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Colombia probes army officer abuse of soldiers

As some of us that have lived in Colombia for some time (or where born there) probably may already know that this kind of behavior, specifics aside, isn't exactly new...no, not at all.

Gross "initiation" rituals by certain officers (especially the "suboficiales" that directly interact with young soldiers) in military bases have long been rumored, even decades ago, and a few cases have filtered through to the press from time to time.

That doesn't mean that it's something that happens in every military base, or that every officer participates in this kind of crap, but the fact is that a relatively common pattern of abuse has existed historically.

I fear that, despite whatever measures are taken, these abuses will eventually continue, from time to time. No matter who is punished, no matter who is elected president, this won't be easily resolved, because it's something that's been practically become a "tradition" to a degree, and the fact that there's an ongoing guerrilla struggle which facilitates this kind of behavior doesn't make it any less likely to go away.

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Colombia probes army officer abuse of soldiers
19 Feb 2006 19:43:23 GMT
Source: Reuters

By Hugh Bronstein

BOGOTA, Colombia, Feb 19 (Reuters) - The Colombian army said on Sunday it is investigating what it called allegations of "shameful" abuse of recruits by officers, including beatings and rape at a basic training camp near the capital, Bogota.

Weekly news magazine Semana carried graphic photographs in its Sunday edition of 21 young soldiers it says were beaten, forced to eat animal excrement, burned on their faces and arms and raped by army officers.

"I am ashamed to have to inform the country about this situation, which does not reflect the general behavior of our institution," said Reinaldo Castellanos, commander of Colombia's army, which is fighting a 41-year-old war against drug-running leftist rebels.

"The conduct of these officers went against military honor and discipline," he told Colombian television.

Castellanos said three officers have been identified as having abused their subordinates and more are being investigated.

The victims were 18 years old and from poor families, the Semana article said.

All Colombian army recruits start their service with three months of basic training in camps such as the Army Center for Instruction and Training in the town of Piedras, where the abuse is said to have taken place during a survival training exercise on Jan. 25.

The army has faced accusations of similar misconduct before, including cases in which recruits died during training.

Human rights groups say the army has cooperated with illegal right-wing paramilitary militias in the massacre of civilians in a dirty war against the rebels. The government says any soldier found collaborating with the paramilitaries will go to jail.

Thousands are killed and tens of thousand more are forced from their homes every year by Colombia's guerrilla war.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N19342192.htm
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The SEMANA article:

TORTURAS EN EL EJÉRCITO

SEMANA revela los más escalofriantes maltratos y abusos sexuales a que fueron sometidos 21 soldados por sus propios superiores del Ejército.

http://semana.terra.com.co/opencms/opencms/Semana/articulo.html?id=93013
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International cases (in Brazil, Russia and the United Kingdom):

Casos Internacionales
Algunos de los Ejércitos más fuertes y reconocidos del mundo no han escapado a los escándalos por las torturas y los abusos entre sus filas. Estos son los episodios más recientes.

A ritmo de samba

El 13 de noviembre de 2005 estalló uno de los peores escándalos en la historia reciente de las Fuerzas Armadas de Brasil. Ese día, la cadena TV Globo reveló un video en el cual un grupo de sargentos del Ejército, adscritos a la Segunda Compañía de Fusileros del Vigésimo Batallón Blindado, torturaba a varios de sus subalternos. En las imágenes se observaba cómo un grupo de soldados era golpeado, quemado y recibía descargas eléctricas por sus comandantes. Varios soldados fueron quemados en las orejas con una plancha eléctrica para la ropa, otros recibían descargas de electricidad en el estómago.

En medio de risas y burlas de sus torturadores, las víctimas eran sometidas a pruebas de ahogamiento tapándoles la nariz y arrojándoles baldados de agua en la boca. La consternación fue nacional en Brasil. Los medios locales afirmaron que el caso no era circunstancial, sino parte de unas prácticas comunes. El presidente Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ordenó una investigación sobre el caso. Aparte de los involucrados directamente en el episodio, varios altos mandos del Ejército fueron destituidos y procesados penalmente.

