September 2, Santafe de Bogota (E.F.E.)
The Attorney General for Human Rights, Hernando Valencia, resigned
his post and traveled to Spain yesterday (Sept 1), after saying that he felt
himself pressured to resign as a result of his proceeeding which declared
that an Army General was responsible for the murder of a woman
guerrilla.
Valencia obtained a special visa from the Spanish Embassy in
Colombia which will permit him to carry on academic activities in Spain,
and he immediately travelled with is son, Felipe, age 12, to Spain, but he
did not seek asylum nor diplomatic protection, a spokesperson from the
Spanish Embassy said. The spokesperson added that the Embassy had also
helped Valencia establish contacts with authorities of Spanish universities,
at his request, and insisted that rumors about asylum 'are unfounded.'
Valencia asked recently that General Alvaro Velandia Hurtado be forced to
retire from the Army for his responsibility [in actions that resulted in the
murder] of Nydia Erika Bautista, a guerrilla group member, in 1987.
Velandia was the chief of the Twentieth Brigade of the Army in Santa
fe de Bogota, when the guerrilla woman was kidnapped by a group of armed
men. Her body was found months later in a common grave. The Army did
not force the General to resign. He is now Chief of the Third Brigade in Cali,
and the Army even gave him a decoration after the decision of Valencia was
announced.
This week the Council of State accepted a petition filed on behalf of the General against Procurador Valencia's decision, indicating the decision was not properly communicated in correct procedural form, but without responding to the basis of Valencia's decision. Procurador Valencia indicated that he felt pressured by this, but he did not accuse anyone when he asked for assistance from the Embassy to travel to Spain, the spokesperson from the Spanish Embassy added.
The article did not give more information about General Velandia Hurtado,
another one of the evil men of the Colombian Army. The following
information is from the book published in Brussels in 1992, El
Terrorismo de Estado en Colombia (page 362-4).
In 1982, in Magdalena Medio, and also in the region of Honda in Tolima, there
were a series of murders, disappearnces and threats to trade unionists and
members of opposition (left) political parties. These crimes were
committed by the paramilitary group M.A.S. On Feb 20, 1983, following an
investigation by the Procuraduria General de la Nacion, the officier Velandia
Hurtado, together with 58 members of the Army, is publicly denounced as
one of the creators and leaders of M.A.S. by the Procurado. Of course, nothing
further happened, given the fear of the military and the impunity they enjoy.
(Other travesties of justice in which Velandia Hurtado was involved are
also recounted in this book.) M.A.S., by the way, was bankrolled by druglord
Rodriguez Gacha.
What can you do about this terrible situation?
1. Write or Fax U.S. Ambassador Myles Frechette in Bogota (fax: 011 571 287
9397; address: U.S. Embassy, Santafe de Bogota, Colombia), asking him how
the U.S. can continue to support human rights violators like General
Velandia Hurtado and let the civilians charged with human rights
(specifically Hernando Valencia) be intimidated and forced into exile.
Demand an investigation into all contacts between U.S. Military, DEA, and
CIA and Velandia Hurtado, and all military assistance given all units under
his command. Ask how the U.S. can support military officers who have been
in bed with the druglords in death squads like M.A.S. Tell him that you are
urging congressional hearings into this.
2.Write or Fax Senator Paul Coverdell (fax and address below), Chairman of
the InterAmerican Subcommittee of the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, requesting that hearings be held this fall into U.S. military, DEA
and CIA assistance, training, and contacts with Colombian military officers
like Velandia Hurtado, who have worked together with druglords like
Rodriguez Gacha in the M.A.S. death squad. Stress that human rights must be
included in any hearings on the drug war in Colombia, and that
Procurador Hernando Valencia be called as a witness.
3. If your senator is on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, write to
her/him the same message. (The address is: U.S. Senate, Washington, DC
20510) Here's a list of members and fax numbers:
State Senator Fax
4. Pass this message along to others who can also respond
5. Send a copy of your letter to:
Colombia Support Network
PO Box 1505
Madison WI 53701
608 255-6554
fax 608 255-6621
email: csn@igc.org