by René Lavanchy
THE Foreign Office is facing calls to explain statements by Foreign Secretary David Miliband and other ministers which could lead to accusations that the FCO has misled Parliament over the controversial military aid it supplies to Colombia.
Pressure group Justice for Colombia has compiled a dossier of apparently contradictory statements by Government ministers relating to what the aid is used for, how much it costs and the Colombian Government’s human rights record.
Last week Mr Miliband announced that Britain’s provision of human rights training and de-mining assistance would end, but JFC says this means the majority of UK aid has remained in place. The group says that widespread accusations of atrocities against the Colombian army means the aid must be stopped.
The revelation of the dossier comes as a delegation of MPs and members of the United States Congress visiting Colombia condemned both Britain and the US for being “complicit” in crimes against humanity – and demanded that military aid should stop.
Many of the FCO statements in the dossier arose as a result of the pressure group raising issues with ministers, either directly or through MPs’ letters:
* In November 1999, defence minister John Spellar told the Commons that Britain trained Colombian troops in urban warfare tactics, counter-
guerrilla strategy and psychiatry. But five years later, Foreign Office minister Bill Rammell wrote to JFC insisting it was “completely untrue” that any such aid was provided.
* In October 2008, Gillian Merron, the minister responsible for South America, wrote to Labour MP Frank Cook, who had raised concerns about political prisoners. She said: “We have seen no evidence to suggest that individuals are being charged or imprisoned for their political views or membership of a trade union in Colombia.” But, three months later, Ms Merron
said in an answer to a parliamentary question: “We are aware of serious allegations that people in Colombia are being imprisoned… because of their political views or activities.”
* Foreign Secretary David Miliband told JFC chair Jeremy Dear in an October 2008 letter that British military aid included help with counter-narcotics work. But the following month, he said during a Commons debate: “The only military aid that we give to Colombia is for de-mining and human rights training; there is no question of the money leaking into other activities.”
Liam Craig-Best of Justice for Colombia said: “The Government doesn’t appear to know what they’re doing in Colombia. If the British Government would come clean on their position in Colombia it would allay basic fears. It’s not at all clear who’s interests the government has at heart.”
Tribune raised the contents of the dossier with the Foreign Office, but they had not responded by the time of going to press
