SANTO DOMINGO MASSACRE V. COLOMBIA
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INTER-AMERICAN COURT OF HUMAN RIGHTS CASE OF THE SANTO DOMINGO MASSACRE v. COLOMBIA JUDGMENT OF NOVEMBER 30, 2012 (Preliminary objections, merits and reparations) In the case of the Santo Domingo Massacre, the Inter-American Court of Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Court” or “the Court”), composed of the following judges: Diego García-Sayán, President Manuel E. Ventura Robles, Vice President Leonardo A. Franco, Judge Margarette May Macaulay, Judge Rhadys Abreu Blondet, Judge Alberto Pérez Pérez, Judge Eduardo Vio Grossi, Judge, and also present, Pablo Saavedra Alessandri, Secretary, and Emilia Segares Rodríguez, Deputy Secretary, in accordance with Articles 62(3) and 63(1) of the American Convention on Human Rights (hereinafter also “the American Convention” or “the Convention”) and with Articles 31, 32, 65 and 67 of the Rules of Procedure of the Court1 (hereinafter “the Rules of Procedure”), delivers this Judgment, structured as follows: 1 The Court’s Rules of Procedure approved by the Court at its eighty-fifth regular session held from November 16 to 28, 2009. CASE OF THE SANTO DOMINGO MASSACRE V. COLOMBIA Table of contents I. INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND PURPOSE OF THE DISPUTE …………………………….. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. II. PROCEEDINGS BEFORE THE COURT ………………………………………………………………… ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. III. PRELIMINARY OBJECTIONS …………………………………………………………………………. 7 A. First preliminary objection: “Lack of competence ratione materiae” ……………………………………… 7 A.1. Arguments of the Commission and allegations of the parties ………………………………………… 7 A.2. Considerations of the Court ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Second preliminary objection: “Failure to exhaust domestic remedies” ………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. B.1. Arguments of the Commission and allegations of the parties ………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. B.2. Considerations of the Court ……………………………………………………………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. IV. COMPETENCE ………………………………………………………………………………………………. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. V. EVIDENCE …………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. Documentary, testimonial and expert evidence ……………………………………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Admission of the documentary evidence ………………………………………………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. C. Admission of the statements of the presumed victims and the testimonial and expert evidence ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. VI. FACTS …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. Context in the Department of Arauca Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Events that preceded the bombardment of December 13, 1998Error! Bookmark not defined. C. The bombing of the village of Santo Domingo on December 13, 1998, and subsequent events……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 21 C.1. Undisputed facts ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Error! Bookmark not defined. C.2. Disputed facts ............................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. D. Displacement of the inhabitants of Santo Domingo ................ Error! Bookmark not defined. E. Sacking, pillaging and destruction of property ....................... Error! Bookmark not defined. F. The investigations into the death and injury of the presumed victims owing to the bombing of the village of Santo Domingo and subsequent events ................ Error! Bookmark not defined. F.1. The military criminal and the ordinary criminal jurisdictionsError! Bookmark not defined. F.2. Ordinary criminal jurisdictio ......................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. F.3. Disciplinary jurisdiction ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. G. Contentious-administrative proceedings ............................... Error! Bookmark not defined. VII. MERITS ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. - 2 - VII-1. RIGHTS TO JUDICIAL GUARANTEES AND TO JUDICIAL PROTECTION ………………. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. Arguments of the Commission and allegations of the parties ... Error! Bookmark not defined. A.1. State act called “acknowledgment of responsibility” ........ Error! Bookmark not defined. A.2. Regarding the domestic investigations and proceedings ............................................. 37 B. Considerations of the Court .......................................................................................... 39 B.1. Ruling on the purpose of this case and the State’s act called “acknowledgement of responsibility” ........................................................................................................... 39 B.2. Obligation to investigate and domestic proceedings ......... Error! Bookmark not defined. VII-2. RIGHTS TO LIFE, TO PERSONAL INTEGRITY AND MEASURES OF PROTECTION FOR CHILDREN, AND OBLIGATION TO ADOPT DOMESTIC LEGAL PROVISIONS …………………. ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. Arguments of the Commission and allegations of the parties ... Error! Bookmark not defined. A.1. Right to life ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. A.2. Right to personal integrity ........................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. A.3. Right to measures of protection for children .................. Error! Bookmark not defined. A.4. Obligation to adopt domestic legal measures .................. Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Considerations of the Court ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. B.1. The obligations to respect and guarantee the rights to life and to personal integrity and measures of protection for children ..................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. B.2. The launch of an AN-M1A2 cluster bomb on Santo DomingoError! Bookmark not defined. B.3. The presumed machine gun attack ......................................................................... 68 B.4. The alleged violation of measures of protection for childrenError! Bookmark not defined. B.5. The alleged violation of the right to integrity of the next of kinError! Bookmark not defined. B.6. The alleged non-compliance with Article 2 of the ConventionError! Bookmark not defined. B.7. Conclusions ............................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. VII-3. RIGHTS TO FREEDOM OF MORVEMENT AND RESIDENCE, AND TO PROPERTY …… 72 A. Arguments of the Commission and allegations of the parties ... Error! Bookmark not defined. A.1. Alleged violation of the right to freedom of movement and residenceError! Bookmark not defined. A.2. Alleged violation of the right to propertya ................................................................ 73 B. Considerations of the Court ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. B.1. Right to freedom of movement and residence ................ Error! Bookmark not defined. B.2. Right to property .................................................................................................. 77 VII-4. RIGHT TO HONOR ……………………………………………………………………………………… ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. Arguments of the Commission and allegations of the parties ... Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Considerations of the Court ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. VIII. REPARATIONS ………………………………………………………………………………………….... (APPLICATION OF ARTICLE 63(1) OF THE AMERICAN CONVENTION)………………………… ERROR! BOOKMARK NOT DEFINED. A. Injured party .................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. B. Obligation to investigate .................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. C. Measures of satisfaction, rehabilitation, restitution, and garantees of non-repetitionError! Bookmark not defined. C.1. Measures of satisfactio ................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined. C.2. Measures of rehabilitation ...................................................................................... 86 C.3. Other measures requested .................................................................................... 87 D. Compensation ............................................................................................................ 90 E. Costs and expenses ........................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined. F. Means of complying with the payments ordered .............................................................. 95 IX. OPERATIVE PARAGRAPHS ……………………………………………………………………………....96 ANNEX I 99 ANNEX II 100 ANNEX III 101 - 3 - I INTRODUCTION OF THE CASE AND PURPOSE OF THE DISPUTE 1. In a brief of July 8, 2011 (hereinafter “submission brief”), the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (hereinafter “the Inter-American Commission” or “the Commission”) submitted to the Court’s jurisdiction, in accordance with Articles 51 and 61 of the Convention, case 12,416 against the Republic of Colombia (hereinafter also “the State” or “Colombia”). 2. In general, the proceedings before the Commission occurred as follows: the initial petition was lodged before the Commission on April 18, 2002, by the following organizations: the Comisión Interfranciscana de Justicia, Paz y Reverencia con la Creación, the “Joel Sierra” Regional Human Rights Committee, the “José Alvear Restrepo” Lawyers’ Group, the Humanidad Vigente Corporación Jurídica, and the Center for International