Multinational Companies Guilty of Human Rights Violations; Congresswoman Had Clear Links with AUC; Prisoner Presumably Killed by Police While in Custody

By Oscar J Barbosa
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

BOGOTA, Colombia - The Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal (PPT), found 43 multinationals guilty of human rights violations in Colombia. The PPT is a prestigious international Human Rights Group headed by Nobel peace prize winner, Adolfo Pérez Esquivel and is fueled by 130 experts in international human rights. Its findings are not binding but the rulings act as legal advice and watchdog on many issues worldwide.

Among the companies accused of human rights violations are Coca Cola, Nestlé, British Petroleum and Telefonica. Chiquita Brands, Drummond & Monsanto; AngloGold Ashanti; Repsol YPF, Unión Fenosa, Endesa, Canal de Isabel II, and Aguas de Barcelona.

The tribunal had evaluated the evidence and the case for three years before its finding. One of the cases involved the killings of 17 labor leaders by Nestle and Coca Cola, as well as the selling of 3.000 AK-47s to paramilitary groups by the Chiquita Brands.

Grave consequences involved forced displacements of communities, assassinations of trade unionists, unfair labor practices and enrichment for exploitation of the workers. The PPT says the Colombian Government is equally responsible for “favoring capital over people’s lives”.

“Many businesses operate with the consent of the Government and act with total and absolute impunity,” Chairman Pérez Esquivel announced.

For more information, please see:

El Universal - Tribunal Permanente de los Pueblos condena al Gobierno colombiano por genocidio – 24 July 2008

Colombia Reports - 43 multinationals violated human rights – 23 July 2008

Huston Chronicle - Piden que Occidental aclare presunto papel en masacre colombiana – 22 July 2008

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MEDELLIN, Colombia - A detained paramilitary leader testified that former congresswoman Yidis Medina had multiple contacts and contracts with the right wing paramilitary organization AUC. Medina has been convicted for bribery and she remains under investigation for ties with the leftist ELN-guerrillas.

According to AKA ‘Bolman’ Sepúlveda, a member of the AUC’s Central Bolivar Bloc, Medina was in touch with his paramilitary group on a number of occasions. Bolmar was told by Medina to open a 40 million pesos (US$21,000) bank account, where Medina would later deposit a billion pesos (US$534,000) from the Plan Colombia.

Medina had also contacted the illegal group to threaten people how demanded money she owed them. The former congresswoman allegedly also offered jobs to several members of the AUC under an organization she directed.

Medina has been jailed, sentenced to 3-5 year house arrest after having confessed she accepted bribes by members of Uribe’s government and also under charges of extortion.

For more information, please see:

El Colombiano - Revelan supuestos nexos de Yidis con Auc – 24 July 2008

Colombia Reports - Demobilized says Medina had ties with AUC – 23 July 2008

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GEORGETOWN, Guyana – It is unknown what exactly happened to Edwin Niles after he was found to posses few rounds of ammunition. During an initial interrogation, Niles was beaten and then transferred to Brickdam Police Station. After Brickdam, he was taken to a hospital with burns on half of his face and neck, a broken arm and obviously brutalized. The Police in Guyana did not disclose what exactly happened. Niles was 36 years old, and he was convicted to three years for cannabis possession. He would have released this September.

For more information, please see:

StabroekNews - Burnt and beaten prisoner laid to rest – 23 July 2008

StabroekNews - Corbin writes to Greene on prisoner’s death - 18 July 2008