The International Centre for Trade Union Rights

COLOMBIA BULLETIN 22: 29 June 2004

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

During past month ICTUR has received the following reports from Colombia, including serious violations of trade union rights:
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

14 May: Human rights lawyer Pedro Julio Mahecha Avila was harassed by state security officers from DAS. The judicial office of DAS later confirmed that DAS officers were responsible.

1 June: Jorge Eliécer Gil, a member of the executive committee of the mine workers' union FUNTRAENERGETICA- CUT, and Rafael Tobon and Hector Cortes, leaders of the Segovia branch of the mine workers' union SINTRAMINERGETICA, were detained by the police. The detentions came during on ongoing labour conflict that exists between Frontino Gold Mines, where the three trade unionists are employed.

7 June: Carlos Gonzalez and Gustavo Tacuma, members of the Cali public service workers' union SINTRAEMCALI were sent an explosive package. Due to the explosion, the former lost his hand and the latter is still in hospital in a critical condition.

8 June: the workers of the state mining company Minercol and members of the state sector mining unions SINTRAMINERCOL, SINTRAMIN and SINTRACARBON, were physically attacked by company managers while they were staging a peaceful protest in front of the Bogotá office of the Swiss corporation Holcim. MINERCOL is currently in the process of being liquidated, which will result in the dissolution of the three trade unions. The Swiss corporation was targeted for protest as it is poised to take over the roel of MINERCOL

8 June: the banana plantation workers' union SINATRAINAGRO ended their 14-day strike in victory in the region of Urabá. A new collective agreement was signed which preserves the permanent employment status of the workers and provides for an eight percent increase in their salaries.

11 June: confrontations between the police and the temporary workers of Ecopetrol occurred in Barrancabermeja where the state oil company is preventing their return to the plant as retaliation against their participation in a national strike throughout May.

11 June: Eliécer Florez, treasurer of the Executive Committee of the peasant farmers' union SINDEAGRICULTORES, was detained by members of the intelligence service in Sincelejo, Department of Sucre. On the same day, Luis Miguel Gomez, president of the same trade union, was detained in Coloso, Department of Sucre.

12 June: the members of the music band 'Pasajeros' were detained in Medellin after taking part in events organised by the Antioquia branch of the national trade union confederation CUT.

17 June: several members of the oil workers' union USO were violently restrained by the police while they were staging a peaceful protest in Barrancabermeja. Nine workers were beaten and other nine were detained.

18 June: Luz Perly Cordoba and Juan de Jesús Gutierres Ardila, leaders of the Arauca Peasants' Association were refused bail, although it is mandated by law after 120 days detention.

22 June: Hugo Fernando Castillo Sánchez, bodyguard of leaders of the iron and steel workers union SINTRAMETAL YUMBO, and his wife Diana Ximena Zúñiga were murdered in Cali.

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

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 1 566 2071
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: 00 57 1 566 2386
E-mail: fsantos@presedencia.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 1 566 3234
E-mail: ministro@minjusticia.gov.co

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

END
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

To receive the ICTUR Colmbia urgent action bulletin by email every fortnight please enter your email address below and click 'submit', or email us directly on ictur@ictur.org.