Kidnapped Colombian governor found with throat slit

[demoleft]

Source: bbc

The governor of the southern Colombian province of Caqueta has been found dead less than a day after he was kidnapped by suspected rebels, authorities say.

President Alvaro Uribe said the kidnappers had cut Luis Francisco Cuellar's throat as they were being chased by security forces.

Mr Cuellar was seized from his house on Monday in the provincial capital.

Officials are blaming the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (Farc) guerrillas for his killing.


Read more: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/8427582.stm

[superconnected]

1. Very sad.

[Peace Patriot]

2. Murdered governor was the target of an investigation of RIGHTWING death squad killings!

I recommend especially this thread by bemildred, in the Latin American Forum, and post no. 5 by rabs, who has done a boffo job of keeping us informed on the latest info direct from Colombia on this matter (and other matters).

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x28327
Comment no. 5: "5. Murky kidnapping, assassination gets even murkier," by rabs.

More discussion here:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=405x28355

The governor's killers were wearing Colombian military camouflage uniforms, which were likely stolen by the governor's own gang and hidden at his ranch (highly fortified compound). This is very likely a "gangland" killing, or a Colombian military/death squad "hit" to prevent the governor from testifying in the investigation of Colombian military/death squad killings. And it is very unlikely that it was a FARC killing.

One other thing: The Colombian government and military are notorious liars and psyops specialists. And the corpo-fascist press, including the BBC, have a strong tendency to swallow their lies and psyops whole, and regurgitate them to us, without investigation.

[Judi Lynn]

6. It's a habit now for Colombian rightists to commit crimes and blame others.

Just as the current dweeb puppet President of Colombia was being sworn in for his own unpresidented next term in office, there was a car bombing which they were joyous to pin on the Farcs, but somehow enough investigation followed this particular crime back to some military officers who did it themselves.

If they can't keep pointing fingers at the Colombian resistance, they'll have trouble scooping up future billions of US taxpayers' hard-earned money. They have to create the appearance of wiley, sneaky guerrillas who are even more evil than their own paras whom every human rights organization names as causing "the lion's share" of atrocities in Colombia.

Human rights groups are, of course, despised, and targeted by the Colombian government.

[Judi Lynn]

8. "False Positives" discussed here: "Where Does US Military ‘Aid’ to Colombia Go? "

Gets a decent reference in this article published this month:

Where Does US Military ‘Aid’ to Colombia Go?
Written by John Lindsay-Poland
Monday, 07 December 2009
Source: Fellowship of Reconciliation

The United States continues to assist Colombian military units that have reportedly violated human rights, a review of recently released State Department documents shows. FOR obtained the list of 353 Colombian military and police units that the United States approved for aid in 2008-09 and 2009-10. US law requires the State Department to review all foreign military units proposed for assistance and exclude those with histories of gross human rights abuses.

According to US officials who spoke to FOR, military aid this year is concentrated in three geographic “bands”: in a long band across southern Colombia, from Meta, Tolima and Huila departments – where the Army-FARC war is focused – west to Buenaventura on the Pacific coast; in the southwestern state of Nariño; and in the northern Montes de Maria area.

The United States continues to fund military units reported to have committed large numbers of civilian killings, including the macabre practice known as “false positives,” in which civilians executed by the army are reported as guerrillas killed in combat. This includes the Codazzi Engineering Battalion of the 3rd Brigade, which operates in Valle and Cauca states and reportedly killed 12 civilians in 2007 and 2008. The battalion’s commander during this period was Coronel Elmer Peña Pedraza, a graduate of the School of the Americas. The Colombian Prosecutor General is investigating nearly 2,000 cases of extrajudicial killings reportedly committed by the army since 2002.

A good deal of current assistance is to increase Colombian military training capacity. Twenty different military training centers and schools, for everything from infantry and special operations to aviation and officer training, are approved for US assistance this year, as well as two police training centers. Colombian officials have stated that the military base agreement signed with the United States on October 30 will strengthen Colombia’s military training program and help it to sell training to other nations, despite the Colombian military’s history of systematic human rights violations.

