U.S.-based NGO the Fellowship of Reconciliation alleges that Colombian military units, which are implicated in cases of extrajudicial killings known as “false positives,” received help from the U.S. government, in spite of a law which prohibits such assistance.
The Fellowship of Reconciliation Program Director John Lindsay-Poland confirmed to Colombia Reports Monday that the NGO will publish a full report outlining the allegations on Thursday
Lindsay-Poland explained that a U.S. law known as the Leahy provision stipulates that the North American state is prohibited from providing assistance to foreign military units guilty of human rights violations.
However the Fellowship of Reconciliation alleges that the Pentagon provided assistance to several Colombian military units implicated in extra judicial killings, including the 11th Cordoba and Sucre brigade.
“The United States completely helped for three years, it helped following reports of executions committed by the brigade, and during the assistance from the United States, these reports of false positives grew… and it wasn’t until 2008 when they arrested military officials for collaborating with [drug trafficking gang] ‘Los Paisas’ that the assistance was suspended,” Lindsay-Poland told Uno Noticias.
The forthcoming report also alleges that Antioquia’s 4th brigade also received indirect support from the U.S.
The complete report detailing the Fellowship of Reconciliation’s allegations will be presented in the capital Colombian city of Bogota on Thursday.
