INTERNATIONAL LABOUR COLOMBIA:

STOP VALE UNION BUSTING IN COLOMBIA:

The other year workers in Ontario and Newfoundland were "treated" to an exhibition of just how hard hearted and tight fisted the international mining giant Vale is. But Canada and Brazil are only two countries that figure in the global assets of the company. In Colombia Vale goes even further in its disdain for workers and democracy. Here's a petition from the online labour solidarity site Labour Start asking people to protest Vale's tactics in Colombia.

********************
Colombia: Tell Vale no more union busting
As if it wasn’t hard enough for unions to operate in Colombia, now Vale wants to make it harder. Workers at global giant Vale’s El Hatillo coal mine in Colombia recently organized with the union SINTRAMIENERGETICA and presented modest bargaining demands. Rather than negotiate, Vale has attempted to dictate the process by which the union formulates its demands. Vale supervisors have threatened every worker with dismissal unless they renounce the union. Vale’s superintendent locked one union supporter in his office and threatened him to the point that the supporter showed symptoms of a heart attack and was hospitalized in serious condition. The majority of workers at El Hatillo are subcontracted which also limits their right to organize.

********************

The Letter:

Please go to this link to send the following message to the President of Colombia and the Vale management:

********************
Dear Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos and Vale Colombia CEO Zenaldo Olivera,

We demand that you respect the fundamental rights of workers employed at Vale’s El Hatillo coal mine in Colombia. Vale must cease its obstruction tactics and threats. It must recognize the union that these workers have organized with, SINTRAMIENERGETICA, and negotiate in good faith. The Government of Colombia must ensure that the fundamental rights of workers employed at Vale and those of all other Colombian workers are respected. Specifically, the Government must ensure that companies cannot use cooperatives or other subcontracting arrangements to deprive workers of their basic rights.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR COLOMBIA:

COLOMBIAN FLOWER WORKERS FACE BITTER STRIKE SOLIDARITY NEEDED:



It's the holiday season, and floral gifts are a large part of tradition at this time of year. Yet down Colombia way those who grow the flowers are facing some very scrooge-like employers who aren't reluctant to use violence against their employees. Here's the story and appeal for solidarity from the US Labor Education in the Americas Project (LEAP).

••••••••••••••••••••
URGENT ACTION:

Colombian Flower Workers Strike to Protest Wage Theft!‏
Sent: December 1, 2010 4:31:01 PM

Hundreds of flower workers in Colombia have gone on strike to protest the failure of the country’s largest grower to pay wages and legally-required benefits. The recent strikes began on November 16 when flower workers at the Guacarí plantation in Zipaquira, Colombia, near Bogotá, went on strike in response to Floramerica’s labor rights violations. These include withholding pay for more than a month and neglecting to provide other legally-required benefits for several months, including social security and health insurance.



On December 1, workers at several of the company’s other plantations went on strike as well. Workers were not paid on November 15 or 30, and have not received benefits for months. Union leaders are concerned that the company will use the current crisis as an opportunity to replace permanent workers with contract labor.



Take Action Now!



The struggle at the Guacarí plantation highlights the systemic labor rights violations affecting flower workers in Colombia. On September 7, 2010, workers on the Guacarí plantation organized a union in response to the company’s failure to pay its workers in more than a month or make the legally-required health care and social security contributions for more than three months. Soon after the formation of the new union, Sintraguacarí, affiliated to Untraflores, seven prominent union members were illegally fired.



On September 18, the Sintraguacarí union went on strike, facing violence as the police used tear gas and physical force to intimidate strikers. Several workers were injured.



Guacarí is one of the plantations owned by Floramerica, which took over Dole’s flower operations in Colombia in 2009.



When Sintraguacarí met with representatives of Floramerica and the Ministry of Social Protection (Colombia’s Labor Ministry) on September 22, the company refused to give a timetable for paying workers and would not accept the union’s demands. Floramerica maintains that it is unable to pay workers as a result of the appreciation of the Colombian peso, and that it is incumbent upon the Colombian government to take action to address the issue.



Today, the situation remains the same. The company has not paid its workers in more than a month or made the legally-required health care and social security contributions for more than three months.



On December 1, workers at the Fragancia and Splendor plantations, where unions won collective bargaining agreements in 2008 with the support of USLEAP and others, went on strike. Workers were not paid on November 15 or 30, and have not received benefits for months. Union leaders are concerned that the company will use the crisis to replace permanent workers with contract or “indirect” workers who have virtually no legal protections and cannot form a union.



According to the Sunburst Farms website, the Nannetti Family purchased Floramerica-Sunburst Farms from Dole Fresh Flowers on January 16, 2009, creating one of the largest flower growing and distributing operations in the world. Although Sunburst has claimed in e-mails to USLEAP that it is only the flower distributor for Floramerica and is therefore relieved of responsibility to Colombian workers, its website defines Floramerica as the “growing operation of Sunburst Farms.” Regardless, it is the responsibility of both growers and distributors to ensure that they treat their workers with dignity and respect and abide by national labor laws.



Ironically, the Guacarí plantation is Rainforest Alliance-certified, highlighted on the Sunburst website as evidence of the company’s commitment to corporate social responsibility. Rainforest Alliance has agreed to look into the situation, but it remains to be seen if Rainforest will respond effectively to the blatant violation of labor rights standards at this plantation.



To learn more about flower worker rights and economic justice, visit the USLEAP website.



