The United Nations high commissioner in Colombia Thursday called on the Colombian government to protect local politicians after two were killed late Tuesday by rebels.
Speaking to Colombian Radio, UN representative Juan Pablo Corlazolli warned that the government might face international tribunals if the murders go unpunished.
UN human rights investigators said rebel gunmen arrived simultaneously at the houses of seven council members Tuesday in Doncello, a town in the south of the country.
Five of the councilors escaped death by not being home, but Argemiro Medina, Ofelia Betancourt and one of his relatives were killed.
"National authorities should take corrective measures. The event is made worse by the fact that the killers visited the homes of five other councilors who were able to escape with their lives because they were not in," Corlazolli said.
The UN commissioner expressed regret about the murder of the two local councilors.
Some local politicians revealed after the attack that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) had threatened to make them targets if they dared to take part in the October regional elections.
Colombia is scheduled to elect councilors and mayors in more than 1,000 towns in October, as well as regional governors and departmental deputies in all 32 of the nation's provinces.
"We do not wish this incident to set a pattern. We just hope that election day can be peaceful," the UN high commissioner said.
Some 600 councilors who are members of the National Councilors Federation have reported threats from armed groups, most of them believed to have been made by the FARC.
Colombia has been locked in a civil conflict since the mid-sixties, the longest in Latin America. More than 3,000 people are killed every year during conflicts between government forces and leftist guerrillas.
Source: Xinhua
|
Comment
Tell A Friend
Print Format
Save Article