| InfoBrief – February 07, 2005
InfoBrief is a weekly news summary of events in the U.S. and Colombia produced and distributed by the U.S. Office on Colombia. Colombia This Week is reproduced with the kind permission of the ABColombia Group in London. Other sources include U.S. and Latin American newspapers, and reports from non-profit and grassroots groups. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Office on Colombia. If you would like to receive InfoBrief please contact jess_hunter@usofficeoncolombia.org indicating why you would be interested in this weekly news service. Previous editions of the InfoBrief can be found at www.usofficeoncolombia.org
U.S. Current Affairs and Media
- Donors Meet in Cartagena Last week representatives of 34 countries, including Colombia, European nations, and the United States, met for a donors conference in the Colombian coastal city of Cartagena to discuss international aid for the war-stricken country. The Cartagena conference, known as the “International Cooperation and Coordination Meeting for Colombia,” followed a July 10, 2003 donors’ conference held for Colombia in London. Participants recognized President Uribe's efforts against terrorism and drug trafficking and called for international assistance in six areas including forest protection, reincorporation of demobilized combatants, alternative development, support of government social and human rights programs, regional development and peace programs, and humanitarian assistance for the displaced. Andrew Natsios, administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), who represented the U.S. government at the conference, said that the U.S. supports the controversial paramilitary demobilization process currently underway, but called on the Colombian Congress to pass an “effective legal framework that furthers the principles of truth, justice, and reparations.” Human rights groups have suggested that the current process will guarantee impunity unless a clear legal framework is adopted. In statements prepared for the Cartagena conference, Colombian and international NGOs called for a continued commitment to the obligations laid out in the London Declaration requiring that the Colombian government fulfill its commitments to UN human rights recommendations. They also insisted that the Colombian government adopt a legal framework for the demobilization process which complies with international standards. In a letter to President Uribe, six U.S. law-makers, including the leadership of both the House and Senate international relations committees, joined the call for an “effective legal framework” and demanded that the paramilitaries be held accountable for their crimes, provide information about international drug trafficking, and hand over illegally-acquired property. President Uribe pledged to enact legislation for such a framework by June.Read the Cartagena Declaration: www.presidencia.gov.co/sne/2005/febrero/03/15032005.htm, Read the congressional letter: http://ciponline.org/colombia/050202chai.htm, Read the civil society declaration: http://www.codhes.org.co/dbreves.php?breve=495
- Report Suggests Government Gives More Money To Demobilized Than Displaced In a statement released to coincide with the Cartagena conference, Refugees International (RI) suggested that the funds requested by the Colombian government for the paramilitary demobilization are significantly higher than those ear-marked to assist internally displaced persons. The group reports that while the Colombian government wants $186 million for the demobilizing paramilitaries, numbering up to 16,000, it plans to provide only $136 million for the 750,000 registered victims of displacement. A Colombian Comptroller General (Contraloria General) report cited by Colombian daily El Tiempo indicates that the Colombian government has budgeted four times more aid for demobilized fighters than for displaced persons. Meanwhile, a new report released by Consultancy for Human Rights and Displacement (Codhes) finds that, contrary to Colombian government claims, displacement increased by 38.52% in 2004. While the Colombia government claims that less than 140,000 people were displaced in 2004, Codhes reports that in fact over 280,000 were forced from their homes last year. Read the Codhes report:
www.codhes.org.co/dsemanal.php?informe=54&report=54
- U.S. Provides Installations to Army Brigade Under Investigation On February 1st, the United States government officially handed over new facilities to the Colombian military that are part of the “Economic Infrastructure Protection program” in Saravena (Arauca). Colombia’s 18th Brigade, based in Arauca province in northeastern Colombia and subject of recent human rights abuse allegations, has been one of the principal recipients of U.S. military training and aid since early 2003 when the U.S. launched a $100 million program to train and equip this unit to defend the Caño Limón-Coveñas oil pipeline against frequent guerrilla attacks. The facilities, which include a hangar equipped to house 10 helicopters, will serve as headquarters for the program which is responsible for the security of the pipeline. In two weeks barracks for 120 soldiers and contract workers for the program will also be completed. The “José Alvear Restrepo” Lawyers Colective recently reported that the Colombian Inspector General’s Office (Procuraduria) has opened disciplinary investigations against three high-ranking officials from the 18 th Brigade’s Reveíz Pizarro Battalion, including the battalion’s commander, in the case of the killings of three trade unionists in Tame in August 2004. Three other soldiers face criminal charges for the killings.
