UN calls for reclassification of many of Colombia's unidentified dead .

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

UN calls for reclassification of many of Colombia's unidentified dead
Friday, 27 May 2011 08:10
Marguerite Cawley

United Nations representative Christian Salazar called on Colombia to investigate cases of unidentified persons killed in combat, who he claimed should be reclassified, Caracol Radio reported Friday.

Salazar commended the Defense Ministry's recent identification of nearly 10,000 cadavers buried under the classification "NN," or unidentified, in mass graves in Colombia, and made a series of recommendations, particularly regarding the cases of those classified as "NN muertos en combate" (unidentified killed in combat), who he said were often the result of extrajudicial or "false positive" killings.

"We estimate that between 2004 and 2008 more than 3,000 Colombians were executed extrajudicially, the majority attributed to the armed forces, and were presented as 'NN killed in combat' but were connected with forced disappearances," said Salazar.

He added that there are numerous cases of unidentified killed in combat that have been closed without investigation, and that these should be reopened and examined by an independent commission.

Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/16574-un-calls-for-reclassification-of-many-of-colombias-unidentified-dead-.html

[Octafish]

1. The Death Squads are important allies of American Bizness

Like United Fruit Company, tentacles that stretch from Smedley Butler's day to the present: Chiquita death squad attorney Eric Holder floated for U.S. Attorney General!

[Peace Patriot]

2. And what were the U.S. military and its 'contractors' doing while its buds in the Colombian military

were slaughtering thousands of innocent people?

The U.S. has had several thousand military personnel and 'contractors' in Colombia, with the U.S. Army, the USAF and the USN, private 'contractors' and the CIA operating out of numerous Colombian military bases and "forward operating locations." They provide "technical assistance," "training," USAID/Pentagon "pacification" plans, and money ($7 BILLION to the Colombian military), as well as drones and other surveillance. Did they just sit around twiddling their thumbs while the Colombian military and its death squads had all the "fun"?

I think there is a major U.S. scandal in this situation, lurking beneath the surface--not that it seems to matter any more what the U.S. military and its 'contractors' do. But it might be interesting to Latin Americans and the rest of the world.