Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I thank the committee for allowing me to speak as I am a guest here this morning as well. I wish to pay tribute to Justice for Colombia. I was fortunate to be part of the most recent delegation. I pay particular tribute to the Fórsa trade union because it is giving significant support to this incredible civil society organisation. It is really punching at a high level because one of the most significant aspects of our visit was the fact that the Colombian Government felt it necessary to meet with us at the end of the week. That was very significant and, in a way, very positive.

I will share some of the statements I heard because we met a range of people from trade unions, social leaders and community leaders. It was a very moving week, in fact. It is such a beautiful country but the level of oppression is quite shocking. One of the human rights defenders told me directly, "We are witnessing a genocide of social trade union leaders and human rights defenders". That is a shocking statement. Perhaps the saddest statement was from Aída Avella, a member of parliament for the Patriotic Union party. Like me, she is a lifelong trade unionist. She said: "There are not so many trade unionists killed lately, but then there are not so many of us left". It is absolutely shocking. I was disturbed by what Mariel Kohon told us about the new restrictions on visiting the transition zones. We visited Tierra Grata in the north east of Colombia, in the La Paz district, and one could see at first hand that there was potential to deliver something significant economically in terms of independence, but it is not happening due to lack of support. It was disturbing that when we raised it with the government in that meeting at the end of the week we were met with denial, effectively. That was disappointing.

Another issue is that, and I speak as an Irish republican, I did not hear the language of a peace process from the government Ministers. That was particularly disturbing. We were first-hand witnesses, yet we were told we were effectively liars. That word was used a number of times.

I did not hear the language that we would expect from a peace process and what we hear from our own peace process, despite the challenges from time to time. Perhaps the most moving part of the mission was the visit to Cajibio, a town in north Cauca. What we saw there in a community setting was pictures on the wall of local community leaders who had been murdered in recent years. They were young men, many of them members of the Sintrainagro agricultural trade union. I will not name the company but this community setting was surrounded by property owned by an Irish company. The people said the paramilitaries were using the land to come out in the dark to attack and kill the people. As an Irishman I found this particularly disturbing.

We had a very positive meeting with Alison Milton. One of the things she committed to doing was visit that mine. If I may be so bold as to suggest a further action of the committee might be to write to the ambassador to ask about that visit. Has it taken place and what are her views on it? As my colleague, Deputy Crowe, said, and he sends his apologies because he had to go to the Dáil, as a country we should not be importing blood coal. I noted that in a recent response the Tánaiste indicated he would have a further look at this and I hope he does because it is very much not in keeping with a lot of the very good work being done by Ireland.

The local elections in October were mentioned. It was a big topic when we were there. How can these elections be free and fair, and how free and fair are they likely to be, given that we met people who told us their lives are being threatened? It is very hard to run an election when people's lives are being threatened. As a number of people said, there is a gaping vacuum where the defence of leaders should be. The representatives of the justice department and the police in particular seem to be in denial yet the facts are in.

My next question is difficult and perhaps I am asking for an opinion. With regard to FARC members being killed by right-wing paramilitaries, these paramilitaries are acting with impunity and this is very clear. Are they also acting in collusion with the state?

I thank Justice for Colombia for giving me the opportunity to go out there. I hope the Government speaks with a strong and loud voice. I acknowledge the work of Eamon Gilmore on this issue. I have to say that at a personal human level I found it deeply shocking to meet people whose relatives are killed. The number of deaths has been increasing since the peace process was signed. It is very hard to keep a peace process going when one side is being slaughtered.