Take action now! Urge Sunburst Farms to respect the basic rights of workers at the Guacarí, Fragancia Herradura, Fragancia Ipanema, and Splendor El Rosal plantations and negotiate with democratic unions to ensure that workers receive what they are legally owed and are not replaced by contract or “indirect” labor. Simultaneously, urge the Colombian Minister of Social Protection to hold Floramerica-Sunburst responsible for past and present violations of worker rights.
••••••••••••••••••••
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Colombian authorities and to the management of Sunburst Corporation.
••••••••••••••••••••
The Honorable Mauricio Santamaría Salamanca
Minister of Social Protection
Ministry of Social Protection
Bogota, Colombia

Mr. Geno Valdes
President
Sunburst Farms
Miami, FL 33122

Dear Minister Santamaría Salamanca and Mr. Valdes:

As a U.S. consumer concerned about the treatment of workers producing the goods I buy, I write to express grave concern over reports I have received about flower workers in Colombia who produce for the U.S. market, and the struggle of workers at Floramerica (Sunburst) plantations such as Guacarí, Fragancia Herradura, Fragancia Ipanema, and Splendor El Rosal.

At the Guacari plantation, for example, workers have been asking to be paid their legally required benefits and back pay for more than three months. A protest launched on September 18 was met with violence, followed by negotiations with the Colombian Ministry of Social Protection on September 22. I understand that workers resumed their strike at the Guacarí plantation on Tuesday, November 16 to protest not being paid October wages and other legally-required benefits, including health and social security pensions, family assistance subsidies, bonuses, and aid for purchasing uniforms. On December 1, workers at the Fragancia Herradura, Fragancia Ipanema, and Splendor El Rosal plantations also went on strike in opposition to not receiving paychecks or benefits for the month of November.

United States trade policy permits flowers to enter the U.S. duty-free so long as Colombia takes steps to respect the basic rights of workers. In addition, Sunburst Farms promotes the fact that Rainforest Alliance has certified that flower plantations producing for Sunburst Farms meet minimum social standards. Failure to pay workers their legally-required pay and benefits falls far short of fulfilling basic labor rights and meeting minimum social standards.

I respectfully request that Floramerica and Sunburst Farms meet its legal obligations, providing back pay and all legally-required benefits, and respectfully request that the Ministry of Social Protection enforce the law to ensure that the workers at the Finca Guacarí and all plantations associated with Sunburst Farms are provided their legally-mandated wages and benefits. I also urge the company not to replace permanent workers with contract, temporary, or “indirect” workers, and that you negotiate with Sintraguacari, Sintrasplendor, Untrafagrancia, Untraflores, and the CUT (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia) to come to a quick, fair resolution.

Update: I have just learned that on December 1, Floramerica reportedly sent in thugs to beat and intimidate workers at the Guacarí Plantation, and that they replaced strikers with subcontracted labor. Reports also reveal that all permanent Guacarí workers resigned in protest to the violence and financial insecurity. I strongly urge Sunburst to end its support of violence and union busting, and the Ministry of Social Protection to take swift action against such a flagrant disregard for Colombian law, bringing to justice those who perpetrated the violence.


Sincerely,

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR COLOMBIA:

FREE ROSALBA GAVIRIA TORO:

For over a year and a half Colombian trade unionist Rosalba Gaviria Toro has been jailed for "rebellion" by the Colombian authorities. Her real "crimes" are her union and human rights work in the country deemed to be "the most dangerous for trade unionists in the world". The following appeal to petition the Colombia authorities for her release comes from the online labour solidarity site Labour Start.

▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼
Colombia: Free jailed trade unionist Rosalba Gaviria Toro
On 9th March 2009 Rosalba Gaviria Toro, a member of FENSUAGRO, the Colombian Agricultural Workers' Trade Union was detained and accused of 'rebellion'. She has been imprisoned since then in Villa Cristina jail in the city of Armenia, without being convicted of any crime. Rosalba has been an active trade unionist and human rights activist for many years, however, the Colombian authorities have described her as a 'terrorist' - jeopardizing her right to a fair judicial process. There is no legitimate evidence against Rosalba and it would seem that, like so many other political prisoners in Colombia, she has been jailed to silence her and prevent her from carrying out her legitimate work in defense of trade union and human rights.

▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to the Colombian authorities.

▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼▼

I am writing to express my concern about the case of Rosalba Gaviria Toro, the Colombian trade unionist and human rights defender detained 9th March 2009, accused of "rebellion" and "conspiracy to commit a crime". She has been imprisoned for more than 19 months in Villa Cristina Prison, Armenia, without being convicted of any crime. There is no legitimate evidence against Mrs Gaviria and it therefore appears that her incarceration is politically motivated. It is clear that she is a dedicated trade union activist who has been targeted as a result of her work, like so many other Colombian political prisoners. The practice of detaining members of civil society for their participation in legitimate organisations violates fundamental human rights. We therefore urge you to ensure that Ms. Gaviria is given a fair trial and that she is released as her innocence demands.

HUMAN RIGHTS:

NO LECTURES FROM WAR CRIMINALS:

This appeal in recently from the School of the Americas Watch. The ex-president of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe, is due to give a series of lectures at Georgetown University as a "distinguished scholar". During his tenure as President Colombia earned the distinction of being the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unionist. Here's the story and appeal from the SOAW.

SOAWSOAWSOAW
U.S. and Colombia

Keep Colombian Ex-President Alvaro Uribe out of Georgetown and send him packing to La Picota prison in Colombia!
Take Action Here

Georgetown University has recently announced that former Colombian president Álvaro Uribe will be named a "distinguished scholar in the practice of global leadership," and will soon begin giving seminars at the university's Edmund A. Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS). Uribe has said it is a "great honor" for him, and that his "greatest wish and happiness is to contribute in the continuous emergence of future leaders."

Uribe's 8-year tenure in Colombia was rife with corruption, human rights violations and widespread impunity. In a letter in June to the White House, Human Rights Watch expressed "serious concerns" about the Uribe administration's record on and commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law.


◘◘ More than 3 million Colombians (out of a population of about 40 million) have been forced to flee their homes, giving Colombia the second-largest population of internally displaced persons in the world after Sudan.


