“The Armed Forces of Colombia, in this process of being effective and transparent, will gladly correct any error. They don’t accept ‘false positives,’ nor will they allow themselves to be tied up by false accusations.
“Today we see hundreds of false accusations, when in reality only 22 cases of ‘false positives’ have any juridical foundation.
“We are the first to demand that there be no ‘false positives,’ that there be total transparency. But we have to be the first to denounce that many people, basing themselves on the issue of ‘false positives,’ have caused these false accusations to increase, in order to try to paralyze the security forces’ actions against the terrorists.”
- President Uribe yesterday, alleging that nearly all allegations of “false positives” are unfounded accusations from people seeking to slow down the Colombian military’s efforts to fight guerrillas. The term “false positives” refers to hundreds of cases in which soldiers are believed to have killed civilians, only to present their bodies as those of illegal armed-group members killed in combat.
Colombian non-governmental human-rights groups believe that as many as 1,192 civilians were victims of “false positives” between July 2002 and June 2007, and 535 between January 2007 and June 2008 alone. As of the end of last year, Colombia’s attorney-general’s office (FiscalÃa) was investigating 716 cases, with over 1,000 victims, while the inspector-general’s office (ProcuradurÃa) was reviewing 943 cases involving at least 2,742 members of the Army. It is unclear where President Uribe’s reference to 22 cases with juridical foundation comes from.
March 24th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
… as is unclear where the claims of NGO human-rights groups comes from.
Both exagerate and have created an atmosphere of hysteria and confusion to say the least.
March 24th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
The claims from human rights groups would likely be their own research (both individual, and organizational level) as well as those that they cooperate with. I find this disturbing but it is to be expected from the Uribe administration, especially given the fact that portions of aid have been cut off in lieu of this incident. Comments like this made are outlandish but in the end politically motivated, such as “there is no civil war, only a terrorist threat to democracy” , also with linking intellectuals in dialogue with the FARC as somehow being aligned with the FARC, being its “intellectual bloc” etc.
One thing that strikes me though, I know that a common joke in Colombia is that there are more lawyers in Colombia than citizens, but the incredible important role that the judiciary has in Colombia. Here we have the need to investigate some 700-900 cases of extrajudicial murder, on top of the para-politics scandal, on top of a massive volume of high crimes of the state.
March 24th, 2009 at 2:47 pm
NGO info is from their research, though not all of it is publicly released – though much of it is. Their methodology in their reports will tell you. I know field work has been done on more than one occasion. I wonder if Uribe’s 22 cases are cases brought to trial, convictions w/ military justice? I read the story and wondered the same thing…
March 24th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Chris,
The Fiscalia and the Procuraduria are human rights NGOS? I didn’t realize that they had lost their governmental status.
Also, 700-900 cases vs 22 cases? Perhaps, Kyle is correct that Uribe has a very specific definition of “juridical foundation”, but it seems that this is pretty consistent with his rhetoric throughout his administration…back the armed forces in the face of most if not all accusations of human rights violations and villify those making the accusations. This strategy has not undermined his overall support in the country and U.S. aid (thus far) while solidifying the support he receives from the armed forces (especially the army).
March 24th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Strangely enough, Adam’s poignant pen stays behind curtains.
March 25th, 2009 at 2:35 am
I believe President Uribe. Unfortunately, too many of Colombia’s NGOs have this desire to paint the country in the blackest terms possible in order to keep the funds coming, the hysteria up, and the newspapers calling. They have a financial interest in lying, so they do.
March 25th, 2009 at 4:14 am
From a post in a colombian blog:
“pues les cuento que en villavivencio tambien estan haciendo limpieza y van mas de 50 muertos y nadie hace nada los estan degollando a las 10 de la noche ya nadie puede salir a las calles o dicen en el panfleto que no responden. Claro a uribe el ejercito colombiano le disminuyo la guerrilla y ahora su ejercito de parar esta acabando con el pueblo como a el le gusta muerto a granel.”
