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WASHINGTON,
D.C. – U.S. Representative Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Chief Deputy Whip, today
called on Secretary of State Colin Powell “to make a strong public statement
dissociating the United States from President Uribe's remarks.”
President Uribe, during a speech on September 8th before assembled armed
forces' leadership, accused members of the human rights community in Colombia
of acting in the service of terrorism, and added that some human rights
defenders were “spokespeople for terrorists” and called others “traffickers
for human rights.”
In
a letter organized by Schakowsky, and signed by 18 members of Congress,
the members urged Secretary Powell to call on President Uribe “to protect,
by his words and by his actions, human rights defenders and the broader
nongovernmental community in Colombia.” Below is the full text
of the letter to Secretary Powell:
September
22, 2003
Secretary
Colin L. Powell
U.S.
Department of State
2201
C Street NW
Washington,
D.C. 20520
Dear
Secretary Powell:
During your trip to Bogotá, Colombia last year, you remarked upon
the Colombian government's national security strategy as a "comprehensive
plan to build a healthy democracy." We strongly concur with the goal
of fostering a "healthy democracy" in Colombia today. We were alarmed,
however, by a recent speech by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe which would
weaken, not strengthen, his country's democratic values.
Speaking on September 8th before the assembled armed forces' leadership
at the inauguration ceremony for the new head of the air force, President
Uribe devoted a major portion of his address to accusing members of the
human rights community in Colombia of acting in the service of terrorism.
He suggested that some human rights defenders were "spokespeople for terrorists"
and called others "traffickers for human rights." He called upon
these human rights defenders to "take off their masks" and end "this cowardice
of hiding their ideas behind human rights." President Uribe pointedly did
not mention specific human rights groups and also referred generally to
"NGOs"; thus, his remarks put at risk the entire community of human rights,
humanitarian and service organizations in Colombia.
Ties between some members of the military and paramilitary forces have
been extensively documented by the State Department and the Office of the
United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Bogotá, as
well as by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Moreover, paramilitary
forces have specifically targeted, threatened and killed human rights defenders
and community and labor union activists. Thus, this broad accusation associating
human rights defenders with terrorists before the assembled armed forces'
leadership can be read as an endorsement of the view that human rights
defenders are entitled to less protection from paramilitary aggression--
and could be heard by some as a green light for collaboration with paramilitary
abuses.
Mr. Uribe's remarks cast a chill over the already tense climate for human
rights defenders in Colombia. Many already are living in exile; others
continue to carry out their critical work despite regular threats, in some
cases with bodyguards, metal detectors and other protective measures the
United States has helped to finance. These activists merit and need protection
from the government; they do not deserve to be placed in further peril.
We urge you to make a strong public statement dissociating the United States
from President Uribe's remarks, indicating strong US concern with these
statements, and asking him to protect, by his words and by his actions,
human rights defenders and the broader nongovernmental community in Colombia.
As we all know, a "healthy democracy" includes civil society, dissent and
public debate. |
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