◘◘ More than 70 members of the Colombian Congress are under criminal investigation or have been convicted for allegedly collaborating with the paramilitaries. Nearly all these congresspersons are members of President Uribe's coalition in Congress, and the Uribe administration repeatedly undermined the investigations and discredited the Supreme Court justices who started them.


◘◘ Colombia has the highest rate of killings of trade unionists in the world.


◘◘ A clandestine gravesite of 2,000 non-identified bodies was recently discovered directly beside a military base in La Macarena, in central Colombia. When the news became public, Uribe flew to the Macarena and said publicly that accusing the armed forces of human rights abuses was a tactic used by the guerrilla. These comments put the lives of those victims who spoke at the event in grave danger.


◘◘ Starting in 2008, reports came out that the Colombian military was luring poor young men from their homes with promises of employment, then killing them and presenting them as combat casualties. The practice not only served to stack battle statistics, but also financially benefited the soldiers involved, as Uribe's government had, since 2005, awarded monetary and vacation bonuses for each insurgent killed. Human rights groups cite 3,000 or more "false positives".


Students, community activists and religious leaders have already spoken out against the university's decision, and will be planning actions of protest for this fall.

Take action NOW, by signing this letter to Georgetown University President, Mr. John J. DeGioia.

SOAWSOAWSOAW

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to send the following letter to the President of Georgetown University.

SOAWSOAWSOAW

Mr. DeGioia,

As a person concerned with human rights, I believe that it is not only unacceptable but also completely unethical for Georgetown University to give Colombia’s ex-president Álvaro Uribe the title of “distinguished scholar in the practice of global leadership.” This sends the message that Georgetown University is not committed to upholding human rights or its own professed Jesuit values. I demand that Georgetown sides with the victims of human rights abuses and not with the perpetrators. Uribe is a criminal, and therefore not suitable to teach at a prestigious university such as Georgetown.

Uribe’s eight-year tenure in Colombia was rife with corruption, human rights violations and widespread impunity. In a letter in June 2009 to the White House, the NGO Human Rights Watch expressed “serious concerns” about the Uribe administration's record on and commitment to human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. Uribe’s accusations against union leaders, teachers, and members of the Supreme Court, which have seriously threatened their lives and caused multiple human rights abuses. Along with his cooperation in anti-opposition attacks, he is suspected to be involved in multiple scandals in which more than 70 of his allies in the Colombian Congress were under criminal investigation for links to paramilitary groups and corruption.

Charges by human rights organizations against Uribe include, but are not limited to, collaboration with paramilitary groups in the “false positives” scandal, which entailed luring 3,000 or more poor young men to their deaths, posing them as guerillas fighters and paying bonuses to the soldiers responsible. His legacy also includes extensive illegal phone tapping, email interception, and surveillance of critics of his administration. Not only was Uribe a destabilizing force in the region, but under Uribe’s presidency, there was also a significant rise in extrajudicial killings of civilians, and specific targetting of labor leaders, attributed to the Colombian Army, well as millions displaced from Colombians and other bordering nations. In addition, under Uribe’s administration the Colombian government violated international humanitarian law by wrongly using the Red Cross emblem in a hostage situation.

We urge you to rethink your decision about hiring Uribe as a member of your staff, and instead insist that Uribe stand trial and undergo an investigation for the human rights abuses that took place under his presidency. Unless you believe that corruption, violence and scandals are valuable tools for your students, as the President of Georgetown University, it is imperative that you take a stance on the side of justice and denounce Uribe’s human rights violations by terminating his connection with your university. Uribe should not be honored by Georgetown’s academic prestige, but should instead pay for the crimes that he committed.

Sincerely,

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS-COLOMBIA:

FREE CARMELO AGAMEZ:

The South American country of Colombia is one of the most dangerous places on Earth to be either a trade unionist or a human rights activist. While the US government is on record as tying further aid to an improvement in human rights the Colombian government continues to use bogus charges as a political weapon against its opponents. One of these opponents is Carmelo Agamez. The Human Rights First group is campaigning for his release and the end of US aid until the Colombian government cases its frame-ups. Here's the story and petition.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Stand Up for Colombian Human Rights Activists:

Urge the State Department to Enforce Conditions in U.S. Aid to Colombia
Colombian human rights activists are routinely targeted by prosecutors using trumped-up charges to stigmatize and silence them. Read more about defenders in Colombia.

Human Rights First documented these abuses in a report last year--and we've seen progress: dozens of activists have been released and Congress passed an appropriations law that put a condition on U.S. aid requiring the Colombian government not to persecute human rights defenders.

Colombia is not holding up on its end of the bargain.

Sign our petition to the State Department asking that it enforce U.S. conditions to aid–-and protect human rights activists unjustly detained or harassed.
CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

THE PETITION:

Please go to this link to send the following petition to the US State Department.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
We are concerned about the Colombian government’s treatment of human rights activists--particularly the unjust detention of Carmelo Agamez--which violates the new condition on U.S. foreign aid to Colombia that requires the Colombian government to respect the rights of activists. We urge you to encourage the Colombian Prosecutor General to close the baseless prosecution of Agamez.

Agamez has spent over one year in jail in Sincelejo, based on the testimony of witnesses he helped put in jail. He has still not faced trial. He is being detained on charges of conspiring with paramilitaries--charges which are implausible given that he has spent his career exposing links between paramilitary leaders and corrupt local politicians. In 2006 he was even included in a paramilitary "death list" and received numerous death threats. Prosecutors in the case will not even say when Agamez supposedly met with paramilitaries, denying him the ability to provide an alibi and infringing on his due process rights.

Colombian officials agree that his prosecution is problematic. Last year, the Superior Tribunal of Sucre found that the prosecutor violated Agamez's rights by failing to inform him promptly of the charges against him. The Attorney General also issued a resolution in which he ordered a criminal investigation of the prosecutor, Rodolfo Martinez Mendoza, for alleged corruption in connection with his baseless prosecution of Agamez. Mendoza is currently in prison. Despite high level governmental recognition of numerous violations of his rights, to date Agamez remains in prison without any scheduled trial. His case is one of the many examples of a state policy of harassment designed to silence the voices of Colombian civil society.

