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FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
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INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 1187
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ OCT LIMA 6653
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 7346
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 4644
RHMFISS/CDR USSOUTHCOM MIAMI FL

UNCLAS BOGOTA 003759 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PHUM PGOV KJUS CO
SUBJECT: SEPTEMBER HUMAN RIGHTS UPDATE 
 
REF: BOGOTA 1697 
 
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SUMMARY 
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¶1.  The Prosecutor General's office (Fiscalia) voiced concern 
over attempts to kill and intimidate witnesses in the case 
against Colonel Hernan Mejia, and has taken actions to 
protect remaining witnesses.  The Fiscalia ordered the arrest 
of three Colonels and a police Captain for their alleged 
involvement in the Trujillo Massacre of 1990.  An indigenous 
human rights group released a report stating that 1200 
indigenous have been killed since 2002.  Security forces were 
involved in two incidents in which indigenous were killed. 
Landmines killed two in San Jose del Guaviare, highlighting 
the continuing threat of landmines planted by the FARC.  The 
OAS denounced the recruitment of minors by criminal groups. 
The Colombian military announced that it would have its first 
female officer cadets at its national military academy.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
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CASE AGAINST COLONEL MEJIA CONTINUES DESPITE CONCERNS 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
¶2.  The Fiscalia continued its case against Colonel Hernan 
Mejia, ex-commander of the La Popa Battalion, 10th Brigade, 
for his links to extrajudicial killings and ties to 
paramilitaries.  Testimony from paramilitary leaders, 
including Jorge 40 (Rodrigo Tovar Pupo), tied Mejia to a 
number of murders (Ref A).  Still, the Fiscalia fears its 
prosecution of Mejia may be in jeopardy due to the murder of 
two witnesses and intimidation of others.  Mejia also 
publicly blamed Vice Defense Minister Sergio Jaramillo for 
his prosecution, alleged that Jaramillo used him as a 
scapegoat to appease human rights groups.  Defense Minister 
Juan Manuel Santos publicly removed Mejia--a highly decorated 
officer--from his field commander in January 2007 and 
assigned him to a desk job due to the allegations. 
 
¶3.  Sandra Castro, director of the Fiscalia's Human Rights 
unit, has formally asked the Inspector General to investigate 
some GOC officials who may be aiding Mejia in threatening 
witnesses or circumventing the formal legal process.  The 
Inspector General's office is examining the conditions of 
Mejia's incarceration, and has brought charges against a 
member of the Fiscalia's judicial police for helping Mejia's 
to intimidate witnesses.  The Fiscalia has also placed some 
witnesses in its witness protection program and Fiscal 
General Mario Iguaran vowed that the case against Mejia will 
continue. 
 
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TRUJILLO CASE SHOWS MILITARY COLLUSION 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  On September 16, the National Commission for Reparation 
and Reconciliation's (CNRR) Historic Memory Group presented 
its report detailing 342 victims of homicide, torture, and 
forced disappearances between 1986 and 1994 by paramilitaries 
in Trujillo, Bolivar, and Riofrio of Valle de Cauca 
department.  Vice President Juan Manuel Santos acknowledged 
that the GOC had failed in its duty to protect these victims 
and reiterated the government's commitment to pursuing 
justice and providing reparations. 
 
¶5.  The Fiscalia arrested Colonel Wilfredo Ruiz of the 
Regional Military Intelligence Unit 8 for his alleged role in 
the April 1990 Trujillo Massacre in Valle de Cauca 
department.  Ruiz is under investigation for aggravated 
homicide, kidnapping and criminal conspiracy.  Others 
arrested included former Palace Battalion commander Colonel 
Hernan Contreras, Army Colonel Alirio Uruena, and retired 
police captain Jose Fernando Berrio.  According to testimony 
from demobilized paramilitary leaders Henry Loaiza (el 
Alacran) and Diego Leon Montoya (Don Diego), the military 
colluded with paramilitary and local assassins from the Norte 
del Valle drug cartels.  The Fiscalia has issued a total of 
20 arrest warrants in the case, with twelve still 
outstanding.  The Fiscalia's investigative corps (CTI) has 
been carrying out the arrest orders issued by the Fiscalia's 
Human Rights unit. 
 
