The European Parliament,

A. distressed by the persecution and neglect of thousands of

abandoned children in Colombia, of whom it is estimated

there are 5000 in Bogota alone, forced to hide in sewers

and live on rubbish tips,

B. recognizing that the number of these children is

increasing, with many forced to resort to crime for

survival,

C. appalled that hundreds of these street children are known

to have been shot or burned to death over the last few

years, with many more killings unreported,

D. appalled by the murder of at least 18 of these children

shortly before Christmas, including two 7-year olds, crimes

only too typical of hundreds of killings of children by

elements of the police and death squads,

E. saluting all those organizations and individuals who try to

help these children, such as Los Niños de Los Andes, set up

at great risk and personal expense by a Colombian

scientist, Jaime Jaramillo,

F. welcoming the signs, such as the recent conviction of 35

police officers for killing street children, that the

Colombian authorities are beginning to take action against

this evil, but recognizing that it is deeply rooted in the

brutal experience of violence which has persisted in

Colombia since 1948 and that it will require a sustained

and determined effort by the Colombian Government before

these brutal crimes are brought to an end,

1. Welcomes the efforts of the Colombian Government to do

everything in its power to stop the murders of children

by elements of the police and death squads and to prosecute

those responsible;

2. Calls on the Colombian Government, as a matter of urgency,

to take effective action to prevent further killings of

abandoned children;

3. Urges the Colombian Government to make the necessary

resources available to address the problem of the ever

increasing number of abandoned children and to develop

programmes for their health and education;

4. Calls on the Commission to examine urgently ways in which

it can assist organizations which are trying to help these

children;

5. Calls on EPC to make clear to the Colombian Government its

concern about this matter;

6. Supports Amnesty International's recommendations for the

setting up of a register of all violent deaths linked to

death squads or the Colombian police, supervision of all

investigations into such killings, adequate protection of

victims and witnesses and thorough, impartial

investigations into all reports of torture;

7. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the

Commission, the Council, EPC, the Government of Colombia,

the President of the Latin American Parliament and the

Director of Los Niños de Los Andes.