The main rebel group in Colombia should release immediately and unconditionally all persons they currently hold hostage, including political leaders, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch wrote to FARC-EP leader, Manuel Marulanda, documenting the recent escalation in political kidnappings and calling for an immediate end to targeting political leaders.
On April 11, 2002, the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People’s Army (FARC-EP) kidnapped thirteen lawmakers from a state legislature building in Cali, Valle. Disguised in military uniforms, the rebels ordered the assemblymen to evacuate because of an alleged bomb threat, and took them hostage. The Colombian authorities later rescued one of the legislators and several legislative aides. Rebels reportedly killed one police officer.
“The shocking kidnapping of the lawmakers in Cali is yet another example of the FARC-EP’s persistent, systematic violation of international humanitarian law,” said José Miguel Vivanco, executive director of the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch. “The recent escalation in political kidnappings demonstrates that the FARC-EP is not only continuing to target primarily civilians in this conflict, but shows a reprehensible disregard for the free political process in Colombia.”
In a six-page letter to Manuel Marulanda, the FARC-EP’s commander-in-chief, Human Rights Watch documented the escalation in kidnappings of political figures by the FARC-EP in the months leading up to the Colombian congressional elections of March 10, 2002, and the presidential elections of May 26, 2002.
In addition to the twelve lawmakers taken hostage on April 11, 2002, the FARC-EP currently holds in captivity the presidential candidate, Ingrid Betancourt, the former governor of Meta, Alan Jara Urzola, and five legislators, including Senator Jorge Eduardo Gechem Turbay, Congresswoman Consuelo González de Perdomo, Congressman Orlando Beltrán Cuellar, Senator Luis Eladio Pérez Bonilla, and Congressman Oscar Tulio Lizcano. Human Rights Watch expressed grave concern for the safety of all of the hostages.
Formally established in 1964, the FARC-EP is Colombia’s oldest and largest rebel group. Although estimates differ, the FARC-EP is believed to have over 15,000 members and is active throughout Colombia. Marulanda was one of its original founders and now presides over the General Secretariat, the group’s governing body.
“As the most senior commander of the FARC-EP, Manuel Marulanda is responsible for the persistent human rights abuses committed by his forces,” said Vivanco. “He bears the responsibility for ensuring that FARC-EP forces abide by international legal norms, and that is why we are addressing him directly.”
Human Rights Watch previously wrote to Commander Marulanda on July 10, 2001, urging him to stop his forces from committing a wide range of human rights abuses, including hostage-taking. Since then, however, the FARC-EP has continued to take civilian hostages in blatant violation of international humanitarian law.
