violations of the rights guaranteed in the American Convention. Accordingly, the Commission considers the requirements established in Articles 47(b) and (c) of the American Convention to have been met. V. CONCLUSIONS 35. The Commission concludes that it is competent to examine the claim submitted by the petitioners regarding the alleged violation of the rights to life, humane treatment, personal liberty, protection of the family, and property, committed to the detriment of the victims, and that the case is admissible, in keeping with the requirements established at Articles 46 and 47 of the American Convention. 36. Based on the foregoing arguments of fact and of law, and without prejudging on the merits, THE INTER-AMERICAN COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS, DECIDES: 1. To declare this claim admissible in relation to Articles 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 17, 21, 25, and 1(1). 2. To report this decision to the Colombian State and petitioners. 3. To begin the merits phase in its consideration of this matter. 4. To publish this decision and include it in its Annual Report to the OAS General Assembly. Done and signed at the headquarters of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, in Washington, D.C., on this the 10th day of October, 2001. (Signed): Claudio Grossman, President; Juan E. Méndez, First Vice-President; Marta Altolaguirre, Second Vice-President; Commission members Robert K. Goldman, Peter Laurie, Julio Prado Vallejo and Hélio Bicudo. 7