Family members of victims of extrajudicial executions —«false positives»— at a demonstration in the city of Bogotá on 6 March 2009.

«The sheer number of cases [of extrajudicial executions], their geographic spread, and the diversity of military units implicated, indicate that these killings were carried out in a more or less systematic fashion by significant elements within the military»1. Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary or Arbitrary Executions.
«Colombia’s indigenous people find themselves in a serious, critical and profoundly worrying human rights situation»2. Rodolfo Stavenhagen, 2004.
«This assessment still applies today»3. James Anaya, Special Rapporteur on the Rights and Freedoms of Indigenous Peoples.
«From what I have seen and heard [...], I can conclude that patterns of harassment and persecution against human rights defenders, and often their families, continue to exist in Colombia»4. Margaret Sekaggya, Special Rapporteur on the Situation of Human Rights Defenders.

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At the request of social movements and with the government’s invitation, the United Nations Special Rapporteurs on extrajudicial, summary and arbitrary executions (Philip Alston), the rights of indigenous peoples (James Anaya), the situation of human rights defenders (Margaret Sekaggya), and the independence of justice (Carina Knaul de Albuquerque)5 visited Colombia from June to October 2009. Their preliminary reports stress the grave situation existing in Colombia with respect to their areas of competency. Visits by three rapporteurs in one year demonstrates the international concern for the human rights situation in Colombia.

Extrajudicial executions6, also known as «false positives», perpetrated in most cases by members of State security forces, increased 65% during the nearly eight years of the Álvaro Uribe Vélez administration. According to the Coordination Colombia-Europe-United States (CCEEU), at least 1,122 cases were recorded from 2002 to 20077. The gravest situation occurred during Juan Manuel Santos’ mandate as Minister of Defence, when 535 extrajudicial executions were reported from January 2007 to June 20088. The killing of marginalised youth and peasants, who are then presented as guerrilla members killed «in combat», is not a new practice. Nonetheless, this only caught the attention of national media outlets when 11 mothers spoke out against the disappearance of their unemployed sons in Soacha (a working class neighbourhood in the metropolitan area of Bogotá), who were later found dead in Ocaña, Norte de Santander Department, some 1,000 kilometres from their homes9.
 
Indigenous peoples are one of the groups most affected by violence in Colombia. Many ethnicities are in danger of physical and cultural extinction due to the seizure of their lands and murder of their most important leaders. «[O]f the 102 indigenous peoples existing in Colombia, 60 have less than 500 members, ten of them […] less than 100, which will result in their imminent disappearance unless the State provides them with special protection»10 . Despite several court rulings —especially Constitutional Court Ruling 004 of 2009 on the fundamental rights of internally displaced indigenous persons and peoples—, which hold the State responsible for fulfilling its duty in protection, «the Colombian government’s initiatives need to be consolidated in the area of the rights of indigenous peoples»11.

On repeated occasions, the president of Colombia has called human rights defenders  «“snitches”, “spokespersons for terrorism”, “human rights traffickers”, “accomplices”, “courtesans”, “political intriguers” and even “gossips hounds”»12. According to Margaret Sekaggya, a prime reason for their insecurity has been their stigmatisation by «high level Government officials of being […] “terrorists” or “guerrillas”»13. In 2009, human rights defenders continue to pay a heavy price. In Colombia, the violations suffered include murders, persecution, baseless prosecutions, and threats14.

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1 Statement by Philip Alston, United Nations Special Rapporteur for Arbitrary Executions, Mission to Colombia from 8 to 18 June 2009
2 Report from the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights and fundamental freedoms of indigenous people in Colombia, Rodolfo Stevenhagen, March 2004

3 «United Nations Special Rapporteur on indigenous peoples concludes visit to Colombia», United Nations in Colombia, 28 July 2009
4 Statement of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, as she concludes her visit to Colombia, United Nations in Colombia, 18 September 2009
5 At the close of this edition of ColomPBIa, the Rapporteur had not yet finished their visit, nor had they presented any report or declaration 
6 Expression used by the Movement of Victims of State Crimes (MOVICE). For instance, see: «6 de marzo de 2009 - Convocatoria A Jornada Nacional Contra las Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales.» MOVICE, 28 January 2009
7 «Informe final de la misión internacional de observación sobre ejecuciones extrajudiciales e impunidad en Colombia», CCEEUU, Bogotá, 2009
8 «Ejecuciones Extrajudiciales - Boletín Especial», CCEEUU, May 2009
9 «Los ‘falsos positivos’ son cerca de 1.800, según ONU», El Telégrafo, 14 July 2009
10 «Etnias indígenas colombianas al borde de la extinción como consecuencia de la guerra», OIDHACO, 11 August 2009
11 «El relator especial de Naciones Unidas sobre pueblos indígenas concluye visita a Colombia», United Nations in Colombia, 28 July 2009
12 «Defensores de derechos humanos: bajo el estigma del presidente Uribe», Popular Training Institute (IPC), 23 October 2009
13 «Statement of the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, Margaret Sekaggya, as she concludes her visit to Colombia», United Nations in Colombia, 18 September 2009
14 In 2009, CCAJAR, MOVICE and CIJP, among other organisations have denounced cases throughout Colombian national territory. CCAJAR: www.colectivodeabogados.org; MOVICE: www.movimientodevictimas.org; CIJP: www.justiciaypazcolombia.com