AAAS Scientific Responsibility, Human Rights and Law Program

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AAAS Human Rights Action Network

FACTS OF THE CASE:

On 2 September 1999, the body of Professor Dario Betancourt Echeverry, who was kidnapped on 30 April 1999 for what are believed to be politically motivated reasons, was found in a rural area outside of Bogota. The kidnapping, presumably by Colombian paramilitaries, was the subject of a previous alert issued by AAAS on 23 June. Professor Betancourt was head of the social sciences department at the National University of Educational Sciences in Bogota and a well-known specialist on violence. He had conducted extensive research on human rights violations in Colombia.

AAAS has previously reported attacks against researchers working on human rights issues in Colombia, including the murder of Professor Henao, an anthropologist and director of the Institute of Regional Studies at the University of Antioquia.

Human rights organizations have reported extensive human rights violations and violence in Colombia. These systematic human rights abuses have included extrajudicial executions, "disappearances," torture, and arbitrary arrest. Armed opposition groups have also resorted to kidnapping and hostage taking while members of the Colombian security forces and their paramilitary allies participate in human rights violations with impunity. Paramilitary forces have also targeted and attacked scholars who study the growing phenomenon of internal refugees in Colombia.

The murder of Professor Betancourt Echeverry constitutes a serious violation of international human rights standards, including protections listed in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (adopted without opposition by the United Nations General Assembly on 10 December 1948), the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ratified by Colombia on 29 October 1969), and the American Convention on Human Rights (ratified by Colombia on 31 July 1973). They include:

Under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights:

• Everyone has the right to life, liberty, and security of person (Article 3);
• everyone has the right to freedom of expression (Article 19); and
• everyone has the right to freedom of association (Article 20).

Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights:

• Everyone has the right to life (Article 6);
• everyone has the right to liberty, and security of person. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or detention (Article 9);
• everyone has the right to freedom of expression (Article 19); and
• everyone has the right to freedom of association (Article 22).

Under the American Convention on Human Rights:

• Everyone has the right to life (Article 4);
• everyone has the right to personal liberty and security. No one shall be subjected to arbitrary arrest or imprisonment (Article 7);
• everyone has the right to freedom of thought and expression (Article 13); and
• everyone has the right to freedom of association (Article 16).

(Sources of information for this update is Amnesty International. Sources for previous alerts include the American Anthropological Association.)

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Please send telexes, telegrams, faxes or airmail letters:

• Expressing concern about the murder of Professor Dario Betancourt Echeverry; and
• urging that a full and impartial investigation be undertaken, that the results of the investigation be made public, and that those responsible be brought to justice.

APPEAL AND INQUIRY MESSAGES SHOULD BE SENT TO:

Senor Presidente Andres Pastrana
Presidente de la Republica
Palacio de Narino
Carrera 8 No. 7-26
Bogota, Colombia
Fax: 011 57 1 286 7434/ 284 2186/ 337 1351


Dr. Alfonso Gomez Mendez
Fiscal General de la Nacion
Fiscalia General de la Nacion
Diagonal 22B 5201
Apartado Aereo 29855
Bogota, Colombia
Fax: 011 57 1 570 2022


Dr. Nestor Humberto Martinez
Ministro del Interior
Ministerio del Interior
Carrera 8, No. 8-09, Paso 2
Bogota, Colombia
Fax: 011 57 1 286 8025

COPIES SENT TO:

Fundacion Manuel Cepeda Vargas
AA 28233
Bogota, Colombia


Ambassador Luis Alberto Moreno
Embassy of Colombia
2118 Leroy Pl., NW
Washington, DC 20008


Ambassador Curtis Warren Kamman
Embassy of the United States
Calle 22D-BIS, No. 47-51
Apartado Aereo 3831
APO AA 34038
Fax: 011 57 1 315 2197

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