Brussels, 25/05/2012 (Agence Europe) - Given what it believes is a “dire” human rights situation in Colombia and Peru, the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) calls on the European Parliament to accompany the multi-party free trade agreement with the EU, to be ratified this autumn, with an action plan on human rights.
Prior to the international trade committee vote, on 29 May, on a resolution on the multiparty free-trade agreement between the EU, Colombia and Peru, initialled in March 2011, the FIDH has leapt to the defence of reinforcing the human rights clause included in the agreement, by an action plan on human rights. The clause in question potentially allows for suspension of the agreement in case a party breaches human rights laid down. The unilateral reactive possibility lacks flexibility and is devoid of provisions allowing for a proactive approach and engagement of the Colombian and Peruvian parties, as an ad hoc dialogue and public consultations would. “MEPs will have a decisive opportunity to link the EP decision on the agreement's ratification - foreseen for the autumn - to the adoption and implementation of a binding action plan on human, environmental and labour rights”, a FIDH press release states, recalling that the 2011 report of the International Committee of the Red Cross (IRCC) on Colombia indicates an increase in human rights violations, including the assassination or the disappearance of 55 human rights defenders and 29 trade unionists. The FIDH warns, moreover, of serious risks for human rights in Colombia, with: - the project of constitutional reform on the “Tribunal especial para la garantias de fuerza publica”, which would entrust a special tribunal half composed of retired members of the military the decision on whether military members suspected of human rights violations would be judged by a civil or a military tribunal; - the legal framework for peace (Marco juridico para la paz), which leads to a de facto amnesty of human rights violators in the absence of a genuine dialogue and the continuation of the internal armed conflict; - and with reform of the Supreme Court that is to lead to the creation of a special chamber composed of government-appointed magistrates, which would create a filter preventing appropriate judging of, inter alia, members of parliament suspected of links with paramilitary or drug-trafficking groups.
According to the FIDH, the action plan should fix clear objectives and deadlines and focus on the results that are to be reached before ratification of the free-trade agreement. It must also call on the parties to report regularly to the European Parliament and to the institutions established under the agreement, the sub-committee on trade and sustainable development and the internal mechanism not only on content but also on implementation of their international human rights obligations. (EH/transl.jl)