51998IP0325

B4-0325, 0335, 0350, 0354 and 0368/98

Resolution on the assassination of Jesús María Valle Jaramillo in Colombia

The European Parliament,

- having regard to the declaration by the Council Presidency on 13 June 1997 regarding the killing of members of the Colombian human rights organization CINEP, and its own previous resolutions on Colombia, in particular those of 24 October 1996 ((OJ C 347, 18.11.1996, p. 158.)) and 12 June 1997 ((OJ C 200, 30.6.1997, p. 173.)),

A. appalled by the assassination of Jesús María Valle Jaramillo, President of the Permanent Committee of Human Rights in Antioquia, in his office on 27 February 1998 by three people claiming to be members of the 'Brigade',

B. whereas, since its establishment in 1978, 30 members of the Permanent Committee for the Defence of Human Rights have been murdered; deeply concerned about a pattern of increased violence against human rights activists - in 1997, 19 human rights activists were killed and another 30 had to flee the country to save their lives - and the high incidence of human rights violations in the first months of 1998,

C. believing that the perpetrators of these crimes must be brought to justice, failing which human rights violations will continue in Colombia,

D. whereas the climate of violence increased during the period prior to the recent legislative elections, causing many deaths and the infringement of the fundamental right to vote for many Colombian citizens,

E. welcoming the decision by President Ernesto Samper Pizano on 1 December 1997 to dismantle paramilitary groups but deploring the continuation of political violence,

1. Condemns the barbarous murder of Jesús María Valle Jaramillo and expresses its sympathy to his family and to the Permanent Committee of Human Rights in Antioquia;

2. Calls on the Colombian Government to investigate the circumstances of the assassination of Jesús María Valle Jaramillo as a matter of urgency and to ensure that those responsible are brought to justice;

3. Calls upon the Colombian Government to improve its protection of human and labour rights organizations and to support their work wherever it can;

4. Requests the Colombian Government to dismiss officials of the military and police forces who collaborate with paramilitary forces;

5. Condemns the barbarous murders and violence committed by guerrillas in Colombia;

6. Expresses its condolences to the families of all the victims of violence;

7. Reiterates its rejection of the use of arms as a means to solve the problems of Colombian society and urges all sides to initiate peace talks;

8. Calls on the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to increase human and material resources in its Bogotá office and consider whether a special rapporteur might be appointed with a view to the promotion of human rights in Colombia;

9. Congratulates the Colombian people for the example of democracy demonstrated in the last elections despite the climate of violence;

10. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the Colombian Government, the UN and the Permanent Committee for the Defence of Human Rights.

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