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INDIGENOUS DEATHS REPORTED 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  A report released by the National Organization of 
Indigenous in Colombia (ONIC) stated that 1200 indigenous 
have been killed in Colombia since August 2002.  The report 
followed ONIC's condemnation of the September 28 murder of 
Raul Mendoza, the indigenous governor of the Paez Indian 
reservation, in Popayan, Cauca.  Mendoza had allegedly 
reported recent threats to the Paez to judicial and security 
authorities, but had claimed no action was taken.  The 
regional Cauca Indigenous Council (CRIC) publicly denounced 
Mendoza's murder as well as threats against the El Pe 
indigenous community.  ONIC announced its plans to take the 
1200 deaths to the International Criminal Court, saying the 
murders are due to President Uribe's Democratic Security 
Policy. 
 
¶7.  In a separate incident, three indigenous in Guachaves, 
Narino were killed by police at a checkpoint.  The officials 
claimed the indigenous failed to stop their motorcycle when 
ordered and later fired at the police.  Local leaders of the 
Pastos community rejected the official version of events. 
The killings sparked protests that turned violent, with 
members of the community stoning police and GOC officials. 
The incident followed the Colombian Army's acknowledgment 
that soldiers pursuing alleged terrorists accidentally killed 
two Pastos standing watch outside their community.  The 
Pastos held 12 soldiers hostage after the deaths, but 
released them following the apology.  The Pastos also 
initially prevented entry of the authorities into their 
community to investigate the incident, but later allowed GOC 
officials to recover the bodies of the two dead guards.  We 
expressed our concern to the Vice President's Office for 
Human Rights and the Ministry of Defense regarding these 
incidents. 
 
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LANDMINES REMAIN A CONCERN 
-------------------------- 
 
¶8.  Colombian press reported a 16-year old girl and her baby 
were killed after stepping on a landmine in Guaviare 
department.  The Army said the girl was killed on September 
28, when a mine planted by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of 
Colombia (FARC) on the road leading from the small town of 
Ceiba to the municipality of San Jose del Guaviare exploded. 
The Army's 4th Division denounced the incident as violations 
of international humanitarian law and human rights law. 
Amnesty International released a report earlier this year 
claiming that more than 180 civilians and security force 
members were killed and 680 injured by landmines in 2007. 
 
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OAS DENOUNCES RECRUITING OF MINORS 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶9.  On September 23, the OAS Mission in Support of the Peace 
Process in Colombia (MAPP/OAS) publicly denounced the 
recruitment of minors by emerging criminal groups.  Sergio 
Caramagna, head of the MAPP/OAS mission, said that in at 
least three departments, new groups are recruiting minors at 
an alarming rate.  He also presented evidence that 
demobilized paramilitaries are being threatened with death if 
they do not join new groups.  Caramagna highlighted Uraba, 
shanty towns around Medellin, as well as Cesar and Magdalena 
departments as areas of particular concern.  Additionally, 
there are reports of minors displaced by violence being 
recruited by new criminal groups. 
 
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COLOMBIAN MILITARY ACADEMY TO ENROLL WOMEN 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶10.  Beginning in 2009, the General Jose Maria Cordoba Cadet 
School, Colombia's main military academy, will accept 40 
female cadets for officer training.  Congress is also 
considering a bill backed by the Ministry of Defense that 
would allow women to serve as line commanders.  Female 
officers will be able to lead troops in battle and to serve 
in communications, intelligence and aviation regiments. 
Former Defense Minister Marta Lucia Ramirez spearheaded the 
effort and received support from current Minister Santos and 
Armed Forces Commander General Freddy Padilla.  At present, 
women in the Army can only pursue technical and professional 
careers and can only serve as officers in  administrative 
positions. 
 
BROWNFIELD