COLOMBIA

Motion Text

That this House acknowledges that since Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe Velez came to power on 8th August 2002 and, despite the Prime Minister's meeting with him in July 2002 where he was urged to send British armed forces to protect the investments of BP and other multinational companies, there have been a number of negative changes including an increase in the violent repression of trade unions and social movements, the implementation of a state of internal unrest ruling by decree including the suspension of democratic rights, the establishment of military rule in two zones of rehabilitation and consolidation with thousands detained without warrant and promises to double the size of the army and recruit 100,000 vigilantes and one million informers; notes that he has backed George Bush by granting immunity to US forces and by pushing the free trade area of the Americas; and calls upon the Government to call for the withdrawal of all British government support for Uribe's crackdown and to stop any arms supplies and police, armed forces or private companies co-operating with state repression in Colombia.