Recent Violence Against Trade Unionists

(Note: These represent a sampling of cases, not an exhaustive list. During the first four months of 2008, the Colombian trade unions reported 23 assassinations of trade unionists. Unless otherwise noted, information comes from the ICTUR.  Translated texts of recent death threats are available here.)

23 April: Jorge Gamboa, the national President of the oil workers’ union USO, suffered an attempt again his life, by armed persons, at the time when the union leader was accompanying a group of workers in the town of San Vicente del Chucurri, Santander Department.

22 April: Guillermo Rivera Fúquene, the President of the local public sector workers’ union SINSERPUB, was ‘disappeared’ while taking his daughter to school.

16 April: Jesús Heberto Caballero Ariza, a local leader of the public sector workers’ union SINDESENA and a member of the human rights committee of the union, was ‘disappeared’. His body was found the next day, with evidence of torture.

10 April: Members of the Agro-mining Federation of the South of Bolivar Department FEDEAGROMISBOL, and other local human rights organisations, received email death threats signed by the paramilitary group ‘Black Eagles’ (Aguilas Negras). The message informed them that they were considered to be military targets and would be killed.

27 March: Manuel de Jesús Reyes Reyes, a leader of the regional agricultural workers’ union SINDAGRICULTORES (affiliated to FENSUAGRO) was taken into detention, illegally, by members of the Colombian army.

22 March: Adolfo Gonzáles Montes, a member of the mineworkers’ union SINTRACARBON, was assassinated in the city of Riohacha, Guajira Department.

18 March: José Gregorio Astros Amaya, a local leader of the prison officers’ union, ASEINPEC, was assassinated in the city of Cartago, Valle Department.

16 March: José Fernando Quiroz, a member of the agricultural workers’ union FENSUAGRO, was assassinated in the town of Puerto Asís, Putumayo Department.

15 March: Manuel Antonia Jiménez, a member of the agricultural workers’ union FENSUAGRO, was assassinated in the town of Puerto Asís, Putumayo Department.

12 March: Víctor Manuel Muñoz, a member of the regional teachers’ union ADUCESAR, was assassinated in the town of Agustín Codazzi, Cesar Department.

12 March: Carlos Burbano, a member of the health workers’ union ANTHOC, was assassinated in the city of San Vicente del Caguan, Caquetá Department.

12 March: Fernanda Bolaños, a member of the public sector workers’ union SINTRAEMSIRVA, received email death threats against its members and specifically naming Fernanda Bolaños, the leader of the union.

11 March: Trade unionists, community leaders, peace activists and human rights defenders have been receiving death threats following the national day to commemorate victims of state violence that was held on 6 March in Colombia and around the world.

8 March: Leonidas Gómez Rozo, a member of the bank workers’ union UNEB, was assassinated in the city of Bogota.

7 March: Gildardo Antonio Gómez Alzate, a member of the regional teachers’ union ADIDA, was assassinated in the city of Medellín, Antioquia Department.

7 March: Rafael Boada, local President of the bank workers’ union UNEB, suffered an attempt again his life. He had recently received death threats.

4 March: Carmen Cecilia Carvajal Ramírez, a member of the regional teachers’ union ASINORT, was assassinated in the city of Ocaña, Norte de Santander Department.

17 February: Mauricio Cubides, a member of the agricultural workers’ union FENSUAGRO, suffered an attempt at enforced disappearance, by armed persons. Later he received death threats.

Health Worker's Union Leader Assassinated

February 13, 2008

Arley Benavides, a leader of the health workers trade union ANTHOC, has
been assassinated in the town of Balboa in Cauca region. (Source: Justice for Colombia)

9 February: Samboni Arley Benavides, a member of the health workers’ union ANTHOC, was assassinated in the town of Balboa, Cauca Department.

9 February: José Giraldo Mamian, a member of the regional teachers’ union ASOINCA, was assassinated in the town of La Vega, Cauca Department.

8 February: Maria del Carmen Mesa Pasochoa, a member of the regional teachers’ union - ASEDAR, was assassinated in the town of Tame, Arauca Department.

2 February: José Martín Duarte Acero, a member of the environment sector workers’ union SINTRAMBIENTE, was assassinated in the town of La Macarena, Meta Department.

Prison Officer's Union Leader Assassinated

January 28, 2008

Unidentified assassins have murdered a regional leader of the prison officers' trade union in Colombia. The killing, on January 28th, occurred as 32-year-old Yebrain Suarez, arrived home from work in the town of Itagui in Antioquia department. The assassins were waiting for him in the doorway of his house.

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) condemned the
latest killing in a letter to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe on
January 29th. The ITUC stated that "Despite recent optimistic
statements by Colombian Vice-President Francisco Santos and other
government officials, Colombian trade unionists still carry out their
legitimate trade union activities at constant risk to their lives, on
top of serious deficiencies in the country's labour laws which impose
major restrictions on trade union rights."

