Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1215: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if his attention has been drawn to the fact that 873 teachers have been killed in Colombia, more than 3,000 have been threatened, 1,000 have been displaced, 70 forced to leave the country and 60 simply disappeared; and if he will raise these matters at UN and EU level. [32383/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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I am aware of and share the deep concern that has been expressed at the manner in which trade union activists, including teachers and human rights defenders have been treated in Colombia. Colombia has witnessed the longest period of upheaval of any country in Latin America — over 50 years in all. The Colombian people have endured relentless suffering, reflected in the more than two million persons who have been internally displaced over the past number of years, a number second only to that of Sudan. The degree of lawlessness that arises from the absence of peace presents a major challenge to any government. The effects of terrorism and narco-trafficking have blighted the lives of many innocent people. However, compared with the situation ten years ago, Colombia today has become a safer place to live. Colombians' belief in the prospects for a peaceful future and the impressive recent social and economic development reflected in the strong inward investment flows reinforce the impression that the country is slowly emerging from a grim past.

On 7 August, President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón was inaugurated as President of Colombia. During his inaugural address, President Santos emphasised that human rights would be a key issue during his term of office. Specifically, the President stated that it was his firm position that respect for life was a sacred mandate, that respect for the freedom and integrity of people was an inescapable obligation and that advocacy of human rights was the firm and irrevocable commitment of his government. President Santos has stated that Colombia's Ministry of Justice will be re-established as the Ministry of Justice and Rights with a view to strengthening the state's policy in support of justice and protecting fundamental rights. I am encouraged that President Santos has tasked his Vice President, Angelina Garzón, with particular responsibility for taking forward his government's programme in this important area. Furthermore, I have written to Foreign Minister María Ángela Holguin Cuéllar to indicate my continuing interest in human rights dialogue with the Colombian government.

Ireland was represented at President Santos' inauguration by our Ambassador to Colombia, who is resident in Mexico City. The Ambassador reiterated to the Colombian authorities the importance we continue to attach to human rights and our strong support for the commitment made by the President in this respect. The Ambassador raised my concern about the level of violence against trade unionists in the course of his official contacts.

In May of this year, funding of €100,000 was approved for a victim support project being organised by the Organisation of American States in three regions of Colombia. This project will train victims to allow them to participate effectively in the judicial process and to access reparation; create awareness among local authorities so as to assist in the reintegration of victims in their communities and establish confidence-building measures between communities and local authorities.

The Government will continue to monitor the human rights situation in Colombia through our Embassy in Mexico and in cooperation with our EU partners with resident diplomatic missions in that country.

Finian McGrath (Dublin North Central, Independent)
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Question 1216: To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will listen to the voice of ethnic people inside Burma and to assist measures to develop a democratic Burma. [32384/10]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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The Government is closely engaged at the European Union and international level in monitoring the situation in Burma and in supporting the struggle of the Burmese people for democracy and human rights. I have met with representatives of some of the main ethnic minority groups in the country. I remain deeply concerned about the allegations that have been made by these groups that they have been subjected to grave breaches of international humanitarian law by the Burmese regime.

The Government has expressed its concern internationally about the treatment of ethnic minorities by the regime in Burma. One such minority is the Rohingya, as highlighted by the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in Burma, Tomas Quintana, in his report to the Human Rights Council in March of this year. The Rohingyas are a Muslim minority group comprising some 800,000 people residing in North Arakan State in Western Burma. In addition, it is estimated that there are many hundreds of thousands of refugees in neighbouring countries. The persecution of the Rohingya by the Burmese authorities is predicated on the basis of the denial of their right to citizenship.

The Government has long recognised the need to support the Rohingya and has responded in a practical way to their plight, including through the resettlement in Ireland of around eighty Rohingya refugees from camps in Bangladesh, under the Government's refugee resettlement scheme, which is administered by the Department of Justice and Law Reform.

At my request, the actions of the Burmese regime were discussed at the meeting of EU Foreign Ministers in April. On that occasion, Ministers called for a peaceful transition to a democratic, civilian and inclusive system of government in Burma. They agreed that the regime had not taken the necessary steps to make the elections, to be held on 7 November, credible, transparent and inclusive. There has been no substantive improvement since then to change that assessment.

Notwithstanding the difficult position in which ethnic minorities and political parties have been placed by the actions of the regime, some ethnic groups are working to try to take advantage of the possible opportunity afforded by the elections to secure representation in local and national legislatures. However, I am extremely concerned at reports that the regime has moved to stifle further the rights of minorities in the lead-up to the elections.

The Government also believes that a crucial element in the national reconciliation and democratisation process is the release without delay of all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi. This could contribute to a new atmosphere in advance of the elections, allowing space for the initiation of a process of national dialogue and reconciliation, involving all opposition and ethnic groups. As the poll date draws nearer, I will continue to work closely with our European and international partners in support of human rights and democracy in Burma.