Colombia violence:

UN office worried

COLOMBIA: The UN office in Colombia for human rights expressed concern Monday over a rise in violence in the South American country. Since the beginning of September, at least 56 people have been killed and 52 others wounded, said the office in a statement.

Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) rebels killed 14 police officers in an ambush in Caqueta. Some of the victims were burned alive inside their vehicle. Last Friday, eight policemen died when FARC guerrillas threw cylinder bombs and mortars in a rural zone near the southern border with Ecuador. FARC also put explosives in one of the policemen's bodies in order to create trouble for rescue work.

Christian Salazar, head of the UN office in Colombia for human rights said these violent activities could be seen as war crimes and judged by international courts.Salazar recalled a note to the rebels, which said that "the respect of the humanitarian procedures in the development of hostilities is not of free choice, but of obliged fulfillment, and its infractions can constitute indescribable crimes, not capable of amnesty." Peter arrett is to look after schools while Chris Evans was charged with looking after higher education. However, the sector was angered after no mention was made of it in Evans' title of " Jobs, Skills and Workplace Relations".

Senator Evans on Tuesday told Radio National that after speaking with the Prime Minister last night they decided to alter his title." While I think it's more a question of what you do and what you deliver than what you are called, I thought it was reasonable to respond to that," Senator Evans said.

Bogota, Tuesday, Xinhua