08 July 2003
Text: Powell Certifies Colombia as Meeting Criteria Related to Human Rights
(Secretary of State's findings based on "thorough, careful
evaluation") (600)
Secretary of State Colin Powell has certified to Congress that the
Colombian government and armed forces are meeting the statutory
criteria related to human rights and are severing ties to paramilitary
groups responsible for much of the violence that plagues Colombia,
according to the State Department.
In a press release issued July 8, the State Department said that
Powell's certification of Colombia "is based on a thorough, careful
evaluation of the conditions in U.S. law and the relevant actions and
policies" of the government of Colombia and the Colombian armed
forces.
The process leading to the determination on Colombia's human rights
performance "was not intended to be a complete review of the human
rights situation in Colombia, but was focused strictly on the
statutory criteria," the State Department explained. U.S. law requires
such a determination before the full amount of U.S. assistance to
Colombia can be obligated, the Department added.
Following is the text of the State Department press release, with
further details:
(begin text)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
July 8, 2003
STATEMENT BY PHILIP T. REEKER, DEPUTY SPOKESMAN
Colombia: Determination and Certification of Colombian Government and
Armed Forces with Respect to Human Rights-Related Conditions
On July 7, 2003, Secretary of State Colin L. Powell determined and
certified to Congress that the Colombian Government and Armed Forces
are meeting the statutory criteria related to human rights and
severing ties to paramilitary groups. These conditions are that the
Colombian Armed Forces are suspending military officers credibly
alleged to have committed gross violations of human rights or to have
aided or abetted paramilitary organizations; cooperating with civilian
prosecutors and judicial authorities in prosecuting and punishing such
members; severing links with paramilitary organizations; and executing
outstanding orders for the capture of paramilitary leaders; and that
the Colombian Government is prosecuting and punishing those members of
the Armed Forces credibly alleged to have committed gross violations
of human rights or to have aided or abetted paramilitary
organizations.
The Secretary's determination is based on a thorough, careful
evaluation of the conditions in U.S. law and the relevant actions and
policies of the Government of Colombia and the Colombian Armed Forces.
The process leading to the determination was not intended to be a
complete review of the human rights situation in Colombia, but was
focused strictly on the statutory criteria. The Secretary made the
decision to certify based on our discussions with the Government of
Colombia and Colombia's Armed Forces, consultations with a wide range
of international and Colombian non-governmental organizations active
on human rights issues, and information provided by our Embassy in
Bogotá.
Human rights are central to our policy in Colombia. Despite notable
progress, we recognize that more needs to be done to improve the human
rights performance of the Armed Forces, including ending
military-paramilitary collaboration. President Uribe shares our
concern and is committed to working with us on concrete measures the
Government of Colombia should take to achieve these objectives.
Section 564(a)(1) of the FY 2003 Foreign Operations, Export Financing
and Related Programs Appropriations Act provides that up to 75 percent
of foreign assistance funds for Colombia may be obligated prior to a
determination and certification by the Secretary of State pursuant to
paragraph (2), which further provides that up to 12.5 percent of the
remaining 25 percent may be obligated only after the Secretary of
State has made a determination and certification with respect to
certain human rights-related conditions.
(end text)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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