At the last day of its 61st session, the UN Commission on Human Rights adopted a so-called Chairperson´s Statement on the situation of human rights in Colombia. It expressed its alarm at reported violations of the rights to life, personal integrity, freedom and security, due process, privacy and intimacy, as well as reported breaches of fundamental freedoms of movement, residence, opinion and expression. (25-APR-05)
The Commission adopted a Chairperson’s Statement on the human rights situation in Colombia, without a vote, saying the Commission was gravely concerned about the situation of human rights and international humanitarian law in Colombia.
Chairperson’s Statement
The Commission welcomed the report of the High Commissioner for Human Rights on Colombia; strongly supported the activities of the Office the High Commissioner in Colombia; and trusted that the Government of Colombia would continue to actively support and promote the Office in carrying out its full mandate; and called upon the Government to make full use of the services of advice and technical cooperation of the Office. The Commission welcomed the cooperation of the Government with United Nations bodies and mechanisms for the promotion and protection of human rights.
The Commission expressed grave concerns at the situation of human rights and international humanitarian law. It was particularly alarmed at reported violations of the rights to life, personal integrity, freedom and security, due process, privacy and intimacy. It was also concerned about reported breaches of fundamental freedoms of movement, residence, opinion and expression. It recognized the efforts of the Government to strengthen respect for civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and took note of the efforts to investigate violations of human rights.
The Commission urged that dialogue and negotiations be pursued between the Government and all illegal armed groups, and supported the Government in its search for a negotiated solution to the internal armed conflict. It reaffirmed its support for the London Declaration of 10 July 2003, as well as the Cartagena Declaration adopted on 3 February 2005. It stressed its full support for the Government in its efforts to establish the rule of law, to fight against immunity, and to fight against terrorism and illicit drug production and trafficking in the framework of the rule of law and respect for human rights.
Further, the Commission urged the Government to establish as soon as possible a comprehensive legal framework for the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration process of the illegal armed groups that fully recognized and guaranteed the rights to truth, justice and reparations.
Further, the Commission was concerned about continuing cases of problems relating to access to justice, judicial independence and impartiality, judicial guarantees and presumption of innocence. It appealed to the Government to increasingly address the issue of impunity and to take action to improve the capacity and effectiveness of the judicial system. It also urged that international human rights law and international humanitarian law be taken into account in the process of reform of the justice system.
The Commission condemned all breaches of international humanitarian law in Colombia and called on all parties to the conflict to respect international humanitarian law, including the humanitarian principles of distinction, limitation, proportionality and immunity of the civilian population. It also condemned massacres and cruel violence, the continued breaches by the paramilitary groups of the cessation of hostilities, and the fact that all illegal armed groups continued to use violent means and to commit serious and numerous breaches such as attacks on civilian population, discriminate attacks, homicides, massacres, hostage-taking or forced disappearances.
Further, the Commission strongly condemned all acts of terrorism and other criminal attacks, such as attacks against life, physical integrity and personal liberty and safety, committed by the illegal armed groups. It strongly urged all illegal armed groups to comply with international humanitarian law and to respect the legitimate exercise by the population of their human rights.
The Commission deplored that human rights defenders, including trade unionists, women´s organizations, social leaders, as well as journalists, opinion makers and local officials continued to be affected by the armed conflict, and to be the victims of homicides and threats by the illegal armed groups. It remained deeply concerned by the still extremely high number of internally displaced persons. The Commission deplored the continued violence against indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, and expressed grave concern at the situation of those communities that were being subjected to confinement. It further condemned the continuing violence of the rights of women and girls, and the climate of impunity. It also deplored violations to the right of children.
In conclusion, the Commission called upon the international community to continue to support the prompt implementation by all relevant parties of the recommendations of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and requested the High Commissioner to submit to it at its sixty-second session a detailed report on the human rights situation of Colombia.
UN High Commissioner presented report
On 13 April, the Commission on Human Rights heard the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights present her Office’s report on the situation of human rights in Colombia. Also addressing the meeting were United Nations human rights officials who spoke on human rights implications in countering terrorism, the situation of human rights defenders worldwide, combating impunity for human rights violators, and the situation of migrant workers. The Commission then continued its general debate on specific groups and individuals.
In presenting her Office’s eighth report on the situation of human rights in Colombia, Louise Arbour, the High Commissioner for Human Rights, said some achievements had been made since the previous year in the country, although the implementation process had been less consistent than desired. The persistence of the internal armed conflict had continued to impact civilian life negatively. The human rights situation in Colombia continued to be critical. Her Office had received reports of violations of the rights to life, integrity, liberty and security of person, due process, privacy, movement, residence, opinion and expression. More decisive action must be taken by the national authorities with regard to that situation which threatened the rule of law.
Speaking as a concerned country, Colombia noted the positive aspects in the report which served as clear evidence of the Colombian State’s commitments to the promotion and protection of human rights and acted as a powerful incentive to continue working towards that aim. The Government had not ignored the serious problems that Colombia still faced, and felt profound pain and frustration when one of its nationals was the victim of a violation of any kind. Regarding human rights, Colombia did not just offer promises; it had results to show and was committed to continue working so that rights contained in the legal system were effectively guaranteed to the whole of the population.
Statements by other countries and NGOs
Luxembourg (on behalf of the European Union), Canada, Norway, and Switzerland made statements on the report of the High Commissioner on Colombia. The following non-governmental organizations also addressed the Commission on this issue: Colombian Commission of Jurists (in a joint statement with International Commission of Jurists and Amnesty International); Franciscans International (in a joint statement with Lutheran World Federation); Commission of the Churches on International Affairs of the World Council of Churches and World Alliance of Reformed Churches; International Federation of Human Rights Leagues; Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions; World Federation of Trade Unions; Human Rights Watch; International League for the Rights and Liberation of peoples; Latin American Federation of Associations of Relatives of Disappeared Detainees; Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom; International Work Group for Indigenous Affairs; Netherlands Centre for Indigenous Peoples; and Global Rights.
The delegation of Colombia exercised its right of reply.