The United States is also assisting Colombian intelligence units. For the fourth year in a row, three regional army intelligence units in Medellín, Bogotá and Villavicencio have been approved for assistance, despite histories of abuse and scandal. The 6th and 7th Regional Military Intelligence Units have produced specious reports accusing human rights defenders, university professors, and community leaders in Medellín and in the southern department of Caquetá of being members of the FARC guerrillas. On December 3, FOR and Human Rights First wrote a letter to Assistant Secretary of State Arturo Valenzuela urging suspension of US assistance to these units.

More:
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/content/view/2247/68/

[EFerrari]

17. Oops! I duped this post downthread. Sorry, Judi Lynn.

I better put on another pot of coffee! lol

[Bacchus39]

3. FARC scum killed him n/t

s

[Tempest]

4. Sounds like he was offed by the rightwing paramilitary groups he supported

He was under investigation for his ties to the paramilitary groups and was probably offed to keep him from spilling the beans.

[Odin2005]

5. I'm sick of these evil drug thugs being called "Left-Wing"

They are "leftist" in name only. They are criminal thugs.

[Peace Patriot]

9. It doesn't look to me like the FARC did this killing.

It looks more like the offing of a potential witness in an investigation of RIGHTWING death squads, or possibly a drug war among Colombian officialdom.

Remember that you're getting your information from corpo-fascist 'news' sources with big interests in war profiteering and global corporate predation. It is in their interest to paint the FARC as "criminal thugs," when, according to Amnesty International and the recent UN human rights report, it is the Colombian military and its closely tied rightwing paramilitary death squads who are responsible for the vast bulk of the carnage in Colombia (92% of the murders of union leaders; 75% of overall extrajudicial murders).

One other thing: Many leftists have participated in revolutionary wars and have killed and committed other war acts in efforts to overthrow fascist regimes--including the leftists who fought in the Spanish Civil War, the leftists in Cuba who overthrew the heinous Batista regime, the leftists associated with Simon Bolivar in the revolutionary war to throw off Spanish and Portuguese colonialism, the leftists in Vietnam who did the same to the French then to the U.S., the leftists in the Nicaraguan revolution and in later fighting against Reagan's "contra" goons, the leftists in South Africa who revolted against apartheid (Nelson Mandela was part of a leftist armed force and condoned killing in the early part of that struggle), the leftists in the revolutions in El Salvador, in Uruguay and other places. In fact, the current presidents of Nicaragua and Uruguay were both involved with leftist revolutionary armies, back in time of "Operation Condor" and US "dirty wars" in Latin America. And this is not to mention the Russian revolution, the Chinese revolution and others. Revolutionary wars are often bloody. Our own was. And they often involve acts of kidnapping, torture, summary execution, spying, psyops, and illicit traffic to fund the revolutionary army.

I'm not saying that I approve of any of these acts. But I understand why they happen, when people take up arms in revolt against oppressive regimes. And in almost every case, the oppressive regimes call the revolutionaries "criminals," "thugs," "terrorists," and the like--anything to get a PR advantage and to justify oppression.

Consciousness has changed quite a bit in Latin America, with the numerous election successes of leftist leaders--in Chile, Argentina, Venezuela, Brazil, Ecuador, Bolivia, Paraguay, Uruguay, Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala (and, until the rightwing military coup, in Honduras). Fidel Castro has told the FARC to stop kidnapping people and sue for peace. So has Hugo Chavez. But the FARC guerillas themselves obviously see little hope for peace, although it's interesting that the killing of this governor occurred just as the FARC was about to release two Colombian soldiers to the Red Cross in a gesture of "good will." The killing of the governor halted that hostage release. In March 2008, the US/Colombia dropped ten 500 lb US "smart bombs" on the temporary camp of the FARC's chief hostage and peace negotiator, Raul Reyes, killing Reyes (who, by all reports, was about to release Ingrid Betancourt that day) and 24 other sleeping people. The camp was just inside Ecuador's border and nearly started a war. I think it's safe to say that the Colombian government and military doesn't want peace. This 40+ year civil war is their gravy train from US taxpayers. Nor does the US.

