Hearing on Human Rights in Colombia - November 27, 2013 Impacts of free trade agreements on human rights... http://www.oidhaco.org/uploaded/content/article/2115665979.pdf
Introduction The Trade Agreement between the EU, Colombia and Peru, signed in June 2012 and subsequently ratified in December of the same year by the European Parliament, provisionally entered into force on August 1, 2013, in a context of high social and political tension reflected in significant social demonstrations during 2013. The Trade Agreement has led to serious questions on the situation of human rights, the lack of specific and efficient labour, social and environmental standards, the continuing violence in Colombian regions, and the potential impacts of the Agreement on sectors of the Colombian economy. Given this reality, the European Parliament called for the development of a road map on human rights, labour rights and environmental rights, which “should be aimed essentially at safeguarding human rights, enhancing and improving trade unionists’ rights and protecting the environment”1. The Parliament noted on several occasions that both the Trade Agreement and its accompanying roadmap could serve as tools for monitoring the human rights situation in Colombia. We therefore call upon the European Parliament to use the Roadmap and to take appropriate measures in light of the current situation. This document details the current situation, and outlines the concerns which still exist about the main focuses set out in the Roadmap (human rights and labour rights), as well as the potential impacts of the Trade Agreement
[[[[[[Summary – Conclusions The general human rights situation in Colombia remains of serious concern:- Murders continue to be committed against human rights defenders, land restitution leaders,small farming and indigenous leaders fighting for their land and opposing dams or miningprojects. Between January and September 2013, at least 52 defenders were killed.- The criminalization of social protest continues to affect freedom of expression and assembly.There are reports of stigmatisation by high officials, and violent repression, resulting in up to15 killings during the last national strike.- Several legislative initiatives could promote impunity and have been strongly questioned by UN mechanisms The number of displaced people is increasing every day, with over 250,000 new cases in 2012. Today in Colombia 5.7 million displaced people are registered. There is a 99.5 % rate of impunity for this crime]]]
[ed notes:click link for rest..in short..eu and us continue to be responsible for aiding and justifying the continual repression and crimes taking place in Colombia...