Civilian Toll in Panama 220, U.S. Says

The Pentagon announced today that an estimated 220 Panamanian civilians were killed in the December U.S. invasion of Panama, far fewer than the number cited by critics of the operation.

“The U.S. Southern Command currently estimates the total number of civilian deaths directly related to the ‘Just Cause’ operations to be 220,” Defense Department spokesman Bob Hall said.

Panama’s Institute for Legal Medicine, the equivalent of a coroner’s office, “reported today that 203 civilians were killed between Dec. 20 and Jan. 3 as the direct result of ‘Operation Just Cause,’ ” Hall said.

U.S. military officials expect the institute’s 203 figure “to rise slightly,” toward the 220 estimate, Hall said.

“Included in these numbers are presumably Panamanian Defense Forces and Dignity Battalion members who were not in uniform and otherwise not identifiable and possibly looters as well as bonafide and innocent civilians,” he said.

The institute, Hall said, “has been unable to make any determination as to whether the deaths were caused by the U.S. military, the Panama Defense Forces, the Dignity Battalions, looters or other civilians.”

Jesse Jackson, a vocal critic of the invasion, said during an appearance Monday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” program that the United States killed more than 1,200 Panamanian civilians in its intervention.

His comments came after former Atty. Gen. Ramsey Clark said there was a “conspiracy of silence” by government officials to cover the casualty count and that the number of deaths could be in the high hundreds.

In a related matter, Hall confirmed that U.S. forces, apparently acting on orders from the Southern Command, set up roadblocks at the Peruvian ambassador’s residence in Panama City and searched vehicles leaving Peru’s Embassy.

Diplomats in Panama more than a week ago said four members of deposed Gen. Manuel A. Noriega’s Panama Defense Forces had taken refuge in the Peruvian ambassador’s residence.

It was unclear what, if any, role was played by the new Panamanian government in the stop-and-search decision.

Peruvian diplomats said a statement would be issued later today regarding the U.S. troop deployment.

Peru harshly criticized the U.S. invasion of Panama, saying it would not attend a planned hemispherical anti-narcotics summit in Colombia on Feb. 15 unless the invasion force was withdrawn.

About 23,000 U.S. troops remained in Panama today, down from the peak of 26,000. About 10,000 U.S. soldiers are permanently stationed in Panama.

Hall said no timetable for the withdrawal of U.S. forces would be issued until Defense Secretary Dick Cheney confers with Gen. Colin L. Powell, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, later this week.

U.S. forces are still holding about 675 Panamanians in detention, Hall said.