"Not only have the people of the former demilitarized area been abandoned by the Colombian authorities - which have not lived up to their promises of political and economic support - to add insult to injury, they have also been deserted by the international community which had focussed high levels of attention on the area during the peace process," the organization added.
"Even now that the spotlight of the international media has moved away, the international community should continue to monitor the human rights situation in the area, to insist that the Colombian authorities take appropriate measures to protect the civilian population and that both sides to the hostilities respect international humanitarian law," Amnesty International concluded.
Background
The demilitarized zone (DMZ) was created in 1998 by then President Pastrana to facilitate peace talks with the FARC. The demilitarization of the area was asked by the FARC as a precondition for negotiations and remained in existence until the collapse of peace talks on 20 February 2002. The area, roughly the size of Switzerland, comprised five municipalities: Mesetas, Vista Hermosa, Uribe and La Macarena in the department of Meta, and San Vicente del Caguán in the department of Caquetá.
For more information and a copy of the report “Colombia: San Vicente del
Caguan after the Breakdown of the Peace Talks: A Community Abandoned”, please contact Amnesty International at http://www.amnesty.org
Please also see: Colombia: U.N. human rights office condemns forced displacement of indigenous people.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=5094&Cr=Colombia&Cr1=rights
"Even now that the spotlight of the international media has moved away, the international community should continue to monitor the human rights situation in the area, to insist that the Colombian authorities take appropriate measures to protect the civilian population and that both sides to the hostilities respect international humanitarian law," Amnesty International concluded.
Background
The demilitarized zone (DMZ) was created in 1998 by then President Pastrana to facilitate peace talks with the FARC. The demilitarization of the area was asked by the FARC as a precondition for negotiations and remained in existence until the collapse of peace talks on 20 February 2002. The area, roughly the size of Switzerland, comprised five municipalities: Mesetas, Vista Hermosa, Uribe and La Macarena in the department of Meta, and San Vicente del Caguán in the department of Caquetá.
For more information and a copy of the report “Colombia: San Vicente del
Caguan after the Breakdown of the Peace Talks: A Community Abandoned”, please contact Amnesty International at http://www.amnesty.org
Please also see: Colombia: U.N. human rights office condemns forced displacement of indigenous people.
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=5094&Cr=Colombia&Cr1=rights