“The information received so far indicates thousands of people have been killed, disappeared, kidnapped and forcibly displaced since 1 November, 2002.” – Luis Moreno, International Criminal Court chief prosecutor, BBC . . .
The International Criminal Court (ICC), which began its investigations of cases of genocide or crimes against humanity in 2002, “has asked the Colombian government for details of crimes against humanity which may have occurred in the country.”
Colombia’s ICC representative has said his government will fully co-operate with the tribunal. … Colombia was one of the signatories to an accord which set up the ICC based in The Hague, Netherlands.
The ICC has also asked for details of government proposals for a truce with the main right-wing paramilitary group, the AUC.
Some human rights groups say provisions of the bill mean serious past abuses will go unpunished. …
Colombia’s civil war has seen leftist rebel groups fighting right-wing paramilitary factions and government troops.
All parties have been accused of abuses. (BBC)
From a report published today (March 31, 2005) by the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner of Human Rights (OHCHR):
They’re also pursuing genocide charges in Darfur, which gives me some hope about gross human rights violations around the world. But in this Darfur case, the US lobbied hard for exemption for US citizens at the UN. Link.
Sadly that news, like the story about Colombia, passed by with barely a nod in U.S. media or on blogs.