Soldiers Convicted Of Rights Abuses Jailed In “Hotels”

Soldiers Convicted Of Rights Abuses Jailed In “Hotels”

By Patrick Vanderpool
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia – According to Semana magazine, the military prison at Tolemaida base in Colombia is more of a resort than a jail with “privileges and comforts worthy of a hotel.” This particular prison is home to over 200 soldiers convicted of crimes against humanity. According to official prison records, 269 military and ex-military officials are held at the prison.

In January, a controversy arose when many of the prison’s privileges came to be known by the public. According to some reports, Major Juan Carlos Rodriguez, sentenced to 12 years for being security chief for the kingpin of the Norte del Valle drug cartel, is among the most privileged inmates.  The reports also illustrate that Major Cesar Maldonado, sentenced to 25 years for his part in the 2000 attempted assassination of Congressman Wilson Borja, is privy to special privileges.

Semena said that the prison “looks more like a club for rest and recreation than a maximum security prison,” adding that many of the prisoners are permitted to come and go from the prison at their own whim. The magazine’s report further alleges that the prisoners “have businesses in and out of the jail and instead of being locked in cells they live in cabanas.”

According to Army chief General Alejandro Navas, “the irregularities have been controlled and corrected, officials in charge of the prison were dismissed and some of the prisoners have been moved elsewhere.” Colombia’s Vice President Angelino Garzon has publicly the prison’s lavish environment. “It should be clear that individuals who have been convicted for serious crimes, including crimes against humanity, should not have any privileges,” said Garzon.

Rodrigo Rivera, Colombia’s Defence Minister, has adamantly stated that measures have already been taken to rectify the problems. In addition, Colombia is launching an extensive investigation into the prison’s conditions. According to Rivera, a full report on the investigation can be expected in three months.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Colombia Investigates Military Jail ‘Special Treatment” – 4 April 2011

Colombia Reports – VP Condemns Luxury Conditions for Jailed Soldiers – 4 April 2011

Latin American Herald Tribune – Colombian Soldiers Convicted of Rights Abuses Live in Posh Prison – 4 April 2011

LACK OF SECURITY IN HAITIAN DISPLACED PERSON CAMPS LEADS TO ESCALATING SEXUAL VIOLENCE

By Erica Laster                                                                                                                     Impunity Watch Reporter, North America

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti – Nearly 1 million people remain homeless in Haiti, living in the squalid displacement camps while they await permanent housing.   The lack of patrols, security measures, and simple utilities such as doors, make the camps dangerous for women.  The United Nations Stabilisation Mission in Haiti has been accused of avoiding the camp interiors “generally (staying) on the perimetre of camps,” instead of going into the areas where women’s lives are actually at risk, especially at night,” says rape coordinator Annie Gell. 

Cramped displacement camps where nearly 1 million remain homeless pose a security risk for sexual violence against women.
Cramped displacement camps where nearly 1 million remain homeless pose a security risk for sexual violence against women.

Each day, women and young girls fight to survive from rape, attacks or sexual violence into prostitution.  Last week, MADRE (a women’s advocacy group) testified in front of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Bureau des Avocats Internationaux’s coordinator of the Rape Accountability and Prevention Project in Port-au-Prince, Annie Gell stressed the need for and lack of security in the displaced persons camps. The Ministry of Women’s Affairs and Women’s Rights (MCFDF) has been in place since 1994, and continues to address the issue of gender based violence in Haiti. 

Testimony provided to the United Nations stressed the importance of patrolling and security forces among the displaced persons camps in Port-Au-Prince.  According to Gell, there are “More women coming forward to report rapes and GBV.”  While she acknowledged that the large number and size of camps made it difficult to monitor and protect women due to overcrowding, she also emphasized that “a lot of people are moving out of camps because they’re so insecure, so dangerous.”  

In large part, UNPOL’s (trained peacekeeping forces) and the National Haitian Police play a large role in safety.  Gender unit officer, Marie Francoise Vital Metellus, told IPS the UNPOL’s purpose is to patrol camps and assist victims of gender based violence.

Grassroots groups are promoted as the solution to many of these problems.

One such organization is KOFAVIV (Commission of Women Victims for Victims), a grassroots Haitian organization which provides support and aid to victims and survivors of rape and sexual violence.  KOFAVIV is one of the many groups which supported the testimony of women activists at a March 25 hearing before the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights. 

These groups have been consistently disappointed with the United Nations inability and refusal to work with grassroots organizations to confront the sexual violence prevalent in the camps.  The UN “is not working with the grassroots groups.” Gell is quoted as saying, “We’re (thus) hoping … that the commission will reinforce that the grassroots groups’ voices must be included in planning sessions to end sexual violence.”

This is especially important because of the need for prosecution tools in the country.  In Haiti, suspects actions have no consequences.

