Asked by: Robert Flello (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on (a) the shooting dead in Buenaventura, Colombia, on 20 July 2015, of two boys by paramilitary gangs and (b) how it was possible for those shootings to take place in a street heavily supervised by the Colombian armed forces; and if he will make representations to the Colombian authorities on that matter.
Answered by Lord Swire
Our Embassy in Bogotá has received reports on this tragic incident in Buenaventura from seven UK and international civil society organisations.
On 3 August, the UK and other Member States represented in Colombia wrote collectively to the Presidential Adviser on Human Rights, Guillermo Rivera, urging the government to investigate the events thoroughly, uphold their duty to protect the humanitarian zone and ensure that victims are adequately protected.
Asked by: Robert Flello (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will make representations to the Colombian government to request that due process is observed in proceedings following the arrests of social activists (a) Esmer Montilla, (b) Samuel Rojas, (c) Ramiro Ateortua and (d) Ingrid Pinilla on 15 and 16 July 2015.
Answered by Lord Swire
On 29 July, our officials from our Embassy in Bogotá met the Colombian non-governmental organisation DHOC (la Defensa de los Derechos Humanos y el Derecho Internacional Humanitario del Oriente y Centro de Colombia), to which Esmer Montilla, Samuel Rojas, Ramiro Ateortua and Ingrid Pinilla all belong. Our officials agreed to monitor the case, to meet periodically with DHOC and to send a letter to the National Ombudsman to ask them to meet DHOC about the case and to ensure that due process is followed.
Subsequently, our Ambassador in Bogotá met the Minister of the Interior on 5 August and raised this case and protection for human rights activists. He urged the government to ensure due process is observed.
We cannot interfere in the judicial process of another country but we will continue to monitor proceedings.
Asked by: Robert Flello (Labour - Stoke-on-Trent South)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what reports he has received on whether the Colombian government has recently taken steps to ensure that human rights activists in that country are given full legal protection and are not arrested as a result of their work.
Answered by Lord Swire
I regularly receive reports on the human rights situation in Colombia, most recently the update from the Colombian non-governmental organisation, Somos Defensores (“We are defenders”) on 18 August. This gives figures on the situation for human rights defenders in the first half of 2015 and raises concerns regarding the protection of human rights activists. The Colombian government continues to take steps to address human rights issues, most recently reactivating its “Table of Guarantees”, an initiative led by the Ministry of Interior to provide a high level dialogue with civil society and human rights organisations. Given our commitment to human rights in the country, our Embassy in Bogotá was recently invited to join as an observer. We will continue to raise issues such as the legal treatment of human rights activists in this, and other, fora.