B3-0285/94

Resolution on the murder of children in Colombia

The European Parliament,

-recalling its resolution of 12 March 1992 on the sufferings of abandoned children in Colombia,

A.appalled by the practice of 'social cleansing' in Bogota and other parts of Colombia in which death squads and hired assassins murder people known as 'los desechables' ('the disposables') in large numbers,

B.appalled that, according to Amnesty International, about 40 children a month are among those murdered in the name of 'social cleansing',

C.appalled that, according to reliable Colombian observers, these abominable crimes are rapidly increasing in number,

D.appalled by the evidence that members of the Colombian National Police are members of the death squads,

E.appalled by the death threats made against Dr Jaime Jaramillo and other Colombians who, through the Fundación Niños de los Andes and other voluntary organizations, seek to protect the street children,

F.aware that the President of Colombia has recognized that the practice of 'social cleansing' exists, but that he believes it to be less serious than the widespread violence of drug traffickers and guerillas,

1.Declares its solidarity with those courageous Colombians who struggle to save the street children;

2.Appeals to the Colombian Government to increase its efforts to end 'social cleansing';

3.Insists that, if these efforts are to be successful, the apparent impunity of police officers involved in these crimes must be stopped;

4.Stresses the need for measures to integrate into society the increasing number of abandoned children and believes that this should be a priority for the EU's aid to Colombia;

5.Urges the EU and its Member States to make clear to the Colombian authorities their grave concern about the plight of the street children;

6.Requests the Commission to tell Parliament what it has done to assist organizations which are trying to protect street children, in accordance with its abovementioned resolution of 12 March 1992;

7.Instructs its Delegation for relations with South America to raise the matter with Colombian parliamentarians;

8.Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Commission, the Council, the Organization of American States, the President of the Latin American Parliament, the President of the Republic of Colombia, the Presidents of the Senate and the House of Representatives of Colombia and to Dr Jaime Jaramillo.