Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)

I thank the Ceann Comhairle for the opportunity to speak about developing the peace process in Colombia. Ireland has had a long history of political conflict, but in recent years we have been using the experience of our own peace process to assist other countries in resolving serious political problems through dialogue and inclusive negotiations. A number of years ago, I visited Colombia and met there with politicians, Red Cross personnel, trade unionists, community activists and guerillas. I gave a commitment to return to Ireland and put their efforts to create a peace process on the political agenda. I have spent the last six years pushing behind the scenes and will continue to do so.

I have also met with representatives of the Colombian Civic Coalition, Como-Soc, in order to kick-start a peace process in that country. When I visited Colombia in 2002, I gave a commitment to civic groups that I would support them. I have been pushing this agenda with the Minister for Foreign Affairs and other experts in recent times. I wish to commend José Antonio Gokerez and Ibet Garcia for their great peace work, as well as the members of Grupo Raychez.

I thank our Government for the €3.3 million in Irish aid for projects in Colombia. The way forward is through such projects, in addition to dialogue and inclusive negotiations. I also wish to pay tribute to President Chávez of Venezuela and thank him for his efforts to develop a peace process in Colombia.

However, for the past month Colombia has been in a state of turmoil due to popular unrest caused largely by the repressive nature of the current regime. In September, two big strikes took place. The first one was called by ASONAL, the trade union representing workers in the judicial sector. This strike, which only demanded an increase in wages according to law, was met with hostility that led to the government declaring a state of emergency on 9 October. This measure was designed to allow the government to dismiss workers and appoint others, and to intervene in some attributions of judicial powers. The hostility between the supreme court and the executive is well known and it has been seen as a way to advance intervention in that area. Needless to say, this measure of dealing with a strike is considered inappropriate, inadequate and extremely repressive.

The other big strike was by sugar cane cutters, which started on 15 September, to demand better wages because of the increased profits sugar cane planters are getting thanks to the biofuel business. They also sought an end to the practice of indirect hiring. The response of the government was immediately repressive, sending ESMAD riot police to clash with the workers, leaving many of them wounded. Without any solid proof, the same government accused strikers of being infiltrated by FARC guerillas. This is an extremely serious accusation in the Colombian context. Nonetheless, the government is infamous for labelling all of its political opponents as FARC undercover agents.

On 22 October, three spokespersons for the strikers were arrested — Oscar Bedoya, Omar Cedano and Juan Pablo Ochoa — but no serious evidence was produced against them. They were accused of incitement to riot, only to be released without charge two weeks later. This heavy handed approach is typical. A United Nations delegation recently denounced mass arrests and the fact that 5,600 people in Colombia are detained without trial. In addition, two advisers of opposition Senator Alexander Lopez were arrested on that date, accused of infiltrating the protest. Their names are Alberto Bejarano and José Oney Valencia. This is an attempt to criminalise the right to express solidarity with protestors. At present, the strike is on the way to being resolved in terms largely favourable to the workers. It is a shame, however, that workers must go through all of this in order for their pleas to be heard.

On 12 October, various indigenous demonstrations demanded a solution to the problem of land and a halt to the unpopular FTA negotiations with the United States. During the demonstrations many protesters were wounded and at least three were killed in the Cauca area alone. Taurino Ramos Valencia was killed on 14 October, while Elber Ibito and Jesús Antonio Nene died on 22 October. Before the march, other indigenous people were assassinated by paramilitary gangs in collusion with local authorities. They included Luz Marina Morales, Mauricio Largo and César Largo.

Violence against indigenous people has been on the rise. They have been accused, once again without proof, of being infiltrated by FARC. If any infiltration was proven, it was done by soldiers infiltrating the march on the orders of their superiors. One of them, named Daniel Chaparral, was caught by the indigenous people while infiltrating the demonstrations with home-made explosives and FARC literature.

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