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Posted by Justice for Colombia | Date 11 February 2008 |
British Minister Poses for Photo with Trade Union Assassins
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British Foreign Office Minister Kim Howells with troops of the High Mountain Battalion. Some of the men from the Battalion were involved in torturing and executing three trade unionists.The British Foreign Office Minister responsible for relations with Latin America has been condemned in the British press for posing for photographs with soldiers of the notorious High Mountain Battalion of the Colombian Army. The Battalion, which Colombian human rights defenders say is responsible for systematic violations of human rights, has been involved in the torture and assassinations of three trade unionists as well as harassment of others.
Kim Howells, who visited Colombia in December, was also photographed sharing a joke with Colombian Army commander General Mario Montoya. Leaked CIA reports obtained by the Los Angeles Times show that Montoya has closely collaborated with paramilitary death squads and drugs traffickers. The General is also accused of involvement in killings and forced disappearances of civilians and of participating in a bomb attack on the offices of the Colombian Communist Party newspaper.
In an article in today's Guardian, which accompanies one of the photographs, Tony Woodley, the leader of Europe's largest trade union, Unite, says "Colombia is the world's leading slaughterhouse for trade unionists and it defies belief that British Ministers should be cuddling up – literally, judging by the photographs – with the perpetrators."
The unit that Howells visited has also been accused by schoolgirls in the region where they are stationed of severe sexual harassment. Local trade unionists have also documented death threats made against them by troops of the Battalion.
For the full text of the Guardian article see http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/11/colombia.humanrights Guardian journalist Seumas Milne has also written about the new photographs on his blog which can be see at http://commentisfree.guardian.co.uk/seumas_milne/2008/02/kims_game.html
For the original photograph of Kim Howells posing with the soldiers click here. For one of him posing with General Montoya click here.
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