DATE=4/19/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=RIGHTS / COLOMBIA (L ONLY)
NUMBER=2-261524
BYLINE=LISA SCHLEIN
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The U-N Human Rights Commission says it is
deeply concerned by continuing widespread human-rights
violations in Colombia. Lisa Schlein in Geneva
reports the 53-member commission approved a statement
condemning the situation in Colombia, following a
report by the top U-N human rights official, Mary
Robinson.
TEXT: The commission statement notes, what it calls -
a stark deterioration in the human-rights situation
last year in Columbia. It blames most abuses and
killings on paramilitaries, which it says allegedly
operate with the support of the Colombian army.
The statement condemns what it calls persistent grave
violations and abuses by both paramilitary groups and
rebels. It calls for Colombia's government to take
urgent action to punish those guilty of crimes.
The commission statement strongly condemns acts of
terrorism and violation of international humanitarian
law by guerrilla groups, including the kidnapping of
children. It expresses concern with the continued use
by guerrillas of child soldiers and anti-personnel
landmines.
The statement says Colombia's civil war has caused the
number of internally displaced people to mount. An
estimated one-and-one-half-million people have been
made homeless by the conflict, thousands have fled to
other countries, and tens-of-thousands of people have
been killed.
The commission statement deplores the persistence of
high levels of impunity in cases of serious crimes,
particularly in the military. It strongly condemns
attacks against human-rights activists as well as
against journalists and labor union members. It calls
for Colombian authorities to take urgent action to
protect people under threat.
The commission also says it is concerned about the
toll that violence is taking on minority groups, such
as the indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities.
The Human Rights Commission says it is concerned by
President Andres Pastrana's decision not to sign a
bill establishing the crimes of genocide and forced
disappearances. It says the president seems to have
bowed to concerns by the country's armed forces that
its members could be tried for killings during the
country's 35-year old civil conflict.
The statement was read out by the Human Rights
Commission's chairman and was adopted by consensus by
all members, including Colombia. (SIGNED)
NEB/LS/JWH/RAE
19-Apr-2000 13:16 PM EDT (19-Apr-2000 1716 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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