Agamez's treatment by the Colombian state breaches the condition contained in section 7046(b)(1)(B)(iv) the 2010 Foreign Operations Appropriations Law, which requires the Colombian government to respect the rights of human rights defenders. According to the law, a proportion of US aid to Colombia shall be released only if:

“The Government of Colombia is respecting the rights of human rights defenders, journalists, trade unionists, political opposition and religious leaders, and indigenous and Afro-Colombian communities, and the Colombian Armed Forces are implementing procedures to distinguish between civilians, including displaced persons, and combatants in their operations.”

Through its foreign assistance laws, the U.S. should encourage the Colombian government to end its judicial persecution of human rights defenders. The baseless prosecution and unjust detention of Carmelo Agamez is clear evidence that the Colombian government is not respecting the rights of defenders and demonstrates that section 7046(b)(1)(B)(iv) is being violated.

Until the government of Colombia takes concrete action to end the baseless prosecution of human rights defenders, I urge you not to certify that Colombia is meeting the human rights standards required by U.S. appropriations law. I also urge you to encourage the Colombian Prosecutor General to grant Agamez’s request to close the criminal investigation against him.

Thank you for your attention in this urgent matter.

INTERNATIONAL POLITICS/CANADIAN LABOUR:
CLC STATEMENT AGAINST THE CANADA-COLOMBIA FREE TRADE AGREEMENT:



The following is the official statement from the Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) about the proposed Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement that will likely come up on the order bill in this session of Parliament. Colombia is, of course, the "deadliest" nation in the world for trade unionists today, not necessarily because of government expression but because of official tolerance of extra-judicial murder. Here's the CLC statement.
CLCLCLCLCLCLCLCL
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement a Betrayal of Commitments

The Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement appears to be moving toward reality in this session of Parliament unless Canadians speak out loudly and contact their Member of Parliament.

The government reintroduced legislation to implement the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement on March 9. Debating the new bill in Parliament on March 24, the Liberal trade critic Scott Brison proposed an amendment that was accepted by the government and could fast-track the bill’s passage.

A bad bill just gets worse with this amendment. In 2008, an all-party Commons Committee recommended that an impartial human rights impact assessment by a competent body before Canada even considers ratifying a trade agreement with Colombia.

With the proposed amendment, the trade agreement would be implemented and Colombia will assess its own human rights record and report on it annually.

The Colombian government has already been preparing its own reports on labour rights violations for the International Labour Organization for decades, and yet the murder of trade unionists persists. 45 trade unionists were killed in 2009, maintaining Colombia’s dubious record of being the most dangerous country to be a trade union leader.

The Colombian government is deeply mired in human rights violations. Asking a country which allows its security forces to engage in the murder of its own citizens, as documented by the UN High Commission for Human Rights in a November 2008 report, to assess its own human rights record is a mockery. This is no where near the independent human rights assessment that unions and human rights organizations, and indeed Canada’s parliamentarians called for in 2008.

The Canadian Labour Congress calls on all Members of Parliament to vote no to free trade with Colombia.

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS-COLOMBIA:

DEATH THREATS AGAINST COLOMBIAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST:

The following story and appeal for solidarity is from the School of the America's Watch, and it is for solidarity is pressuring the USA to cease its support for the murderous regime in place in Colombia.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

Death Threat against Martha Giraldo:

Martha Giraldo, a Colombian human rights activist and a featured speaker at the 2009 November vigil to close the SOA (video), was subjected to a chilling death threat earlier this week in Cali, Colombia. Two SUVs with tinted windows -- the vehicle of choice of Colombian assassins -- tried to run her car off of the road. As they pulled up beside her, they pulled out guns and pointed them at her. They never fired a shot, but the message was clear: we can kill you, and if you don't keep quiet, we will.

Martha Giraldo and her family continue to tell the truth about how the Colombian army killed her father, a campesino, and dressed him up in guerrilla clothing to make the murder look like a "combat kill." Colombian human rights organizations report that extrajudicial executions of civilians by the Colombian Armed Forces is on the rise. Please take two minutes out of your day today to call one of the Colombia specialists at the State Department, Terry Steers-Gonzalez (202-647-4173) or Susan Sanford (202-647-3142). Click here for the message Martha would like you to communicate.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

A Letter Too:

The School of the America's Watch is also asking people to send the following letter to the Obama Administration. Please go to This Link to send the following letter to 'Mr Change' and his boys and girls.

♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣

The recent death threat against Martha Giraldo, who had spoken out about her father's murder in Colombia, illustrates once more the dire situation that people who are speaking up for justice are facing in Colombia.

I am urging you to stand with people like Martha Giraldo, to stand for justice in Colombia and to abandon the failed U.S. policy of relying on the repressive Colombian military to protect U.S. interests. I am urging you to end U.S. military bases in Latin America, to stop U.S. military aid to Colombia and to issue an executive order to shut down the School of the Americas, now known as the Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation (SOA/ WHINSEC)
cc: Ambassador Brownfield
Sincerely,

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS-COLOMBIA:

SUPPORT PRINCIPE GABRIEL GONZALEZ:

The following appeal is from the Human Rights First group. Molly last reported on the case of Principe Gonzalez last October when the US government was threatening to deny him a visit to come and speak in the USA. He did, in fact, get the visa, but now the Colombian government is continuing its campaign to silence him via trumped up charges of being a member of the FARC. Here's the story of what is happening now.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC
Help Colombian Activist Threatened with Jail:‏
Human rights activist Gabriel Gonzalez is facing prison for bogus charges.

You can help.

