From: David Sangurima <sangu@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Date: 05 Oct 92 18:41 PDT
Subject: IPS:Human Rights in Colombia
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1473800333:000:4671
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!sangu    Oct  5 18:41:00 1992


From: David Sangurima <sangu>
Subject: IPS:Human Rights in Colombia

/* Written 12:16 am  Oct  2, 1992 by newsdesk in cdp:ips.englibrary */
/* ---------- "HUMAN RIGHTS: COLOMBIA -- VIOLENCE " ---------- */
Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all rights reserved.  Permission to re-
print within 7 days of original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Reference: Latin America
Title: HUMAN RIGHTS: COLOMBIA -- VIOLENCE AND IMPUNITY REIGN


an inter press service feature

by yadira ferrer

santa fe de bogota, sep 28 (ips) '' the paramilitary squads come,
they take boys aged 11 and 12 and make them take up arms and
become murderers ... they turn them into assassins against the
peasants and the population ... (army) captain ibarra and mayor
jairo beltran are the ones who support these assassins.''

this testimony comes from german, one of 74 peasants from the
northeast colombia region of el carmen de chucuri who arrived at
a refuge in barrancabermeja, the capital of the province of
santander, on feb. 9 seeking protection from the paramilitary
groups operating in their area.

''we are asking for protection because they are persecuting
us. they force us to buy arms, pay taxes and go on patrols under
the direction of army captain gilberto ibarra and paramilitary
chiefs isidro carreno and the mayor,'' german said.

the charge is evidence of a phenomenon that is becoming
general in colombia, according to catholic priest javier giraldo,
executive secretary of the non-governmental human rights defence
committee, which friday issued its second report on the violence
in el carmen.

''rightwing paramilitary groups which were initially created
for contra-insurgent operations have generalized their activity,
directing it against the civilian population under the shelter of
impunity and with the support of members of the military
forces,'' he said.

el carmen de chucuri, with its 41,000 inhabitants, is part of
the middle magdalena region in central colombia, an area where
guerrillas, drug traffickers and paramilitary groups are active.

despite the denunciations of the violence to which the
civilian population is exposed, ''the state has not acted
decisively against the paramilitary and their absolute impunity
has permitted them to spread their operations and progressively
cover more territory with their crimes,'' said giraldo.

in its first report, issued in 1990, the commission compiled a
list of cases which showed how the region's inhabitants were
exposed to a dynamic of arbitrary detentions, violations of
community and family life, illegal searches and other acts
internationally considered crimes against humanity.

that report was submitted to presidential councils on peace
and human rights, to the office of the president, to the
judiciary the attorney-general's office and the army and police
high commands. (more)
----


''trust was placed in these state bodies in the hope that
each, in keeping with its obligations and competence, would
intervene effectively and carry out disciplinary and judicial
investigations, but nothing has been corrected,'' giraldo said.

in its second report, the committee indicates that
paramilitary activity is on the increase and highlights concrete
cases of its link with the armed forces and the displacement of
hundreds of peasant families in the region.

the massive displacement of peasants, both in chucuri and in
other municipalities in magdalena province, forced the region's
humanitarian organizations to open the barrancabermeja refuge,
which receives an average of 30 people each day.

according to the report, the testimonies it has received lead
the committee to conclude that ''beyond the responsibility of
some members of the army directly linked to the (paramilitary)
organization, there is a serious institutional involvement.''

the document also states that, in addition to the evidence
that they control, direct and protect the paramilitary groups,
''commanders of various garrisons have systematically denied that
they exist.''

the committee feels that in the magdalena region there
systematic torture and disappearances are rife. it blames this
mainly on the paramilitary groups.

these were created over three decades ago as ''rural
self-defence groups'' armed by the military as a support
mechanism in their fight against guerrilla forces.

however, they were declared illegal by the government in 1989
because of their link with drug traffickers and their involvement
in kidnappings.

their existence is related to the neo-liberal philosophy of
dismantling the state and legitimizing private justice,
investigator jorge child told ips.(end/ips/trd/so/yf-er/kb/92)
----