Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they will encourage the government of Colombia to invite the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders to visit Colombia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK encouraged the Colombian Government to invite the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in our submission to Colombia's Universal Periodic Review in May of this year. The British Ambassador in Bogota has also raised with the incoming Foreign Minister.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what is their response to the killing of nine human rights defenders in Colombia in the first week of July.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We are concerned about reports of violence against human rights defenders and social activists in Colombia. Illegal armed groups are responsible for the majority of these attacks. In response, I welcome the recent commitment by both President Santos and President-elect Duque to new special protective measures for social leaders, especially in rural areas.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they plan to table a resolution at the UN Security Council during the UK's presidency in August on the subject of the protection of interpreters and translators working in conflict zones.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Her Majesty's Government has no plans to table a resolution on this subject.
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, or are planning to make, to the government of Colombia regarding the recent killings of two environmental human rights defenders from the Rios Vivos non-governmental organisation.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We condemn the killings of Luis Alberto Torres Montoya and his brother Duvián Andrés Correa Sánchez on 8 May. Both were active members of the Antioquia Ríos Vivos organisation which champions the rights of local communities.
Through our advocacy and project work the UK has supported the work of human rights defenders in Colombia. The British Ambassador in Bogota raised our concern about levels of violence against human rights defenders most recently with the Colombian Defence Minister on 11 May. We also raised these concerns during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) of Colombia's human rights on 10 May in Geneva. During the review, Colombia also accepted UK recommendations to improve protective measures for human rights defenders.
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 Colombia about the flooding of the Hidroituango hydro-electric dam scheduled for 1 July, given its possible impact on access to evidence by family members of victims of war crimes who may be buried in the area.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is aware of reports of blockages to the flow of the Cauca River caused by landslides in the area of the Hidroituango dam project. Details are unclear, but it is up to the Colombian authorities to decide how to respond to the risk of flooding in affected areas. The British Embassy in Bogota is monitoring the situation closely.
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 impact on human rights and the Peace Accord of the delay in accrediting a new UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
We welcome the appointment of Mr Alberto Brunori, who was announced as the new representative of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia on 21 March. We also thank the departing representative, Mr Todd Howland, for his leadership of the UN Office for Human Rights in Colombia since 2012, which has played a vital role in supporting all those working to improve human rights in the country.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they were represented at the 6th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights, held in Geneva in November; and if so, by whom.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Her Majesty’s Government was represented at the 6th United Nations Forum on Business and Human Rights in Geneva on 27-29 November by officials from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office and the Department for International Trade.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to ensure that UK businesses operating in Colombia are required to carry out human rights due diligence in relation to their overseas operations and do not initiate projects in Colombia without gaining free, prior and informed consent from the communities that they affect.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK National Action Plan on Business and Human Rights sets out how the Government is implementing the UN Guiding Principles. British firms are expected to uphold these principles in their overseas operations, as well as in the UK. We worked closely with the Colombian authorities to develop their National Action Plan, published in December 2015. All companies operating in Colombia, including British ones, are expected to comply with the requirements and guidelines set out in that National Action Plan. British companies are expected to incorporate human rights into their Corporate Social Responsibility policies. We have also provided technical assistance for British companies in non-judicial dispute resolution.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what steps they are taking to support the government of Colombia to protect those defending human rights; and how they are helping the government of Colombia to identify and prosecute the perpetrators of crimes against those defending human rights.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
Working together to improve respect for human rights is a key part of our relationship with the Colombian Government and civil society. The Prime Minister raised the issue of violence against human rights defenders with President Santos during the State Visit last November. At a practical level, our Ambassador to Colombia is a member of the group "Ambassadors with Defenders" which promotes the work of human rights defenders and raises concerns about specific cases with the Colombian Government. Through the Global Britain Fund, our Embassy in Bogota supports projects that promote the role of human rights defenders and strengthen the investigatory capacity of the Public Prosecutor’s office. In January, British Embassy staff in Bogota took part in a visit to South Bolivar, where local community leaders have voiced concerns about their security. As a result of this visit, the Office of the Presidential Advisor on Human rights committed to request the Colombian Ministry of Defence to provide additional security measures for community leaders.
Asked by: Baroness Coussins (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what technical support they are providing to the government of Colombia to ensure that an effective system of transitional justice is implemented under the recent peace agreement.
Answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon - Minister of State (Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office)
The UK is supporting the implementation of Transitional Justice mechanisms required by Colombia’s Peace Agreement with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) through programmes funded by the Conflict Security and Stability Fund (CSSF). This includes helping the Colombian Government establish the Special Jurisdiction for Peace, and promoting the rights of victims, and access to justice for women.