May Day in Colombia: Another SINTRAINAGRO Leader Murdered

Posted to the IUF website 08-May-2003

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With great sorrow and anger we inform you of the murder of another officer of the Colombian rural workers union SINTRAINAGRO. Juan de Jes�s G�mez, president of the local SINTRAINAGRO organization of Minas, in the municipality of San Mart�n, Cesar department, was gunned down on May 1 in the city of San Alberto.

SINTRAINAGRO, in an official release, has stated that his murder can only benefit employers hostile to collective bargaining with workers and their trade union organizations. G�mez and the union he led had been seeking unsuccessfully to get the palm oil company Palmas del Cesar S.A. to the negotiating table. Despite the union's declared willingness to negotiate compromises on issues concerning productivity and the organization of work, the company management had rejected all negotiations and was instead firing SINTRAINAGRO members and bribing others to leave the union. SINTRAINAGRO's requests to meet with the government ministry for social protection in connection with the conflict had all gone unanswered.

The murder of Jes�s G�mez brings to over 130 the number of union leaders murdered in Colombia over the past year. To date, no one has been prosecuted or even detained by the authorities in connection with these serial murders.

Some two weeks ago we reported that protection for union vice-president Guillermo Rivera (scheduled to take over again as SINTRAINAGRO president) had been restored after being removed from him and other union leaders who had previously benefited from police protection earlier this year. Clearly, the existing level of protection provided by the state is not enough to ensure the lives of trade union members and leaders in Colombia. Some 425 SINTRAINAGRO members and officers have now been murdered. We urge you to join with us in calling on the Colombian authorities to ensure that all trade union leaders in Colombia who request protection by the state are given adequate levels of protection, without conditions.

Sample Message to the President of Colombia

to: Dr. Alvaro Uribe V�lez
Presidente de la Rep�blica
Fax: + 571 566 2071/+ 571 334 1323
E-Mail: [email protected]

Ministro del Interior y Justicia
Dr. Fernando Londo�o Hoyos
Fax: + 571 566 4573
E-Mail: [email protected]

Sr. Presidente,

Juan de Jes�s G�mez, presidente de la organizaci�n local de SINTRAINAGRO de Minas, en la municipalidad de San Mart�n, departamento Cesar, fue baleado de muerte el 1 de mayo en la ciudad de San Alberto. G�mez y el sindicato que dirig�a hab�an procurado infructuosamente llevar a la compa��a de aceite de palma, Palmas del Cesar S.A. a la mesa de negociaciones. En lugar de negociar un convenio colectivo con el sindicato, la direcci�n de la compa��a estaba despidiendo a miembros de SINTRAINAGRO y sobornando a otros para que dejaran el sindicato.

M�s de 425 dirigentes y miembros de SINTRAINAGRO han sido asesinados desde que se fund� el sindicato. M�s de 130 dirigentes sindicales han sido asesinados en su pa�s durante el a�o pasado.

En vista de este r�cord sin paralelo de violencia antisindical, es esencial que su gobierno proporcione sin condiciones las necesarias medidas de protecci�n para todos los dirigentes de SINTRAINAGRO y de otros sindicatos que soliciten protecci�n.

Dado que su gobierno no ha investigado, apresado y procesado a los perpetradores de estos asesinatos y en ausencia de tal protecci�n, el movimiento sindical y la opini�n p�blica democr�tica a nivel internacional considerar�n a las autoridades colombianas directamente responsables de las vidas y bienestar de los dirigentes sindicales de su pa�s.

Esperamos medidas inmediatas de su parte.

Atentamente,

cc: SINTRAINAGRO
E-Mail: [email protected]
Fax: 57 4 828 5088

UNAC
E-Mail: [email protected]
Fax: +571 245 44 71

Mr. President,
Juan de Jes�s G�mez, president of the local SINTRAINAGRO organization of Minas, in the municipality of San Mart�n, Cesar department, was gunned down on May 1 in the city of San Alberto. G�mez and the union he led had been seeking unsuccessfully to get the palm oil company Palmas del Cesar S.A. to the negotiating table. Rather than negotiate a collective agreement with the union, company management had been firing SINTRAINAGRO members and bribing others to leave the union.
More than 425 officers and members of SINTRAINAGRO have been murdered since the union was founded. Over 130 trade union leaders have been murdered in your country over the past year.
In view of this unparalleled record of anti-union violence, it is essential that your government provide, without condition, the necessary protective measures for all leaders of SINTRAINAGRO and other trade unions who request such protection.
Given your government's failure to investigate these murders and apprehend and prosecute the perpetrators, and in the absence of the necessary protective measures, the trade union movement and democratic public opinion internationally will hold the Colombian authorities directly accountable for the lives and wellbeing of your country's trade union leaders.
I look forward to immediate action on your part.
Sincerely

Kindly send copies to the secretariat of any messages you might send. We thank you in advance for your solidarity and support.