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Colombian security forces have been accused of using excessive force in nationwide anti-government protests.
Colombian President Ivan Duque has announced plans to modernize the country’s police force, including providing human rights training and increased surveillance of officers, as his government faces criticism over the use of force against them. demonstrators.
Anti-government protests have been taking place across Colombia since late April, when thousands took to the streets against a now-withdrawn tax reform proposal that critics say would disproportionately harm the middle and working classes.
Huge rallies continued, with protesters expanding their list of demands to include health and education reforms, among others, as violence escalated, particularly in the city of Cali, the epicenter of the manifestations.
The exact death toll linked to the protests remains disputed, but human rights groups say dozens of people have been killed by security forces. The attorney general’s office says 20 deaths are directly linked to the protests.
In a ceremony to celebrate police promotions on Sunday, Duque said his government would ask Congress to approve the creation of a police human rights directorate, which will seek international assistance on policy, and a new directorate of education for officer training.
Duque said he ordered the creation of a decree that will modernize the structure of the national police, in particular to strengthen human rights policy.
In this structure, protection, prevention and respect for human rights will be marked because within the national police a human rights department will be created, said the president, who added that support for human rights of man must now more than ever receive all the institutional support. .
The law, which will be proposed on the first day of the next legislative session in July, would also create a new complaints system and expanded disciplinary standards for officers, overseen by an independent center.
The government is also working on a law to establish criteria for the legitimate use of force and another to regulate the use and sale of less lethal weapons, Duque said.
Without specifically giving in to protesters’ demands for police reform, Duque promised a transformation of the police, which falls under the Department of Defense.
The announcement coincides with a visit to Colombia by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) to investigate violence linked to the protests. The commission said it plans to hold face-to-face and virtual meetings with civil society actors in the coming days.
People take part in a protest demanding government action to tackle poverty, police violence and inequality, in Cali on May 28 [Juan B Diaz/Reuters]Last Sunday, the UN rights chief expressed concern at the recent violence in Cali, which left more than a dozen people dead at the end of last month, and called for an independent investigation and accountability for these violence.
It is essential that all those allegedly involved in injury or death, including state officials, are investigated promptly, effectively, independently, impartially and transparently, and that those responsible are held accountable, said United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet. in a report.
Negotiations between the Duques government and a national strike committee stalled last week, but are expected to resume Sunday afternoon. The committee is made up of trade unions, student groups and other civil society organizations.
Protesters called on Duque to denounce the excessive police force and act to address inequalities in the country.
Political analyst Jorge Restrepo said on Twitter on Sunday that while the announced reform is going in the right direction, it is insufficient and late.
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