by René Lavanchy
TRADE unions have rounded on Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells, accusing him of “rubbing shoulders with murderers” in Colombia and raising the threat they they will not support him at the next general election.
Mr Howells, Labour MP for Pontypridd in south Wales, has been denounced by Unite and Unison officers for a photo published last month, in which he appeared with the Colombian Army’s High Mountain Battalion, widely accused of murdering trade unionists. Britain provides funding for training Colombian troops.
Andy Richards, Unite’s national secretary for Wales, told Tribune he was seeking an immediate withdrawal of backing: “As far as I’m concerned, we’re not going to be supporting those who support the murders of trade unionists.”
An emotional Mr Richards said he was profoundly unhappy because of a trip to Colombia with a Unite delegation last summer, in which he met unions and families of victims.
“I personally met the fathers of three lads who’d been massacred. It was quite traumatic. I’ve seen and heard and smelt things over there you wouldn’t believe”.
“When I got back from Colombia, we were told that somebody from the British Embassy had been over to the CUT [trade union federation] to say this visit, there’s no point in it really, because the British Government supports the Colombian Government.”
He added that the Welsh TUC had repeatedly asked Mr Howells to attend their general council to discuss the issue, without reply.
“That,” Mr Richards said, “added to the photographs we’ve seen of Kim rubbing shoulders with murderers, seems to suggest he’s being quite reckless and we can’t accept that behaviour.”
Mr Richards said that Mr Howells was “sponsored” by Unite, but that he had asked the political officer to start procedures for ending this. Unite joint general secretary Tony Woodley fully supports the move, he added.
Unison Wales’ international forum this week attacked Mr Howell’s behaviour. Steve Belcher of Unison said: “This is an absolute outrage. The very people that Kim Howells is happily posing with in this photograph are the self same people who… actively participate in anti-trade union death squads”.
Referring to Mr Howells’ past as a National Union of Mineworkers’ official, he added: “The sort of rights he took for granted when he used to work for a trade union are just not there for our fellow trade unionists in Colombia.”
Mr Howells is also under pressure after telling Parliament recently that most trade unionist deaths in Colombia – where over 2,200 have been killed in the last 15 years – were carried out by the Revolutionary Armed Forces (FARC) rebels.
Mr Richards commented: “Not even the bloody Colombian government has come out with a statement like that. It’s my view he’s absolutely misled the British Government.”
Liam Craig-Best, secretary of Justice for Colombia, agreed: “It was an absurd claim by Kim Howells, and we have no idea where he could have got this from”. Downing Street declined to comment.
A Foreign Office spokesperson said Mr Howells recognised that Colombian government forces were also guilty of abuses.
The Welsh TUC is to vote on a move to condemn Mr Howells at an executive meeting this week.
