I share the Hon Member's concern regarding the implementation of the Peace Accords between the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). The UK continues to support the peace process, contributing over £40 million through the Conflict, Stability and Security Fund since 2015 to projects that are bringing sustainable peace to the country. We have expressed concern to the Colombian Government over delays to the transitional justice system, which is a critical part of the peace process.<\/p>
I share also the Hon Member's concern about the ongoing killings and threats by armed criminal groups in Colombia, a subject we raised in January at the UN Security Council in New York and in March at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva. At the Universal Periodic Review of Human Rights in May 2018, Colombia accepted the UK's recommendations to improve protection of human rights defenders. The UN Verification Mission's mandate acknowledges the importance of human rights, and the mission cooperates closely with the Office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights.<\/p>
The Human Rights programmes led and funded by the British Embassy in Bogotá make a real difference to the lives of many human rights defenders, social leaders and, in particular, victims of sexual violence in conflict. We continue to work with civil society groups in the UK and Colombia to bring individual cases to the attention of the Colombian authorities, including the two specific cases cited in Early Day Motion 2232.<\/p>
We condemned the bombing of a police academy in Bogotá on 17 January by the National Liberation Army (ELN), which claimed 20 innocent lives and caused the breakdown of peace talks. We urge an end to violence to allow productive negotiations to resume.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-04T15:29:09.24Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Colombia: Human Rights"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will publish a response to EDM 2232 on Peace and Protection of Defenders in Colombia.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/4432", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Patrick Grady"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Glasgow North"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Patrick Grady"} ], "uin" : "239266"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1108915", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1108915/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bAs the Foreign Secretary set out during Foreign and Commonwealth Office Orals on 22 January, the number of staff in our UK Representation to the European Union has grown from over 120 in 2016 to over 180 in early 2019, and includes representatives from a wide range of Whitehall Departments and many smaller agencies. We will keep staffing under regular review to ensure it is appropriate to deliver government objectives.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-04T15:31:07.843Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-04-01", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "UK Relations with EU"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with Cabinet colleagues on UK representation to the EU after the UK leaves the EU.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1408", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Lord Swire"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "East Devon"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Sir Hugo Swire"} ], "uin" : "910228"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1105714", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1105714/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
We continue to monitor events in Haiti. Our Ambassador met the Haitian Foreign Minister on 18 January 2019 to discuss the situation. Our Ambassador meets Haitian leaders on her regular visits, and during March 2019 she also held discussions with the UN Secretary General's Special Representative in Haiti and a visiting International Monetary Fund Mission. The current government is in the process of change following a vote of no confidence by the Haitian Parliament on 18 March.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-04T13:47:16.103Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Haiti: Humanitarian Aid and Politics and Government"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent discussions he has had with his counterpart in Haiti on the humanitarian and political situation in that country.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "237644"} , {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1105717", "AnsweringBody" : [{"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} ], "answer" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/resources/1105717/answer", "answerText" : {"_value" : "
\u200bThe Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises against all but essential travel to Haiti. Few UK nationals live or work there and our Embassy is in touch with the majority of them. The UK supports the United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti, which is helping the Government of Haiti further develop the Haitian National Police, strengthen Haiti's rule of law institutions and promote and protect human rights.<\/p>"} , "answeringMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/343", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Sir Alan Duncan"} } , "answeringMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Rutland and Melton"} , "answeringMemberPrinted" : {"_value" : "Sir Alan Duncan"} , "dateOfAnswer" : {"_value" : "2019-04-04", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "isMinisterialCorrection" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "questionFirstAnswered" : [{"_value" : "2019-04-04T13:50:51.97Z", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} ]} , "answeringDeptId" : {"_value" : "16"} , "answeringDeptShortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "answeringDeptSortName" : {"_value" : "Foreign and Commonwealth Office"} , "date" : {"_value" : "2019-03-27", "_datatype" : "dateTime"} , "hansardHeading" : {"_value" : "Haiti: British Nationals Abroad"} , "houseId" : {"_value" : "1"} , "legislature" : [{"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/terms/25259", "prefLabel" : {"_value" : "House of Commons"} } ], "questionText" : "To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what diplomatic steps he is taking to help ensure the safety of UK nationals travelling, working or permanently residing in Haiti.", "registeredInterest" : {"_value" : "false", "_datatype" : "boolean"} , "tablingMember" : {"_about" : "http://data.parliament.uk/members/1536", "label" : {"_value" : "Biography information for Emily Thornberry"} } , "tablingMemberConstituency" : {"_value" : "Islington South and Finsbury"} , "tablingMemberPrinted" : [{"_value" : "Emily Thornberry"} ], "uin" : "237645"} ], "itemsPerPage" : 10, "page" : 0, "startIndex" : 1, "totalResults" : 4, "type" : ["http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#ListEndpoint", "http://purl.org/linked-data/api/vocab#Page"]} }