Fighting to free political prisoners was Principe Gabriel Gonzalez' life's work - until he became one.

The Colombian government brought trumped-up charges against him to intimidate him and to send a message to other human rights leaders like him. Human Rights First, with your support, worked to free Gabriel from prison so he could continue his vital human rights advocacy in Colombia.

But Gabriel again faces 7 more years in prison, and he needs our help to advocate on his behalf. Stand up for him!

Human Rights First awarded Gabriel our annual Human Rights Award last October - and we brought him to Washington to testify before Congress and to meet with government officials we are now urging to act on his behalf. Help show that public support is behind him.

We have pledged to stand by Gabriel in his struggle to advance human rights in the face of threats and intimidation. Now is the time to deliver on that promise.
On behalf of Gabriel, thank you.
Sincerely,
Sharon Kelly Communications Director
P.S.: Check out his story covered in an LA Times editorial last week.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

THE LETTER:

Please go to this link to read more background information about this case and to send the following letter to United states officials asking that they intervene on behalf of Principe Gonzalez.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

I write to express my concern about the baseless prosecution of Colombian activist Gabriel Gonzalez .

I am aware that members of your department also met with Gabriel and I wanted to draw your attention to a recent Los Angeles Times editorial about his case. Gabriel has been the victim of a baseless criminal prosecution alleging his membership in the FARC guerrilla forces.

When he testified before the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission (convened by Chair McGovern) and met with your office in October 2009 he had already been detained for 15 months, acquitted and then convicted again on the same specious charges.

Now the Colombian Supreme Court has denied the admissibility of Gabriel’s final request for an extraordinary remedy. Gabriel faces the prospect of serving another 7 years of unjust detention.

I am alarmed that the Colombian Inspector-General’s office (procuraduria) has spearheaded the campaign to put Gabriel back in prison. USAID administers approximately $3 million of annual aid to this institution. I believe that the U.S. government should be levering this aid to ensure much better performance and to ensure that the Inspector General intervenes consistently to recommend the closure of specious cases rather than appealing baseless convictions.

I urge you to express your concern about Gabriel’s case to the Colombian Inspector-General’s office and the Prosecutor-General’s office (fiscalia) (as expressed in the 2007 State department human rights report) . Gabriel’s case number is 68001-3104-008-2006-00179-01 (NI 061138) (Casacion No 32,145). I understand that Gabriel will file another appeal before the Colombian courts shortly and once filed I hope that you will contact these two institutions to urge them to acquiesce to Gabriel’s legal motions and put an end to the legal proceedings.

Gabriel’s case is just the tip of the iceberg – as Human Rights First documented in its February 2009 report the use of specious criminal investigations to silence activists is widespread in Colombia. Gabriel’s case demonstrates the need for systemic reform.

I urge you to make sure that U.S. aid to the Colombia prosecutor general’s office is used to ensure that a unit in Bogotá, such as the humanitarian affairs unit, coordinates the review of all investigations against human rights defenders. (The human rights unit plays a similar role in relation to forced disappearance investigations). Such a review would close specious investigations promptly and would deter regional prosecutors from bringing trumped-up charges in the first place. U.S. assistance should be used to guarantee due process rights for human rights activists.

Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. I will continue to monitor this case closely.

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR-COLOMBIA:

SUPPORT COLOMBIAN WORKERS AGAINST PARAMILITARY VIOLENCE:

The country of Colombia has the dubious distinction of being "the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unioniost". Paramilitary violence against workers is an almost daily occurance. Here's one instance, reported by the international union federation the IUF, along with the IUF's appeal for international solidarity.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Colombian Workers Under Fire:
Urgent Action 18-01-2010
Workers in Colombia are once again victims of armed violence for trying to exercise their right to join and be represented by a trade union.

On January 14, armed gunmen entered the Palo Alto plantation, Ciénaga district, Magdelena. They had a list of names in their hands and demanded to know the whereabouts of two specific workers José Luis Soto Jaramillo y Juan Carlos Torres Muñoz. They then shouted, "Get out of here because we have come to kill you – no hiding" and opened fire, wounding Miguel Augusto Cuenca Torregroza. 185 workers were then forced at gunpoint to leave their workplace.

The IUF-affiliated SINTRAINAGRO immediately condemned the violence and called for solidarity action. The Palo Alto workers had been protesting since December 23, 2009 about non-payment of wages, bonuses, redundancy payments, family grant payments, funeral services and seven years of their employer not paying pension and healthcare contributions. The company is refusing to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with their union, SINTRAINAGRO.

The Palo Alto plantation, which produces hearts of palm, belongs to Palo Alto Gnecco Espinosa Investments, a private company with substantial investments in Colombia's Atlantic coast zone.
The IUF has written to Colombian president Alvaro Uribe and to government ministers to bring the case to their attention. The letter demands that the government investigate the incident and take immediate measures to guarantee the safety of the workers and to ensure they can exercise their fundamental trade union rights.

Click here to send a protest message to the Colombian Government.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

THE LETTER

Please click on the link above or on this link to send the following letter (en español) to the Colombian authorities.

CCCCCCCCCCCCCCC

Dr. ALVARO URIBE VELEZ

Presidente de Colombia
Dr. FRANCISCO SANTOS CALDERON

Vicepresidente encargado de la política de Derechos Humanos en Colombia
Dr. DIEGO PALACIO BETANCOUTH

Ministro del Trabajo y la Protección SocialBogotá – Colombia
Estimados señores,

Sintrainagro, Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores de la Industria Agropecuaria, nos ha informado sobre la violación de los derechos de asociación, libertad sindical y negociación colectiva en que viene incurriendo la empresa palmera Inversiones Palo Alto, ubicada en el municipio Pueblo Viejo del departamento del Magdalena – Colombia, quien respondió a la afiliación de 200 trabajadores(as) y la presentación del pliego de peticiones para la negociación de la Convención Colectiva, con el despido de 185 trabajadores y la incursión armada de grupos ilegales violentos que han pretendido el desalojo de la huelga y el asesinato de dirigentes sindicales dejando como consecuencia herido el trabajador Miguel Augusto Cuesta.

