Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

The witnesses are all very welcome. What we have heard this morning is a very bleak report. I would like to be more positive about the situation. The release of Huber Ballesteros was a positive. Another positive is Ms Kohon's statement that many Colombians are still committed to the peace process. As she outlined in her report, many governments and politicians gave a commitment and much time and energy to the process. Having heard her presentation, the suggestion is that the process is dying from lack of action, clearly from the government.

The key elements concern land reform and resources. The absence of movement on those issues is a major step back. One of the greatest difficulties in getting the peace process under way was trying to convince those engaged in the conflict that there was a new way forward and the possibility of a transitional period to move away from conflict. Many people are being killed now, however. Many of those are human rights activists, people with no involvement and ex-combatants and yet they are being killed. Mr. Callinan spoke about Colombia being the most dangerous place in the world for trade unionists despite there being a peace process.

My first question concerns all those politicians in the UN who gave a commitment to the peace process. The UN has a permanent office in Bogatá monitoring the peace process. That was happening even prior to the peace agreement. What can those organisations do now given that there are clearly major difficulties in the peace process? Some of the activities undertaken by organisations and people prior to the peace process involved trying to convince people to take part. Many of the people they were attempting to convince had been part of a previous process where those who took a political role were slaughtered. Approximately 2,000 ex-combatants stood for election at that time and were then killed. We seem to be experiencing a repeat of that process. An element of this peace process concerned people in jail. What is happening concerning their release? What happens when those people are released? Is there a programme for them to be reintegrated into society and are the necessary resources being supplied? It has been mentioned that the requisite land is not being made available.

The Irish Government recently opened an embassy in Bogatá. Embassies in locations around the world where there have been conflicts and difficulties with human rights have played a major role in monitoring what is going on. Representatives from those embassies have also attended trials and had a general involvement in those areas. How important is that kind of activity for a new embassy such as Ireland's as well as other embassies? Is there a role for those embassies in this process? There is also growing concern about another topic that I have raised here and in the Chamber previously. Other groups have also commented on this issue regarding one area of Colombia. I am referring to the ESB buying significant amounts of coal from the Cerrejón mine in the north east of Columbia. Deputy Maureen O'Sullivan and I met one of the human rights defenders from that area who works with indigenous people at a recent meeting of the foreign affairs committee. She stated that her life was under threat and that threat has increased since she returned to Colombia.

I have seen pictures of the mine. It is devastating the way of life of the indigenous community in the region and causing extensive environmental disruption. Are the witnesses aware of the mine? Members of the local community in that area have received death threats and some of them have been killed by local paramilitaries. Considering that land was at the heart of the Colombian conflict, it is disturbing that the Colombian government is continuing to facilitate land grabs and people being forced away from the river and clean water. The locals rely on companies to get clean water and food and one company has been in the area for the past 40 years. Is there a role in that for the Irish Government? Does the ESB have a responsibility as a company that is purchasing coal from that mine? Should it familiarise itself with what is going on in Colombia? Given the connection with the ESB, would it be important for the Irish ambassador to visit that region and see exactly what is happening on the ground?