AI Index: AMR 23/031/2007 (Public)
Date: October 2007
TRADE UNIONISTS UNDER ATTACK IN COLOMBIA
Defending the rights of workers in the mining, oil, gas and energy sectors
Adán Alberto Pacheco Rodríguez, a member and former leader of the electricity workers’ union SINTRAELECOL, was reportedly shot dead on 2 May 2005 by two gunmen while he was on the balcony of his home in Barranquilla.
Two days later a written death threat against trade unionists, including SINTRAELECOL members, from the paramilitary group Death to Trade Unionists (Muerte a Sindicalistas, MAS) was received in the offices of the health workers’ union ANTHOC in Barranquilla.
An article in the magazine Semana published on 4 September 2006 reported that the Office of the Attorney General had found information on a computer in the possession of a commander of the Bloque Norte paramilitary group relating to the killing of around 60 people by the same group. One of the documents, dated 2 May 2005, refers to the killing of Adán Alberto Pacheco who is described as a member of the FARC.
The mining, oil, gas and energy sectors are among Colombia’s most lucrative industries. The country’s vast wealth in water resources has also provided significant hydroelectric energy capacity. Much of the electricity produced is exported to neighbouring countries, providing Colombia with an important source of income.
Colombia’s wealth in water and mining, oil and gas, coupled with increased privatization of important parts of these industries, has attracted major transnational corporations to the country. Trade unionists in these sectors have faced repeated human rights violations, often because of their opposition to privatization, during labour disputes and when campaigning against the development of large-scale mining or energy projects which threaten the livelihoods of local communities.
Trade unionists are frequently labelled as subversive by the security forces and paramilitaries. Such criticisms are often followed by human rights violations which also frequently coincide with periods of labour unrest or negotiations over working conditions.
On 25 November 2006, gunmen travelling on two motorcycles opened fire on the bullet-proof car used by Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo, the leader of the oil workers’ union USO. He was not in the car at the time and the three people who were in the car, one of whom was Rodolfo Vecino’s wife, escaped unhurt. The Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States has called on the Colombian authorities to take measures to guarantee the safety of Rodolfo Vecino and his family.
In July 2005, Rodolfo Vecino received a death threat from the Urban Front (Frente Urbano) of the paramilitary umbrella group the AUC. In May 2006, according to media reports, an unidentified individual approached Rodolfo Vecino while he was attending a meeting in Barranquilla and told him that there was a plan, co-ordinated by paramilitaries, security forces and business interests, to kill him and two other USO members. On 27 November 2006, a member of the USO’s Human Rights and Peace Commission, Fernando Ramírez, reportedly received a telephone death threat. In an e-mailed death threat sent to the USO on 28 November 2006 the Bloque Norte of the AUC reportedly claimed responsibility for the attempt on the life of Rodolfo Vecino and announced its intention to kill USO and student activists in the north of the country.
Members of SINTRAMIENERGETICA, the mining and energy workers’ union, were at particular risk in 2006. On 25 March 2006, Harvey Jovanny Morales Guevara, a worker for Drummond Company and SINTRAMIENERGETICA activist, was killed, reportedly by unidentified gunmen, in the centre of Santa Marta, Atlántico Department.
On 29 April 2006, members of SINTRAMIENERGETICA were reportedly threatened during a trade union demonstration in the municipality of Paso, Cesar Department. According to reports, a local police commander accused the trade unionists of being guerrillas and a member of the police pointed his rifle at trade union leader Luis Antonio Garzón. The demonstration was taking place on the same day as a meeting between Drummond Company representatives and SINTRAMIENERGETICA leaders. At this meeting the trade union was seeking to negotiate improvements to labour and employment conditions for employees of the mining company.
Trade unionists in Colombia are at grave risk of human rights abuses. Successive Colombian governments have implemented a series of policies to improve the protection of trade unionists. However, this has not effectively guaranteed the safety of trade union activists and their families. The long-term security of trade unionists depends on decisive action by the Colombian authorities to end the impunity which protects the vast majority of those responsible for the human rights abuses against them.
| Who is responsible for these human rights violations?
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Several sections of Amnesty International are undertaking other campaign work on the situation of trade unionists in Colombia. You may wish to contact the AI section in your country to check if it is participating in this campaign work and how you can get involved. |
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For more information see Amnesty International’s report, Colombia: Killings, arbitrary detentions and deaths threats – the reality of trade unionism in Colombia (AI Index: AMR 23/001/2007) available at www.amnesty.org
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| Amnesty International is a global movement of 2.2 million people in more than 150 countries and territories, who campaign on human rights. Our vision is for every person to enjoy all the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international standards. Amnesty International is independent of any government, political ideology, economic interest or religion. Our work is largely financed by contributions from our membership and donations. |
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