InfoBrief – July 5, 2004
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
U.S. Current Affairs and Media
- Colombian Government and Paramilitary Groups Begin Peace Talks Leaders of the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) met with Colombian Government officials in the northern province of Córdoba to begin negotiations for the demobilization of the paramilitary group. AUC leader Salvatore Mancuso stated that, “the paramilitaries don’t want to move toward the dissolution of our organization, but the transformation into a mass political movement.” The U.S. labels the AUC a terrorist organization and many leaders, including Mancuso, are sought by the U.S. Justice Department on drug related charges. U.S. ambassador William Wood stated that that the AUC’s drug trafficking ties influenced the U.S. decision to remain an observer at the talks. Human rights groups have expressed concern that paramilitary leaders will be granted amnesty in the negotiations. Roxanna Altholz from the Center for Justice and International Law said, “The Colombian Government is sitting at the table with some of the worst war criminals in the Western Hemisphere…these people cannot be amnestied from human rights violations.” A spokesman for UN Secretary General Kofi Anan said that, “the secretary general reiterates his belief that the rights of truth, justice and reparations for victims must be fully respected” in the peace process.
- United Nations Cites High Suicide Rate Among Indigenous Youth The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) reported that an unusually high number of indigenous youth in northwestern Colombia committed or attempted suicide this year. Gerard Fayoux, head of UNHCR’s field office said that, “this is not normal…this is a sign of great distress in the communities.” In recent months, thousands of indigenous people have been displaced by massacres and fighting between Colombian government forces and armed paramilitaries and rebel groups. The National Indigenous Organzation of Colombia(ONIC) states that virtually all of the country’s more than 80 indigenous groups are now threatened by the ongoing conflict. The pressure of possible displacement and the presence of continuing violence adversely affects indigenous youths will to live. UNHCR is currently starting a project to provide culturally appropriate psychological support and advice to young people and their families in indigenous communities.
- Seminar Introduces Framework to Address Internal Displacement Earlier this year the Brookings Institution, Johns Hopkins SAIS Project on Internal Displacement, and the United Nations co-sponsored the first regional seminar on internal displacement in the Americas held in Mexico City. Colombia, which has the majority of the 3.3 million internally displaced persons (IDP) in the Americas, now has the third largest IDP population in the world. The seminar produced a Framework for Action which, “identifies steps to be taken by governments to improve the plight of the displaced in the Americas.” The seminar proposed that Latin American governments “ensure that the national response covers all groups, in particular indigenous people, Afro-Colombians, and others who have been marginalized.” To see more information about the Brookings Institution-Johns Hopkins SAIS Project on Internal Displacement go to: http://www.refugeesinternational.org/cgi-bin/ri/missions
- Amnesty International Addresses Recent Massacres Amnesty International released a public statement on July 1 st that condemned the massacre of 34 civilians by guerillas in the La Gabarra area of Colombia. Amnesty stated that the “killings of defenseless civilians are in grave violation of the fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.” Amnesty also addressed massacres, allegedly committed by the Colombian military or paramilitary groups, that have targeted civilian populations in Guaitarilla,Cajamarca, and Bahia Portete. Amnesty International reports that the “continual violations and abuses of human rights” by armed groups and the implementation of government policies “in violation of international law” are encouraging “spiraling political violence in Colombia.” The human rights organization calls upon the Colombian government to take “measures that will truly protect the civilian population and remove it from the armed conflict.” To see a copy of the statement go to http://www.amnestyusa.org/news/document.do?id=EE4DA7BB1B84963880256EC500633490
- International Monetary Fund Grants Aid to Colombia Colombia will receive $284 million in assistance from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The IMF stated that Colombia’s “strong policy track record is bolstering confidence and contributing” to the country’s economic recovery. Roger Noriega, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, believes that Colombia is ready “to forge a strong trade partnership with the United States through a free trade agreement.” The IMF stated that although Colombia’s economy is improving the country still needs to “press ahead with reforms that are crucial to sustain” economic recovery.
Upcoming Events and Seminars in the U.S.
If you have news of upcoming events in your area please forward them to jess_hunter@usofficeoncolombia.org .
Colombia This Week - July 5, 2004
Colombia This Week is reproduced with the kind permission of the ABColombia Group in London
Fri 25 – Mayor of Cucuta detained for paramilitarism; Bishops against humanitarian agreement.
- Ramiro Suarez Corzo, mayor of Cucuta (Norte de Santander) is detained for alleged paramilitary ties. Authorities said the case against him includes a recorded telephone conversation as well as an accusation by a demobilised paramilitary fighter that Suarez played a role in the October 6 murder of Enrique Florez, a legal advisor under a previous mayor. Late last year the Attorney General’s office arrested 28 Cucuta officials, including police officers, for alleged paramilitary links, Colombia Week reports.
