_ From: Pakito Arriaran <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Date: Fri, 01 Jun 2001 00:36:51 -0500 To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Colombia: strikes, political prisoners COLOMBIA: STRIKES HIT IMF AUSTERITY PLAN Hundreds of thousands of teachers and medical workers walked off the job on May 15 to protest the Colombian government's IMF-backed austerity plans. Union leaders charge that the government's economic plans would slash spending on social services. Reuters estimated that 300,000 teachers--members of the militant union FECODE--and 90,000 medical workers joined the strike the first day. Unions warned that the strike would continue indefinitely until the government backed down from its budget-slashing. "This is a patriotic strike to defend resources for health and education," said FECODE leader Gloria Ines Ramirez. "We are going to see if for the first time, [Colombian President] Pastrana listens to the people instead of answering to the IMF." The Pastrana government's cuts in spending come amid Colombia's most severe depression in 70 years--some economists call it the worst depression ever. Unemployment is running at over 20 percent, and more than half the country's population lives below the poverty line. POLITICAL PRISONERS FREED While talks between the Colombian government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia-People's Army (FARC- EP) have stalled over the government's refusal to move on exchanging prisoners of war, the FARC-EP took matters into their own hands on May 7. In a bold action, a FARC-EP unit blew open the gates of a prison in Caloto, freeing 68 of their comrades. The massive operation brings the total number of political prisoners and prisoners of war freed by the FARC-EP to well over 120 this year alone. The FARC-EP has been engaged in talks with the Colombian government for over two years to address the social roots of the over 40-year war there. The revolutionary group has demanded that the government negotiate an exchange of prisoners. The FARC-EP holds hundreds of government soldiers and police officers who have been captured in raids and attacks. - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) *************************************** Pakito Arriaran * enege brigadak soulcialist stiliagi http://inquilino.net/palante/enege.html