Por lo expuesto, instamos de manera urgente a su gobierno y a las autoridades protectoras de Derechos Humanos y del trabajo a intervenir de forma inmediata, para garantizar el derecho a la vida de los trabajadores(as) y dirigentes sindicales, lo mismo que la aplicación plena de los convenios fundamentales de OIT ya adoptados por el Estado Colombiano respecto a los derechos de asociación, libertad sindical y negociación colectiva.
Atentamente,

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR/AMERICAN LABOUR:

TWO MORE MURDERED IN COLOMBIA:

The following story is from the American AFL-CIO blog. the country of Colombia is one of the most repressive in the western hemisphere and it is particularly unsafe for those who oppose the narco-terrorists who hold power as American allies in that country. Molly has blogged repeatedly on this subject before, telling just how dangerous it is to be an ordinary unionist in that country, fighting for simple rights and a slight improvement in living conditions. Just as here in Canada the political elite in the USA want to reward the Colombian government for its sins of both commission and omission by granting a free trade agreement with that country. Just like here in Canada labour is opposed to awarding murders such privileges. Here's the story from the AFL-CIO giving one more reason for their opposition.

▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲▲
Colombians Mourn Colleagues Killed in Past Two Months:
by James Parks, Nov 24, 2009
When 14 Colombian trade union members were in the United States for a training program, they were unable to forget just how dangerous it is to support unions in their home country. During the two months they were here, four of their colleagues were assassinated.

In a memorial service at AFL-CIO in Washington, D.C., yesterday, we joined the Solidarity Center and the Colombian workers to honor those who were killed and to reaffirm our determination to fight for workers’ and human rights in that country.

AFL-CIO Secretary-Treasurer Liz Shuler told the group:
"We want our Colombian sisters and brothers to know that as we fight for basic trade union rights in this country, we are totally dedicated to their struggle to organize and collectively bargain in an atmosphere free of fear, terror and violence."

Shuler noted the AFL-CIO has recognized the courage, strength and valor of the Colombian union movement by presenting the 2008 George Meany-Lane Kirkland Human Rights Award to Colombian human rights activist Yessika Hoyos.





The Colombian workers participated in the Trade Union Strengthening program sponsored by the Solidarity Center, with funding and support from the U.S. Department of Labor. As part of the program, the Colombians joined union organizers on the ground for three weeks. They worked with organizers from AFSCME, TCU/IAM, North Shore (Mass.) Labor Council, Sacramento Central Labor Council and the Teamsters. TCU/IAM, the United Food and Commercial Workers and the Teamsters also provided training for the Colombians.





Colombia is the deadliest country in the world for trade unionists. At least 34 trade unionists have been killed this year in Colombia, with 10 deaths in the past eight weeks alone.





Jose Diogenes Orjuela Garcia, organizing director of the Colombian CUT union federation, said at the memorial service:
"We want to have a country where union rights and human rights are respected. If you add up all the acts of violence [against union members] there have been more than 10,000 in the past 20 years. "

Both Shuler and Garcia made it clear that the United States should not sign a free trade agreement with Colombia until the violence against union members ends. Says Shuler:
"The AFL-CIO stands with the…entire Colombian labor movement in their continued opposition to the Colombia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. We cannot permit a permanent trade instrument that incorporates a labor market based on the literal assassination of workers and their unions.

For us, these struggles are one and the same. We are fighting for passage of the Employee Free Choice Act not only to help end the unchecked violations of organizing and collective bargaining rights by employers in this country, but to set a new standard for the United States and its corporations operating in Colombia and throughout the globe."

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS-USA:

GRANT PRINCIPE GABRIEL GONZALES A VISA:

The following appeal is from the American human rights group Human Rights First. It's about the refusal of the US government to grant Principe Gabriel Gonzalez, a Colombian human rights activist, a visa to visit the USA.

%%%%%%%%%%%
U.S. Government Leaves Award-Winning Colombian Activist in Visa Limbo:‏

Principe Gabriel Gonzalez, like many human rights activists in Colombia, has been harassed by his own government. Baseless criminal charges, imprisonment, stigmatization as a "terrorist"-these are unfortunately an all-too-common experience for human rights defenders in Colombia.

Principe Gabriel Gonzalez has suffered false charges and imprisonment for defending human rights in Colombia.

Now, Human Rights First is honoring him for his courageous work-but the U.S. government has so far failed to grant him a visa to accept the award in person.
Sign our petition today to urge them to allow Gonzalez to visit the U.S.

Gonzalez has endured these challenges to continue his critical work fighting for justice for victims of the conflict in Colombia - and this is why Human Rights First has chosen him as the recipient of our annual human rights award. But Gonzalez may not be able to come to New York this month to accept the award - not because the Colombian government will not let him leave Colombia, but because the U.S. government has not granted him a visa to enter the United States.

We are asking for your help to remove Gonzalez from the bureaucratic limbo he has been in for the last four months. Sign our petition today to urge U.S. government officials to grant Gonzalez a visa.

Gonzalez's case illustrates the predicament activists face when they are falsely accused of being terrorists as a result of their work in support of human rights. In an ironic and sad twist of fate, his advocacy fighting for the rights of prisoners landed him in jail in Colombia and now threatens to bar him from entry to the United States. His visa is being held up apparently because of the false charges lodged against him by the Colombian authorities-despite U.S. agreement that those charges amount to nothing.

In a report earlier this year, Human Rights First exposed how Colombian prosecutors routinely use trumped-up charges to stigmatize and silence human rights activists. Fortunately, we have achieved real progress in a number of the cases we documented, including the release of over a dozen activists who were unjustly detained and the opening of an investigation into a prosecutor involved in one of the cases.

