Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they plan to take within the UN Security Council to encourage the government of Colombia to reactivate the National Commission for Security Guarantees.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK consistently calls on the Colombian Government to make full use of the National Commission for Security Guarantees, as we did in recent UN Security Council meetings on Colombia. Successive UK-drafted UN Security Council press statements have called for the National Commission on Security Guarantees, working with civil society, to adopt and implement a public policy to dismantle illegal armed groups.
To date, we have spent over £69 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund (CSSF) to support the implementation of the peace agreement in Colombia and improve stability and security. We will continue to work with Colombia, including through the UNSC, and encourage the Colombian Government to strengthen the institutions that can improve the security of citizens and investigate and prosecute the criminal actors responsible for violence.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government how many British nationals who are Russian speakers were employed in each of the last five years by (1) the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, (2) the Diplomatic Service, and (3) the Security Services.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon
Almost 60 FCDO staff members have passed Russian examinations at C1 (operational) level in the last five years, mostly Diplomatic Service staff on postings to Russian-speaking countries. It is the longstanding policy of successive British Governments not to comment on intelligence matters.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the burning of sacred places belonging indigenous tribes in Columbia’s Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The British Government remains concerned about threats against human rights defenders, social leaders and indigenous communities in Colombia. UK ministers and senior officials regularly raise human rights issues, as well as specific cases of concern, with the Colombian Government, and in multilateral fora. Most recently, as the UK's Minister for Europe and Americas, Wendy Morton MP spoke to Vice President Ramírez regarding the human rights situation on a visit to Colombia from 22-24 November.
We also consistently raise our concerns regarding violence against indigenous communities at the UN Security Council, as we did at meetings in July, and on 14 October. We urge the Colombian Government to further integrate its presence in conflict-affected areas, and strengthen the institutions that can investigate and prosecute the criminal actors responsible. We have called on all institutions to heed the early warnings of the Ombudsman's Office to help prevent attacks from happening and protect those at risk.
Through our Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund (CSSF) programme, which has provided £68 million in support of peace agreement implementation, security, and stability in Colombia since 2015, we will continue to prioritise funding interventions to protect human rights defenders, social leaders and indigenous communities.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what representations they have made to the government of Peru further to reports of attacks against indigenous communities and human rights defenders (1) in Ucayali, and (2) elsewhere; and if they have not made such representations, what plans they have to do so.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
Senior officials from the British Embassy in Lima have met representatives of some of the affected communities, and facilitated dialogues between these groups and representatives from the Peruvian Government (Minister of Justice and Human Rights), in collaboration with charities and NGOs. The UK Ambassador in Lima has raised concerns about attacks against human rights' defenders with the Minister of Justice, and on social media.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the threat to the security of indigenous communities in the Peruvian Amazon, particularly the (1) Flor de Ucayali, and (2) Shipibo-Conibo communities.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The British Embassy in Lima closely monitors the situation of human rights' defenders (HRDs) in Peru, and is concerned at reports of attacks on indigenous communities in Ucayali and elsewhere. Following reports of threats to the Flor de Ucayali community in November 2021, Embassy officials met representatives of the Ministries of Justice and Interior to relay our concerns to the Peruvian authorities, and gather information about the actions being taken. This complemented an in-person meeting in September 2021 between the UK Deputy Head of Mission and representatives from the Flor de Ucayali community, who shared first-hand experiences about challenges related to land tenure, legal support, access to basic public services, and threats from criminal groups.
We understand that the new Peruvian Government is committed to the improvement of protocols, and related protection mechanisms for communities facing such threats.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the challenges faced by (1) indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon who are campaigning for their human rights, and (2) non-indigenous people supporting them.
Answered by Lord Goldsmith of Richmond Park
The UK Government is aware of the challenges faced by indigenous people in the Peruvian Amazon, and their supporters. We regret that nine indigenous leaders have been killed between 2020-2021. We monitor the threats that indigenous people face from groups linked to serious and organised crime, and the Peruvian Government's actions in protecting them. The Peruvian Government has taken steps to introduce a multisector mechanism for the protection of human rights' defenders, but a volatile political situation is slowing progress.
Through the British Embassy in Lima, we deliver a range of projects aimed at upholding indigenous people's rights, collaborating with Peruvian authorities, the private sector, and civil society organisations. We have actively supported the development of Peru's first action plan on business and human rights, including the voices of traditionally marginalised sectors, such as indigenous communities, human rights' defenders, and women. We are supporting the economic empowerment of indigenous communities in Ucayali and Madre de Dios through projects funded by UK International Climate Finance. HMG's Combating Illicit Economies Programme (CIEP) is implementing a regional project across Brazil, Colombia, and Peru to reduce environmental crimes in the Amazon, aiming to improve the quality of data on environmental crimes to facilitate evidence-based decision-making, as well as mapping victimisation and risks directed at defenders of indigenous rights and the environment.