Comments on: Say sorry or resign, trade unions tell defiant Howells

By: Idkal » Blog Archive » In defence of Kim Howells

Idkal » Blog Archive » In defence of Kim Howells — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:35:24 +0000

[...] political allies on other issues), but I think Kim Howells should be applauded for standing up to Tribune et al over [...]

By: Matthew Stiles

Matthew Stiles — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 09:08:28 +0000

Tribune should be congratulated for highlighting this. Kim’s comments are an absolute disgrace. When trade unionists are murdered in Colombia, the common smear tactic used is that they were part of the guerrilla. Now, the right-wing there will be able to cite a British Labour minister in support.

By: Claridad

Claridad — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 17:50:17 +0000

Colombian people do not have the luxury to sit back and wait for things to improve. Further I should qualify what I have said: I do not feel positive about the present administration in Colombia but I do feel positive about Colombia’s future despite Uribe’s government…the truth of the extent of corruption and violence under parapolitics is already being revealed for everyone to see…

By: Bill Kerr

Bill Kerr — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 11:54:50 +0000

Let’s agree to disagree then. I remain positive, we can check back in a year or two to see where we are both at in our opinions. My wife who is Colombian (I am British) also feels the same way as do her family who live in various parts of the country.

By: Claridad

Claridad — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:41:04 +0000

It is well-known to us in the academic community that both government and independent entities acknowledge that as many as 40 percent of the country’s displaced persons are not in the official registry
see for example: http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=41390

I am glad you seem so positive about Colombia’s future – wish it were so. I am afraid the truth is quite different – as you can discover if you care to read more widely.
If nothing else it appears that Uribe’s propaganda machine is functioning very well.

By: Bill Kerr

Bill Kerr — Sun, 23 Mar 2008 00:06:47 +0000

quite frankly I am more prepared to look at main stream news feeds such as wall steet journal,AP and others than believe half of what I read in these sites that claim to have the interest of the people of colombia at heart.

I was in bogota the other week and I didn’t hear people moan about Uribe when his speach at the rio sumit was broadcast on the radio. What I saw was folks in bogota get behind their leader in his condemnation of the interference of some of the leftist governments in the region.

I have to say that I didn’t notice the streets dominated by “narco-mafia interests so I’ll take the comments about the galup poll with a pinch of salt.

The UN in 2006 reported some 3 mil displaced so not sure where the figure of 4 mil came from. They also cite that the gov of uribe is doing what it can to help the situation for these people. Perhaps we should wait to the next periodic report by UN some time in 2008 to see if there is further inprovement or not.

Meanwhile i remain confident in my belief that colombia is pulling itself out of its problems and is well on the road to recovery despite the protest of some unions and mps in the uk to the contary.

By: Claridad

Claridad — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:27:27 +0000

Let me also add that Mr Uribe’s “62% electoral win” in 2006 consisted of 7.3 million votes out a possible 26.7 million voters. More than 1/2 the electorate abstained. This means that he has the support of only 1/4 of the lectorate or only 1/16 of the total population. Whatever the FARC support – Uribe’s administration is intolerant of ANY opposition even legally constituted. Anyone opposing his policies is immediately branded a “FARC/terrorist” supporter – this includes human rights organisations, trade unions, rural workers organisations and also international reputable NGOs! Please lets not talk about a functioning democracy when even the judiciary is under threat!

By: Claridad

Claridad — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 20:16:44 +0000

Can this month’s (March) Gallup poll, about the ‘82% popularity’ of President Uribe’s Colombian government, consisting of 1000 phone calls in the 4 major cities of Colombia (dominated by the narco-paramilitary mafia interests) really indicate ‘popularity’ in a country of 42 million?
I wonder if the 4 million displaced peoples (most likely without access to phones and internet) – not to speak of the thousands of peasants, social activists, trade unionists, teachers and their families tortured and murdered over the last 10 years by paramilitaries in collusion with the state – would agree with this ‘popularity’?
In a country where mistrust and fear because threats and assassinations are common place, does a phone poll really mean anything?
The majority of the mainstream media repeats these misleading figures without regards for the context of the situation in Colombia.

By: Bill Kerr

Bill Kerr — Sat, 22 Mar 2008 00:34:32 +0000

Well I had a peek at the JFC website and that along with lanr do seem rather farc leaning. In JFC’s explanation of the activities of farc they seemed to forget to mention the large number of kidnap victims undertaken by that terrorist org. Anyway, farc are a spent force. The killing of Raul Reyes in Ecuador and infighting that killed Ivan Rios should help to see their end. Meanwhile Chavez and Correo are made to look fools at the rio summit. Folks are right to question some of the actions of the army but this wholesale condemnation of columbia and its leaders is wrong and will get no where. Uribe currently runs an approval rating of 82%, a number I am guessing Brown wouldn’t mind too much.

By: John Smith

John Smith — Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:16:19 +0000

Bill Kerr patonisingly says that the Uribe regime is moving Colombia out of the “third world”. I’d like to know what he makes of this:
http://lanr.blogspot.com/2008/03/see-you-in-hague.html#comments