By honoring Gonzalez with this prestigious award, we are recognizing his courage and dedication to the pursuit of justice as well as the broader movement to advance human rights in Colombia. Join Human Rights First in standing up for Gonzalez and for the scores of human rights defenders who face baseless criminal charges in Colombia!

Sincerely,
Andrew Hudson
Manager, Human Rights Defenders program

%%%%%%%%%%%

The Petition

Please go to THIS LINK to sign the following petition to the US authorities.

%%%%%%%%%%%

We urge you to approve the visa application for Colombian activist Principe Gabriel Gonzalez so that he can accept Human Rights First’s award in New York on October 22, 2009.

It has been over four months since he first applied for his visa and he has received no explanation for the unreasonable delay. I understand that the U.S. government may have concerns about the criminal investigation against him. However, the State Department and numerous United Nations bodies have agreed that those charges are specious. The State Department has supported Gonzalez’s fight against the trumped-up criminal charges that may now prevent him from entering the United States. In addition to receiving Human Rights First’s award he would meet with policymakers in Washington to better inform U.S. policy vis-à-vis Colombia.

Gonzalez’s case is just one example of a larger problem in Colombia where activists are subjected to baseless charges intended to stigmatize and silence them. Earlier this year, Human Rights First released a report In the Dock and Under the Gun: Baseless Prosecutions of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, that documented the widespread and systemic nature of the problem. Last month, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders led an extensive visit to Colombia, meeting with Gonzalez and decrying the problem of unfounded criminal proceedings against Colombian activists.

Refusing a visa to Gonzalez sends the wrong message to the Colombian authorities and undercuts U.S. policy to support Colombian human rights defenders who are under attack.
Please grant Gonzalez a visa. He deserves the recognition the award would afford him and granting the visa would demonstrate that the United States is standing by its policy of supporting human rights and the rule of law in Colombia.

CANADIAN POLITICS:

HARPER DODGES THE COLOMBIAN BULLET:

I have expressed my admiration for our dearly beloved comrade leader Steven Harper many times before on this blog. Not for any great moral convictions on his part, for he has none, but for his sheer stellar political skill. Standing atop an unstable coalition of evangelical nutters and free market ideologues he has set his sights on the ultimate goal- power, and he has occasionally stumbled but never faltered in his pursuit of this goal. No doubt the knives will be especially sharp when he eventually fails , and there is no indication that he will pull off what is impossible ie a majority Conservative consensus amongst the population. When he falls expect a long period in the wilderness for Canadian conservatism. Not for want of trying on his part.

His skill was demonstrated in the last few days when the legislation for the Canadian/Colombian Free Trade Pact was removed from the order paper of the House of Commons. Not that it is a burning issue to most Canadians, but Harper wants as few distractions as possible as he waits for the calends when the polls favour him to call an election. The following is from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) thanking those who have written both the government, and the equally treacherous Liberal Party, opposing the deal(see previous items at this blog). No doubt the letters had some effect, but Molly is still of the opinion that the need to avoid "distraction" was the major reason for this decision.

CPCPCPCPCPCPCP
Temporary victory on Canada-Colombia trade deal‏:
Once again, the Harper government has blinked and taken the Canada Colombia free trade agreement off the order paper, after your voices and those of other Canadians made them realize that it wouldn't be an easy passage in their first week back.

However, the Conservatives are still determined to get this through despite the Colombian governments deplorable record on human rights and the growing scandal of government officials connected to narco traficking and para military groups.

When the act is re-introduced, we will be asking you to once again continue to put pressure on your officials. Thank you for your ongoing support of human rights in Colombia.

CANADIAN POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS:

NO TO COLOMBIAN/CANADA FREE TRADE BILL ON MONDAY:

This coming Monday, September 14, the House of Commons will be voting on a proposal to set up a free trade deal with Colombia. Colombia is a country of massive human rights violations, and it would merely encourage the government there on its present course to give its good most favoured nation status. There are indications that Liberal MPs will support the government on this bill. The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) has launched a email campaign to Liberal MPs and their leader Michael Ignatieff, asking that they vote against the Bill. Here's the appeal.

CPCPCPCPCPCPCP

Vote coming on Canada Colombia Free Trade:
The Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement is to be the first order of business when the House of Commons reconvenes on Monday, Sept. 14. There are strong indications that Liberal MPs will support the bill.

We managed to back them off once before - we need to do it again.

Send a message to Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff and his leading MPs. Urge them to oppose the CCFTA.

Ask your friends and family to do likewise.

CLCLCLCLCLCLCL

THE LETTER:

Please go to THIS LINK to send the following letter to Michael Ignatieff and other members of the Liberal caucus.

CLCLCLCLCLCLCL

I am writing to urge you to reject the Canada-Colombia trade deal.

I've heard it's to be the first item of business when parliament reconvenes Sept. 14.

Under the government of President Alvaro Uribe, the Colombian people are living in a constant state of poverty and fear.

The Uribe government has one of the worst human rights records in the world.

Under Uribe’s watch, an estimated 5 million Colombians have been forcibly displaced through land seizures, trade unionists and civil society activists risk death simply for advocating basic labour rights.

More than 2,500 have been killed by the state and its paramilitaries since 1986, including 40 in 2008.

And yet the Harper Conservatives have tabled legislation to implement a free trade agreement with Colombia.

Human rights must come before trade.

I hope the Liberal Party will put the well-being of 45 million Colombians first, and oppose ratifying the impending trade deal with Colombia.

CANADIAN POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS:

NO FREE TRADE AGREEMENT WITH COLOMBIA !:

Tomorrow, June 10, the President of Colombia, Alvaro Uribe Velez, will be in Ottawa to meet (conspire with ?) Canadian Prime Minister Steven Harper about a Canada-Colombia free trade agreement. This is opposed by many Canadians because of Colombia's human rights record. Here, from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE), is notice of the demonstration that will greet this meeting tomorrow in Ottawa.

