Cablegate: Mod and Un Human Rights Office Sign Accord; Goc

VZCZCXYZ0005
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBO #0683/01 3201141
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 161141Z NOV 05
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9682
INFO RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 6360
RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 6741
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ NOV LIMA 2896
RUEHZP/AMEMBASSY PANAMA 8512
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 3415
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3315
RUCNDTA/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1794
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1303

UNCLAS BOGOTA 010683

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR PHUM PREL CO
SUBJECT: MOD AND UN HUMAN RIGHTS OFFICE SIGN ACCORD; GOC
COMPLETES ANOTHER UNHCHR RECOMMENDATION

REF: BOGOTA 8602

-------
Summary
-------

1. On November 8, Minister of Defense Camilo Ospina Bernal
and Director of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for
Human Rights in Colombia (OHCHR) Michael Fruhling signed a
cooperation agreement on human rights training for the
Colombian military that meets another of the High
Commissioner for Human Rights' 27 human rights
recommendations for Colombia.

-------------------------------------------
Recommendation on MOD Human Rights Training
-------------------------------------------

2. OHCHR recommendation number 6 states: "The High
Commissioner encourages the Minister of Defense to develop,
on the basis of the results of an independent study, in a
comprehensive, systematic and operational way, the training
in human rights and international humanitarian law of all
members of the security forces." Under the terms of the
accord, the MOD will contract three international experts to
assess current and future efforts to systematize training in
human rights for all members of the security forces.

------------------------------------
Embassy: MOD Already Meets Standards
------------------------------------

3. In 2004, the Embassy reviewed the MOD's human rights
training program and determined that it was already in full
compliance with the OHCHR recommendation. Fruhling continued
to insist, however, that the review of human rights training
in the MOD should include a study "incorporating the theme of
human rights and international humanitarian law in all of
(the MOD's) instructions, orders, acts and operations...."
In a statement released on November 9, the OHCHR applauded
the agreement and declared the GOC in compliance.

4. Informal translation of the November 9 OHCHR Statement.

Begin Text:
Cooperation agreement was signed with the Ministry of Defense
of Colombia
2005-11-09

The Minister of Defense, Camilo Ospina and the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights, Director of the office in
Colombia, Michael Fruhling, signed yesterday, November 8, a
framework agreement of cooperation.

This agreement is part of the commitments acquired by the
Colombian State in the Chair's Statement of the United
Nations Human Rights Commission, in April of this year, as a
response to one of the 27 recommendations formulated for the
State in the latest reports of the High Commissioner, Mrs.
Louise Arbour.

This recommendation encouraged to the "Ministry of Defense to
develop, based on an independent study, in integral,
systematic and operational form, the human rights and the
humanitarian international law in the education of all
members of the Public Force."

The study that will be developed through the agreement will
include the following thematic areas:

1. Human rights and humanitarian international law education
and training. Curricular application of human rights and
humanitarian international law across all levels in the
education of the Public Force at all levels.

2. Prevention and protection: incorporation of human rights
and humanitarian international law topics into all
instructions, orders, performances and operations that the
Public Force develops by virtue of the constitutional
mandate.

The study project execution has three phases:
1. The presentation of the confidential study to the Ministry
of Defense, carried out by independent experts, about the
improvements and deficiencies in the integration of the
education of human rights and humanitarian international law
in the Public Force.

2. The implementation of the study recommendations by the
Ministry of Defense.

3. The evaluation of the implementation of the
recommendations.

The project will begin next month and will conclude on
December 31, 2006.

The Office welcomes the signature of this agreement, and
hopes that it helps to strengthen, in an integral way,
respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

End Text.
DRUCKER

© Scoop Media