Colombian President Álvaro Uribe said Wednesday he wants the State to
take up the legal defense of military personnel accused of ‘false
positives’, reiterating his claim that there are many false complaints.
Uribe, speaking at the First International Congress of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration in Cartagena, said that the prosecution of members of the Army and Police is “demotivating” the troops.
“The government, that from the beginning has asked transparency as a factor of credibility of the Democratic Security policy, also needs to be cautious that it doesn’t fail to show the solidarity it owes the soldiers and policemen of Colombia,” Uribe said.
“One of the efforts Colombia needs to make immediately is to organize the legal defense of our soldiers and policemen. A State that failes to defend them, will demotivate them,” Uribe said.
According to Uribe, many of the charges of human rights violations and the murder of civilians by army troops are false and meant to weaken the strength of the security forces. Uribe wants the State to prevent members of the security forces are sent to jail unjustly.
“Just like we have to demand absolute transparancy of the soldiers and policemen, we also have to demand absolute impartiality of the justice system,”
The Prosecutor General’s Office is currently investigating more than 1,200 members of the security forces, who are suspected of having murdered civilians and having registered them as guerrillas killed in combat to make Colombia’s fight against illegal armed groups look more effective.
