cauca that it had been holding for more than five years had been shot to death while under their control."
Key International Actors
"In April 2007, the US Congress froze $55 million in US assistance due to concerns over the increase in reports of extrajudicial executions by the military and lack of adequate progress in reducing impunity in major cases involving military-paramilitary links.
"The Democratic leadership in the US House of Representatives announced in June 2007 that it would not support a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia until there is "concrete evidence of sustained results on the ground" with regard to impunity for violence against trade unionists and the role of paramilitaries."
"The United Kingdom provides military assistance to Colombia, though the full amount is not publicly known."
Source: Justice for Colombia (UK), http://www.justiceforcolombia.org
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