NGO criticizes Colombia's post 9/11 human rights record

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

NGO criticizes Colombia's post 9/11 human rights record
Friday, 02 September 2011 15:24
James Bargent

NGO criticizes Colombia's post 9/11 human rights record .
Friday, 02 September 2011 15:24 James Bargent .

An NGO has released a report condemning Colombia’s human rights record as part of a series of articles analysing the relationship between anti-terrorism policies and human rights since the September 11 terrorist attacks.

The International Federation of Human Rights (FIDH) report notes how shortly after September 11, the U.S financial aid from Plan Colombia, which had previously been earmarked for fighting drug trafficking, was also used to combat terrorism. At the same time the FARC, the ELN and paramilitary groups were added to the U.S’ list of terrorist organizations.

It goes on to criticize the Colombian government’s actions carried out under the banner of combating terrorism. According to FIDH, “the argument that authorized the state to act lawlessly in order to fight terrorism gained ground under the pretext of just that, the fight against terrorism.”

FIDH highlights the human rights abuses of the false positives scandal – the extrajudicial killing of civilians by army personnel in order to present them as guerrillas killed in combat - and the operations of the DAS “G3” unit, which carried out wiretappings, threats and assaults against hundreds of human rights defenders, journalists, political and union leaders, members of the opposition and judges.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/18746-ngo-criticizes-colombias-post-911-human-rights-record.html