- Suspected Guerrilla ‘Sonia’ May Face Extradition To U.S. The Colombian Inspector General’s Office (Procuraduria) has asked the Colombian Supreme court to authorize the extradition to the United States of Omaira Rojas Cabrera alias “Sonia,” allegedly the chief of finances for the Southern bloc of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The extradition request from the Washington, DC District Court is based on charges of drug-trafficking and supporting and facilitating illegal activities alleged in a February 18, 2003 arrest warrant.
Upcoming Events and Seminars in the U.S.
- On February 25-26, the Schell Center for International Human Rights and the Council on Latin American and Iberian Studies at Yale University will be having a conference on U.S. Colombia Policy at a Crossroads: Recent Experiences and Future Challenges. For more information, please contact Ryan Calkins at ryan.calkins@yale.edu
- On March 11-14, 2005, the Ecumenical Advocacy Days for Global Peace with Justice will hold its annual gathering in Washington, D.C., addressing urgent global issues such as peaceful solutions to conflicts and the need for aid, debt and trade policies that benefit impoverished people throughout the world. Colombia will be a focus of the Latin America track. For more information, please refer to http://www.advocacydays.org/ or contact info@advocacydays.org
Colombia This Week is reproduced with the kind permission of the ABColombia Group in London
Colombia This Week editing date: 02/07/05
Fri 28 –Head of police arrested for drug trafficking; panel orders Ecopetrol to rehire 111 strikers.
- The head of the sniffer dog unit at Bogota international airport is arrested in raids targeting a drugs ring run by an ex-police chief in Colombia. Drugs police believe Freddy Castro was paid to tip off smugglers when his dogs were taking breaks. Sixteen other suspects were held as police moved against a network headed by retired police Col Lionel Mendoza, who was arrested in December. Anti Corruption drugs police closed in on the suspected smuggling ring in Bogota international airport in conjunction with US authorities. Col Mendoza is being held in a Colombian jail awaiting extradition charges to the US. His case is the latest in a string of corruption scandals to hit Colombia's police force in the past few years, BBC reports.
- An arbitration panel finally rules that the Colombian Petroleum Company (Ecopetrol) must rehire 111 of the 248 workers fired during a strike last spring and provide them back pay. The ruling is another victory for the Petroleum Industry Workers Union (USO), which won most of its demands during the strike, El Tiempo reports.
- In a statement on the Presidential website, the Colombian government expresses its willingness to review those events that have ‘inconvenienced’ Venezuela, and to ensure that such events are not repeated. The Colombian government asserts that “this strategy will be developed with the application of current mechanisms and others defined by the governments, always with the utter strictest respect to legality and in particular to the sovereignty of both countries”, SNE reports.
- International NGO Reporters without Borders reports the recent kidnapping of a Colombian photographer by FARC members and urges the rebels to free him. Hernan Echeverri, photojournalist for the regional magazine Uraba Hoy, was taken by the FARC while he was driving on a rural highway in the Dabeiba municipality, army Gen. Hector Fandino said. "We call on the FARC's leaders to order Hernan Echeverri's immediate and unconditional release,'' Paris-based Reporters without Borders said.
- Police report that the National Liberation Army, or ELN, has kidnapped the mayor of Alto Baudo, (Choco province) while he was travelling along a jungle river. Police commander Alberto Ruiz told local RCN radio that the mayor was kidnapped along with two other town officials and the driver of the boat in which they were travelling. The ELN has since released the other three but are still holding the mayor, Ruiz said.
