The Alternative Democratic Pole (PDA), the Social Indigenous Alliance (ASI) and other social and political organizations, have received the support of Medellín’s Council, after investigations done by the Technical Investigation Unit (CTI) of the Attorney General’s office and the 4th Brigade, of alleged ties between them and the guerrilla of the FARC.
During a Council session sponsored by councilmen Santiago Londoño and Luis Bernardo Vélez, members of ASI, a report was presented in regards to the different intelligence investigations done by the CTI in conjunction with the Armed Forces, between the months of April and May 2009, referring to the alleged relations between the Clandestine Colombian Communist Party (PCCC) linked to the FARC and several non governmental organizations, political parties and civil organizations.
Even though the Attorney General’s office (AGO) denied that these organizations have been included in the case brought against members of the PCCC, it was clear in the debate that there are some intelligence gathering against these organizations, fact that was not denied by the AGO.
What type of Democracy Colombia has? Asked the Council President, Bernardo Alejandro Guerra, from the liberal party, after a revision of all the false accusations against civil organizations and political parties. Guerra questioned the position of some security agencies that are dedicated to spy on the opposition and lamented the lack of “intelligence investigations against real criminals”.
The Council’s President offered to guarantee all the necessary conditions to the opposition, and promised to respect any differences that may arise within the council and affirmed that there were no forbidden subjects of discussion, this in order to strengthen pluralism condition necessary in any democracy.
Councilmen Nicolás Albeiro Echeverri, from the Conservative party, subscribed to the voices of rejection against the allegations against the PDA, ASI and NGOs and affirmed that “Medellin’s Council cannot remain indifferent, these situations are directed towards weakening our institutions.”
Carlos Ballesteros from el PDA, stated that “in our country the morals and values are so distorted that the government considers that following the constitution and the law are subversive acts.” He also added that the PDA makes opposition within the legality and denied any links to the FARC.
Luis Bernardo Velez, councilmen for ASi, has attributed the accusations to the up coming presidential campaigns, especially to the presidential campaign of the ex major of Medellín Sergio Fajardo.
Diego Herrera, Strategy Director of the Popular Institute for Training (IPC) who was invited to the Council’s session, declared that there is an increase in the number of political organizations that are included in intelligence reports of the government’s security agencies. “ It is very worrisome that the enemy is being seen in the social organizations and movements, political leaders and the courts.”
He also affirmed that these intelligence reports aimed at impeding the right to oversee the government, “military intelligence do not see citizens demanding their rights, but social support for the guerrillas, sees the enemy in the wrong places, this is axis of the security doctrine that it is encompassed in the democratic security.”
Herrera asked that the intelligence reports that involve members of the opposition, social organizations, trade unionists, human rights defenders are to be delivered to the Inspector General’s office for them to be fully and objectively investigated; he also demanded guarantees in terms of due process and the right to defense for the people implicated in the intelligence reports.
The director of the Corporation for Development and Peace (CORPADES), Fernando Quijano, read a communiqué subscribed by 19 different social and political organizations, denouncing that security agencies and the AGO “want, through intelligence reports, to initiate legal procedures that have as an aim the criminalization of civil rights such as freedom of expression, opinion, conscience and participation.”
The social and political organizations that ratified the communiqué, also stated that the impartiality and objectivity of the Attorney General’ office is in question. “these principles are questioned because of the level of interference of the military in the direction of the investigations, they without having the authority of judicial police are meddling in the gathering of the evidence, therefore “we urge that the Attorney General removes all of its units from all police and army garrisons, their activity in the majority of the cases, has led to violations against the due process and the right to one’s defense.”
This article has been contributed by the IPC (Instituto Popular de Capacitación)
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