COLOMBIA

CASE N° CO/09 - HERNAN MOTTA MOTTA
CASE N° CO/10 - NELSON VELORIA

Resolution adopted without a vote by the Inter-Parliamentary Council at its 160th session
(Seoul, 15 April 1997)

The Inter-Parliamentary Council,

Referring to the outline of the case, as contained in the report of the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians (CL/160/14(a)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 159th session (September 1996) concerning the case of Senator Hernán Motta Motta and Mr. Nelson Veloria, of Colombia,

Taking account of the observations provided by a member of the Colombian delegation to the 97th Inter-Parliamentary Conference (Seoul, April 1997),

Taking account of the information supplied by the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Human Rights on 6 April 1997,

Also taking account of the information supplied by one of the sources on 16 October 1996 and 3 April 1997,

Recalling that Mr. Hernán Motta Motta and Mr. Nelson Veloria have for some time been subjected to death threats, their names reportedly being on the "hit list" of the second phase of the Golpe de Gracia plan aimed at eliminating the remaining national leaders of the Patriotic Union,

Considering that, according to the letter from the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Human Rights of 6 April 1997, investigations into the threats were instituted with a complaint filed on 24 October 1995 by a trade union leader; considering, however, that it has produced no results, the most recent information being that " proceedings were reassigned on 12 December 1996 ",

Considering also that, according to the letter from the Office, " there is no trace of any action following a personal complaint by Senator Motta in respect of death threats or attempts on his life ",

Recalling that Ms. Aida Abella, President of the Patriotic Union Party, survived an attempt on her life in Bogotá on 7 May 1996 and has had to leave the country to seek safety, that Mr. Pedro Malagón, an MP in the Meta Provincial Assembly belonging to the Patriotic Union, was assassinated on 20 June 1996 together with his daughter, and that Mr. Josué Girualdo, another member of the Patriotic Union and human rights defender, was murdered on 15 October 1996,

Considering also that, according to the authorities, the MPs concerned are afforded the necessary protection; that, however, as one of the sources stated, past assassinations of Congressmen having been afforded physical protection by the authorities show that such protection is worthless unless accompanied by a clear political commitment at the highest levels of the Government to put an end to political assassinations and to respect the political opposition,

Recalling that the Inter-Parliamentary Council, in past resolutions adopted on the Colombian cases, recommended as a means of demonstrating such commitment that the statutory law regulating the status of the opposition, as provided for in Article 112 of the Constitution of Colombia, be drawn up and adopted as soon as possible,

Considering that, according to one of the sources, the Government set up a commission to present a report on an overall political reform, including a statute for the opposition; that, however, the Commission report was not followed up by the Minister of the Interior, resulting in its being shelved,

Bearing in mind that, on 29 November 1996, the Foreign Minister of Colombia and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights signed an agreement for the establishment of a United Nations human rights office in Colombia whose function will also be to monitor the human rights situation in the country and to receive complaints of human rights violations, and that the Office is now operational,

1. Thanks the member of the Colombian delegation for the observations he provided and for his co-operation;
2. Also thanks the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Human Rights for the information supplied and its co-operation;
3. Remains deeply concerned at the allegations of renewed assassination threats against members of the Patriotic Union Party and the existence of a second phase of the Golpe de Gracia plan;
4. Reiterates its wish to ascertain whether the Parliament and Government of Colombia, in view of the seriousness of the matter, have taken steps to conduct inquiries into the existence of the Golpe de Gracia plan originally denounced by Senator Cepeda;
5. Urges the Colombian authorities once more and in the strongest terms to do their utmost to protect the lives and security of Senator Motta and Congressman Veloria;
6. Reaffirms that the Colombian State has no less a duty than any other to ensure by every necessary means the physical safety and security of its citizens;
7. Notes that investigations into the death threats against Senator Motta have been instituted and regrets that they seem to have so far been unavailing;
8. Reiterates its wish to ascertain whether any investigation into the death threats against Representative Veloria has been opened;
9. Regrets that the initiatives taken to elaborate a statute for the political opposition have not as yet produced tangible results, and would appreciate more detailed information on this matter;
10. Welcomes the establishment of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia and hopes that it will enjoy full co-operation from the Colombian authorities in support of the bid to end impunity;
11. Requests the Secretary General to convey these considerations to the President of the National Congress and of the National Group of Colombia;
12. Also requests the Secretary General to convey these considerations to the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Human Rights, inviting it to transmit the information desired and report any new developments in connection with these cases;
13. Requests the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to continue examining the case and report to it at its next session (September 1997).