The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) on Friday accepted Ecuador’s complaint against Colombia for the death of an Ecuadorean in a 2008 cross-border bombing raid, reports Efe.
The complaint was filed in 2009 following the death of Franklin Aisalla in a raid by the Colombian army on a FARC camp in Ecuadorean territory. Twenty-six people were killed in the raid, including FARC commander “Raul Reyes.” The complaint says that Colombia violated the right to life, personal integrity, judicial guarantee and judicial protection of Aisalla.
Both countries have three months to gather evidence in the case, and will then present their arguments to the IACHR. This is the second time a complaint from one state against another has been filed with the body, an autonomous body of the Organization of American States, and the first time one has been declared admissible and examined by the commission. In March, Colombia said the IACHR didn’t have the right to hear the case, but the commission rejected that claim.
IACHR President Felipe Gonzalez said the fact that Ecuador’s complaint was accepted “does not imply a prejudgement.”
After the complaint is examined an official report will be issued, and recommendations will be issued to Colombia if the state is found at fault. If Colombia does not comply with the recommendations, the country can be brought to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights in Costa Rica.
Colombia and Ecuador have been making strides towards restoring diplomatic relations, and the foreign ministers of the neighboring countries will meet on November 18 to continue the dialogue.