Photo Courtesy of Ecosalon.com.  For More Information Please Visit:

IPS – Women Turn Spotlight on Haiti’s Silent Rape Epidemic – 29 March 2011

MADRE – International Human Rights Hearing on Rape Epidemic in Haiti – 23 March 2011

Advocates Testify at the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights – 25 March 2011

Ex-Congressman Arrested For “FARC Politics”

By Patrick Vanderpool
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia – According to media reports. a former congressman was arrested by the Technical Investigation Team of the Prosecutor General’s Office for alleged “FARC politics.” Pedro Nelson Pardo, former representative for Guainia, is accused of having ordered the extortion and corruption of the Colombian electorate during a congressional race in 2002. It is alleged that Pardo had an agreement with the rebel group to carry out this plan.

Pardo was taken into custody in Cunday in the department of Tolima and will be quickly transported to the Prosecutor General’s Office in Bogota. Pardo will then appear before the Criminal Court after which the court will determine whether or not to award him security protection which is subject to there being charges filed against him.

Pardo’s arrest comes shortly after the Supreme Court of Colombia opened an investigation into former congressman Luis Fernando Almario for his alleged ties to paramilitary groups while in office. In that case, Almario has been implicated in the murder of Colombian politician Diego Turbay Cote. Almario was also detained by law enforcement in February 2008 over accusations of “FARC politics.” He was subsequently released in May 2009. Almario has continuously denied the allegations, claiming that he is “a victim of the [rebels].”

Last year, Colombia’s Inspector General’s Office compiled a list of charges against Senator Piedad Cordoba in relation to allegations that she collaborated with the FARC outside of the parameters of her role as a hostage release negotiator. The investigation flows from evidence allegedly found in dead FARC leader “Raul Reyes” files. The evidence is alleged to support the notion that Cordoba was involved in “FARC politics,” specifically emails that discussed issues that were not elements of Cordoba’s humanitarian aid objective.

These cases illustrate the possibility of a widespread and systematic system of corruption in Colombian politics.

For more information, please see:

Colombia Reports –Ex-Congressman Captured for “farcpolitics” – 1 April 2011

Colombia Reports –Supreme Court Opens “Parapolitics” Investigation into Ex-Congressman – 24 March 2011

Colombia Reports – “FARC-Politics Charges Announced against Piedad Cordoba – 13 April 2010

Massacre in Ivory Coast Town Leaves Up to 800 Dead

By Daniel M. Austin
Impunity Watch Reporter, Africa

Forces Loyal to Mr. Ouattara in Duekoue, Ivory Coast. (Photo courtesy of AFP/Getty).
Forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara in Duekoue, Ivory Coast. (Photo courtesy of AFP/Getty).

DUEKOUE, Ivory Coast – The International Committee of the Red Cross (Red Cross) reports that a massacre has taken place in western Ivory Coast. The Red Cross estimates that at least 800 people were killed in this attack while the United Nations claims over 330 people are dead. During the past week violence has increased in many parts of Ivory Coast as followers loyal to president-elect Alassane Ouattara have captured parts of the country held by forces loyal to former president Laurent Gbagbo.

The massacre took place in the town of Duekoue on March 29 and left hundreds of people dead. According to Red Cross spokeswoman Dorothea Krimitas, the massacre was a result of “inter-communal” violence. The killings came at a time when forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara were sweeping through the region heading towards the city of Abidjan.

There is disagreement about who is responsible for the killings and exactly how many people died. The Red Cross is not sure whether this attack was undertaken by forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara or Mr. Gbagbo. Each side has accused the other of perpetrating the attack. Kelnor Panglun, a Red Cross spokesman who has been to Duekoue said “It’s truly horrific. We don’t have any information about the authors of these killings.” Alternatively, Guillaume Ngefa, the deputy human rights director at the U.N. mission in Ivory Coast claims that 220 people were killed by force loyal to Mr. Ouattara while at least 100 people were killed by forces loyal to Mr. Gbagbo. On Sunday, U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon called on Mr. Ouattara to launch an investigation into the attack.

Violence in Ivory Coast has fluctuated since the disputed November election but this past week has seen a spike in the number of people killed and injured. According to the Caritas charity website, between March 27 and 29 at least 1,000 people have been killed or disappeared. Along with these deaths, up to a million people have been forced to flee their homes since the election. This has led to a massive humanitarian crisis for both Ivory Coast and its neighbors. In Liberia, Ivory Coast’s neighbor to the west, up to a 120,000 Ivorians have crossed the border overwhelming U.N. refugee camps that have been set up.

Contributing to the violence and unrest, during the past five days forces loyal to Mr. Ouattara have successfully captured over 80 percent of Ivory Coast. While Mr. Ouattara has made gains, power and legitimacy is slipping away from Mr. Gbagbo. Reports claim several of his military generals have defected to the opposition or fled the country. Moreover, he has lost control of critical infrastructure including the Abidjan airport.

For more information, please see:

BBC – Ivory Coast: UN presses Ouattara over Duekoue massacre – 2 April 2011

CNN – Red Cross: 800 killed in Ivory Coast town – 2 April 2011

The Sydney Morning Herald — 800 dead in Ivory Coast massacre – 4 April 2011

The Times of India — UN chief presses Ouattara over Ivory Coast massacre – 3 April 2011