Human rights commission denounces Colombia for civilian bombing

Human rights commission denounces Colombia for civilian bombing
Thursday, 28 July 2011 10:13
Travis Mannon

The Inter-American Commission for Human Rights (IAHCR) condemned Colombia for failing to respond properly to the 1998 bombing of a village in the north eastern department of Arauca which killed 17 civilians.

An independent branch of the Organization of American States (OAS), the IAHCR declared before the Inter-American Court that the Colombian government failed to punish those responsible for the attack.

"The IACHR concluded that these acts remain in impunity, as the State did not conduct serious, effective investigations to identify the masterminds and other perpetrators and impose the appropriate punishments," a statement to the court said.

The bombing, which took place December 13, 1998, was carried out by the Colombian Air Force. The attack killed 17 people, including four boys and two girls, and injured another 27, nine of whom were children. After the initial bombing the Air Force "continued its aerial bombing of civilians who were trying to help the wounded and those trying to escape the village."

More:
http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/17933-human-rights-commission-denounces-colombia-for-civilian-bombing.html

On edit, adding last line:

In their 2010 annual human rights reports, the IACHR continued to include Colombia on their human rights "black list," citing crimes perpetrated by both state agents and illegal armed groups.