Peadar Tóibín (Meath West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

A total of 70,000 civilians have been killed in Colombia over 20 years and there are widespread systematic human rights violations. These are directly linked to the extremely unequal distribution of land, power and wealth. The Minister has a major opportunity to carry out very important leverage by not ratifying this trade agreement. The European Parliament previously refused to ratify the agreement and called for a binding roadmap on human rights, environmental rights and labour rights. Colombia is the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist and hundreds are killed every decade. According to a number of human rights organisations, Colombia is not delivering with regard to a binding roadmap on human rights. There is no independent monitoring committee for which the European Parliament called. The EU strategic framework and action plans on rights and democracy called for European rights impact assessments to be carried out prior to trade agreements. All these organisations state the trade agreement is not strong enough to enforce the necessary improvements in human rights. Either we strengthen it or, if we cannot do so, we desist from ratification.

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