Inter-American Court Finds Colombia Guilty in Senator's Murder

[Judi Lynn]

Inter-American Court Finds Colombia Guilty in Senator's Murder
By Constanza Vieira

BOGOTA, Jun 24, 2010 (IPS) - Time does not heal everything. Finding the Colombian state guilty in the murder of Patriotic Union (UP) Senator Manuel Cepeda, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights considered the 16 years of impunity enjoyed by the masterminds behind the killing an aggravating factor.

The sentence, issued on May 26 and published Jun. 23 on the web site of the Inter-American Court, is the Court's first decision involving the extermination of the UP, a left-wing party that emerged from the peace agreement reached by the government of Belisario Betancur (1982-1986) and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC).

Under the 1984 peace deal, the guerrillas were to participate in political life through the UP, seeking political and institutional reforms through peaceful channels.

The UP was founded in May 1985, with government support. The Communist Party, of which Cepeda was one of the leaders, formed part of the new political force.

Cepeda was also a journalist, heading the Communist Party newspaper Voz for 18 years.

The day he was killed, Aug. 9, 1994, the senator was on his way to Congress when his car was cut off by gunmen in another vehicle. At least two army sergeants, who were later convicted, were involved in the assassination.

The UP was physically eliminated, with over 5,000 of its leaders and supporters killed. It shrank so much that it finally lost its status as a political party.

More:
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=51941

[Braulio]

1. This court doesn't work very well

If it did, Clinton, Bush, and Castro would be on trial.