Sat 29- OFP leader Yolanda Becerra harassed by paramilitaries; Colombia, Venezuela resolve row
- In its monthly publication FOCOS, the Colombian Project of Peace Brigades International (PBI) reports numerous acts of intimidation by paramilitaries in the city of Barrancabermeja targeting the Popular Women’s Organisation (OFP) director, Yolanda Becerra Vega. On 28 January, PBI was present in the OFP headquarters when a suspected paramilitary came in and acted in an extremely aggressive manner until he was made to leave. Other suspected paramilitaries subsequently passed in front of the office. In addition, rumours of the death of Yolanda have been circulated recently in the media in Barrancabermeja.
- Colombian trade union Fensuagro (National Federation of Cattle and Farming) reports the disappearance of Florindo Velandia, social leader and member of the Patriotic Union. He was last seen in the municipality of Mesetas when he was accosted by unknown people, El Colombiano reports.
- Colombia and Venezuela claim that a 15-day diplomatic crisis over the capture of a rebel commander is over. They said they would review the incident and work together in the future to fight terrorism and drug-trafficking. A statement from the Colombian government did not include an apology but a guarantee that the incident which saw the kidnapping of Mr Granda from the streets of Caracas would not be repeated, BBC reports.
Sun 30 – Cambio’s editor blames Restrepo for threats to journalists; more paras to demobilise.
- In its weekly column, director of CAMBIO magazine, Mauricio Vargas reports that after recent comments made by Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo in Santa Fe de Ralito, in which he complained to paramilitary commanders that the Colombian press “is not collaborating in the demobilisation”, threats have increased to some Colombian journalists this week. The article also reports how information gathered by the DAS (Colombia’s secret police) is passed to paramilitary leaders with total impunity.
- Another paramilitary unit surrendered its weapons in Ciudad Bolivar (Antioquia). The 126-member unit Southern Bloc of the United Self-Defence Forces, or AUC, disbanded in Ciudad Bolivar, bringing to at least 4,700 the number of fighters who have demobilised in the past two years. "We have moved forward, but a lot still needs to be done. This year will be decisive... there is a total and authentic will to make peace," government Peace Commissioner Luis Carlos Restrepo said, Associated Press reports.
- The President of the Confederation of Bishops, Monsignor Pedro Rubiano urges President Uribe Velez to reach an agreement with the guerrilla groups to free all the kidnapped prisoners and start a fresh round of negotiations with the FARC and the ELN, calling upon the Colombian Congress representatives to work hard on the truth, justice and reparation bill that will provide the legal framework for demobilisation, Efe reports.
Mon 31 – CODHES: displacement figures on the increase; another demobilisation goes ahead.
- Both the Colombian government and Colombian NGO CODHES released statistics estimating the number of Colombians displaced by violence in 2004. While the Colombian government claims that displacement decreased by 37 percent from 2003 levels, CODHES's figures show a 38.5 percent increase. In a press conference, the latter said that under the new methodology used by the government, IDPs have a year in which to register, predicting that government figures will increase in the next few months, El Tiempo reports.
- Colombian indigenous NGOs the Regional Council of Indigenous People in Cauca (CRIC) and the Association of Indigenous Councillors in Norte del Valle (ACIN) condemn the killing of Paez leader Ever Cunda Poscue in the municipality of Miranda (Cauca). According to police reports, he was killed by FARC members.
- An Early Day Motion (EDM) has been tabled in the British parliament praising the work of Peace Brigades International in Colombia. The EDM states: ‘ That this House notes the work of Peace Brigades International (PBI) in providing observer and accompaniment teams for human rights organisations in Colombia; applauds its efforts to protect the political space of non-violent human rights defenders and to support Colombian initiatives which promote respect for human rights and international humanitarian law; expresses its support for the continuation of this valuable work; congratulates PBI on 10 years of work in Colombia; and urges the Government to assist the project politically and financially so that it can continue to do its life-saving and vital work in the search for peace in Colombia’.
- Colombian military authorities report that leishmaniasis, caused by sand-fly bites that produce open sores and swelling, now forces more troops from the battlefield into hospitals than gunshots and mine blasts combined. A bout 2,500 soldiers were hospitalised in 2004 for it - a threefold increase from 2003, and more than double the 1,150 injured in combat. Defence Ministry officials commented: "Our soldiers are going into jungle regions where they've never been before and the rise in leishmaniasis cases is one of the unfortunate results,” Associated Press reports.