El oso ruso

A mediados de enero de 2006 se conoció un video del Ejército ruso, grabado en la Escuela de Tanques de Cheliabinsk, una localidad de los Montes Urales. En él se observa cómo varios oficiales borrachos torturaban a soldados que prestaban su servicio militar. Uno de ellos, Andrei Sichov, de 18 años, recibió una brutal paliza. Sichov, junto a otros compañeros, fue obligado a desnudarse por órdenes de dos oficiales y cuatro soldados veteranos embriagados. Los atacantes ataron a los reclutas mientras recibían una lluvia de patadas. Por los golpes recibidos, las piernas y los genitales de Sichov fueron amputados por los médicos, quienes no pudieron impedir que el joven soldado muriera seis días después de la tortura

Ante el escándalo desatado por la divulgación del video, el presidente Vladimir Putin ordenó la conformación de una comisión para investigar el caso y determinar responsables, a la vez que prometió a las familias de las víctimas una indemnización.

Al servicio de Su Majestad

El 27 de noviembre de 2005, el diario inglés The News of the World publicó un informe en el cual reveló un video, grabado por uno de los militares que asistía a una 'ceremonia de iniciación', en el cual mostró cómo reclutas de una de las unidades más prestigiosas de la marina del Reino Unido, la base militar del Comando 42, fueron obligados por sus superiores a pelear desnudos. Durante el combate entraron dos militares más, uno disfrazado de colegiala y otro de cirujano. Este último, después de escuchar las quejas de uno de los soldados maltratados, le pateó el rostro hasta dejarlo inconsciente.

El autor del video aseguró que esto era sólo la punta del iceberg, pues otros de sus compañeros habían recibido descargas eléctricas en los genitales, eran obligados a saltar de las ventanas de sus cuartos o sometidos a arrastrarse por campos llenos de espinas. Todo como 'simples' novatadas. El caso desató una inmensa polémica en el Reino Unido y fue el tema principal de los medios de comunicación durante varios días. Por orden del primer ministro, Tony Blair, el Ministerio de Defensa inglés formó una Comisión Especial.

By juancegomez on Feb 20, 2006, 13:13 in Politics & the war.

juancegomez says on Feb 21, 2006, 11:29:

I personally think this is an unfair move because it won't change a thing, and as far as military matters go it's completely unnecessary, even if it is politically useful for the President.

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Colombian army chief quits after abuse scandal
21 Feb 2006 15:25:18 GMT
Source: Reuters

BOGOTA, Colombia, Feb 21 (Reuters) - The commander of Colombia's army resigned, the government said on Tuesday, after allegations that officers beat, tortured and sexually abused 21 young recruits during basic training.

Gen. Reinaldo Castellanos, widely respected for his efforts at combating Marxist rebels, will be replaced by Gen. Mario Montoya, head of the Caribbean joint command, according to a statement issued by the presidential palace.

"This is a difficult time for the army," Montoya told reporters after being called to Bogota early on Tuesday morning, "but I am absolutely sure we can move forward."

Weekly news magazine Semana carried graphic photographs in its Sunday edition of 21 soldiers it says were beaten, forced to eat animal excrement, burned on their faces and arms and raped by army officers during a January survival training exercise.

The victims were 18 years old and from poor families, the Semana article said.

A visibly angry President Alvaro Uribe went on television on Monday saying the allegations should have been reported through the chain of military command rather than the media.

"Someone had to pay," Francisco Leal, a political analyst at Bogota's University of the Andes, told Reuters. "This is a loss because Castellanos was a very capable military leader."

Colombia is fighting a U.S.-backed 41-year-old war against leftist insurgents linked to the Andean country's cocaine trade.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N21399717.htm

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platano says on Feb 21, 2006, 12:35:

As long as violence is seen as a solution instead of a problem.. I agree that this problem will not go away until people refuse to submit themselves to military authority (be it official authority or guerrilla authority in nature) and refuse to use violence as an instrument of policy.

Eventually the countries of South America will follow the example of Costa Rica and abolish their armies, but we are a few years away from that since the predominant consciousness is at the level of "perceive a violent threat and respond to it with violence" instead of seeking nonviolent solutions.

