News (Media Awareness Project) - Colombia: Colombia To Purge 300 Military Officers |
| Title: | Colombia: Colombia To Purge 300 Military Officers |
| Published On: | 2000-10-16 |
| Source: | Boston Globe (MA) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-09-03 05:20:06 |
COLOMBIA TO PURGE 300 MILITARY OFFICERS
BOGOTA - Colombia's armed forces will discharge more than 300 officers in
an effort to improve the country's human rights image and fight leftist
rebels and drug traffickers more efficiently, military sources said yesterday.
Defense Minister Luis Fernando Ramirez is to make the announcement at a
news conference today with the commander of the armed forces, General
Fernando Tapias, the sources said.
Military sources said some of those to be discharged were under
investigation for alleged human rights abuses or corruption, but no top
generals were believed to be on the list.
The purge of officers will be the biggest in the history of this war-torn
Andean nation. The move was made possible by a decree issued last month
that allows military commanders to discharge commissioned and
noncommissioned officers if they fail to meet service requirements or face
human rights or corruption charges.
Previously, officers could be removed only after 15 years of service.
Only a tiny fraction of Colombia's military force of 150,000 will be let
go, however.
The National Police, who won similar discharge powers in 1995, have
polished their image by discharging hundreds of agents who faced corruption
and drug-trafficking charges.
''The measure is part of a restructuring and modernization program for the
armed forces. There are some officers who do not meet the requirements of
service, their performance is not the best, and that's why they are
leaving,'' said one army officer, who asked not to be identified.
Sources said the mass discharge would not affect the military's campaign
against drug trafficking or its efforts to quash Latin America's oldest
rebel insurgency. Colombia's 36-year internal conflict pits Marxist rebels
against rightist militias and government forces and has killed 35,000
people in the past decade alone.
The move comes three weeks after the United States suspended support and
training for two army brigades based in key drug trafficking regions
because of allegations of human rights abuses.
BOGOTA - Colombia's armed forces will discharge more than 300 officers in
an effort to improve the country's human rights image and fight leftist
rebels and drug traffickers more efficiently, military sources said yesterday.
Defense Minister Luis Fernando Ramirez is to make the announcement at a
news conference today with the commander of the armed forces, General
Fernando Tapias, the sources said.
Military sources said some of those to be discharged were under
investigation for alleged human rights abuses or corruption, but no top
generals were believed to be on the list.
The purge of officers will be the biggest in the history of this war-torn
Andean nation. The move was made possible by a decree issued last month
that allows military commanders to discharge commissioned and
noncommissioned officers if they fail to meet service requirements or face
human rights or corruption charges.
Previously, officers could be removed only after 15 years of service.
Only a tiny fraction of Colombia's military force of 150,000 will be let
go, however.
The National Police, who won similar discharge powers in 1995, have
polished their image by discharging hundreds of agents who faced corruption
and drug-trafficking charges.
''The measure is part of a restructuring and modernization program for the
armed forces. There are some officers who do not meet the requirements of
service, their performance is not the best, and that's why they are
leaving,'' said one army officer, who asked not to be identified.
Sources said the mass discharge would not affect the military's campaign
against drug trafficking or its efforts to quash Latin America's oldest
rebel insurgency. Colombia's 36-year internal conflict pits Marxist rebels
against rightist militias and government forces and has killed 35,000
people in the past decade alone.
The move comes three weeks after the United States suspended support and
training for two army brigades based in key drug trafficking regions
because of allegations of human rights abuses.
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