Wednesday, 14 January 2009

Human Rights Watch slams Bush over honoring Uribe

Human Rights Watch has slammed the US President over granting the highest US civilian honor to Colombian leader Alvaro Uribe.

"My understanding is that the Medal of Freedom was given because of Uribe's promotion of democracy, freedom and human rights," said Kenneth Roth, executive director of Human Rights Watch (HRW) at a Washington press conference on Wednesday.

"Personally, I have a hard time figuring out who is more audacious, President [George W.] Bush for giving the human rights award, or President Uribe for receiving it."

Roth added: "Neither Bush nor Uribe has anything to be proud about in the human rights arena."

Uribe's government has been criticized over maintaining links with right-wing paramilitary death squads that have killed, maimed and displaced thousands of labor organizers, civil rights activists, and political dissenters.

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