I do not agree that this problem will persist in spite of who is president. Someday we will have a president in Colombia capable of winning the Nobel Peace Prize, like Oscar Arias did in Costa Rica, but first there has to be a renunciation of violence. If a Green Party candidate were to be elected, there would be a better chance of peace. As far as I know the Green Party is the only political party in Colombia which contains nonviolence as one of its core values. If you don't embrace the value of life, what chance have you to achieve peace?

One thing is certain: we are abusing soldiers and the abuse is 100% through the systematic process of dehumanization and depersonalization which is euphemistically called "basic training".

We continue to teach young Colombians to love one another in a church that believes in God, then turn around and use government funds to teach them how to kill other human beings who are all God's children. That is not the way to achieve a peaceful, civlized society.

plátano

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Wastelandlive says on Feb 21, 2006, 20:17:

Geeze... What's your experience with basic training, Platano?

South America is "a few years away" from abolishing its armies?

You're a nice guy Banana... but you need to have a SERIOUS reality check.

JG - just a note. "Suboficiales" aren't officers. They're completely different animals. That's important to understand when judging the gravity of this kind of scandal.

Wasteland

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platano says on Feb 22, 2006, 00:26:

Basic Training is intentionally dehumanizing... Basic training is pretty much the same for USA and Colombian armies. The USA provides advisors for "training" Colombian soldiers. Doesn't the School of the Americas also do training for Colombian army trainers? (see United States Army Infantry Homepage at https://www.benning.army.mil/infantry/)

Here is a description from someone who went through Basic Training in July 2004.
Basic Training: Basic Cruelty, Basic Misogyny

"In Basic, the drill instructors' basic method was to abuse us to break us down. They'd "shark attack" us. Shark attacks are when four drill sergeants surround one of us, swearing and yelling and spitting, each with their faces inches away. They'd yell, "You're a girl. You're a wimp. You're a pussy." If you tried to protest, they'd say, "Wimp, you better not ever talk to me again or I'll stomp you into the ground." They'd say, "If you don't shape up, we'll recycle you. We'll never let you go. You'll have to start Basic all over again."

P.S. It is not necessary to experience something to have an understanding of it when you can read what the trainers themselves say and then read the experiences of others who have gone through it. Basic Training is intentionally dehumanizing.

plátano

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juancegomez says on Feb 22, 2006, 08:38:

Wastelandlive: I know that they aren't the same but, honestly, I didn't have the time to look up the exact term in English, so I settled for using the term like that.

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juancegomez says on Feb 22, 2006, 08:46:

... platano:

"I agree that this problem will not go away until people refuse to submit themselves to military authority (be it official authority or guerrilla authority in nature) and refuse to use violence as an instrument of policy."

A very, very good idea, but a very, very hard one to put in practice right now, given the national and international situation.

"Eventually the countries of South America will follow the example of Costa Rica and abolish their armies, but we are a few years away from that since the predominant consciousness is at the level of "perceive a violent threat and respond to it with violence" instead of seeking nonviolent solutions."

I'd say that we are a couple of decades, at least. "A few years" sounds like too little.

"I do not agree that this problem will persist in spite of who is president. Someday we will have a president in Colombia capable of winning the Nobel Peace Prize, like Oscar Arias did in Costa Rica, but first there has to be a renunciation of violence. If a Green Party candidate were to be elected, there would be a better chance of peace. As far as I know the Green Party is the only political party in Colombia which contains nonviolence as one of its core values. If you don't embrace the value of life, what chance have you to achieve peace?"

Those are two separate, though related to an extent, issues. Making peace is one thing, changing this kind of "tradition of abuse", so to speak, is another. Until peace is achieved, I really don't see the other as a practical possibility.

"One thing is certain: we are abusing soldiers and the abuse is 100% through the systematic process of dehumanization and depersonalization which is euphemistically called "basic training"."

Well yeah, that's the context in which it happens. However, there's a difference between "regular" dehumanization and depersonalization, which to an extent has (sadly) become an accepted one in modern societies (especially those at war), and that which crosses the "socially acceptable" line (I do think this is the case, independently of what I would personally "accept").

"We continue to teach young Colombians to love one another in a church that believes in God, then turn around and use government funds to teach them how to kill other human beings who are all God's children."

