Ecuador Sues Colombia in
The Hague Over Herbicide
Spraying
Ecuador began suing
neighboring Colombia
Monday at the
International Court of
Justice, demanding an
end to Colombian
herbicide spraying,
which is alleged to have
affected the health of
Ecuadorians as well as
their animals and crops.
Ecuadorian Foreign
Minister Maria Isabel
Salvador told reporters
that the diplomatic
process had ended
without any solution
because of Colombia's
intransigence over the
issue.
"The Ecuadorian
government has made all
efforts in good faith
for more than seven
years to resolve this
dispute via diplomatic
means, but Colombia has
systematically rejected
Ecuador's protests and
requests," Salvador
said.
A diplomat, four leading
ministry officials, four
international lawyers
and an Ecuadorian lawyer
will argue at The Hague
court that Ecuadorian
rights should be
respected as Colombia
has kept spraying in the
border region, sometimes
even on the Ecuadorian
side.
Salvador said Ecuador
has proof that the
spraying affects
Ecuadorians' health and
livelihood, and said
Colombia also violates
Ecuador's sovereignty
and basic principals of
international law.
Ecuadorian President
Rafael Correa said since
he took power, he has
been ready to go to
international courts
such as The Hague, to
put an end to this
illegal action, the
foreign minister said.
"Ecuador is within its
rights to sue Colombia
under the framework of
the Bogota Pact, an
Americas treaty on
peaceful solutions,
signed by both nations,"
she added.
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