The climate of violence in Colombia is not restricted to attacks against children, nor does the killing always have a political motive. But it is clear that the same government forces that are pledged to maintain order in Colombia tolerate the killings of children, failing to investigate many murders and failing to intervene when the law is broken. This failure to protect the lives of Colombian citizens, and especially those of the very young, is a grave breach of international human rights law. Of the 2,190 murders of children in 1993, only twelve cases have resulted in trials. Police officers continue to be implicated in the murders of children, and investigations rarely result in more than dismissal for implicated officers.
Government promises to restrain the police have yet to produce results.
According to his friends, Andre's was forced from the mall by armed men wearing police uniforms. Three were killed. All were enrolled in a program aimed at rescuing children from the street. Human Rights Watch finds that no one has been charged for these killings. Human Rights Watch offers a very detailed set of recommendations to protect the rights of children to the Colombian government, armed insurgents, and the international community.