Colombia: Human Rights - Case Study

• Why it has a weak human rights record

  • 2021-25 - killings of peaceful protesters and bystanders
  • 174 acts of aggression against human rights defenders
  • 32 murders and 109 death threats
  • 2002-09 - 784 human rights defenders threatened, attacked or murdered
  • Only 10 convictions
• How is military aid justified?

  • "War on drugs"
  • Economic benefits
  • Strengthen human rights values
  • Promote professional conduct in the armed forces
• Paramilitary

  • 1985-2018 - 450k killed, 45% by paramilitaries
  • Paramilitary - an organisation that acts like a professional military but is not a part of the country's official or legitimate armed forces
• How much military aid US provides and why

  • 2000-2015 - $10 billion
  • USA argues its military aid helps maintain peace, tackle illegal armed groups and fight criminal organisations involved in drug trafficking
  • US governments argues it had imposed human rights conditions on aid payments
  • e.g. by requiring the suspension of military personnel held accountable of committing human rights abuses
• Colombia's drug trade

  • Cocaine - $10 billion per year
  • Colombia's share of coca production - 43% of global
  • Centred in Medellin, Cali, Norte del Valle and North Coast
  • Controlled by cartels in these cities, more recently paramilitary groups
  • e.g. The Black Eagles
  • Perpetuates social violence
• Drug trade and the USA

  • Cocaine produced at $1500/kilo in jungle labs, can be sold on US streets for up to $50,000/kilo
  • US is the world's largest consumer of cocaine
  • USA invested $10+ billion in Plan Colombia to combat drug production
  • USA has extradited 2500+ Colombian drug traffickers since 1960s
  • US banks have been implicated in laundering cartel money, with $881 million traced through Wachovia Bank