Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-02-Speech-4-041"
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"en.20041202.5.4-041"2
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"Mr President, Álvaro Uribe was elected two and a half years ago.
In that time, nothing has been easy, but the vast majority of Colombians – the vast majority, according to the figures – consider that the situation in the country is now better than it was two years ago. So it is no surprise that support for the Uribe administration is now greater than when he was elected, with a programme whose main objectives are to combat terrorism and bring peace to the country.
Some of the figures are encouraging. Public order has improved, although Colombia remains an insecure country. The number of terrorist attacks and hostage-takings has fallen, although attacks and hostage-taking still happen in Colombia. Drug production and exports have decreased, although Colombia is still a leading player in international drug-trafficking.
Whatever people say, there has been no serious decline in human rights in Colombia. It is the terrorists who take hostages and demand money who are contravening human rights and international humanitarian laws: not those who refuse to give in to the hostage-takers’ blackmail.
Nothing has been easy and a lot remains to be done. At the moment, in the midst of controversy, the Colombian Government is trying to advance negotiations with the AUC paramilitaries. In view of the acknowledged difficulties of this process, the European Union should take a much more active role by exerting pressure on the parties involved and ensuring that victims’ rights are respected.
We work closely with Colombia, but we can do more at this particularly sensitive time, by supporting the Organization of American States with its broad and clear mandate in Colombia. This includes financing programmes to monitor the ceasefire, to provide legal assistance for the victims and socio-economic projects for demobilised guerrillas and their victims, facilitating the reintegration of combatants and creating mechanisms to prevent revenge killings.
Indeed, a great deal remains to be done, and we in the European Union should and can help.
Commissioner, we cannot stay on the sidelines in this particularly sensitive period for reasons of political correctness."@en1
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