US report criticizes human rights abuse in Colombia http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/8659-us-state-department-report-denounces-colombian-corruption-impunity.html

The U.S. State Department's 2009 Human Rights Report found that despite progress, "significant" human rights abuses and "impunity" for corrupt officials still persist in Colombia.The report acknowledges the Colombian government's efforts to combat guerrillas, illegal armed groups and paramilitaries, but states that "officials sometimes engaged in corrupt practices with impunity."

The report criticizes "illegal and extrajudicial" murders, forced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and collaboration between the Colombian armed forces and illegal armed groups.The report expresses concern over the state of Colombia's judicial system, which is "subject to intimation" due to the DAS wiretapping scandal, in which the national security undertook illegal surveillance of judges as well as journalists, trade unionists and politicians.

Overcrowding, insecurity, torture and mistreatment of prisoners in jail are also issues raised in the report.The report denounces the assassinations of 39 trade unionists in 2009 but recognizes improved governmental measures to protect "thousands" of trade unionists and human rights activists.The report's release comes amid mounting pressure from Colombia for U.S. congress to approve a free trade agreement (FTA) signed in 2006 by Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and former U.S. President George W. Bush.Current U.S. President Barack Obama said Thursday that his nation plans to "move forward" on the FTA with Colombia.

comment-also see...U.S. INTELLIGENCE LISTED COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URIBE AMONG "IMPORTANT COLOMBIAN NARCO-TRAFFICKERS" IN 1991 http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB131/index.htm  URIBEWARCRIMINAL http://uribewarcriminal.blogspot.com/