The International Centre for Trade Union Rights ('ICTUR')
COLOMBIA BULLETIN: July 2007

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During the period between April to June 2007, ICTUR received the following reports from Colombia, including serious violations of trade union rights:
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7 March: in the city of Cali, during a protest march organised by the CUT, Iván Montenegro, trade unionist and leader of the CUT received death threats by two men. The men, whose dress suggested they were members of the military, shouted death threats and accused him of being a member of the ‘guerrilla movement’.

11 April: the Executive Committee of the Colombian CGT denounced a campaign that set out to eradicate SINTRAOLIMPICA, the trade unionist organisation of the retail workers of TIENDAS OLIMPICAS. This campaign places undue pressure on workers to renounce the union and the benefits provided by the collective negotiation.

22 April: in the city of Popayán, Miguel Marcias, teacher and former President of the local teachers association (ASOINCA), was assassinated in the town of Caldono, Department of Cauca. Three members of ASOINCA from this region have been assassinated so far this year: on the 21 March, Alcira Tapia Muñoz, a teacher, was assassinated in Popayán, and on the 28 March, Teresa Silva, also a teacher, was assassinated in Santander de Quilichao.

24 April: Ubaldo Galindo Ávila, President of the health workers’ union ANTHOC, received death threats along with other local trade unionists.

26 April: Teofilo Manuel Acuña Ribón, President of the mineworkers trade union ‘Agrominera’ in South Bolivar, was detained by the Colombian Army at the union’s headquarters. Thanks to a strong international protest for his freedom, he was released some days later.

28 April: a few days after Teofilo Acuña (above, 26 April) was detained, the treasurer of ‘Agrominera’, Emiliano García, was also detained along with various other trade union leaders from the South Bolivar region.

30 April: Alberto Bocanegra Díaz, President of the university teachers union (ASPU) in the region of Pamplona, is facing a disciplinary process after he asked the police to examine corruption and irregularities in the university.

30 April, 83 year old former trade unionist José Piñeres was detained by the Colombian Army. He had been affiliated with the Agricultural Union for the Department of Sucre (SINDAGRICULTORES)..

3 May: Luís Miguel Gómez Porto, President of agricultural workers union (SINDAGRICULTORES), in the region of Ovejas, Department of Sucre, was assassinated while walking through a region controlled by the Colombian Army. The Army have claimed that he was killed during a confrontation with guerrilla forces. The agricultural union FENSUAGRO has refuted this claim.

8 May: All workers were dismissed from public mining company Minercol Ltda, by order of the President of Colombia. The dismissals paved the way for the final stage of the privatisation of the company.

10 May: For a second time in recent weeks (see above, 24 April), death threats were found in the offices of health workers’ union ANTHOC, Sabanalarga section. The union is very concerned over these latest actions because it comes at a time when the trade union organisation has increased its activity protesting and fighting against the closure and privatisation of hospitals.

19 May 2007: Ana Silva Melo de Rodriguez, founder and director of the Manuela Beltran union for market traders (SINDIMANUELA), was assassinated.

6 June: in the town of Rionegro, Department of Antioquia, a group of armed men attacked Hernando Melan Cardona, leader of the textile workers’ union SINTRATEXTIL, and his family in their home killing one of his sons and seriously injuring his wife and other son. At the time SINTRATEXTIL were in the process of negotiating a collective agreement.

8 June: The police fired tear gas and bullets against teachers and students taking part in a public demonstration. During the attack, union activist Juan Carlos Martinez Gil of the education workers’ union, was injured along with 14 other protestors.

8 June: paramilitary groups that operate in the south of the country have sent death threats to Javier Dorado, regional coordinator of the CUT federation in Nariño, as well as to other recognised defenders of human rights.

8 June: directors from the company COMPAÑIA MANUFACTURERA ANDINA (CMA) situated in the city of Manizales, have dismissed four members of the manufacturing workers’ union SINTRAIME.

During June: at the 96th ILO Conference Colombia was not included in the list of countries assessed for compliance with ILO Conventions 87 and 98. Representatives of the Workers’ Group asked: “whose interests are being protected by the refusal to discuss this situation”?

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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 must 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 1 337 5890
E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co;

Vicepresident of the Republic of Colombia
Francisco Santos - Consejeria Presidential de Derechos Humanos
Carrera 8A No. 5-57, Santafe de Bogota, COLOMBIA
Fax: +57 1 334 4507 / 772 0130
E-mail: fsantos@presedencia.gov.co

Minister of the Interior and Justice
Sabas Pretelt de la Vega Ministerio del Interior y Justicia
Palacio Echeverry, Carrera 8a, No.8-09, piso 2o., Santafe de Bogota, Colombia
Fax: +57 1 560 4630
E-mail: ministro@minjusticia.gov.co

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