§ 1. Lynne Jones (Birmingham, Selly Oak) (Lab)If he will make a statement on compliance by the Colombian Government with commitments made at the London conference in July. [144036]
§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Bill Rammell)Before I answer the question, Mr. Speaker, as you know, my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary is today paying an important visit to Dublin, and is thus unable to be present for Foreign Office questions. He has given his apologies to you and the Opposition Front Bench, and, through you, to the House.
The London declaration issued at the meeting in July was an important milestone in the international community's efforts to support Colombia. The Colombian Government assure us that they take seriously the commitments that they made at London, and we look forward to an evaluation of progress up to the end of the year by the working group in Bogota of 10 countries present at the London meeting.
§ Lynne JonesHave not the Colombian Government blatantly ignored the pledge that they gave at the London conference to implement the recommendations of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights? Not only are the Uribe Government giving further judicial powers to the military, but even the President has smeared respected non-governmental organisations as fronts for terrorism, putting the lives of human rights defenders at risk. At the forthcoming donors' conference, will the British Government press for conditions to be attached to the provision of aid to Colombia?
§ Mr. RammellOn that point, in general terms, we are attaching conditions, and have made it clear that our assistance is given with the expectation of an ongoing commitment on the part of the Colombian authorities with regard to human rights. On my hon. Friend's comments on President Uribe's statement about human 1414 rights groups, we have always made it clear—and I have done so directly to the Colombian Government and to President Uribe—that if there are concerns about specific human rights groups, they should be dealt with through due legal process, and other human rights groups should not be implicated within that process. Nevertheless, it is important to state that the Colombian Government have assured us that they are committed to tackling paramilitary groups, and some progress is being made. Indeed, recently, army and police officials have been arrested for their alleged links with paramilitaries, and a number of paramilitaries have been captured in recent months, which I very much welcome.
§ Mr. John Wilkinson (Ruislip-Northwood)(Con)Will Her Majesty's Government bear in mind that the FARC and the ELN have murdered, maimed, kidnapped and dispossessed more people in recent years than all Islamic terrorists put together, or the Irish Republican Army? In those circumstances, the democratically elected Government of President Uribe deserve the full support of the British Government in terms of technical assistance, political assistance, overseas aid and in any other manner that can help to eradicate this cancer from the country, especially as it is propagated thanks to the vile narcotics trade in which these terrorist groups indulge.
§ Mr. RammellThe hon. Gentleman is absolutely right about the cancer of the narcotics trade, which, regardless of whatever political motivation was at the origin of this dispute, is now driving a significant civil war. We support the Government of President Uribe and give assistance. At the same time, however, we make it clear that the critical importance of human rights must be upheld, which we will continue to do.