March 25th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
Jaime,
Well, like Camilla says I am sure that this Colombian blog you cite is being funded by some NGO that is earning some serious money from reporting that this community is under attack…
Camilla, how much do you think the NGO will receive for this report?
Jaime, thanks for the post.
Will
March 25th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Will,
I agree that this type of rhetoric follows a very consistent, general pattern of dangerously damning words spoken by Uribe y co. Yet, I’m still wondering where the number 22 comes from? Why 22?
March 25th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
Don’t mention it Will.
“San Jose de Apartado” community is also under siege, as I write.
Take care.
March 25th, 2009 at 11:00 pm
Human Rights are central to a state of well-being and all human beings deserve this dignity. One who would deprive another of such dignity is a lesser creature. One who deprives his own countrymen of such dignity is less than dirt.
Uribe needs to take a hard stance against any and all HR abuses along with crime. The Justice System needs to prosecute individuals correctly and fairly. There is a need for balance in government and balance in governance.
I believe the people, their evidence is overwhelming.
March 26th, 2009 at 10:14 am
I don’t know if this will be posted here but it is the anniversary of Manuel Tirofijo Marulanda’s death today.
March 26th, 2009 at 11:56 am
Brownfield warns of RADICAL change in US-Colombia policy. Memo to Bill: changes in bilateral relations are TWO WAY. You don’t dictate:
http://colombiareports.com/colombian-news/news/3362-us-ambassador-advises-to-look-for-alternatives-for-free-trade-pact.html
U.S. Ambassador to Bogotá William Brownfield thinks Colombia should look for alternatives for trade with America while Plan Colombia and the free trade pact as proposed by former U.S. President George W. Bush probably will be subject to change.
“I believe that the Free Trade Agreement is something we should resolve eventually. We have to accept that voices are coming from Bogotá and Washington that say that we effectively should revise our collaboration under the title of Plan Colombia y it may be that we will decide that a change of name and a change of priority and focus in the future won’t be bad. Strategic Alliance Partner sounds interesting to me. We have also have been considering something else in Washington, something that has not yet been adopted; the Strategic Development Initiative,” Brownfield said Wednesday.
The ambassador thinks a bilateral agreement should incorporate a social factor. “It is necessary to make social investment (…) I think, for example, in more collaboration in the field of energy or to invest in bilateral and regional commerce, without or outside the context of the FTA. I see good possibilities using the bilateral relation of the past ten years as fundament.”
Both Plan Colombia, the joint efforts to battle Colombian drug production and trafficking, and the Free Trade Agreement are due to undergo radical changes because of the change of policy of the new U.S. administration and the global economic crisis that forces the U.S. to cut spending.
***
Meanwhile, here’s a charming piece of news: Canada has just signed off on Colombia free trade.
March 26th, 2009 at 11:57 am
They’re drooling:
http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/fpposted/archive/2009/03/26/canada-passes-colombia-peru-trade-deals.aspx
It’s nice to wolf down gringo markets with the gringos’ seemingly wanting it.
March 27th, 2009 at 12:50 am
Seems there should be a post about the recent Clinton-Calderon talks. $80 million worth of Blackhawk helicopters? Have we read this book already?
March 27th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
Yo me pregunto qué dirÃa ese blog colombiano cuyo nombre Jaime Bustos ni se atreve a mencionar sobre las muertes que vienen de atrás y que guste o no vendrán después porque asà como matan unos lo hacen los otros no mencionados, cuando ojalá ya no les quede tan fácil mirar apenas por encima el panorama y decir que ese el “ejercito de paras de Uribe” el responsable. Al menos les tocará cambiarle una palabra a esa canción, espera uno.
DirÃa más pero como he dado entender antes esto de por sà es perder el tiempo.
April 5th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
[...] them as FARC combatants in order to inflate casualty figures. President Uribe has attempted to deflect criticism against the military’s actions by claiming that most accusations are themselves false, but [...]