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From: Colombian Labor Monitor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Mon, 13 Aug 2001 20:43:28 -0500 (CDT)
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: COLOMBIA: Weekly News Update #602, 8/12/01
WEEKLY NEWS UPDATE ON THE AMERICAS
ISSUE #602, AUGUST 12, 2001
NICARAGUA SOLIDARITY NETWORK OF GREATER NEW YORK
339 LAFAYETTE ST., NEW YORK, NY 10012
(212) 674-9499 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
[.....]
8. Colombia: Transport, Farmer Strikes End
9. Colombia: ELN Talks Halted, Caravan Blocked
10. Colombia: Protest at Consulate in Sydney
11. Colombia: Paras Attack, General Released
[.....]
*8. COLOMBIA: TRANSPORT, FARMER STRIKES END
Union leaders announced late on Aug. 8 that Bogota bus and taxi
drivers had called a truce in a week-long strike against Mayor
Antanas Mockus' plan to reduce traffic and pollution by
restricting public transport. The Unitary Workers Federation
(CUT), Colombian Workers Federation (CTC) and the General
Democratic Workers' Confederation of Colombia (CGTD) also called
off plans to hold a national strike and day of protest on Aug. 9
in support of the Bogota transport workers. The mayor's plan to
idle buses and taxis for two days a week, based on license plate
numbers, was approved by the municipal council on Aug. 3. A
similar measure has been enforced on privately-owned vehicles for
three years in the capital.
CGTD leader Julio Roberto Gomez said Mockus would have until Aug.
13 to come up with a satisfactory proposal; otherwise "there will
be much stronger actions, like a national strike of transport
workers," he warned. The people of Bogota "must understand that
what's happened here is completely the fault of the mayor's
arrogance," said Gomez. Mockus has reportedly held up
negotiations by insisting that the unions accept his authority
and end the strike. [AFP 8/9/01; Caracol Radio 8/6/01, 8/8/01;
article by Julio Echeverry 8/6/01, 8/8/01 on Centro de Medios
Independientes (Colombia Indymedia) website at
http://colombia.indymedia.org]
Meanwhile, a national strike started by small-scale farmers on
July 31 ended on Aug. 6 when the Colombian government agreed to a
serious negotiations process over demands that include
refinancing of agrarian debts; restrictions on imported
agricultural products; compensation for lost coffee crops; crop
substitution for coffee farmers; and technical support for
marketing agricultural products. Campesinos in Huila department
resumed roadblocks on Aug. 7; they are also demanding
compensation for families of two strikers who were killed and
others who were injured or lost property when state security
agents attacked their roadblocks [see Update #601]. [Hoy (NY)
8/8/01; El Tiempo (Bogota) 8/8/01; Article by Juan Angel
Siachoque 8/9/01 on Colombia Indymedia website]
*9. COLOMBIA: ELN TALKS HALTED, CARAVAN BLOCKED
Colombian president Andres Pastrana Arango announced on Aug. 7
that his government was breaking off peace talks with the
country's second largest leftist rebel group, the National
Liberation Army (ELN). "Due to the obstinate position of the ELN
in keeping the process frozen, I have decided to suspend the
conversations," said Pastrana. Representatives of the ELN and the
Colombian government had met over the previous few days in an
unspecified location in Venezuela to discuss reviving the peace
talks. The rebels had previously suspended the talks on Apr. 9,
charging that Pastrana had failed to make good on his promise to
confront paramilitary groups and demilitarize an area in the
northern Colombian department of Bolivar for a negotiations
process. [El Diario-La Prensa (NY) 8/8/01 from AFP]
Rightwing paramilitary groups have fiercely opposed--and actively
blocked--the demilitarization of the zone, which comprises the
municipalities of Cantagallo and San Pablo, in the southern area
of Bolivar department [see Updates #576, 578, 585]. On Aug. 6,
boatloads of Colombian and international solidarity activists
seeking to bring food and medical supplies to 30,000 campesino
families in southern Bolivar were stopped at a river checkpoint
in San Pablo municipality and kept from continuing. The
checkpoint was organized by members of the groups ASOCIPAZ, the
"No al Despeje" Movement and CONSTRUPAZ, all of which were formed
to oppose the demilitarization of the zone and are widely
believed to be sponsored and controlled by paramilitary groups.