I would beware of Colombian government (and US and corporate 'news') propaganda about the FARC. Try to get alternative sources of information. Try to make an independent judgment of the situation--and I know how hard this is. It is VERY hard. But if we don't do it, we will be dragged blindly into war after war.

[Odin2005]

10. *YAWN*

[Peace Patriot]

11. I'm sick of DU posters who slept through history class, don't question what they read

in the corpo-fascist 'news' and post uninformed, emotional, "gut feeling," one-liner "hit and run" comments that seem aimed at rah-rahing U.S. war policy.

Calling people who have been fighting a war against a murderous fascist regime for 40+ years "criminal thugs" may be speaking the truth and may not be. In making that judgement, it is important to know, a) That that is exactly what the war profiteers in Colombia and the U.S. want us to believe; b) That Amnesty International attributes 92% of the murders of union leaders in Colombia to the Colombian military (about half) and its closely tied rightwing paramiliary death squads (the other half), and the UN attributes 75% of the extrajudicial murders overall to the same parties--the Colombian military and its death squads (in the same proportion), and c) While taking up arms against an oppressive regime may not be our own choice, or that of most people, it has been honored throughout history as a justifiable response to oppression and means by which to establish better governments.

Call them "dinosaurs" and analyze, say, how their tactics can't win against $6 BILLION in U.S. military and a brutal, conscienceless, proxy military that routinely murders thousands of innocent political leftists, union leaders, human rights workers, community organizers, peasant farmers, journalists and others. That might be useful and informative. Or discuss them from a Gandhian perspective, that taking up arms is morally wrong, taints a revolution from the start and that we must recognize the human soul and speak to the human soul and try to convert people to the good by example, and be willing to take the consequences of non-violent resistance, even unto death. That is, call them wrong-headed. But calling them "criminal thugs"--an opinion that is exactly the same as that of the war profiteers and liars who are trying to exterminate them and all leftists in Colombia--is a stupid, useless comment that promotes war.

It's like calling the independence fighters in Vietnam "gooks," or calling those who fight against current U.S. invasions "ragheads" or "terrorists." Most of us in the US have not had the experience of a relative or friend being dismembered while alive and their body parts thrown into mass graves. These kind of horrors are frequent in Colombia and they are the work of the fascists running the Colombian government. More than fifty of the political associates of Colombia's president, Alvaro Uribe, are under investigation, indicted or in jail for their ties to rightwing deaths squads and drug trafficking. But the courageous prosecutors in Colombia can't touch Uribe, because he is protected by the USA. And 99% of the thousands of murders of innocent people go unprosecuted and unpunished. If anyone deserves the epithet "criminal thugs," it's the leaders of the Colombian government and military. I'm not sure that I myself wouldn't take up arms in those circumstances, pacifist though I try to be. And I hesitate to judge those who have. At the least, I want to understand the conflict, for humanitarian reasons, and because my government has dragged me into it, by using my tax dollars to support the Colombian fascists' side of this civil war, and is in fact greatly escalating the US military presence in Colombia (much like South Vietnam 1963-64).

You can go on "yawning" at posts that try to see through the propaganda of our war profiteer-run government, or you can wake up and ask yourself: What the hell are we DOING in Colombia? Your choice. I hope you choose the better course.

[bitchkitty]

12. Talk about intellectually lazy.

Yawn? Go ahead and go back to sleep, and stop wasting the time and efforts of people who actually use their brains.

Yawn, indeed.

