POSITIVE GOC RESPONSE TO UNHCHR REPORT;

C O N F I D E N T I A L BOGOTA 001797

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2017
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KCRM CO
SUBJECT: POSITIVE GOC RESPONSE TO UNHCHR REPORT;
COOPERATION PAYING DIVIDENDS


Classified By: Political Counselor John S. Creamer

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Summary
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1. (C) The UNHCHR office in Colombia released a balanced
annual human rights report on March 13, citing numerous
examples of significant progress over the past year. The
report praised substantial reductions in homicides,
kidnappings, torture allegations, and forced displacement,
and said investigations and arrests in alleged paramilitary
collaboration cases strengthened Colombia's democratic
institutions. Still, the report characterized human rights
conditions as "critical" in several parts of the country, and
said the UNHCHR had received a "significant" increase in
reports of extrajudicial killings. The GOC's reaction was
positive, demonstrating that the UNHCHR's new collaborative
approach with the GOC has paid dividends. End summary.

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Report Highlights Human Rights Progress...
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2. (SBU) UNHCHR Colombia chief Juan Pablo Corlazzoli told
the diplomatic corps on March 15 the country's human rights
situation had improved in important respects over the past
year. He also recognized the GOC's commitment to address
violations. Corlazzoli noted significant reductions in
homicides, kidnappings, cases of torture, and forced
displacements. He praised the GOC's increasing practice of
assigning to civilian courts cases of alleged military crimes
against citizens. Corlazzoli called for continued efforts to
reform military penal justice.


3. (SBU) He noted the success of the paramilitary
demobilization process, but expressed concern over reports of
recidivism among some demobilized. Corlazzoli mentioned his
concern at increased reports of murders of union members, but
welcomed the GOC's signature of the Tripartite Agreement at
the ILO in Geneva. He specifically highlighted the special
teams of prosecutors and investigators working on the 200
priority labor cases. Corlazzoli mentioned that
investigations showed some of the deaths of union members
were related to their purported affiliation with the FARC,
ELN, or AUC, rather than their status as union members. (The
full report can be read at www.hcr.org.co).


4. (U) In the report, released March 13, the UNHCHR also
praised investigations and incarcerations of public officials
accused of links with former paramilitary organizations,
concluding, "(t)hese legal proceedings contribute to
strengthen the rule of law and the democratic institutions."
The report praised the contribution to human rights made by
the Constitutional Court, Inspector General's Office, and
municipal and other ombudsman offices. It highlighted the
GOC's preparation of a National Plan of Action on Human
Rights, and arrests of military personnel accused of human
rights abuses. The report highlighted the deployment of
operational legal advisors to military units, and
high-ranking inspectors to each division, saying it hoped
such initiatives would reduce violations substantially.


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...but Challenges Remain
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5. (U) The UNHCHR said the human rights situation remained
"critical" in several regions of the country, "characterized
by numerous and frequent violations of the right to life, to
personal integrity, to freedom and to security, as well as
the right to due process and judicial guarantees." The
report's main criticism related to increased reports of
alleged extrajudicial killings. Without giving numbers, the
report stated the UNHCHR received a "significant increase" in
such reports over 2005 figures. It said the killings were
concentrated in 8 Departments, and attributed the violations
to members of the security forces, especially the Army and
police. The pattern was that citizens would be murdered and
falsely presented by the military as terrorists killed in
battle; the UNHCHR said, "high levels of impunity persist."
The report also expressed concern that "political and
economic structures created by paramilitaries in various
territories and sectors of society remain standing," and
criticized the GOC's efforts on reaching out to and

compensating victims of violence.

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Terrorist Violence Widespread
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6. (U) FARC and ELN violations of international humanitarian
law were "serious and systematic." The reports attributed 12
of 17 reported massacres to the FARC. The terrorist groups
were responsible for "murders, death threats, massacres,
attacks against the civilian population, indiscriminate
attacks, taking of hostages, acts of sexual violence, acts of
terrorism, recruitment of children, use of antipersonnel
mines, forced displacement, isolation of communities, and
attacks against medical and humanitarian missions."

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GOC's Positive Reaction
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7. (U) A March 14 statement from the Office of the
Presidency emphasized the collaborative approach adopted by
the UNHCHR, and praised the UNHCHR's advisory role in helping
various GOC agencies to protect human rights
(www.presidencia.gov.co). The statement noted the UNHCHR had
described positive developments in human rights over the
year, and committed to continue to make progress. The GOC
said Minister of Defense Juan Manuel Santos was leading its
efforts to ensure military abuses of human rights were
reduced substantially. Speaking during a session of the
Human Rights Commission in Geneva on March 15, Vice President
Francisco Santos characterized the GOC's relationship with
the UNHCHR in Colombia as "fruitful and constructive."

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Comment
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8. (C) The UNHCHR report is balanced and accurate, including
its reporting of increased extrajudicial killings, which we
successfully pressed Corlazzoli to highlight. The report's
recognition of the real progress Colombia has made in the
past year is welcome. Corlazzoli's collaborative approach
has paid real dividends in increased GOC cooperation with the
UNHCHR, and in solid human rights progress.
WOOD