SEPTEMBER HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003759 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS CO SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE REF: BOGOTA 1697 -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. The Prosecutor General's office (Fiscalia) voiced concern over attempts to kill and intimidate witnesses in the case against Colonel Hernan Mejia, and has taken actions to protect remaining witnesses. The Fiscalia ordered the arrest of three Colonels and a police Captain for their alleged involvement in the Trujillo Massacre of 1990. An indigenous human rights group released a report stating that 1200 indigenous have been killed since 2002. Security forces were involved in two incidents in which indigenous were killed. Landmines killed two in San Jose del Guaviare, highlighting the continuing threat of landmines planted by the FARC. The OAS denounced the recruitment of minors by criminal groups. The Colombian military announced that it would have its first female officer cadets at its national military academy. END SUMMARY. -------------- -------------- CASE AGAINST COLONEL MEJIA CONTINUES DESPITE CONCERNS -------------- -------------- ¶2. The Fiscalia continued its case against Colonel Hernan Mejia, ex-commander of the La Popa Battalion, 10th Brigade, for his links to extrajudicial killings and ties to paramilitaries. Testimony from paramilitary leaders, including Jorge 40 (Rodrigo Tovar Pupo),tied Mejia to a number of murders (Ref A). Still, the Fiscalia fears its prosecution of Mejia may be in jeopardy due to the murder of two witnesses and intimidation of others. Mejia also publicly blamed Vice Defense Minister Sergio Jaramillo for his prosecution, alleged that Jaramillo used him as a scapegoat to appease human rights groups. Defense Minister Juan Manuel Santos publicly removed Mejia--a highly decorated officer--from his field commander in January 2007 and assigned him to a desk job due to the allegations. ¶3. Sandra Castro, director of the Fiscalia's Human Rights unit, has formally asked the Inspector General to investigate some GOC officials who may be aiding Mejia in threatening witnesses or circumventing the formal legal process. The Inspector General's office is examining the conditions of Mejia's incarceration, and has brought charges against a member of the Fiscalia's judicial police for helping Mejia's to intimidate witnesses. The Fiscalia has also placed some witnesses in its witness protection program and Fiscal General Mario Iguaran vowed that the case against Mejia will continue. -------------- TRUJILLO CASE SHOWS MILITARY COLLUSION -------------- ¶4. On September 16, the National Commission for Reparation and Reconciliation's (CNRR) Historic Memory Group presented its report detailing 342 victims of homicide, torture, and forced disappearances between 1986 and 1994 by paramilitaries in Trujillo, Bolivar, and Riofrio of Valle de Cauca department. Vice President Juan Manuel Santos acknowledged that the GOC had failed in its duty to protect these victims and reiterated the government's commitment to pursuing justice and providing reparations. ¶5. The Fiscalia arrested Colonel Wilfredo Ruiz of the Regional Military Intelligence Unit 8 for his alleged role in the April 1990 Trujillo Massacre in Valle de Cauca department. Ruiz is under investigation for aggravated homicide, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy. Others arrested included former Palace Battalion commander Colonel Hernan Contreras, Army Colonel Alirio Uruena, and retired police captain Jose Fernando Berrio. According to testimony from demobilized paramilitary leaders Henry Loaiza (el Alacran) and Diego Leon Montoya (Don Diego),the military colluded with paramilitary and local assassins from the Norte del Valle drug cartels. The Fiscalia has issued a total of 20 arrest warrants in the case, with twelve still outstanding. The Fiscalia's investigative corps (CTI) has been carrying out the arrest orders issued by the Fiscalia's Human Rights unit. -------------- INDIGENOUS DEATHS REPORTED -------------- ¶6. A report released by the National Organization of Indigenous in Colombia (ONIC) stated that 1200 indigenous have been killed in Colombia since August 2002. The report followed ONIC's condemnation of the September 28 murder of Raul Mendoza, the indigenous governor of the Paez Indian reservation, in Popayan, Cauca. Mendoza had allegedly reported recent threats to the Paez to judicial and security authorities, but had claimed no action was taken. The regional Cauca Indigenous Council (CRIC) publicly denounced Mendoza's murder as well as threats against the El Pe indigenous community. ONIC announced its plans to take the 1200 deaths to the International Criminal Court, saying the murders are due to President Uribe's Democratic Security Policy. ¶7. In a separate incident, three indigenous in Guachaves, Narino were killed by police at a checkpoint. The officials claimed the indigenous failed to stop their motorcycle when ordered and later fired at the police. Local leaders of the Pastos community rejected the official version of events. The killings sparked protests that turned violent, with members of the community stoning police and GOC officials. The incident followed the Colombian Army's acknowledgment that soldiers pursuing alleged terrorists accidentally killed two Pastos standing watch outside their community. The Pastos held 12 soldiers hostage after the deaths, but released them following the apology. The Pastos also initially prevented entry of the authorities into their community to investigate the incident, but later allowed GOC officials to recover the bodies of the two dead guards. We expressed our concern to the Vice President's Office for Human Rights and the Ministry of Defense regarding these incidents. -------------- LANDMINES REMAIN A CONCERN -------------- ¶8. Colombian press reported a 16-year old girl and her baby were killed after stepping on a landmine in Guaviare department. The Army said the girl was killed on September 28, when a mine planted by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) on the road leading from the small town of Ceiba to the municipality of San Jose del Guaviare exploded. The Army's 4th Division denounced the incident as violations of international humanitarian law and human rights law. Amnesty International released a report earlier this year claiming that more than 180 civilians and security force members were killed and 680 injured by landmines in 2007. -------------- OAS DENOUNCES RECRUITING OF MINORS -------------- ¶9. On September 23, the OAS Mission in Support of the Peace Process in Colombia (MAPP/OAS) publicly denounced the recruitment of minors by emerging criminal groups. Sergio Caramagna, head of the MAPP/OAS mission, said that in at least three departments, new groups are recruiting minors at an alarming rate. He also presented evidence that demobilized paramilitaries are being threatened with death if they do not join new groups. Caramagna highlighted Uraba, shanty towns around Medellin, as well as Cesar and Magdalena departments as areas of particular concern. Additionally, there are reports of minors displaced by violence being recruited by new criminal groups. -------------- COLOMBIAN MILITARY ACADEMY TO ENROLL WOMEN -------------- ¶10. Beginning in 2009, the General Jose Maria Cordoba Cadet School, Colombia's main military academy, will accept 40 female cadets for officer training. Congress is also considering a bill backed by the Ministry of Defense that would allow women to serve as line commanders. Female officers will be able to lead troops in battle and to serve in communications, intelligence and aviation regiments. Former Defense Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez spearheaded the effort and received support from current Minister Santos and Armed Forces Commander General Freddy Padilla. At present, women in the Army can only pursue technical and professional careers and can only serve as officers in administrative positions. BROWNFIELD