US embassy cable - 05BOGOTA10683

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 
 
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Summary 
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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. 
 
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Recommendation on MOD Human Rights Training 
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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. 
 
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Embassy: MOD Already Meets Standards 
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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