INTERNATIONAL CRISIS GROUP
The Virtuous Twins: Protecting Human Rights and Improving Security in Colombia
Bogota/Brussels, 25 May 2009: Colombia’s government must urgently address human rights abuses to enhance its security policy and bring lasting peace to the country.
The Virtuous Twins: Protecting Human Rights and Improving Security in Colombia,* the latest policy briefing from the International Crisis Group, examines the security gains made by the Uribe administration over seven years and warns that immediate steps are needed to address human rights concerns. The government argues that the human rights record has improved with its “democratic security policy”, but serious abuses, including of international humanitarian law, persist and in some instances are even increasing.
“The Uribe administration promotes an optimistic vision of Colombia on the verge of overcoming its internal conflict, but the conflict is evolving, not ending”, Mauricio Angel Morales, Crisis Group Senior Analyst, says. “It should make a much stronger commitment to protecting human rights, not least to preserve and expand the security gains”.
The Uribe administration has focused on the military struggle against the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), the National Liberation Army (ELN) and paramilitary and new illegal armed groups (NIAGs) – all responsible for multiple atrocities against civilians. But forced displacement and violence against vulnerable sectors, including ethnic minorities and women, remains widespread. NIAGs, at times with acquiescence of security personnel and some government officials, have stepped up intimidation and violence against civilians; the government’s early warning system to prevent abuses is inefficient; and the sluggish justice system is an ineffective deterrent.
In an effort to curb violations by security forces, especially against the rural and urban poor, the government has issued a human rights policy, increased human rights training for security forces and taken other measures, including holding to account military officers involved in extrajudicial killings of innocent civilians. These are important initial steps, but security forces still have a long way to go regarding accountability, professionalism and full commitment to human rights.
The government and the human rights community need to overcome mutual distrust by dialogue and concrete actions, starting with an end to officials’ efforts to link human rights organisations with the guerrillas. The U.S., Canada and the EU should actively promote rapprochement between the security forces and human rights advocates.
“The priorities of the government and human rights defenders are not mutually exclusive, but reinforcing”, says Markus Schultze-Kraft, Crisis Group’s Latin America Director. “Ending the internal armed conflict urgently requires improved security with full respect for Colombians’ fundamental rights”.
Read the full Crisis Group briefing on our website: http://www.crisisgroup.org