HRHRHRHRHRHR

Say "No" to a deadly trade deal:
On June 10, Prime Minister Stephen Harper will be welcoming Colombia's President Alvaro Uribe Velez, who wants to quickly wrap up a free trade deal with Canada.

Along with other civil society groups, CUPE has strongly opposed this trade deal. Colombia continues to be the most dangerous place on earth for trade unionists - over 2,500 have been assassinated since 1986. Paramilitaries have free rein to enforce terror, and millions of Colombians have been displaced through land seizures benefiting corporate interests. Ratifying a free trade deal with this regime - and accepting the situation as "business as usual" - sends the wrong message.

Recently, the Harper government backed off a step, temporarily removing the agreement from debate in Parliament. When Uribe arrives in Ottawa on Wednesday, CUPE members, other trade unionists, and human rights activists will be greeting him. We encourage any members who are able to attend to do so.

Where: Parliament Hill

When: Wednesday June 10, 1:00 p.m.

CANADIAN POLITICS/INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS:

COLOMBIAN FREE TRADE DEAL NIXED FOR NOW:

The proposed Canada/Colombia Free Trade Deal has been mentioned several times before here at Molly's Blog. The idea of opening a free trade deal with a country such as Colombia where human rights are basically a non-issue due to the tacit support of the regime for right wing thugs is problematic to say the least. The Harper government has now, according to this report from the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) , been removed from the order paper for this session of Parliament. Some of this, of course, is due to the Harperites wishing to avoid any controversial legislation, especially when they are trailing in the polls, even legislation that could not conceivably be a confidence motion. The movement of protest against this deal can claim credit for convincing the Conservatives that such legislation would indeed be controversial. It mus be admitted, however, that the Canadian government decision to delay such a deal also owes a lot to the opposition in the USA to a similar deal. Harper is nothing if not a good poodle to his American masters, and in the end it is irrelevant whether they are right of centre or (barely) left of centre. In any case here is the story from CUPE, with, of course, much self-congratulation. (Molly Note- I don't want to appear to be too cynical. The public protest against the deal did indeed have at least some influence on the government decision, and it was admirable in its own right)

CCCCCCCCCCCC

Activists block Canada Colombia free trade deal - for now:
For months now thousands of activists have raised concerns about the Canada Colombia free trade agreement. CUPE members, concerned Canadians and members of other unions have campaigned to stop the implementation of the Canada Colombia FTA.

We have held rallies, written letters, signed petitions and have brought Colombians to Canada to testify to parliamentarians about the horrific abuses of human and trade union rights. Canadians have said loud and clear that there must be an independent human rights assessment of the situation in Colombia before this government proceeds with any new trade deal.

This week the Harper government blinked and took the Canada Colombia free trade agreement legislation off the order paper. The proposed legislation has been removed from debate however the government has not withdrawn it.

“I want to thank every CUPE member that signed a petition or wrote a letter, said CUPE national president Paul Moist. But the fight isn’t over and we must keep up the pressure. If you haven’t yet signed a petition or written a letter please do and ask your co-workers, family and friends to do the same.”

There is division within the Liberal party about a future trade deal with Colombia. This division can only help us in our struggle to stop this terrible deal. The Colombian government in collaboration with large corporations has set out to privatize the public sector and to open up indigenous lands to corporate exploitation.

Colombia is the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists and it is the worst human rights violator of the Americas. In the last 23 years 2,694 trade unionists have been assassinated. In 2008 under the current leadership of President Uribe 46 people have been assassinated , 157 threatened, 17 arbitrarily detained, 13 taken hostage and 4 disappeared.

CUPE members should be proud of the solidarity actions they have taken for Colombia. When we unite and take political action we can make a difference.

CANADIAN LABOUR:

CUPE ON MAY DAY:

Here is the May Day statement of the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). It is, of course, a little sparse on the full details of the origins of this day, but it has a good trend to saying what should be done in the future.

LLLLLLLLLLLL

CUPE May Day Statement:
On May 1, 1886, hundreds of thousands of North American workers mobilized to fight for an eight-hour work day. The events that took place that week – at Haymarket Square in Chicago and beyond – have come to symbolize the tenacious and revolutionary spirit of the labour movement.

For more than 100 years, May Day has been a time for workers around the globe to take stock of how far we’ve come, and the distance we have yet to go.

In the international spirit of May Day, we must remember that the fight for a safe and fair workplace extends beyond our borders. This May Day, CUPE will be working to prevent the ratification of a free trade agreement with Colombia, a country that has violently suppressed the rights of trade unionists. Trade unionists and civil society activists risk death simply for advocating basic labour rights; since 1986, over 2,500 have been killed by the state and its paramilitaries in Colombia. In 2008 alone, over 49 trade unionists were assassinated. Now more than ever, it is essential that the Canadian labour movement stand in solidarity with workers around the globe who are fighting to achieve even the most fundamental labour rights.

The global economic crisis has only emphasized the need for a strong labour movement. Workers across Canada are fighting to protect their jobs and pensions, and to improve access to employment insurance. CUPE and the labour movement will not stand idly by and watch employers and governments attack workers and public services. The solution is not to break unions; the solution is to provide stimulus through public services, create jobs in all sectors, and to keep money in our communities rather than in corporate pockets.

CUPE members from coast to coast to coast can be proud of the accomplishments of our brothers and sisters in our union. We have had countless positive contract negotiations, and our membership has worked hard to make our union better and stronger.

While May Day is a time to celebrate all that we have achieved in the past, let it also be a time to rejuvenate, refocus, and reaffirm our conviction to move forward.
In solidarity,
Paul Moist

National President
Claude Généreux

National Secretary-Treasurer