The fantastic Colombia blog CIPCOL states that there is a lack of judicial power in prosecuting those who have been the architects of abuses. In the last year (June 2008 to June 2009), the number of military personnel sentenced doesn't come close to accounting for the long list of systematic abuses by the military. None of the personnel sentenced this last year are higher than the rank of lieutenant.
There are cases currently moving forward against higher-up military officials, some retired, related to their conection with paramilitary forces. Some other officers have also been indicted for abuses, including a number of colonels and a general. However, the cases proceed slowly, and in the case of Colonel Hernan Mejia (who colluded with paramilitaries to kill 20 civilians in 2002), CIPCOL states that the State department neglects to mention that key witnesses have been murdered, and others have mysteriously retracted their statements.
Also disturbing is the scandal involving the DAS' (presidential intelligence service) wiretapping of opposition politicians, judges, and human rights workers. It is hardly being investigated by the prosecution office, and the practice is likely to continue.
All this is not helped by the fact that the Prosecution Office is understaffed and underfunded. The lack of resources for judges, prosecutors and investigators impedes progress and is a significant measure of political will to punish human rights abuse. An excerpt from the statement justifying the certification also points out the severe lack of resources as well as the large, almost impossible task facing the Prosecution Office in dealing with the Parapolitics Scandal politicians, where 86 members of congress, 34 mayors, and 15 governors were arrested following the discovery of their direct links with violent paramilitary groups. Their investigation proceeds slowly.
The one bright spark in all of this is that at least there is a concentrated effort to investigate and prosecute the current abuses perpetrated by the military forces and the government.Funding is also slowly increasing for the Prosecutor's General Office, with some American aid. This effort must continue, in order to protect the democratic principles which the Colombian government claims to support.
Posted on September 24, 2009
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