ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

This report was edited by Joanne Mariner, Deputy Director of the Americas Division of Human Rights Watch, and Human Rights Watch consultant Anne Manuel. Wilder Tayler, Legal and Policy Director of Human Rights Watch, provided international law guidance. James Ross, Senior Legal Advisor for Human Rights Watch, provided additional legal assistance. Americas Division Executive Director José Miguel Vivanco also made editorial contributions. Americas Division Associate Jon Balcom provided invaluable production assistance. Human Rights Watch would like to thank the John Merck Fund for its generous funding of our work in the Americas.

Human Rights Watch is grateful to the Colombian prosecutors, investigators and other government officials who helped us gather the material used to write this report.

Human Rights Watch

Americas Division

Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world.

We stand with victims and activists to bring offenders to justice, to prevent discrimination, to uphold

political freedom and to protect people from inhumane conduct in wartime.

We investigate and expose human rights violations and hold abusers accountable.

We challenge governments and those holding power to end abusive practices and respect international

human rights law.

We enlist the public and the international community to support the cause of human rights for all.

The staff includes Kenneth Roth, executive director; Michele Alexander, development director; Reed Brody, advocacy director; Carroll Bogert, communications director; John T. Green, operations director, Barbara Guglielmo, finance director; Lotte Leicht, Brussels office director; Michael McClintock, deputy program director; Patrick Minges, publications director; Maria Pignataro Nielsen, human resources director; Malcolm Smart, program director; Wilder Tayler, legal and policy director; and Joanna Weschler, United Nations representative. Jonathan Fanton is the chair of the board. Robert L. Bernstein is the founding chair.

Its Americas division was established in 1981 to monitor human rights in Latin America and the

Caribbean. Jose Miguel Vivanco is executive director; Joanne Mariner is deputy director; Sebastian Brett,

Robin Kirk and Daniel Wilkinson are researchers; Jonathan Balcom and Marijke Conklin are associates. Lloyd Axworthy is chair of the advisory committee; Marina Pinto Kaufman and David E. Nachman are vice chairs.

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