Given the history of religion as a whole, and the predominant Catholic religion in this particular case, I believe that's not necessarily a contradiction. Many, many things have been done in the name of God, Allah, or however you want to call that entity/concept.

"That is not the way to achieve a peaceful, civlized society."

Let's just say that I'm not 100% surely about that being the case in practice...but yes, at least it shouldn't be the way.

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Wastelandlive says on Feb 22, 2006, 12:13:

Banana man, It's hardly worth arguing about. But I wish you'd reflect on your own statement a bit.

"It is not necessary to experience something to have an understanding of it when you can read what the trainers themselves say and then read the experiences of others who have gone through it."

Classic. Nope, actual experience rarely informs our judgments. And I'm sure that the OPINION you cited is universal among all people who have undergone or given basic training.

He writes it - it must be true!

Come on Platano. I've been through basic. Lot's of people have been through basic. Basic training is fundamental to every military of every nation in the world!

It's necessary preparation for a very tough culture that engages in dangerous, demanding, and frightening activities. Yes, that culture often leads to abuse and unnecessary hazing... it's true. Hell, I was hazed - maybe I'm scarred for life, and just don't know it? :)

But really. You have quite a bit of knowledge and understanding about other topics. Why kid yourself that you understand the military, Platano?

You call it, "dehumanizing." Trainers would call it nothing of the sort - they might call it "de-individualizing," "desensitizing," and "strengthening." And they'd have a point!

You've long left the realm of reality and descended into the abyss of ideology.

JG - try "Noncom," or non-commissioned officer.

The distinction is an important one. Hazing of this type is unprofessional and can be detrimental to the unit if it gets out of hand. Officers must correct the situation. But if officers themselves had been involved, well you'd have an even more serious problem...

I am surprised it's gotten the attention it has. Uribe sacked what appears to be a good man... so good, that I suspect that the public motive may not be the true motive.

Wasteland

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platano says on Feb 22, 2006, 16:22:

... Perhaps you are not familiar with the current Basic Training practices. How long ago did you undergo basic training?

plátano

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Wastelandlive says on Feb 22, 2006, 16:41:

Jejejejejejejejejeje... Would it matter Banana Man?

I'm not condoning what happened, nor am I condoning hazing that goes beyond the challenges and stresses intended to test inductees that are officially approved by the command structure.

We're talking about military basic training, right?

You'd be amazed at how uniform that is accross cultural lines. And no, I don't think your author's opinion of basic training is based on some radical departure from the basic that I went through. If anything - at least in the United States - the inclusion of women in the armed forces has required much stricter monitoring of the process than ever before.

To answer your question, I went through basic about 20 years ago.

It's always the same. Not enough sleep, not enough food, lots of exercise. More tasks and responsibilities than you have time - literally - to fulfill (that's the secret - they KNOW you can't do it all). Your supervisors don't give you the warm and fuzzy. They don't encourage you, and build your self esteem. They yell at you a lot. They mock you. They call you bad names and laugh at you. They pick on your weaknesses and point out that everything you are doing, they can do better. They let you know that what you thought was good enough isn't.

And lo! If you can hack it...

One day you wake up, and you realize that you can, indeed do better! You ARE doing better. And you're proud of that... and proud of your new friendship with the guy next to you who lent you a hand once or twice in the process. He was overwhelmed himself, but somehow he managed to help you over the bar and carry you a couple of yards when you couldn't make it. Hopefully, you did the same for somebody else. You're a team now. You realize you won't make it unless you act like one.

(Can you understand that all this might be necessary to combat soldiers, and not some evil plan to turn them into baby killing automatons?)

OR... you get whiny because a REALLY mean Seargeant called you a "girl" and you wash out. You go get a job selling Sneakers at the Footlocker and you spend the rest of your life blaming your failure on the "mean" and "dehumanizing" military. How dare they!

It kind of depends on the individual, and what he's got inside.

Wasteland

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Lionheart says on Feb 22, 2006, 19:26:

Westpoint Did anybody see the movie about Westpoint? They had to clean up their act big time. But still in all countries hazing happens especially to young wannabe officers. In countries with draft there are normally no hazing rituals for draftees, and the enlisted soldiers stay away from them and do their stuff elsewhere. I was drafted in Germany and the bootcamp is fairly harmless there. Future officers go through the same bootcamp, but then move on to an extended bootcamp. I only heard rumors of it getting a bit rougher there.