- Bogota archbishop Monseñor Pedro Rubiano reports that the Colombian Catholic Church would oppose an exchange of prisoners between the government and the FARC group, saying that: “We cannot put a price on people, everyone needs to respect the integrity of Colombians”, EFE reports. By contrast, according to Michael Frühling, the U.N. human rights chief for Colombia, international law would support an exchange of captives between guerrillas and the government, El Pais reports.
- Defence Minister Jorge Alberto Uribe reports that nine soldiers involved in the Cajamarca shooting will have to take lie-detector tests in a probe of the army’s April 11 killing of the Tolima peasant family, El Tiempo reports.
- In a suspected social ‘cleansing’ case, four telephone-card street vendors have been murdered in the city of Tunja (Boyaca) over the last two months, El Espectador reports.
Sat 26- Government: cuts in pensions to US $ 2 a day; Spanish gov. to send tanks to Colombia.
- In a speech delivered by President Uribe, the Colombian government proposes cutting retirement payments to as little as US $2 a day, (5,512 Colombian pesos), calling it “an effort to cover more people”. The measure has been strongly criticised by nongovernmental groups and the Catholic Church as the latest figures from the UNDP show that 60% of Colombians are living in poverty, El Colombiano reports.
- The Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero rejects a Congressional proposal to reverse a sale of tanks to Colombia, Efe reports.
- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia Michael Frühling reports that the government and the Colombian Congress must not cede reparations and truth in paramilitary talks, El Pais reports.
- The Attorney General’s office orders the recapture of 123 civilians accused of being guerrilla sympathisers in the north western province of Sucre, El Tiempo reports.
- Venezuelan military prosecutors have charged more than 60 Colombians with plotting to overthrow President Hugo Chavez Frias They were arrested near Caracas last month, accused of being paramilitaries sent to undermine the government. Several Venezuelan army officers are also accused of involvement, BBC reports.
- A letter signed by more than 60 members of the US Congress has been sent to Colombian President Uribe expressing concern over comments criticising human rights organisations working in Colombia. Last month, President Uribe suggested that members of international NGOs working in northwestern Colombia were obstructing justice. Both Peace Brigades International (PBI) and Fellowship of Reconciliation work in the area. Following the President’s accusations, public security agents subjected several PBI volunteers to “interrogation-like questioning.” The letter asked President Uribe to retract his statements and publicly state his support for international human rights organisations working in the region.
Sun 27 – 5000 indigenous protest against fumigation; Uribe’s comments criticised in Europe.
- More than 5,000 indigenous people from the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta concentrated in Guachaca (Magdalena) protesting about the announcement of the fumigation campaign in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta. They are voicing complaints because the authorities did not comply with the agreements and the promised support to manually eradicate the illegal crops, El Tiempo reports.
- Colombia Week observes that, regarding President Uribe’s recent attack on NGOs, the Colombian media outlets reported Uribe’s remarks but generally failed to criticise them. An exception was El Tiempo columnist Daniel Samper Pizano, whose June 23 instalment blasted the president for deriding human rights groups in speeches to policemen and soldiers. “What excesses won’t those brave little warriors feel authorised to commit?” Samper asked.
- Adam Erely, spokesperson for the US State Department reports that the US government has not “curtailed” any aid for the talks with the paramilitaries, because they did not commit any money for the process. The Colombian press reported last week that the US authorities retained US $2 m that former ambassador Anne Patterson had promised before she left the Embassy, El Espectador reports.
Mon 28 –European MPs in support of PBI volunteers; former senator kidnapped by paramilitaries.
- Jean Lambert, a UK-European MP from the Green Party calls on President Uribe to publicly declare his support for the vital work of international organisations in Colombia: "I am very concerned by recent comments made by President Uribe suggesting that international human rights organisations have been obstructing justice in the country. It is of great importance that organisations such as Peace Brigades International (PBI) have full governmental support to continue their work." Concerns were heightened following reports of PBI volunteers being interrogated by the Colombian authorities earlier this month.
- Suspected paramilitaries kidnap a former senator and several family members, throwing a nascent peace process into turmoil. Gunmen abducted Jose Eduardo Gnecco, his wife, five children and a niece from their vehicle as they traveled along the Caribbean coast, the military said. President Uribe's official spokesman told reporters that two regional paramilitary commanders, Rodrigo Tovar and Hernan Giraldo Serna, appeared to be behind the attack. In response to the kidnapping, a brief statement by the Colombian government removes the paramilitary commanders Rodrigo ‘Jorge 40’ Tovar Pupo and Hernan Giraldo Serna from the peace talks immunity list and orders their arrest.
