Monica Barnes
Question:21 Mrs. Barnes asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he has raised concerns on the detention of persons in Ecuador for what is normal political comment. [4278/00]
Written Answers. - Human Rights Abuses.
I understand this question refers to reports by Amnesty International of the detention by the authorities in Ecuador last month of a number of political and trade union figures who had reportedly called for the resignation of the then President of Ecuador, Jamil Mahuad. These detentions took place against a background of the reimposition of a general state of emergency by President Mahuad on 5 January 2000 following demonstrations by trade unions and indigenous groups against his Government's economic poli cies and the acute distress affecting so many people as a result of the economic crisis in Ecuador.
The owners of taxis, buses and trucks called a strike to press the Government to take on some of their obligations under hire purchase contracts, which had become unsustainable as a result of exchange rate changes arising from the complex role of the dollar in the Ecuadorian economy. The strike took place only in the province of Guayas where a state of emergency was actually already in place because of a sharp rise in crimes of assault and robbery. The strike was accompanied by unrest in the streets of Guayaquil. During the disturbances, a number of the strike leaders were detained. My information is that they were released unharmed a few days later.