Tues 01- Paramilitaries blamed for S. Carlos massacre; Amnesty urges action on human rights.
- Uniformed gunmen shoot dead seven members of a family in a remote settlement in the municipality of San Carlos (Antioquia). The massacre in San Carlos occurred on Saturday but authorities only learned of it Sunday night, when one of the three people wounded in the attack reported it to Colombian army troops. There were initial reports that the killers accused their victims of being rebel collaborators, indicating paramilitary fighters carried out the attack, said Edison Agudelo, a municipal official in San Carlos, El Colombiano reports.
- The international community must reaffirm its commitment to the UN human rights recommendations as the framework for resolving Colombia’s long-standing armed conflict. Any disbursement of international assistance
must be conditional on the Colombian government’s commitment to the full and prompt implementation of the recommendations, said Susan Lee, Director of Amnesty International’s Americas Programme shortly before the Meeting on International Cooperation, to be held on 3 and 4 February 2005 in Cartagena, Reuters reports.
- During the reception ceremony for Diplomats in Bogota, Monseñor Benjamino Stella, the Vatican envoy, asks President Uribe to be more tolerant with critics, SM& reports.
Weds 02 – FARC kill 15 Navy soldiers in Nariño; Civil society groups meet in Cartagena.
- The Navy reports that members of the FARC fired rockets into a Colombian marine post outside the village of Iscuande, killing at least 15 soldiers and wounding 25. The assault in the south-western province of Nariño was the bloodiest rebel attack in two years. Among those attacked were peasant soldiers, or marines, natives of the area who are stationed at local military posts after a short period of training. Their deployment forms a major part of President Uribe's strategy to end a 40-year insurgency by the FARC, AP reports.
- A large range of organisations and individuals representing Colombian civil society attend a meeting in Cartagena focusing on human rights and international cooperation. The meeting, organised by the Alianza (coalition of Colombian NGOs), was also attended by a number of delegations from the international community. The civil society organisations produced a single position statement in which they insisted upon the existence of a humanitarian crisis and an internal conflict, and called for a negotiated solution to the conflict including the implementation of a legal framework which respects the rights of victims to truth, justice and reparation.
- Congressman from the Magdalena Medio region, Joaquin Jose Vives claims that another parliamentarian from the region is plotting with the paramilitary commanders to kill him. He also said that almost all elected politicians in the region were forced to ally or negotiate with paramilitaries and that he would present evidence of this during the debate on the truth, justice and reparation bill in Congress, El Colombiano reports.
Thurs 03 – FARC ambush kills 7 soldiers and 1 civilian; inter-governmental meeting in Cartagena.
- The FARC group ambushes and kills eight soldiers in its second deadly attack in the south in two days, the military says. A civilian also died and four soldiers were injured as FARC rebels reportedly set off mines on a bridge in Putumayo province as a patrol crossed. The news came as officials gave more details on Tuesday's strike on a military outpost, which killed 15, BBC reports.
- Hosting the inter-governmental cooperation meeting in Cartagena, President Uribe asks the international community to help pay for the peace process whilst insisting that in Colombia there is no armed conflict but rather a country at the mercy of terrorist organisations. The final declaration of the international community concludes that Colombia must develop an adequate legal framework that will punish the paramilitaries before these countries will contribute funds, El Tiempo reports.
- President Uribe’s hopes of international aid for demobilising paramilitaries receive a setback when senior U.S. lawmakers demand warlords confess to human rights abuses. In a letter, six top lawmakers also urged President Uribe to back a law demanding that militias disclose details of their drug smuggling rings and surrender criminal proceeds. The letter says U.S. lawmakers would only fund demobilisation if a law is passed in Colombia to dismantle the paramilitaries' criminal operations, Reuters reports.
Colombia This Week is a news summary produced and distributed by ABColombia Group. Sources include daily Colombian, US, European and Latin American newspapers, and reports from non-governmental organisations and the UN System. The content does not necessarily reflect the views of the ABColombia Group.
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