RIGHTS REPORT BLAMES GOVERNMENT FOR IMPUNITY

A brand new human rights report says the Colombian state is ultimately responsible for the vast majority of human rights violations committed each year in Colombia - especially those aimed at the trade union movement and human rights groups. 27.03.02 (Alfredo Castro, ANNCOL Colombia) In their newly released account of human rights abuses in 2001 the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and the World Organisation Against Torture (OMCT) accuse the Colombian government of actively promoting the systematic violation of human rights all over the nation. According to the two organisations while "all national, regional and international observers have reached the same conclusion: the human rights situation has worsened in 2001 and those defending these rights risk death" it is also clear that "in the current context, these attacks, originating from official authorities, can be interpreted as giving a free hand to the groups acting illegally to get rid of the dissident voices with total impunity." The joint report, which mainly concentrates on abuses against human rights workers and trade unionists also points out that "Severe violations were perpetrated against lawyers denouncing impunity and questioning State officials, NGOs gathering families of disappeared persons or political detainees and trying to shed light on the disappearances or denouncing the detention conditions, women's organizations and NGOs defending the displaced populations and indigenous communities." The document goes on to explain that although 3,000 unionists have been assassinated since 1987 "the instigators of these crimes go unpunished in 100% of cases", that this "impunity could be overcome to a large extent if the political will existed*" and that the fact that this type of system prevails "is a positive message to those behind such crimes". The report later mentions that unionists are also at risk of arbitrary detention and imprisonment as well as from forced disappearances and points out that 80% of all unionists killed in the world each year are killed in Colombia. "Furthermore" says the report, "on numerous occasions, army officers have accused trade union leaders of serving the interests of the rebels. It has now become customary for the Colombian government - in international human rights meetings - to present itself in the light of a victim of an armed conflict and of the drugs trade." News Agency New Colombia Associated member of FELAP - Latin American Federation of Journalists redaccion@anncol.com www.anncol.com