The International Centre for Trade Union Rights

COLOMBIA BULLETIN 12: 5 August 2003

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During the past two weeks ICTUR has received the following reports from Colombia, including serious violations of trade union rights:
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15 July: Marco Tulio Diaz, ex-President of the Tibu branch of the oil workers' union USO, was assassinated in the city of Tibu, Santander Department. Sr. Diaz had retired from USO but was the serving President of the retired oil workers' association ASONAJUB and an active campaigner for his community.

15 July: Jose Evelio Bedoya Alvarez, a member of the construction workers' union SUTIMAC was assassinated by paramilitaries in the town of Santa Barbara, Antioquia Department.

15 July: Alberto Marquez, an officer of the peasant farmers' union SINTRAGRITOL (FENSUAGRO) and Nelson Castiblanco Franco, the bodyguard provided by the government DAS personal protection programme for trade unionists and human rights defenders who are in grave danger) were assassinated in a brutal attack. Armed paramilitaries entered Sr. Marquez's house, searching every room and killing the two men. Sr. Marquez's daughter survived the attack - she was shot in the leg. This occurred in the city of Natagaima in Tolima Department.

23 July: Carlos Barrero, a member of the hospital workers' union ANTHOC, was assassinated by unknown gunmen just two streets away from his place of work at the Baranquilla General Hospital. Carlos Barrero was active in many trade union struggles against privatisation and corruption. The trade union claims that an organisation known as 'masin' (muerte a sindicalistas - death to trade unionists) is active in the city.

24 July: Juan Carlos Ramirez Rey, a member of the prison officers' union ASEINPEC (CGTD) was assassinated in Villavicencio in Meta Department. The trade union believes that the assassination was carried out because of the union's efforts to expose corruption and irregularities in the prison service.

28 July: Jesus Alfonso Naranjo, Coordinator of the Human Rights Department of the health workers' union ANTHOC, was threatened while waiting in the government offices at the department responsible for ensuring the safety and protection of trade union and human rights defenders. In the waiting room of the Ministry of the Interior he was threatened by a man who described himself as a member of the AUC paramilitary organisation. The man told him that his organisation is holding prisoner several members of ANTHOC and that Alfonso must cease his investigations into the case.

28 July: the Sucre branch of the agricultural workers' union FENSUAGRO has received a series of death threats following the visit of a government delegation of human rights observers to the region. The government delegation went to examine the situation following calls from the trade union and other human rights defenders in the region.

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ICTUR has written to the Colombian authorities to protest against the continuing violations of trade union rights. ICTUR calls for an end to the aggression and insists that the authorities implement and ensure full respect for the international legal standards that protect freedom of association.

For more information contact ICTUR: miguel@ictur.org

If you want to take action in support of these cases you can send letters of protest to the Colombian authorities at the following addresses:

President of the Republic of Colombia
Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez
Palacio de Narino, Carrera 8 No.7-26 Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: + 57 1 3375890 / 3420592
E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co; rdh@presidencia.gov.co

Vicepresident of the Republic of Colombia
Francisco Santos - Consejeria Presidential de Derechos Humanos
Calle 7, No 6-54, Piso 3 Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: 00 57 1 337 1351 E-mail: mdn@cable.net.co; infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co; siden@mindefensa.gov.co

Minister of the Interior and Justice
Fernando Londono Hoyos Ministerio del Interior y Justicia
Palacio Echeverry, Carrera 8a, No.8-09, piso 2o., Santafe de Bogota, Colombia
Fax:00 57 1 286 8025 E-mail: mininterior@myrealbox.com

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