Several international NGOs object the Medal of freedom outgoing U.S.
President George W. Bush is awarding his Colombian counterpart Álvaro
Uribe. They say the award shows the Bush administration’s “disregard
for serious human rights concerns.”
The seven organizations, including Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International,say the Bush administration “out of zeal to show unconditional support to governments that it views as strategic allies” is disregarding the human rights concerns about these allies.
“The Bush administration has consistently turned a blind eye to
Colombia’s serious human rights violations,” said the organizations.
“Its selection of Uribe to receive this award only further tarnishes
the Bush administration’s own reputation on human rights issues in the
region,” a press release by the NGOs says.
Uribe and former prime ministers of the UK, Tony Blair and Australia, John Howard will receive the medal in Washington D.C. Tuesday.