ITUC General Secretary Guy Ryder added "Colombia has a long and
appalling record as the most dangerous place on earth for trade
unionists, with dozens of killings taking place each year. Only a tiny
fraction of these have been investigated properly. The government must
fulfill its responsibility to protect trade unionists and end the
culture of impunity which has reigned for so long."

Union General Secretary Shot and Killed by Soldiers

January 24, 2008

55-year-old Israel Gonzalez, the General Secretary of the
Colombian trade union ASTRACATOL and an active member of the Polo
Democratico opposition political party has been shot dead by soldiers
of the 'Caicedo' Battalion of the Colombian Army. The killing, which
took place at 7.15am on January 24th as Mr Gonzalez prepared breakfast
for himself and his wife at their home, comes only months after he had
led a protest of over 20,000 workers in the region in which he lived.

Mr Gonzalez, a father of four who led the Association of Country
Workers of Tolima (ASTRACATOL), had also recently been elected as
President of the 'Community Action Council' in the town of Mesetas. The
town, which is in Tolima department, was also where he was killed.

His wife, Clara Inés Bocanegre, witnessed the soldiers murder
her husband. She was then, whilst still in a state of shock, subjected
to an intense interrogation by them.

(Source: Justice for Colombia)

24 January: Israel González, a member of the agricultural workers’ union FENSUAGRO, was assassinated in the town of San Antonio, Tolima Department.

12 January: Ramiro de Jesús Pérez Zapata, a member of the regional teachers’ union of Antioquia ADIDA, was assassinated in the town of San Jerónimo, Antioquia Department.

2 January: Mario Zuluaga, a member of the health workers’ union ASMEDAS, was assassinated in the city of Medellin, Antioquia Department.

SINALTRAINAL Leaders Receive Threats

Leaders of the Colombian food and drink workers trade union
SINALTRAINAL received written paramilitary death threats yesterday and
the day before telling them that they will be killed if they do not
give up their trade union activities.

Yesterday's (December 7th) threats arrived at the union's
offices in the city of Bucaramanga and specifically named national
union president Javier Correa and regional leader Luis Eduardo Garcia.
The previous day another of the union's regional leaders, Jose Domingo
Flores, found a threat left in the garage of his home in the 'Los Andes
de Floridablanca' neighbourhood of Bucaramanga.

Two Members of Teachers Union Killed in Antioquia in September 2007

The most recent killing, on Wednesday 19th September, was of
Rosalino Palacios Mosquera an English-language teacher in the town of
Bello in Antioquia department. The 39-year-old was gunned down as she
walked with her brother through the town. Her brother also died during
the attack.

On 12th September Alberto Valencia Correa, the head of a small
primary school in the Envigado region of Antioquia, was also
assassinated. In addition Augusto Ramirez Atehortua, a teacher in the
'La Inmaculada' school in the town of Guarne, also in Antioquia, was
murdered the previous week on September 6th.

According to the CUT document received by Justice for Colombia
another assassination took place on June 23rd. This time the victim was
Julio Cesar Gomez Cano, the leader of the regional branch of FECODE,
known as ADIDA.

The CUT reports that these latest killings bring the number of
assassinations of trade unionists in the department of Antioquia alone
to over 1000 (one thousand) of whom 257 have been members of
ADIDA-FECODE.

To read the original CUT document in Spanish please visit their website.

(*Source: Justice for Colombia)

Three Union Activists Reportedly Killed by Colombian Military in Putamayo

At 3.30pm on September 8th soldiers of the 13th Brigade of the
Colombian Army illegally detained trade union activists Simon Corena
and Gentil Yascuaran Pai in the village of Amarradero in Orito
municipality, Putumayo department. An hour later they detained another
trade unionist, Feliciano Obando, in the neighbouring village of
Rancheria.

The following day friends and family of the three men went
to the local military base in the town of Orito to ask after them. The
military told then that "they didn't have them, but that they had heard that there was combat in the area and that three guerrillas had been killed."
The United Nations has repeatedly criticised the Colombian Army for
murdering civilians and then claiming that they were guerrillas killed
in combat. All three union activists were involved in organising the
protests.

(*Source: Justice for Colombia)

Other Violations in 2007

Unless otherwise noted, the following reports come from the Colombia Bulletin of the International Centre for Trade Union Rights (ICTUR).

8 June, 2007: 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, 2007: 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.

6 June, 2007: 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.

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

10 May, 2007: 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.

8 May, 2007: 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.

3 May, 2007: 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.

30 April, 2007: 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).

30 April, 2007: 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.

28 April, 2007: 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.

26 April, 2007: 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.

24 April, 2007: Ubaldo Galindo Ávila, President of the health workers' union ANTHOC, received death threats along with other local trade unionists.

22 April, 2007: 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.

11 April, 2007: 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.

7 March, 2007: 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'.