15 new measures to continue protecting Human Rights in Colombia

1. All Division Commanders must pursue during the course of the next three (3)months, a thorough review of their units down to the Tactical Unit level(controls on the use and storage of weapons and ammunition), and implement all the necessary corrections. 

2.The Directorate of Intelligence of the Army must assume a revision during the course of the next three (3) months on the application of the intelligence philosophy at the Tactical Unit level and secure the cooperation of the intelligence agencies of the Armed Forces in the gathering of information for operations.

3. A complete review of the Integral Policy and the Teaching Models, and the results of this review must be submitted to the Minister of Defense in the next three (3) months

4.The establishment of an evaluation system on human rights training

5.The organization of workshops on commander’s responsibility both in the Armydivisions and the training schools.

6.To create, within the Army’s General Investigation Department, an Immediate Investigation Commission (CII).  The CII will visit immediately the places where complaints or allegations of possible violations of human rights or international humanitarian law are detected.  This Commission will analyze cases from an operational point of view and will make the necessary recommendations to the Department in order to take the required administrative and operational procedures. When appropriate, the CII will transfer its findings to judicial authorities.

7. On this same line, the Delegate Investigators figure will be reviewed and strengthened and, in the near future, these delegates will depend from the Investigation Department and exclusively work on Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law.

8.A hierarchical structure for the Operational Legal Advisers will be established, to achieve further independence during the planning, implementation and evaluation of operations. This structure will depend from the Senior Human Rights Director.

9.From now on, operations against illegal organizations have to be approved by the General Command of the Army, and the organizations have to be previously recognized as targets. The involvement of military forces in the fight against criminal gangs will only be allowed in exceptional cases, when it’s mandatory the use of military force and the General Commander of the Army will authorize it for specific time and territorial frame.

10.The National Police will have priority in the fight against criminal gangs.

11.In three months time the evaluation system for the military units will be refined to ensure they are assessed according to the fulfillment of the pursued objectives.

12. Within three months, a rules system of rules regarding encounters with illegal actors will be in place. It takes into account the different levels of threat in the territory, thus, the use lethal force as a first option is only permissible in operations within IHL  framework and against military targets fully identified with proper previous planning and approval of higher authority.

13.As of today, November 17^th, a Human Rights certification system will be established. It obliges all officers who aspire to the grade of Lieutenant Colonel or General to receive certification in the field of human rights. The system will include a polygraph test and thorough review of the military career (means not having a formal investigation or sanctions for alleged human rights violations or breaches of IHL).

14. Strengthen the mechanisms of judicial accompaniment to operations by the Prosecution and Technical Research Corp, CTI.

15. To set up a system to receive complaints regarding human rights at the Tactical Unit level while ensuring a confident interaction with civil society.