Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-01-21-Speech-5-044"
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"en.20000121.3.5-044"2
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".
The Commission deeply regrets this tragic event. This is one of those events happening all over the world on a daily basis to which Mrs Sauquillo Pérez del Arco referred. In addition, the Commission would like, once again, to point to the courage and dedication of the humanitarian aid workers who are working in such dangerous regions all over the world.
In Colombia’s case in particular, the Commission has let its concerns on the matter be known to the Colombian authorities on numerous occasions. We are continuing to monitor the situation and are in constant cooperation with the Member State embassies in Bogota. As for the murders of Iñigo Eguiluz, who was working on ECHO’s plans, and the priest, the Commission and the Member States have put pressure on the Colombian authorities to hold an inquiry. The European Commission and the Spanish ambassador met with the Colombian Deputy Prime Minister, insisting that those responsible for the crime be brought to justice. Saving and safeguarding lives in these extraordinary cases constitute an integral part of humanitarian legislation.
ECHO’s role in Colombia and in other countries is to monitor the humanitarian situation in the country and, in Colombia’s case in particular, to monitor the situation of persons who are being displaced against their will. There are also continuous efforts to monitor the implementation of humanitarian laws. Mrs Sauquillo Pérez del Arco emphasised the need for specific measures and action on the part of the Commission to ensure the safety of those aid workers. You referred to the existing Commission document from May 1998 on the security of aid workers, which sets out priorities and specific action to be taken. On account of the fact that the situation had worsened, the Commission’s ECHO office, together with the International Red Cross organisation, organised a seminar in Bogota on the question of security in April 1999, where all the organisations in Colombia were asked to have a Security Charter and to inform the Red Cross in advance of their movements. This was to ensure that those carrying arms were informed as to the humanitarian nature of any particular mission.
I would also point out that, in addition to careful planning, action measures and training for aid workers, there is still a need for funding. Applying humanitarian aid is by no means a costless operation. For this reason, the Commission is not only urging that this humanitarian aid be put into practice but it is also funding activities to train those who take part in these missions and to increase their awareness of the dangers involved. Allow me, if I may, to mention some recent and previous examples of initiatives which have been undertaken for this purpose: they include the presentation of documents on humanitarian aid, the seminar on security between the partners in Lisbon, the workshop on security issues for staff in Brussels, the inclusion of staff security issues in ECHO’s guidelines and a conference of ECHO correspondents to be held in February-March 2000 on that matter.
Naturally, the European Parliament proposals will be taken into account, and because this is a matter which presents particular difficulties and has so many different aspects, close cooperation and innovative ideas and proposals are very important for Commission action."@en1
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