[Bacchus39]

13. it looks that way to me. terror tactics employed by the FARC

kidnapping, Christmas time when they are active, known FARC area, and of course disregard for human life.

merry Christmas from the FARC "working for peace in Colombia for 45 years"

[Peace Patriot]

18. Nobody is better at "disregard for human life" than the Colombian military.

"...and of course disregard for human life." --Bacchus39 (on the FARC)

--

Amnesty International attributes 92% of the thousands of murders of union leaders in Colombia to the Colombian military (about half) and its closely tied rightwing paramilitary deaths squads (the other half), and only 2% to the FARC. A recent UN human rights report attributes 75% of all extrajudicial murders in Colombia (union leaders plus all others) to the Colombian military and its rightwing paramilitary death squads (in about the same proportion).

So, WHO has, by far, the most "disregard for human life" in Colombia? But you never say this. You never admit it. You simply don't respond.

It's a civil war that has been going on for over 40 years. Both sides have committed crimes in the name of war, but the Colombian military and its death squads are, by far, the worst offenders when it comes to taking human life. And they don't just kill FARC guerillas. They kill teachers, peasant farmers, human rights workers, journalists, political leftists, community organizers and union leaders. They are using the excuses of the FARC and drug trafficking (in which they are deeply involved) to milk U.S. taxpayers of $6 BILLION in military aid, in order to exterminate the left in Colombia.

You are so blind to this reality that you can't see the facts that are so far known about the murder of this governor. His kidnappers (and presumed murderers) were wearing Colombian military uniforms and breached his highly fortified compound and escaped with no difficulty. A stash of stolen Colombian military uniforms were known to be secreted at this very same compound, the governor's ranch. Also, the FARC hold hostages, sometimes for years, and use them for purposes of peace negotiation and prisoner exchange. They would not likely kill such a high value hostage. Further, the governor was a known target of an investigation of death squad killings. He may have been a threat to his own people or to others in the government or military, as a witness against him (to save his own skin). At least fifty political associates of President Uribe, including relatives, are under investigation, indicted or in jail for their ties to rightwing death squads and drug trafficking. The Colombian government is filthy with such ties. Likely the governor was as well.

All of this points away from the FARC, for this killing, and at rightwing death squads (offing a potential witness) or at an internal Colombian government/military drug gang 'hit.'

FARC guerillas have killed people. FARC guerillas certainly have kidnapped people. I don't deny that, and I don't defend it. But you are blind to what the other side has been doing, so you cannot see this clearly.

[Judi Lynn]

7. Human Rights Watch statement: "Colombia: Protect Witnesses in Paramilitary Cases"

December 23, 2009
10:10 AM
Colombia: Protect Witnesses in Paramilitary Cases

WASHINGTON - December 23 - The Colombian government should act swiftly to protect witnesses in criminal cases against members of groups that are successors to demobilized paramilitaries in the city of Medellín, Human Rights Watch said today.

Human Rights Watch called on the government to investigate attacks on witnesses and to bolster law enforcement efforts to stem the rapidly rising violence in the city attributed to the successor groups.

On December 20, 2009, unidentified armed men repeatedly shot and killed Alexander Pulgarín, a community leader in the La Sierra neighborhood of Medellín. Pulgarín was a key witness in the prosecution of John William López (known as "Memín"), a demobilized paramilitary member who was recently convicted of ongoing criminal activity. Pulgarín had been receiving frequent threats as a result of his testimony and community work.

"Alexander Pulgarín took enormous risks in testifying against the demobilized paramilitaries who brutally controlled his neighborhood," said Maria McFarland, Washington deputy advocacy director at Human Rights Watch. "His shooting in broad daylight shows that the government is not protecting witnesses adequately or providing desperately needed security in Medellin."

Local authorities told Human Rights Watch that several armed men accosted Pulgarín as he stepped out of a community soccer game that he had helped to organize in La Sierra. The men shot him multiple times, killing him.

Human Rights Watch had interviewed Pulgarín at length in 2007 about alleged abuses in La Sierra by "Memín" and Antonio López (known as "Job"), both of whom were demobilized members of the Cacique Nutibara block of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, AUC). The AUC was a coalition of mafia-like paramilitary groups, deeply involved in drug trafficking, which committed horrific and widespread abuses for decades in Colombia before it began a demobilization process in 2004.

