Paul Gavan (Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I welcome the Minister of State, Deputy Doyle. On the afternoon of 4 October a young artist and activist, 24 year old Dumar Noe Mestizo, was murdered in Cauca, southern Colombia, by men riding motorbikes. He is one of the latest victims of the chronic violence against members of the indigenous communities in Colombia. In 2009 Dumar's father, who was the Nasa indigenous leader, Marino Mestizo, was also murdered in the same region. In a statement, people representing the north Cauca indigenous association said that they hold responsible the Colombian Government for showing total indifference to the incidents of genocide facing the indigenous people. I wish to repeat that because it is such a significant statement: they said they hold responsible the Colombian Government for showing total indifference to the incidents of genocide facing their people.

In August, the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia, the country's largest such body, said that 97 indigenous leaders and activists had been murdered in the preceding 12 months, with the majority of cases occurring in Cauca. Since then, several other killings have occurred. Overall, more than 500 social activists have been killed since the peace deal was signed in November 2016.This is not peace and the Colombian Government has shown no signs of wanting to implement the peace agreement. Peace is not just important for FARC; it is also important for the natives of Colombia who, like most indigenous peoples of the Americas, are among the most oppressed and neglected communities in the world. They have been totally ignored and abandoned by successive Governments in Colombia, but also by the international community. They are victims of imperialism, colonialism and capitalism, and this is not what they deserve. As a nation which prides itself on respect and dignity with aspirations for a seat on the United Nations Security Council, it is important that we stand up for indigenous communities and vulnerable peoples across the world.

We know too well from our own history what it is like to be an oppressed people in our own country. There is no point in seeking a place on the UN Security Council unless Ireland is prepared to speak out and stand up for the vulnerable. Otherwise, we simply uphold the status quo. Surely the point is to make the world a better place. I hope the Minister of State will be able to clarify the situation for us today, since such representations should form a core aspect of our bid for a seat on the UN Security Council. What has the Government done to help these people? What will it do and what is it prepared to do to help bring these murders to an end?