[Marxism] Human Rights Groups support Congressional hold on Colombian Military Aid

[Greg McDonald <sabocat59@xxxxxxx>]

 Press  
Release                                                                  
                                        April 18, 2007

Contacts:
Renata Rendón, Amnesty International USA, (202) 544-0200 cell (646)  
269-1152
José Miguel Vivanco, Human Rights Watch, (202) 612-4330 cell (202)  
431-2471
Gimena Sanchez-Garzoli, Washington Office on Latin America, (202)  
797-2171 cell (202) 489-1702

Human Rights Organizations Support Congressional Hold on US Funding  
to Colombian
Armed Forces

(Washington, April 18, 2007) --  The U.S. Congress should maintain a  
hold on military assistance to Colombia until alleged links between  
paramilitary groups and state officials are thoroughly investigated,  
Amnesty International USA, the Center for International Policy, Human  
Rights Watch, the US Office on Colombia and the Washington Office on  
Latin America, said in a joint statement today.

Just 12 days after Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice certified that  
the Colombian government and armed forces are making progress on  
human rights, the U.S. Congress, on April 16, put a hold on the  
remaining fiscal year 2006 funding to the Colombian Armed Forces.   
Congress has apparently placed the remaining funding of  $55.2  
million on hold out of concern about alleged links between the head  
of the Colombian Army and the paramilitary group known as United Self  
Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a U.S.-designated Foreign Terrorist  
Organization.

In late March, The Los Angeles Times reported on a leaked CIA report  
that documented extensive collaboration between Colombian Army Chief  
General Mario Montoya and paramilitaries led by one of the country’s  
foremost drug traffickers.  One condition of certification is  
substantial progress by the Colombian government toward severing  
links with the paramilitaries.

On March 21, human rights organizations presented U.S. officials with  
clear evidence of continued human rights violations by the Armed  
Forces.  These organizations recommended that Rice not certify  
Colombia, and they were particularly concerned about reports that  
extrajudicial executions of civilians by the Colombian military have  
increased substantially over the last two years, a fact that the  
State Department's certification barely mentions.

“The United States established conditions for the release of military  
assistance to Colombia precisely because of ties between Colombian  
military units and paramilitary groups implicated in massive  
atrocities,” said the statement by Amnesty International, the Center  
for International Policy, Human Rights Watch, the US Office on  
Colombia and the Washington Office on Latin America.

“For Secretary Rice to certify Colombia’s compliance at this time  
shows that the U.S. is not prepared to uphold the law as intended,”  
the statement said. “This sends a dangerous message that the U.S. is  
willing to turn a blind eye to paramilitary activity and human rights  
abuses in Colombia.”

Congress should not lift the hold until alleged AUC links with  
General Montoya and any Colombian policymakers are investigated, and  
in cases where links are confirmed, charges are brought against those  
involved.”

                                                                        
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