Job and Memín were also members of the "Democracy Corporation," an organization that for years worked closely with the municipal government to coordinate the activities of demobilized paramilitaries in Medellín. Job gained national prominence after Semana, a leading newsmagazine in Colombia, reported in mid-2008 that he had met with advisers to President Álvaro Uribe in the Presidential Palace in Bogota in April 2008. Job was killed in Medellin a few weeks later.

Memín was subsequently arrested and tried for multiple crimes related to his efforts to maintain control over criminal activity in his neighborhood after the demobilization. News reports and local authorities reported that during the trial, at least four witnesses against Memín were killed. He was reportedly convicted in March 2009 and sentenced to 22 years in prison.

Pulgarín had been assigned an armed escort by the Colombian Ministry of Interior's Protection Program for threatened human rights defenders and community leaders. The escort is reported to have been shot and wounded during the attack on Pulgarín; a policeman who ran to the scene was also reportedly killed.

Because of the serious threats against him, for the last five months Pulgarín had been living at the offices of a non-profit organization. At a November 20 meeting with the Interior Ministry sponsored by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, Pulgarín's lawyers had requested that he be temporarily resettled and receive additional protection. The ministry reportedly agreed to provide the additional protection, but it had yet to deliver when Pulgarín was killed a month later.

Violence in Medellín has been rising dramatically in recent years. In the first ten months of 2009, the homicide rate has more than doubled, from 830 killings in the same period in 2008, to 1,717 this year, according to the Instituto de Medicina Legal (Forensic Medicine Institute) of Medellín.

Most of the increase is attributable to the AUC's successor groups, which control criminal activity in the city. The groups fight among themselves over territory, and also frequently commit targeted killings, forced displacement, extortion, and threats against other Medellín residents.

Human Rights Watch has documented the forced displacement of dozens of residents from the Pablo Escobar neighborhood, also allegedly by a successor group. In a positive step, prosecutors in Medellín arrested 18 members of that group. However, three others with pending warrants remain at large.

Many of the displaced residents attempted to testify in the Pablo Escobar case. However, Human Rights Watch has received information indicating that as many as five of the witnesses have been killed in recent months.

In June, Human Rights Watch wrote to the Office of the Attorney General of Colombia to request that these witnesses be included in the office's Witness Protection Program. The office replied that the cases were under review. Most of the witnesses have yet to be included in the program.

Human Rights Watch urged the government to take prompt and effective measures to prevent killings of witnesses in existing and future cases. These would include expanding and adequately funding the witness protection program, ensuring that requests for protection are processed rapidly, and establishing procedures to protect victims who may not meet the requirements of the program but are at risk.

"It is good that some prosecutors are trying to investigate these groups," McFarland said. "But with witnesses being killed left and right, you have to wonder how hard the government is trying to break the power of the successor groups."

http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2009/12/23-3

[Algorem]

14. so they didn't catch anyone who did it and have no proof of who did it

[EFerrari]

15. Uribe blames FARC for the paramilitaries that terrorize Colombia.

It's easy, distracts from his ties to them and people eat it with a spoon.

ETA: But as is noted up thread, this poor man was a witness against RIGHT WING PARAS. FARC had no beef with him.

[EFerrari]

16. Where does US Military Aid to Colombia Go?

Where Does US Military ‘Aid’ to Colombia Go?
Written by John Lindsay-Poland
Monday, 07 December 2009
Source: Fellowship of Reconciliation

The United States continues to assist Colombian military units that have reportedly violated human rights, a review of recently released State Department documents shows. FOR obtained the list of 353 Colombian military and police units that the United States approved for aid in 2008-09 and 2009-10. US law requires the State Department to review all foreign military units proposed for assistance and exclude those with histories of gross human rights abuses.


http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=405&topic_id=28405&mesg_id=28405

Posted by Judi Lynn in the LatAm forum