By Martin Banks - 9th February 2010
Reports show that the situation in Colombia is just getting worse
Conny Reuter
A leading human rights NGO has urged the EU to shelve plans for a free trade agreement with Columbia.
The demand comes after Columbian trade unionists won a the top award given each year by the Brussels-based Solidar network in recognition of international groups fighting social injustice.
The award was made in parliament by Poul Nyrup Rasmussen, president of the Party of European Socialists and a former MEP, who endorsed calls for talks on ratification of an FTA with Columbia to be suspended.
Afterwards, Conny Reuter, secretary-general of Solidar, echoed such calls when she said, “Reports show that the situation in Colombia is just getting worse.
"The EU claims to put human rights and development at the core of its external policies.
"Now, with a single external policy voice, the European external action service, this is the first true test of their commitment to human rights in external policies.
"By awarding the Colombian trade unions with this award we hope to raise awareness of this issue, amid mounting opposition from civil society and trade unions worldwide to this trade agreement."
The group argues that "awarding" Columbia with an FTA will not improve the "serious and systematic violations" of human and trade union rights in the country.
Solidar said Columbia is the most dangerous country in the world to be an active trade unionist and that in 2008, 49 trade union activists were murdered, a 25 per cent rise on the previous year.
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