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Colombia: New law strengthens impunity for human rights abusers

Excerpts

"The right to truth, justice and reparation for countless victims of human rights violations committed during Colombia’s long-running armed conflict has again been gravely undermined following Congressional approval of a law which will grant de facto amnesties to 19,000 supposedly demobilized rank-and-file paramilitaries, many of whom are responsible for serious human rights violations, including killings, enforced disappearances and torture.

The law, approved by Congress on 18 June, extends the so-called “Principle of Opportunity” to rank-and-file paramilitaries. The Principle of Opportunity was established under Law 906 of 2004 to allow the Attorney General to suspend, interrupt or abandon any criminal investigation if it is considered “convenient” to do so, for example if the defendant collaborates by providing information which could prevent further crimes from being committed.

Around 90% of paramilitaries who supposedly demobilized in a government-sponsored process that began in 2003, and who were not under investigation for human rights violations, escaped effective criminal investigation for such crimes and were granted de facto amnesties. The government had argued that membership of paramilitary groups could be defined as sedition, a political crime under the Constitution and therefore subject to pardons and amnesties.

By failing to investigate effectively the role in human rights abuses of the thousands of paramilitaries who will benefit from the Principle of Opportunity, and those members of guerrilla groups who have also benefited from similar de facto amnesties, the Colombian state is failing in its obligation under international law to investigate and, if there is sufficient admissible evidence, to prosecute those allegedly responsible for serious human rights abuses and violations of international humanitarian law, and to provide full reparations to the victims and their relatives. The said obligations are included in a number of international and regional instruments, such as the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, both Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions, the Inter-American Convention to Prevent and Punish Torture and Inter-American Convention on Forced Disappearance of Persons, to which Colombia is a State Party."

http://www.amnesty.org/en/library/asset/AMR23/017/2009/en/5d176d60-ac7...

By Dolfi on Jun 30, 2009, 04:39 in Friendly Talkzone.

NELHENAO (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 30, 2009, 06:07:

Why is Obama saying that Colombia is getting better at Human Rights. With laws like this I doubt it.

nelson henao

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makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 30, 2009, 06:41:

AI is so stupid, who will give up his weapon and thanks, you send me 40 years to jail. Including Gustavo Pedro (ex-Guerillero) has in his plan for the presidency somethink like olvido y perdon. It`s easy for them to talk from a nice desk about this things.

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Man Tequila says on Jun 30, 2009, 09:38:

AI publicizes human rights abuses. I don't agree with much of what they do, but what exactly do you find inaccurate in their statement?

Aunque no me creas/ si me lo propongo/ lograre olvidarte/ porque a fin de cuentas/ no soy tan cobarde./ Y termino todo una de estas tardes/ no sera dificil buscar algún sitio donde refugiarme/ donde nunca mas vuelvas a encontrarme. (Polo Montañez)

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Cali2005 says on Jun 30, 2009, 10:18:

LAW 906 AND RATIFICATION OF LAW 599 (BOTH IN THE SAME MONTH NOW)

Look at what happened yesterday. Uribe and the congress just passed a new law which gives more protection to Labor Union leaders (syndacists) and politicians that are persecuted (murdered, kidnapped, tortured etc).

Uribe did this to get approval of Obama and the democrats for the TLC of FTA (free trade agreement). Now this new law can be completely undermined by what is stated here. The problem is the government is a tied into the paramilitaries and has contradictory, and conflicting laws regarding protecting paramilitaries on one side, but yet passing another law that gives special powers to go after the same people.

Jesus, both of these laws passed in the same month.

El presidente de Colombia, Álvaro Uribe, afirmó este lunes en Washington que espera que Estados Unidos . tome en cuenta los avances en la protección de sindicalistas, entre éstos la ratificación de la Ley 599, para la aprobación del Tratado de Libre Comercio.

Uribe, que este lunes inició una gira de trabajo de dos días en Washington, indicó que en sus reuniones de esta mañana con funcionarios de alto rango del Gobierno de Estados Unidos planteó la reciente ratificación de la Ley 599, y la preocupante caída en las exportaciones de Colombia a esta nación.

Uribe remachó el alcance de la Ley 599, que figura en su caja de herramientas para combatir la impunidad mediante un posible incremento en las penas carcelarias para quienes cometen delitos contra grupos protegidos por su Gobierno, como los dirigentes sindicalistas y políticos, así como defensores de los derechos humanos.

Now lets see what actually happens. Typical bs of politicians. Cant trust anything they say or do, but we will see. Hopefully colombia is a better place in the future.

Medellin Apartments and Tours http://www.ParadiseRealtyMedellin.com

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makopp5 (☼Travelguide writer) says on Jun 30, 2009, 12:02:

MT
"Around 90% of paramilitaries who supposedly demobilized in a government-sponsored process that began in 2003, and who were not under investigation for human rights violations, escaped effective criminal investigation for such crimes and were granted de facto amnesties. The government had argued that membership of paramilitary groups could be defined as sedition, a political crime under the Constitution and therefore subject to pardons and amnesties."
This part. The big heads are paying a high price in the US.

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Man Tequila says on Jun 30, 2009, 13:47:

Sure. And maybe it isn't practical for medium and smaller heads to pay such a price. But that does not erase what has been done, and AI isn't necessarily wrong about that. (Maybe they are.)

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