Oxav INQNO DOCNO u' PRODUCER SOURCE DOCTYPE DOR TOR '0 ORIGDATE Nam g MHFNO CAVEATS HEADER RR DE RUEKJCS #5093 0640133 0501332 MAR 94 FM OIA WASHINGTON DC INFO WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC WASHINGTON DC _h 1 MAXI FT CLAYTON FT GEORGE MEADB NORFOLK a - xnge AFB FL FT BRAGG auanc ISECSTATE WASHINGTON DC WAQHINGTON DC 1 041802Z MAR 94 FMka2 TO WASHINGTON DC INFO QEUARRY HEIGHTS BT CONTROLS w kw SERIAL U5 TEXT - U COLOMBIA CO Page 1 Qa- COMBINE COMPLETE SUBJ TOWARD HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE COLAR STE BRIGADE U WARNING U THIS IS AN INFORMATION REPORT NOT FINALLY EVALUATED INTELLIGENCE REPORT CLASSIFIED - DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE DOI 940224 REQS U bX1 bxSUMMARY THE COLOMBIAN ARMY 5TH BRIGADE CONDUCTS REGULAR HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING AND MEMBERS SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ON THE OTHER HAND ABUSES OF SUSPECTED GUERRILLAS DD OCCUR AND ARE NOT ALWAYS FORWARDED FOR INVESTIGATION 1 COLOMBIAN ARMY 5TH BRIGADE CONDUCTS REGULAR HUMAN RIGHTS TRAINING AND MEMBERS SEEM TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGETS ON THE OTHER HAND ASUSES 0F SUSPECTED GUERRILLAS DO OCCUR AND ARE NOT ALWAYS FORWARDED FOR INVESTIGATION 2 MEMBERS OF THE 5TH BRIGADE EXPRESSED FRUSTRATIOS AND SOME ANGER ABOUT HOW HUMAN RIGHTS AS AN ISSUE IS PERCEIUED SEVERAL COMMENTS WERE MADE To THE EFFECT WE KILL A GUERRILLA THE HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ASE UP IN ARMS EDT WHEN GUERRILLAS AMBUSH AND KILL OUR COMPANIONS IT Is IGNORED 0R DISMISSED As PART OF THE 3 AT TIMES IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PREVENT TROOPS IN THE FIELD FROM OVERREACTING WITH VIOLESCE TO GUERRILLAS ENCOUNTERED DURING A PATROL ESPECIALLY WHEN THESE SAME SUERSILLAS HAS JUST KILLED OR WOUNDED SOME OF THE COMRADES 4 ALSO HEARD SEVERAL COMMENTS TO THE EFFECT THAT MEMBERS OF HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS ALL WHO OFTEN USED LAWYERS TO COHPLAIN ABOUT IMAGINARY ABUSES 0R CONTRIVED ABUSES TO DISCREDIT ARMY MEMBERS EXAMPLES WERE CITED OF LABOR LEADERS AND HUMAN RIGHTS LEADERS WHO HAD BEEN ARRESTED AFTER PROOF WAS Page 2 OBTAINED THAT THEY WERE ELN OR FARO MEMBERS 7 xv TO SEVERAL ARMY MEMBERS THIS WAS ALL THE PROOE NEEDED TO LABEL ALL SUCN INDIVIDUALS GUERNILLAS OR GUERRILLA SYMPATHIZERS COMMENTS TAKEN Pad TOGETHER IMPRESSION NAS THAT TEE 5TH BRIGADE EATS LIP SERVICE TO HUMAN RIGHTS AND DOES CONDUCT REGULAR TRAINING EDT FEELS THAT IT IS INVOLVED IN A DAILY ARMED STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL AND CONTROL OF COLONEIAN TERRITORY AND IN A NAN THERE WAS NO SYMPATHY NOTED FOR WHATEVER MAY HAPPEN TO A GUERRILLA NNO ENGAGED IN OPEN CONFLICT WITH THE STATE 2 112 fhE COULD NOT RELIEVE THE CHARGES OF HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS AND MURDER AGAINST THE NAVAL INTELLIGENCE CHIEF COLONEL RODRIGO BASED IN BARRANCABERMEJA IN THE STE AOR RE SAID IT MADE NOISENSB BECAUSE NAVY PERSONNEL LIKE THE GOOD LIFE AND RENE NOT THREATENED DIRECTLY AT THE GUERRILLAS RE ADDED THAT IF AN ARNT OFFICER RAD BEEN ACCUSED OE SUCH ACTIONS RE WOULD FIND IT NONE CREDIBLE - 3 ADMIN PROJ INSTR PREP - I ACO U 2 7 DISSEM U WARNING REPORT END OF MESSAGE Page 3 This document is from the holdings of The National Security Archive Suite 701 Gelman Library The George Washington University 2130 H Street NW Washington D C 20037 Phone 202 994-7000 Fax 202 994-7005 nsarchiv@gwu edu