Murders of Trade Unionists Up in 2006; Colombia Government Report on Impunity: Abysmal

March 9, 2007:  The number of trade unionists murdered in 2006 rose slightly over the previous year, according to a report released today by the leading non-governmental organization on labor issues in Colombia.

The report documents 72 trade unionists murdered in Colombia in 2006, up from the 70 murdered in 2005. Once again, more trade unionists were murdered in Colombia than in the rest of the world combined. The report, from the Escuela Nacional Sindical, is not yet available on the web.

The Colombian government also recently released a report summarizing convictions of murderers of trade unionists. The report confirms an impunity rate of 98% under the Uribe government, with only 7 convictions for the over 400 murders of trade unionists that have taken place since Uribe came to office. And the rate of impunity is getting worse: there has been only 1 conviction for the 236 murders committed in the last three years. Read the report from the Colombian government and the USLEAP analysis, or Take Action Here!