The Case of David Ravelo: Justice, Impunity and Peace in Colombia
January 1, 2016
The Case of David Ravelo: Justice, Impunity and Peace in Colombia
by W. T. Whitney
This report is based on Alberto Senante’s article“Silent repression of justice in Colombia,” which discusses David Ravelo’s situation. Translated, it appears below.
FARC guerrillas and the Colombia government recently arrived at an agreement on ‘Victims,” a crucially important part of peace negotiations in Cuba that are nearly completed. That accord, however, is vague on assurances of relief for two sets of victims, political prisoners and persons targeted by paramilitaries.
David Ravelo’s eventual fate may provide a lead as to how these victims will fare. This defender of human rights and Communist Party leader resisted paramilitary attacks in Barrancabermeja, his native city. And doing so led to Ravelo becoming a political prisoner.
Journalist Horacio Duque’s recent observations provide perspective on Colombia’s paramilitary problem lacking in Albeteo Senante’s article. According to Duque, “President Juan Manuel Santos recently indicated that the December 15 justice for peace agreement with the FARC … provides criteria and principles for judgment and sanctions against persons engaged in violence against the civilian population through financial support of paramilitary groups.”
However, “It’s a matter of powerful business men, land holders, merchants, multi-nationals, bankers, politicians, governors, mayors, senators, who channel monetary amounts in the multi-millions for leveraging and financing ferocious criminal bands responsible for massacres, murders, disappearances and tortures.”
More:
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/01/the-case-of-david-ravelo-justice-impunity-and-peace-in-colombia/