One of the main purposes of bootcamp is to turn boys into men. The kids have never been really away from home yet or they have lead a spoiled life in college. For me it was different, I was drafted when I was 24 and was already in the working world. Legal issues concerning my dual citizenship needed 6 years to be sorted out, and they wanted me bad. But being older than most of the trainers brought me an advantage and I led a failrly good life for the 18 months I was there. But I understood what I was seeing, and I saw many boys turned into men. In general I think it is a good thing that happens, a good preparation for life.

I am a pacifist, I don't like the purpose of the miltary, and since I have been there I know even more what I am talking about. But as a learning process it was good, also for me.

Bootcamp is about the same in any culture, all military leaders use the book the Prussians wrote on military training. it was rougher in the former Eastern European (Communist) countries, and it is still rough in China and a few others, but the basics are the same.

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platano says on Feb 22, 2006, 20:05:

LOL! Tinto, "Those commie-loving grannies and their aging hippie comrades need to get with the program."

On the contrary, it sounds like the military establishment is getting with the aging hippie program.

"Today, the Army is opting for a quieter approach."

LOL!

Six years to peace and abolition of armies and guerrilla movements in South America!

P.D. Arias (Nobel Peace Prize Winner) Wins Costa Rican Presidential Vote Today!

plátano

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platano says on Feb 23, 2006, 11:50:

"maybe the military is not the right career for them" What do you call it when a government provides you with work, clothing, food, housing, transportation, spending money, and other perks at taxpayer expense, including education ("basic training" and more!) without requiring you to produce anything? A career?

I call it a socialist scam, the government taking care of people who don't have a career...
I am not in favor of socialism, I am not in favor of big government meeting all your needs and sending the bill to the taxpayers.

plátano

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platano says on Feb 23, 2006, 15:53:

Tinto, If teachers, or any other service providers, were provided with clothing, housing, transportation, food, AND A SALARY, and perks... I would call that socialism, too.
My uncle is in his seventies, never fought a day in his life (just played "war games" on week-ends, still receives a military pension, flies around the country on military transport, instead of paying commerical providers, and goes to military bases to sleep, instead of paying for hotels.

What other "career" (whether providing products or services) offers those kinds of cradle-to-grave transportation and housing benefits? It is shameful.

plátano

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platano says on Feb 23, 2006, 16:23:

Thanks, Tinto, for providing rational responses.

And thanks for the word "nearly"... perhaps there will be a day in the near future (hopefully, not in geologic time) when soldiers who patriotically serve their respective countries and endure basic training to do so, will not be subject to physical torture by "suboficiales". And perhaps, later, a day when swords can be converted into ploughshares and armies will not be needed at all.

My uncle and I are on good terms even though when I was in the street nonviolently protesting the war in Vietnam, he was saying machine guns should be set up on the street corners to mow down the protesters. When we visit each other we don't discuss politics, just more important subjects like NASCAR and college basketball.

plátano

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Wastelandlive says on Feb 26, 2006, 09:16:

And when that day comes - - you know, the day in the near future when all South American nations do like Costa Rica and disband their armies - we will all link arms with our brothers, and singing in harmony "Lean on Me," we will walk to the end of the rainbow, where we will be greeted by furry wet-nosed puppies chasing butterflies in fields of daisies.

:)

Platano... I think I love you man.

Wasteland

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Feb 26, 2006, 09:47:

And there will by pink fluffy clouds and unicorns, lots of unicorns!

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platano says on Feb 26, 2006, 19:38:

Reality Check... In his heavily footnoted 800 page book, Politics of Nonviolent Action, Gene Sharp discusses the nature of political power, why people obey rulers, the limitations of using violence, and how change can be brought about through the use of strategic nonviolence. He also offers reasons why historians have largely ignored the technique of nonviolent struggle.

"Without at least the passive support of the general population and his/her agents, the most powerful dictator in the world becomes just another crackpot with dreams of world domination." http://www.fragmentsweb.org/TXT2/p_srevtx.html

plátano

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