1. Foundation and Struggle for Democratic Liberties
The
first National Forum for Human Rights and Democratic Liberties took
place in Bogota from March 30 to April 1, 1979. This forum, in which
the CPDH was created, brought together the widest sections of the Colombian
society that opposed the repressive means that president Julio Cesar
Turbay Ayala's government had adopted, applying the so called National
Security Doctrine, to hinder the popular demands for a solution to the
social problems.
The depth of the analyses of the reports, as well as the enlightened
interventions of those present, defined the outstanding features of
the situation, made clear the essence of the National Security Doctrine
contained in the decree 1923 of 1978, called National Security Statute,
identified arbitrary detention and torture as the main violations of
the time, in order to come up with a strategy of struggle for the prevalence
of Human Rights. This had the following main activities:
- The creation of a Permanent Committee to receive the charges and escort
the victims or their families in the paperwork with the authorities.
- Create contacts with international Human Rights Organizations to inform
them of Colombia's situation to increase accusations and look for international
support. Thanks to this, the government had to accept the visit of Amnesty
International and the Interamerican Human Rights Commission in 1980.
Both produced reports on the Colombian situation and close observation
from several organizations of the government's actions.
- Furtherance of debates in congress on Human Rights violations and
sensitization of the media in order to keep the public informed on the
situation.