HC Deb 17 September 2004 vol 424 cc1826-7W
Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on UK relations with Colombia. [188583]

Mr. Rammell

The UK has good relations with Colombia. We support the efforts that President Uribe is making to bring peace and security to his country in the face of the huge problems that Colombia faces. The armed conflict, fuelled by the illegal drugs trade, causes great suffering to the Colombian people. Cocaine from Colombia also causes great harm in the UK. Human rights form a central component of our policy on Colombia. We consistently urge the Colombian Government to take stronger action to improve the human rights situation in the country, and in particular to ensure that UN recommendations regarding human rights are implemented. To achieve this goal, we are working closely with the Colombian Government and other partners, including the UN, EU, NGOs and the trades unions.

Julie Morgan

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the killing of the trade unionists Leonel Goyeneche, Hector Alirio Martinez and Jorge Prieto Chamucero in Arauca, Colombia this year and (b) the implications for human rights in that country. [188584]

Mr. Hancock

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Colombia on the murder on 5 August of trade unionists Jorge Chamucero, Hector Martinez and Leonel Goyeneche; and if he will make a statement. [189382]

Mr. Rammell

I have expressed our concerns about the deaths in Arauca personally with President Uribe of Colombia when we met at the Panamanian presidential inauguration on 1 September. I raised them again with the Colombian Foreign Minister when we met in London on 8 September 2004. Our Embassy in Bogota has also raised the case at the highest level. We made it clear at the outset that in our view, given the circumstances, a civil investigation, rather than a military one, should be undertaken into these deaths. As I told President Uribe, we were therefore pleased that the Colombian Government did decide to pursue this course of action, and that NGOs and trades unionists locally were kept informed of the process. The Colombian Government made it clear that if a human rights abuse had been committed, They too would find it unacceptable and would take strong measures against the perpetrators. We note that, following the investigation, the Prosecutor General has ordered the arrest of the military personnel involved in the deaths.

We continue to urge the Colombian Government to implement all outstanding UN human rights recommendations. We have made it plain that we are very willing to assist in this process, and with other partners are in close touch with the Colombian Government, the UNHCHR Representative, NGOs and trades unions to help carry matters forward.