COLOMBIA

CASE N° CO/01 - PEDRO NEL JIMENEZ OBANDO
CASE N° CO/02 - LEONARDO POSADA PEDRAZA
CASE N° CO/03 - OCTAVIO VARGAS CUELLAR
CASE N° CO/04 - PEDRO LUIS VALENCIA
CASE N° CO/06 - BERNARDO JARAMILLO OSSA
CASE N° CO/08 - MANUEL CEPEDA VARGAS

Resolution adopted without a vote by the Inter-Parliamentary Council
at its 164th session (Brussels, 16 April 1999)

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/164/13(b)-R.1), and to the resolution adopted at its 163rd session (September 1998) concerning the case of Mr. Pedro Nel Jiménez Obando, Mr. Leonardo Posada Pedraza, Mr. Octavio Vargas Cuéllar, Mr. Pedro Luis Valencia Giraldo, Mr. Bernardo Jaramillo Ossa and Mr. Manuel Cepeda Vargas, of Colombia,

Taking account of the information provided by the Office of the High Counsellor for Human Rights, dated 25 February 1999,

Also taking account of the observations supplied by members of the Colombian delegation on the occasion of the 101st Inter-Parliamentary Conference (Brussels, April 1999),

Considering that, according to the information at present before it, (i)  the investigation into the murder of Mr. Posada Pedraza was suspended in April 1996 but new evidence has since emerged which permits reactivation of the case; (ii)  on 12 May 1998, the National Director of Prosecution ordered the Regional Director of Prosecution of Villavicencio to reopen the investigation conducted by the now defunct Penal Investigation Chamber N° 10 into the killing of Mr. Jiménez Obando for the purpose of entrusting the Technical Investigation Corps with pursuing inquiries to identify the culprits; that, registered under N° 5021, the preliminary investigation is being conducted by Examining Judge 16, who is seeking new evidence; (iii)  the investigation in the case of Mr. Vargas Cuéllar remains suspended since no fresh evidence has arisen that would permit its reopening; (iv)  preliminary investigations registered under N° 4298 at the Regional Prosecutor's Office in Medellín are still under way in the case of Mr. Luis Valencia; (v)  the prosecution was about to close the investigation in the case of Mr. Jaramillo Ossa; (vi)  Mr. Carlos Castaño Gil, the head of the paramilitary groups of Córdoba and Urabá, Mr. Justo Gil Zúñiga Labrador and Mr. Hernando Medina Camacho, army sergeants in the 9th Brigade, have been formally accused of the murder of Senator Cepeda Vargas and the latter two have been remanded in custody,

Considering also that, according to one of the sources, the judgment in this case is expected in two months' time; considering nevertheless the fears of the source making mention of death threats against the Prosecutor in this case and of the abduction of the wife and daughter of the main witness in this case,

Recalling that Mr. Carlos Castaño Gil is wanted for the murder of Senators Jaramillo and Cepeda; that a " Search Squad for private justice groups " was set up in December 1997 with a mandate, inter alia, to act in support of the Fiscalía General in executing arrest warrants,

Noting that, in her report of 9 March 1998 on the work of the field office in Colombia, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights urged the Colombian Government inter alia to " ... conduct independent and exhaustive investigations into all violations of the right to life, bring the culprits to justice and properly compensate their victims in order to put an end to the spiral of violence and impunity ",

1. Thanks the Office of the High Counsellor for Human Rights for the information supplied;
2. Also thanks the Colombian delegation to the 101st Inter-Parliamentary Conference for its co-operation;
3. Notes with satisfaction that, in the case of the murder of Senator Cepeda, the judgment is to be pronounced shortly; nevertheless expresses its grave concern at the threats reportedly made against the Prosecutor in this case and the abduction of the wife and daughter of the main witness;
4. Urges the authorities to take all necessary measures to guarantee the security of persons involved in this trial, to ensure that persons abducted are released and to bring the culprits to justice, as is their duty;
5. Reiterates its wish to receive information about any steps taken to ensure the execution of the arrest warrants issued against Mr. Carlos Castaño Gil and the efforts undertaken to this end by the " Search Squad for private justice groups " set up in December 1997;
6. Takes note with satisfaction of the pledge given by the Colombian delegation that it would inquire into the progress of the investigations in the other cases and ensure that the National Congress was informed of the Union's concerns regarding those cases;
7. Requests the Secretary General to bring this decision to the attention of the Colombian parliamentary authorities and of the Office of the High Counsellor for Human Rights;
8. Requests the Committee on the Human Rights of Parliamentarians to continue examining the case and report to it at its next session (October 1999).

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