Panama: Information on the date that the Batallones Dignidad (Dignity Battalions) were disbanded
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 1 October 1992 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | PAN11808 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, Panama: Information on the date that the Batallones Dignidad (Dignity Battalions) were disbanded, 1 October 1992, PAN11808, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3ae6ab5644.html [accessed 2 June 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
An exact date for the disbanding of the Batallones Dignidad (Dignity Battalions) could not be found among the sources currently available to the DIRB.
Various documents suggest that the Dignity Battalions ceased to exist as a consequence of the United States invasion of Panama in December 1989. Furthermore, various reports on the invasion and its aftermath indicate that many of the detained (estimates of the number of Panamanians detained by the United States forces range between a few hundred and a few thousand) were members of the Dignity Battalions, who were held captive solely for being members of the Battalions.
A January 1990 article (attached to this Response) states that a "pro-Noriega" newspaper reported "pockets of armed resistance in the outlying areas of the capital, especially in the heavily populated district of San Miguelito where the civilian Dignity Battalions continue to circulate" (Central America Report 19 Jan. 1990, 11). This is the most recent reference available to the DIRB on activity by the Dignity Battalions.
Reference
Central America Report [Guatemala]. 19 January 1990. "Panama: Show of Resistance."
Attachment
Central America Report [Guatemala]. 19 January 1990. "Panama: Show of Resistance."
