|
|
| Colombia Increases Military's Powers |
|
Posted by FoM on August 17, 2001 at 17:35:30 PT By Scott Wilson, Washington Post Foreign Service Source: Washington Post 
The Colombian government announced today that President Andres Pastrana had signed legislation giving the military broad new powers to wage war with less scrutiny from government investigators, a measure some U.S. lawmakers have warned could threaten a key American aid package.The measure, originated in large part by the Defense Ministry, is designed to give the military more latitude in fighting a growing guerrilla insurgency that dominates large parts of Colombia's rural landscape. But human rights groups condemned Pastrana for signing a law they say will lead to fresh abuses by the Colombian military, which is already criticized at home and abroad for having the hemisphere's worst human rights record. The United States, through its $1.3 billion aid package, has been a strong supporter of the Colombian military even as it has imposed human rights training on the units receiving U.S. assistance. Most of the aid package will arrive in the form of transport helicopters and military trainers, designed to help the military attack a drug trade that helps finance two leftist guerrilla armies and a right-wing paramilitary force that battles them, often with tacit support from the army. Pastrana, who has staked his presidency on achieving peace with the guerrillas, signed the measure under pressure from senior military commanders eager for a freer hand in prosecuting a worsening civil war. The measure is the first substantive reform of Colombia's national security law since 1965, when the two major leftist guerrilla groups were forming. "Without a doubt, there needed to be a clarification of the hierarchy of the command, of the roles of the armed forces and the civilian population," said Sen. German Vargas, who introduced the bill in the Colombian Senate. "This is going to allow us a variety of ways to combat terrorism. We can't ignore any longer what much of the country is experiencing." The measure allows the military to supercede civilian rule in areas declared by the president to be "theaters of operation" and reduces the chance that army troops could be subjected to thorough human rights investigations by civilian government agencies. Although the measure, in its original form, would have allowed the military to investigate all human rights charges against it, the final version gives the government's ombudsman a role in such cases. However, human rights advocates said the ombudsman's role has been curtailed to such a degree that military crimes will not be adequately addressed. Until now, government human rights investigators were given as long as a year to conclude a preliminary investigation against military officials. The new law cuts that time to a maximum of two months. "There can't possibly be an investigation into such crimes within this amount of time," said Gustavo Gallon, director of the Colombian Commission of Jurists, a noted human rights group. "This will permit even greater impunity for soldiers and police who violate human rights." Many of the law's most controversial provisions, approved by the Senate but watered down in the House, were dropped from the final version. But the measure does give the military judicial authority to make arrests and conduct criminal investigations, duties normally carried out by the attorney general's office, if a prosecutor from that office is not available. In addition, a provision was dropped that would have specifically allowed the Colombian military to create government-regulated civilian militias, an idea recently endorsed by the Rand Corp., a Santa Monica, Calif.-based research organization. Since Colombia's Congress passed the law in July, U.S. lawmakers, including Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), chairman of the Senate Appropriations subcommittee for Foreign Operations, have told Pastrana that further disbursements from the aid package could be threatened if he signed the bill. About 75 percent of the aid package, a major part of Pastrana's Plan Colombia that is intended to stop drug trafficking and end the war, has been disbursed. Pastrana signed the measure Monday without the slightest hint he had done so. His government announced it only today, and made it the 14th and final item on its daily news briefing. But the final version was apparently watered down enough to satisfy the State Department. "As far as we're concerned, this legislation is much improved over the original version," a State Department official said. "We're confident that Pastrana will interpret it to maximize the safeguarding of human rights." Note: Law Could Threaten U.S. Aid Disbursement. Related Articles & Web Site: Colombia Drug War News Plan Colombia: Latest U.S. Drug War Failure Broader Role by U.S. Likely in Colombia Home Comment Email Register Recent Comments Help |
 |
| Comment #6 posted by mayan on August 19, 2001 at 11:30:19 PT |
| The fact that our government aids the Columbian military,which has the "worst human rights record in the hemisphere",says a lot about our government(scum). [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #5 posted by SWAMPIE on August 18, 2001 at 20:26:19 PT |
| If it quacks like a duck,acts like a duck,walks like a duck,but it doesn't have webbed feet,it's probably a coot,which therefore our government will have to spend millions to research and develop a "beak-biller-neck- stretcher-foot-webber"to turn the ugly coot into their version of a coot that resembles the proverbial duck!!!!!!These people need to have their heads examined!!!!!!Next,they'll be calling it a"value-added-package"!!!! [ Post Comment ] |
|
Comment #4 posted by kaptinemo on August 18, 2001 at 13:42:44 PT:
|
| A la Idi Amin of Uganda was? More likely, Pastrana's head on a platter...and a military "president" assumes the reins of power...just like Nguyen Kao Key was in Viet Nam. Which, by the way, came about when the US intel services decided that President Diem was not 'aggressive' enough in doing the US's bidding. He was removed in a bloody coup, and Ky was put in his place. By the Viet Namese military. Maybe somebody over at Langley thinks the same thing of Pastrana, hmmm? Friends, history repeats itself. Despite this sad fact, the antis keep saying, over and over again, as if enough repetition makes it true: "This is not another Viet Nam! This is not another Viet Nam! This is not another Viet Nam!" But it looks, smells, tastes, and sounds like precisely that. God, will they ever effin' learn? [ Post Comment ] |
|
Comment #3 posted by Dan B on August 17, 2001 at 23:53:24 PT:
|
| I strongly believe that this new legislation was backed and paid for by the United States's government. Neither Pastrana nore America cares what happens to the Colombian people. They care only for money and power, and they will kill anyone who stands in the way of either. So much for the war on some drugs being for the good of the many. Dan B [ Post Comment ] |
| Comment #2 posted by SWAMPIE on August 17, 2001 at 20:20:05 PT |
| Is this correct? 75% has already been distributed?Where in the Hell has it been distributed?????To Monsanto/Montesinos??Why have they not at least shown some sign that some part of this money that is supposed to be helping people that are under U.S./Columbian attack,forced crop eradication,chemical spraying,and poisoning of the land;I.E:the Rain Forests/natural lakes and ponds??? This money is supposed to provide aid to the poor farmers who cannot support themselves,to be able to get away from planting coca,and it sure looks like they're doing the"things"they promised!!!!If I had the money,I would get real involved in this situation,and let these idiotic bastards know just whom they have/are really hurting!!!!!!!!THEY ARE HURTING THE WHOLE COUNTRY,THE WHOLE WORLD,AND ESPECIALLY THE POOR INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF SOUTH AMERIKKA!!!!!ALL IN THE NAME OF IGNORANCE/GREED!!!!!!!!!!!I PERSONALLY HAVE MY OWN STRING TO TIE THEM BY THE BALLS WHEN THIS COMES TO A HEAD!!!!!!!!!!!SWAMPIE [ Post Comment ] |
|
Comment #1 posted by Ethan Russo, MD on August 17, 2001 at 18:05:41 PT:
|
| More powers? That should tip the balance so the war can be won. Are we talking about Colombia's war, or Amerika's? The same, you say? Very few of us are buying that argument. USA out of Colombia! Stop the War on Drugs! [ Post Comment ] |
| Post Comment |  |
 |  |