INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS RULES AGAINST

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 007194 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/02/2016 TAGS: PGOV PHUM CO SUBJECT: INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS RULES AGAINST GOC; STATE TO COMPLY Classified By: Ambassador William B. Wood. Reasons 1.4(b) and (d) -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (U) In a July 1 opinion, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights held the GOC responsible for failing to prevent paramilitary killings of 19 persons in Antioquia Department in 1997 and ordered the GOC to pay the victims' family members approximately 1.4 million USD in compensation. The GOC has committed to respect the ruling. End Summary. -------------- UNANIMOUS DECISION AGAINST GOC -------------- ¶2. (U) On July 1, six judges on the Inter-American Court of Human Rights ruled the GOC was responsible for failing to prevent paramilitaries from killing 19 persons in La Granja and El Aro, Antioquia in 1997. The Court's decision obligates the GOC to pay approximately 1.4 million USD to the victims' family members, establish a comprehensive assistance plan to assist those displaced during the massacres, implement human rights training for its security forces, apologize publicly for the occurrence, and reopen investigations. According to the opinion, the GOC has one year to implement the decision and report back to the Court. The Court also recommended the GOC consider paramilitary leader Salvatore Mancuso's role in the massacre in processing his demobilization and determining sentencing under the Justice and Peace Law (J&P). -------------- -------------- GOC STATES IT WILL RESPECT RULING, J&P LAW TO HELP -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) In a July 28 communiqu following the decision, the GOC said, "Colombia, as always, will honor its international obligations and will act accordingly." Referring to the J&P process by which paramilitaries are obliged to account for their victims, the communiqu stated the J&P law would help in "clarifying responsibilities in the acts and preventing a repetition of them," a sentiment that Vice President Francisco Santos subsequently echoed publicly. Carlos Franco, Director of the Presidential Program for Human Rights, told Poloff the decision recognized several advances by the GOC in human rights, treatment of paramilitaries, the internal justice system, and the fight against impunity. WOOD