URGENT ACTION CALL FROM THE CUT - BOGOTA 25th NOVEMBER 2001

The number of violations of human rights goes up by the day and nothing is being done to stop this criminal wave ... there have been 143 assassinations so far this year.

The Human Rights Department of the CUT asks how many deaths must we denounce before the National Government takes the relevant measures to stop this war that has been declared against our leaders, activists and unionised workers, who continue to be victims of all manner of human rights abuses as in the following:

· On 26th November 2001 at 2:00 p.m. JHON JAIMES SALAS CARDONA was taken from his residence in Abriaquí Municipality, Antioquia Departament. The comrade is director of La Milagrosa College and a representative of the Antioquia Teachers Association ADIDA - CUT.

We call for URGENT ACTION to save the life of this comrade, so that he may be returned safe and sound to his family and friends.

· On 25th November 2001 at 11:00 p.m. JORGE ELIÉCER GONZALEZ was taken from his house in Natagaima Municipality, Tolima department and he was found in the same area the following day, assassinated and with signs of torture. The comrade was president of the Natagaima branch of the healthworkers union, the National Association of Workers and Employees in Hospitals, Clinics, Consultancies and cnteres dedicated to the helath of the Community ANTHOC - CUT.

· On 24th November 2001 GONZALO SALAZAR was assassinated in the city of Cali, Valle del Cauca Departament; he was the presidnet of the United Security Guards Union of Colombia SINUVICOL-CUT.

How many comrades have they assassinated in this struggle for something so natural as the defence of civil and political liberties? When will we reach our dream of liberty and democracy in Colombia? When will it be possible to live with dignity in Colombia?

There are many question marks over this anti-democracy and that the National Government does not seem to have a response, it only sees that we are an obstacle to the development of its neoliberal policies that are leading Colombia into a social deterioration without precedent in history, that is reflected in the unmeasured increase in threatened and displaced people, in the silent death of thousands of families who have no hope for a dignified future because, we reiterate, the guarantees of life do not exist in Colombia.

We continue to call on the solidarity of the International Community for the Colombian people, demanding the Government respects fundamental rights and that the state terrorism stops.

DOMINGO TOVAR ARRIETA
Organisation Department / Human Rights
CENTRAL UNITARIA DE TRABAJADORES DE COLOMBIA
Calle 35 No. 7-25 P.9 Bogotá, D.C. -Colombia
Tel: 00571 3237550-3237950
Email: cutcol@col3.telecom.com.co
 

RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Send messages urging prompt action to save the life of JHON JAIMES SALAS CARDONA [note spelling] to:

Andres Pastrana Arango
Presidente de la Republica de Colombia
Fax (571) 2867434- 2866842-2842186; Telefono: 5629300 ext. 3550-2843300
E-mail: rdh@presidencia.gov.co and pastrana@presidencia.gov.co

Reinalso Botero
Vicepresidencia de la Republica
Telefono: 336 03 11 celular: 367 76 67
E-mail: rbotero@presidencia.gov.co

SEND COPIES TO:

Director General of International Labour Organization Tel 41-22- 799-6019; Fax 41-22-799-6111 E-mail : somavia@ilo.org

Freedom of Association ILO Tel 41-22- 799-7126; Fax 41 -22-799-6926 E-mail: lidsynd@ilo.org

ILO Regional Office for the Americas in Lima Tel 51-1-215-0300; Fax 51-1-421 5292 E-mail: lima@ilo.org

Trade Union Federation CUT E-mail: cutcol@col3.telecom.com.co

Colombia Solidarity Campaign (in Britain) E-mail: colombia_sc@hotmail.com