----- Original Message ----- From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Tuesday, January 02, 2001 9:39 PM Subject: Ruling on Santo Domingo Massacre [STOPNATO.ORG.UK] STOP NATO: NO PASARAN! - HTTP://WWW.STOPNATO.ORG.UK --------------------------- ListBot Sponsor -------------------------- Start Your Own FREE Email List at http://www.listbot.com/links/joinlb ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Tribunal of Opinion Delivers Ruling on Santo Domingo Massacre CHICAGO, Dec. 13 /U.S. Newswire/ -- Exactly two years to the date after the massacre in a small town in Colombia, an international "Tribunal of Opinion" has concluded that the Colombian Military is directly responsible for the deaths of seventeen innocent men, women and children and injuries to approximately 25 more. At a press conference in Bogota, Colombia today, a delegation representing the Tribunal, which includes Douglass Cassel, international human rights expert and Professor of Law at Northwestern University; Bernardine Dohrn, Director of the Children and Family Justice Center at Northwestern University School of Law; and Maricela Garcia, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights; announced that the Tribunal had found that: 1. The deaths of seventeen and the injuries of some 25 more were the result of a "Cluster Bomb" dropped from a helicopter; 2. The helicopter was operated by members of the Colombian military; 3. The helicopter and ammunition were made and distributed to the Colombian Air Force by the U.S. Government as military aid; and 4. There has been a cover-up and obstruction of justice concerning the incident, for which civilian authorities should investigate those responsible in the Colombian military. "The Tribunal was not persuaded by the argument that this bombing was accidental," said David Stahl, a Chicago lawyer who represented the victims before the Tribunal of Opinion. "The Tribunal unanimously found that the Republic of Colombia has committed several violations of international human rights and humanitarian law for which it is accountable," explained former Illinois Supreme Court Justice Seymour Simon, President of the Tribunal. The Tribunal found that on Dec. 13, 1998, seventeen civilians, including six children, were killed when a U.S. made helicopter, given to Colombia as U.S. military aid, dropped a "Cluster Bomb" on the village of Santo Domingo in Colombia. The bomb was most likely made in the U.S. At this time, no criminal charges have been brought against any Colombian military personnel involved in the incident. The Colombian military continues to deny bombing Santo Domingo at all. The Tribunal invited Colombia to participate, but after Colombia declined, it appointed two Chicago attorneys, John Lee and John Slater, to defend Colombia's interests. Lee and Slater argued in the alternative that the Colombian Air Force's bombing of Santo Domingo was done by "accident", and was intended for guerillas located nearby. The Tribunal is comprised of respected individuals who were brought together to hear evidence, apply international law and render a judgment regarding the responsibility, if any, of the Republic of Colombia for the events in Santo Domingo. The Tribunal held public hearings in Chicago on Sept. 22-23. The Tribunal of Opinion was convened by the Center for International Human Rights of Northwestern University School of Law, after the Republic of Colombia failed to conduct a good faith investigation of the incident. In addition to Justice Simon, members of the panel included Dawn Clark Netch, Professor of Law Emeritus, Northwestern University and former Illinois State Senator and Comptroller; Peter Baugher, attorney, Schopf & Weiss, Chicago; Bernardine Dohrn, Director of the Children and Family Justice Center, Northwestern University School of Law; Rita Fry, Cook County Public Defender; Jesus Garcia, Director of Little Village Development Corporation and former Illinois State Senator; Maricela Garcia, Executive Director of the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights, Chicago; Bishop Thomas Gumbleton, Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit; Rev. Timothy Keating, Director, Conference of Major Superiors of Men, Roman Catholic Church; Dom Rizzi, Attorney and former Illinois Appellate Court Justice; and Rabbi Arnold J. Wolf, KAM Isaiah Israel Temple, Chicago. The Tribunal recommended that civilian authorities conduct a full criminal investigation of all Colombian military involved in the incident and the cover-up, and also called for payment of reparations to all survivors and to the families of those killed on Dec. 13, 1998. Regarding the U.S. government, the Tribunal recommended that suspension of U.S. aid to the Colombian military units involved should be considered, until all responsible parties are brought to justice. It also called for a congressional investigation of U.S. military assistance in the bombing. "It appeared to the Tribunal that the Colombian government has attempted to cover up what happened at Santo Domingo on Dec. 13, 1998. In addition, human rights restrictions for U.S. military aid to Colombia may have been violated, and these actions should be fully investigated by our own government," said Simon. Concerning international human rights, the Tribunal requested that the Human Rights committee of the United Nations take its judgments into account in their next review of Colombia's actions. They also recommended filing a complaint with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights reflecting their judgment. During the public hearing, the Tribunal heard testimony from nine witnesses from the prosecution -- four victims, two expert witnesses, a lawyer from Colombia who testified to the status of the case in Colombia, and two experts on human rights as they relate to this particular case. The defense presented two expert witnesses, along with a video produced by the Colombian army entitled, "The Great Truth of Santo Domingo." KEYWORDS: INTERNATIONAL, LAW Contact: Marilyn Katz or Jennifer Tyma both of MK Communications, 312-822-0505 or Seymour Simon, 312-368-7070 ______________________________________________________________________ To unsubscribe, write to [EMAIL PROTECTED]
