Resolution on the murders in Colombia
Date: 1998-05-14
Institutions: European Parliament
Subjects: Colombia, European organisation, homicide













EUR-Lex - 51998IP0513 - EN






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51998IP0513

Resolution on the murders in Colombia  


Official Journal C 167 , 01/06/1998 P. 0219 





B4-0513, 0526, 0550 and 0553/98Resolution on the murders in ColombiaThe European Parliament,- having regard to its previous resolutions on Colombia,- having regard to the statement of 9 April 1998 by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights on the unacceptable level of impunity in Colombia,- having regard to the declaration on the protection of human rights activists adopted at the 54th session of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights,- having regard to the statement by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the statement by the President of the 54th session of the Commission on Human Rights in Geneva, the statement by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia, the many statements by national and international organizations and the demonstrations in Bogota,A. deeply dismayed at the brutal killing of Eduardo Umaña Mendoza, a prominent lawyer and human rights campaigner, which occurred on 18 April 1998 in Bogota 48 hours after the killing of María Arango Fonnegra and which, together with the murder of Jesús María Valle Jaramillo, is the third brutal killing of a human rights campaigner in the last two months,B. appalled also by the killing of 21 persons on 4 May 1998 in Punta Alvira and by the murder on the following day of a family of peasant farmers (father, mother and nine children) in the province of Santander,C. whereas previous murders of human rights campaigners remain unpunished,D. whereas new lists of Colombians facing death threats have been drawn up, generating a climate of panic which is being exploited by those behind the 'dirty war¨,E. whereas the Agreement between the European Union and the countries of the Andean Pact includes a democracy clause,1. Strongly condemns the murder of Eduardo Umaña and the killings in Punta Alvira and Santander, and expresses its condolences to the families and friends of the victims;2. Calls on the extraordinary National Security Council of Colombia, which met following the murder of Eduardo Umaña, not to consider its work complete until the killers have been captured and brought to justice;3. Calls on the Colombian Government to take urgent, effective and preventive measures to protect and safeguard the activity of those campaigning for human, social and trade union rights and the safety of peasant farmers and political leaders;4. Calls for the paramilitary groups and private security associations previously known as 'Convivir¨ to be disbanded immediately;5. Calls on the Commission to draw up and submit to Parliament a report reviewing the human rights situation in Colombia and its compliance with the agreement between the European Union and the countries of the Andean Pact;6. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Colombian Government and the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.12