Tues 29 – UN condemns killing of civil leader and kidnapping of Senator.
- The UN Office for Human Rights strongly condemns the killing of communal leader Jorge Luis Rodelo Vargas in the city of Valledupar and the kidnap of former senator Jorge Eduardo Gnecco in the same area. The communal leader was killed while serving food to the children in the communal settlement, according to witnesses. Paramilitary commander “Jorge 40” is suspected for both crimes. The UN office condemns the continuous violations of the cease-fire by this group, currently under peace talks with Uribe’s government.
- Indigenous Senator Gerardo Jumi calls the government to protect the Wiwa y Wayuu indigenous communities from the aggressions and disappearances committed by paramilitaries, urging President Uribe to condemn not only kidnappings but also the situation of the communities in the Sierra Nevada affected by the conflict.
- In an interview in Cambio magazine, US Ambassador in Colombia Wlilliam Wood reports “the only real goal of the AUC (Colombia’s main paramilitary federation) is “narcoterrorism”, and their only agenda “destruction”, criticising the plans of this illegal armed group to re-appear as a political movement.
- In case Congress fails to pass the re-election bill, supporters of the presidential re-election would need 1.2 million signatures within six months to put the measure on the ballot, El Pais reports.
Weds 30 – European Union calls on Uribe to refrain from statements against human rights work.
- A declaration by the European presidency in representation of the European Union recalls the London Declaration of July 2003 and reiterates its support for a negotiated solution to the armed conflict in Colombia, welcoming the start of the peace negotiations with the paramilitary commanders but deploring the violence and continuing violations of the cease-fire by this armed group. The statement also reports the concern of the member states at the grave human rights situation in Colombia, calling on the Colombian authorities to refrain from statements that might endanger the rights of persons involved in the defence of human rights and to ensure compliance with presidential directive 07 of September 1999.
- Former Colombian Peace Commissioner Camilo Gomez reports doubts on President Uribe's determination to seek his own re- election calling it an egocentric aim: “Uribe should be thinking on a grand scale and not weakening the institutions with an immediate re-election. First, Uribe's re- election is uncertain. Second, what does it solve? I believe that a president who has spent two years campaigning for his own re- election should have been thinking instead about sitting down to seek in-depth solutions to problems more important than his own re- election. We need to resolve the pensions problem, the social problems and the essential problem of the armed conflict”, El Espectador reports.
- Kidnappers release the family of former Sen. Jose Gnecco Cerchar, but retain him, France Presse reports.
Thurs 01 – UN urges “combined efforts” to aid displaced; government launches peace talks.
- Francisco Galindo from the UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) urges the Colombian government to make "combined efforts" to meet the needs of the displaced population in the country. He noted that it is very important to continue with the sessions of Colombia's National Council for the Assistance of the Displaced Population, and have the work planned for "all the institutions of the government that can assume the responsibility and use their budgets", UNHCR reports from Geneva.
- Colombia's paramilitaries began formal peace negotiations with the government amid widespread scepticism. Combatants swapped fatigues for civilian clothes, and a Catholic bishop blessed the ceremony, which was broadcast live on television. But many Colombians are wary of the talks. Although the paramilitary umbrella organisation, the United Self Defence Forces of Colombia, or AUC, officially declared a ceasefire in late 2002, hundreds of people have been killed by its members since then. "The United Self-Defence Forces of Colombia are taking a definitive step toward total peace," pronounced paramilitary commander Salvatore Mancuso, flanked by other leaders of around 400 fighters here for the launch of the process, UK-based Guardian reports.
- An article in German magazine TAZ reports the difficulties that international journalists are experiencing in Colombia to report freely under the presidency of Uribe Velez. In a press interview last week, the Colombian President criticised the foreign media suggesting that they are legitimising the purposes of the FARC group instead of helping the government in the “fight against terrorism”. Regis Bourget from Reporters Without Borders reports that foreign journalists are having difficulties reporting on the paramilitary peace process as they have been banned from accessing the area without permission from the Peace Commissioner’s office.
- In a document sent to the Attorney General Luis Camilo Osorio, the Association of Relatives of the Detained-Disappeared (ASFADDES) and three other Colombian NGOs present a report of 2137 cases of forcibly disappeared people reportedly committed by the paramilitary groups who are today in peace negotiations with the government. In the letter, relatives of the disappeared demand that victims must have their rights to truth, justice and reparation respected, urging the Attorney General’s office to meet the demands for a full investigation of these cases.
- A spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged the Colombian paramilitaries to fully respect the cease-fire and said peace should not come at the price of impunity. "The Secretary-General reiterates his belief that the rights to truth, justice and reparations for victims must be fully respected," spokesman Stephane Dujarric 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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