To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request that the Colombian authorities provide an explanation for the variation in the figures provided by different Colombian state organisations on the number of bodies in the mass grave recently discovered in La Macarena; and if he will discuss that matter with (a) his counterparts and (b) human rights organisations. (325562)

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 March 2010, Official Report, column 425W to the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) and can inform him that since then our ambassador has written a follow up letter to Carlos Franco, Director of the Presidential Human Rights Programme, requesting an update into the investigation and asking for an explanation of the difference between the Procurador General’s findings and those of the Human Rights Programme.

(a) Our embassy in Bogota and our representation at the EU in Brussels have constant contact with other EU member states on Human Rights issues in Colombia.

(b) As stated in my answer of 25 March I met human rights activist Carolina Hoyos on 16 March where we discussed the mass graves in La Macarena. We work closely with non-governmental organisations and human rights defenders in Colombia.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the British embassy in Bogota has informed him of any steps taken by the Colombian authorities to ensure that physical evidence located at the mass grave recently discovered in La Macarena is protected pending an investigation by the government of Colombia or the International Criminal Court; and if he will make a statement. (325574)

We received assurances in Carlos Franco’s letter of 16 February that the Colombian Government has instructed the police to adopt special security measures around the site of the mass grave.

We trust that the Colombian Government will conduct a thorough investigation.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will request information from the Colombian authorities on the number of bodies recently found in a mass grave in La Macarena which are subject to an individual investigation; and if he will discuss that matter with his EU counterparts. (325575)

I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 25 March 2010, Official Report, column 425W to the hon. Member for East Dunbartonshire (Jo Swinson) and can inform him that since then our ambassador has written a follow up letter to Carlos Franco, Director of the Presidential Human Rights Programme, requesting an update into the investigation and asking for an explanation of the difference between the Procurador General’s findings and those of the Human Rights Programme.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if the Government will (a) help facilitate and (b) participate in a human rights fact-finding mission to the recently discovered mass grave in La Macarena. (325576)

Our embassy in Bogota is currently looking at logistical arrangements for a possible fact finding visit to the site.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take immediate steps to cease all co-operation with the Colombian Army until (a) the Colombian authorities have provided him with a satisfactory explanation for the alleged presence of approximately 2,000 unidentified bodies in a mass grave in La Macarena and (b) a thorough investigation has been carried out; and if he will discuss that matter with his EU counterparts. (325577)

No, but we will continue to raise these matters directly with the Colombian Government.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent reports he has received on the status of the legal investigation into the presence of a mass grave in La Macarena; and whether he has received reports of a forensic search of those graves being conducted on behalf of any international organisation. (325578)

We are awaiting responses from the Director of the Presidential Human Rights Programme and the Office of the Procurator General. Given the complex nature of DNA and forensic investigations we do not expect further updates for a number of weeks.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make an assessment of the merits of offering the government of Colombia assistance for a forensic investigation of the mass grave recently found in La Macarena. (325579)

No request has been received from the Colombian Government for assistance on the investigation but we would consider the merits of any such request, including financial viability.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will (a) obtain and (b) place in the Library a copy of the report of the Colombian Procurator General's office on the 2,000 bodies allegedly found in the recently discovered mass grave in La Macarena; and if he will discuss the matter with (i) his EU counterparts and (ii) human rights organisations. (325580)

Our embassy will liaise with the Procurador General's office, and if and when an official report is made public, we will provide a copy to the Library of the House. We have contacted the Procurador General's office who has informed us that the investigation is still at the preliminary verification stage and that they are currently building up an historic memory. As developments into the investigation proceed our embassy will regularly liaise with EU member states and human rights organisations, as part of our constant contact with these groups.

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received reports on the activities of units of the Colombian Army which operate in and around the southern Colombian municipality of La Macarena in the province of Meta; and whether he has received representations on alleged human rights abuses by those military units. (325581)

We have received no reports or representations on battalions operating in the La Macarena area. However, the organisation DHBAJOARIARI follows up on cases which are allegedly committed by the state and includes issues such as forced disappearances, extra-judicial killings. The organisation has not directly lobbied us on any individual incidents.