Colombian Paramilitaries’ Power Threatens Democracy

Wednesday, May 02 2007 @ 09:15 PM EDT

Edited by: Kandy Ringer

Human Rights Watch 2007

News and Releases

Compiled by Kandy Ringer

Paramilitaries Pose Grave Threat to Rule of Law in Columbia

Map of Colombia
Map of Colombia, 2004.

Photo Credit: The University of Texas at Austin.

For the map shown above in it's full size, see Map of Colombia, 2004.

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HRW via BBSNews - New York, May 2, 2007 -- Colombian paramilitaries pose a grave threat to Colombia’s democracy, the rule of law, and human rights, Human Rights Watch said in a letter today to Colombian President Álvaro Uribe.

Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch, wrote in reply to a letter from Uribe expressing concern over Human Rights Watch’s April 24 testimony before the US Congress on the human rights situation in Colombia.

Uribe is currently in the United States seeking congressional support for a Free Trade Agreement and extension of military assistance through Plan Colombia. His administration is embroiled in major scandals concerning the influence of drug-running paramilitaries at some of the highest levels of government.

Human Rights Watch called on Uribe to ensure that communications between imprisoned paramilitary leaders and their mafias were blocked, and to extradite to the United States those commanders who fail to turn over assets and cease their criminal activities.

The letter from Human Rights Watch to President Uribe is available online.

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