Faith groups urge Bush to address human rights in Colombia

Wary of the fast-deteriorating human rights conditions in Colombia, church leaders and aid groups in the United States are calling for the Bush administration to reconsider its current policy toward Bogotá. "A strategy of military aid and fumigation will not result in lasting change or a sustainable peace in Colombia," they said in a petition sent this week to President Bush, his administration's top officials, and members of the US Congress. The petition was signed by as many as 28 humanitarian organizations and more than 1,800 prominent religious leaders, most of whom are working closely with faith-based human rights groups in Colombia. Signers of the petition said they were deeply concerned about the continued killings of priests and pastors involved in humanitarian efforts to assist victims of the crossfire among Colombia's armed forces, right-wing paramilitaries and leftist guerrillas. In recent years, despite severe criticism from human rights organizations, the Bush administration has continued to defend its policy of relying on military aid to end political violence in Colombia and stem the flow of illegal drugs associated with it. Under its Plan Colombia, the United States has spent more than $3 billion to train the Colombian army to battle rebel groups and control drug trafficking. But critics say the effort has largely failed to achieve these targets. Criticizing the Colombian government for its failure to protect human rights defenders and religious leaders, the signers demanded the Bush administration press authorities in Bogotá to fully investigate and prosecute those responsible for threats and murders. Rights groups say despite the government's promises to demobilize paramilitaries, forced disappearances–for which the armed groups are blamed–continue to rise. By the end of 2005, there were at least 317 registered cases of "disappearances," according to the International Committee of the Red Cross, which believes it is likely that many more cases were never reported. In its reports on human rights conditions, the United Nations has also acknowledged that there has been an increase in incidents of extra-judicial killings of civilians by members of the military in recent years. "The US should insist that the Colombian government make clear pronouncements about the value and legitimacy of human rights work in a democratic society," the groups said, noting that the lack of progress toward paramilitary demobilization was "troublesome." Although the US government requires that Colombia has "concrete and workable" plans for dismantling paramilitary structures as a condition for receiving US aid, signers of the petition observed that so far the Colombian government has offered no plans. In fact, they said, at least 43 groups of former paramilitary combatants have rearmed. "We see disturbing signs of impunity for the perpetrators of gross human rights violations," the petitioners said. Mindful that currently 80 percent of US aid to Colombia goes to the military and police, while less than 20 percent is spent on economic and social development, the petitioners urged the US government to reduce military aid and allocate more funding for humanitarian needs and sustainable development. In addition, they said they want the US State Department to ensure that Colombia proves its compliance with human rights standards before US aid funds are released.