`Colombia is not beyond help'

Late last year, the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights visited Bogota to assess the gravity of Colombia's human rights crisis. She wanted to urge President Pastrana to implement international human rights standards to protect the civilian population and strengthen the peace process.

Mrs Mary Robinson's visit coincided with a moment of grave political uncertainty in the life of the Pastrana administration.

In Bogota, the peace negotiations are in limbo, in Washington the second instalment of US military aid promised under Plan Colombia ($500 million worth) is due this month.

The White House - this one or the next - must now decide whether to certify progress in Colombian human rights, a normal requirement for such massive assistance, which would be hard in current circumstances. The US could choose to waive the requirement, which would provoke severe criticism from human rights activists.

Mrs Robinson maintains a field office in Bogota whose work exposes the staff to danger. The international community increasingly relies on their reports to provide impartial analysis of the human rights costs of Colombia's shifting and complex conflicts.

During her brief visit, Mrs Robinson met Mr Pastrana and his cabinet, opposition leaders, the national ombudsman, non-governmental and labour representatives, the International Red Cross and UN agencies, and the diplomatic corps.

This is an account of her visit:

Q. Do you think the Pastrana government has made good-faith efforts to comply with your recommendations for international human rights standards?

A. I think the government has taken our recommendations seriously, but that does not mean that all that could be done has been done. It is clear there has been a deterioration, when one looks at the increase in activity of paramilitary groups, kidnap pings and other violence by guerrilla groups, continuing displacement and attacks against human rights defenders.

There are troubling reports, for example, of persistent links between the army and paramilitary groups. There is more the government could do, but the fact that a number of things have not been done is not necessarily a sign of a lack of good faith.

It is obvious the authorities are facing an extremely difficult situation, but what we are saying is that a focus on human rights and international humanitarian law should be an integral part of efforts to address the crisis.

Q. Which aspect of the Colombian situation most distresses you?

A. In a crisis such as the one that Colombia is living through, it is hard to pinpoint just one aspect of it as the most distressing. But it was very disturbing to see first hand the polarisation of Colombian society. In the absence of a negotiated solution and increasing lawlessness, people are being driven to opt for radical solutions.

Some people are feeling a dangerous attraction to the answer of the paramilitaries. In turn, other segments of society feel increasingly besieged and could react with more violence.

Q. After your meeting with President Pastrana, you said you had urged the government to address the violence on all sides . . . particularly the paramilitary violence. Why the emphasis on the paramilitaries?

A. What most worries me about the paramilitaries is that they are responsible for some of the most shocking crimes Colombia has seen in its recent history. They are very active, even increasing their influence and the territory they control.

It is very troubling that there seem to be links between some elements of the army and the paramilitaries. They are simultaneously a product of the corruption of the rule of law and the erosion of governmental legitimacy and a cause of those phenomena.

Q. How can the government re gain control over the paramilitaries?

A. It is for the Colombian government to come up with the means to bring the paramilitaries under control. It is the government's responsibility to maintain law and order. The mere existence of such groups is a direct challenge to the authority of the government; they also constitute a major threat to its legitimacy in the eyes of Colombians.

Q. After your visit, the Bogota diplomatic corps, including US Ambassador Anne Patterson, supported President Pastrana's decision to maintain the demilitarised zone until January 31st, allowing time for the parties to re-establish the talks. Can international support for peace help your appeal for a comprehensive agreement on human rights and international humanitarian laws?

A. It would be encouraging if my visit and the emphasis on the need for a comprehensive agreement on human rights and international humanitarian law had the effect of helping to bring the parties back to the table.

I do not know if we can take that credit, but I believe very strongly that a comprehensive agreement on human rights and international humanitarian law could be an important step in reaching a negotiated settlement to the Colombian crisis. For one thing, it would help to build confidence on all sides.

Q. In view of the Colombian government's inability to comply with your recommendations, is the vision you and your Bogota staff are promoting realistic?

A. The fact that there has not been as much progress as would be desirable does not mean that there is no potential for a breakthrough. Colombia is not beyond help. The idea of a comprehensive agreement on human rights and humanitarian law does have international support, and it could be a tool for fashioning a peace agreement.

The fact is, there can be no real solution to the crisis other than a negotiated one. There are instances - El Salvador and Guatemala, to name two geographically relevant examples - in which human rights and international humanitarian law accords have helped in the conclusion of peace settlements.

Respect for such an agreement would be a clear demonstration of the good faith of the parties and would lay the groundwork for a post-conflict society.

Q. What do you hope to achieve through your recent visit?

A. The situation is indeed bleak. When a country is in the middle of such circumstances, it is helpful to know that there is international support for efforts to achieve peace, difficult as the situation may be. I also believe that by monitoring the situation and helping the authorities and civil society to protect human rights, our office has accumulated precious experience and insight into the Colombian situation, and that we can make a contribution.