MEMORIAL HELD IN COLOMBIA FOR SLAIN CIVILIANS

BOGOTA, Colombia, DEC. 12, 2000 (Zenit.org).-

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The Colombian army revealed that at least 3,289 civilians were killed by guerrillas and paramilitary groups between January 1999 and November 2000.

The disclosure came during a ceremony held Monday, World Human Rights Day, in central Bolivar Square. Archbishop Pedro Rubiano of Bogota, who attended the solemn ceremony, prayed for the civilians who were victims of the armed conflict that scourges this Andean country, and whose names were written on two large placards.

«Society must form a common front and struggle for the punishment of crimes against humanity, the violation of human rights, and grave infractions of international humanitarian law,» the archbishop said.

Guerrilla groups are responsible for the deaths of 1,693 individuals, and United Self-Defense of Colombia (AUC), the principal paramilitary group, is responsible for 1,596 deaths, according to the army´s report.

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