Colombian president should stop false accusations against human rights groups
20 November 2008
President Álvaro Uribe of Colombia should stop making false and dangerous accusations against human rights defenders, according to a joint statement released on 19 November.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) released the statement after both organizations were verbally attacked by President Uribe, for issuing reports in October criticizing his government.
After its report was released, President Uribe accused Amnesty International of "blindness", "fanaticism" and "dogmatism". He also publicly accused José Miguel Vivanco, Americas director at HRW, of being a "supporter" and an “accomplice" of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas.
In the joint statement, both organizations have called on President Uribe to stop making accusations and to instead address the human rights concerns raised by the reports.
~snip~
HRW's report, Breaking the Grip? Obstacles to Justice for Paramilitary Mafias in Colombia assessed Colombia's progress toward investigating and breaking the influence that paramilitaries have over many state institutions. It also described how government actions were deliberately sabotaging those investigations.
Amnesty International's report, Leave us in peace! Targeting civilians in Colombia's internal armed conflict said that the Colombian government was in denial about its human rights situation. Despite increasing reports of forced internal displacement, attacks against social and human rights activists and killings by security forces, the Colombian authorities are attempting to convince the international community that the human rights situation is improving.
More:
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/news/colombian-president-should-stop-false-accusations-against-human-rights-groups-20081120
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