Jose Castellanos, described by AFP as a leader of the movement
that fought demilitarization of the zone, said his side was
willing to meet with caravan participants to discuss the matter,
but warned: "We want to be sure that those supplies don't end up
in the hands of the guerrillas." Aid workers said mayors in
Bolivar department had riled up San Pablo residents with
allegations that caravan participants were ELN supporters. [ED-LP
8/8/01 from AFP; Reuters 8/8/01; AFP 8/8/01; Canada Colombia
Solidarity Campaign email message 8/8/01]
The "International Caravan for Life in Southern Bolivar" includes
some 70 delegates supported by 180 international organizations
and institutions and another 60 groups in Colombia. Its trip
began on Aug. 1 and is set to end on Aug. 22. [Caravan communique
8/4/01] The caravan was allowed to leave San Pablo on Aug. 8,
although it was forced to change its route; the original plan was
to split into two groups at San Pablo, with one group going
overland and the other continuing north via the Magdalena river.
Instead, the whole caravan headed along the river to Morales,
where they arrived safely on Aug. 7, despite several incidents
along the route in which they were followed or surrounded by
paramilitary speedboats. [Reuters 8/8/01; Caravan communique
8/8/01; Article 8/8/01 from GARA,
www.gara.net/01/08/09/mun0201.htm, via Colombia Indymedia site]
Francisco Ramirez, one of the Colombian participants in the
caravan, said the caravan was hoping to provide medical attention
to "children affected by the fumigations" of the herbicide
glyphosate, which is sprayed over the countryside to eradicate
drug crops. [ED-LP 8/8/01 from AFP]
Meanwhile, the "International Mobilization of Women Against War"
is set to take place Aug. 14-17 in Barrancabermeja, near southern
Bolivar in neighboring Santander department. The mobilization is
being organized by the Ruta Pacifica (Peaceful Route), a national
network of Colombian women's peace organizations, in support of
the Barrancabermeja-based Grassroots Women's Organization (OFP).
[Email alert 8/12/01 based on info from OFP, Ruta Pacifica; Hoy
(NY) 8/10/01]
Messages can be sent to President Andres Pastrana Arango at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or fax #(011-57-1) 284-7186,
286-3782, 287-7939, 289-3377, asking that he ensure the safety of
participants in both the Mobilization and the Caravan, and the
safety of activists who live and work in the region.
*10. COLOMBIA: PROTEST AT CONSULATE IN SYDNEY
A group of 12 adults--mostly Colombian immigrants--and four
children occupied the Colombian consulate in North Sydney,
Australia, at 9:30am on Aug. 8 to protest US intervention in
Colombia and the government's human rights record. Unarmed and
peaceful, the group did not take hostages or make threats, yet
their protest sparked a massive operation by heavily armed
tactical response police, who surrounded the 14-story building
that houses the consulate, evacuated dozens of workers and
blocked major streets.
As they realized the extent of the police operation, the
protesters became concerned for their safety. Vlaudin Vega,
spokesperson for the protesters, talked to police over the phone,
emphasizing that the group was unarmed. "I am not a terrorist.
Although I am a big person, a hairy person, I am a pacifist at
heart...a concerned citizen of Australia," Vega told police.
Around 1pm, under police instruction, the group emerged from the
consulate office in pairs; they were met by heavily armed police
agents, who searched and handcuffed them before transporting them
to the North Sydney Police Station. Police eventually apologized
to the group and released them without charge. The protesters are
considering legal action against police for wrongful detention.
One member of the group, a Colombian national, was detained for
further questioning in relation to an immigration matter;
immigration officials announced on Aug. 9 that the individual was
in Australia on an expired visa and would be deported.
[Australian Associated Press (AAP) 8/8/01; AP 8/9/01]
*11. COLOMBIA: PARAS ATTACK, GENERAL RELEASED
On July 30, some 300 men wearing military fatigues and boots and
carrying automatic weapons surrounded the village of La Union,
one of several "peace communities" in Apartado municipality, in
the Uraba region of Antioquia department, in northwestern
Colombia. [Residents of the "peace communities" reject the
presence of any armed group, including armed forces and police,
in their communities.] Fifteen of the men--who included several
known members of the Colombian army--entered the community,
forced residents into the town square and gave them an ultimatum.
"We are going to establish a base here. You can work with us,
leave the area, or die." They identified themselves as the
perpetrators of a July 8, 2000 massacre of six community leaders.
The armed men then demanded the names of community leaders,
threatened residents and fatally shot 17-year old Alexander
Guzman, who tried to escape. They robbed the community of funds
and livestock before leaving, warning they would return.
As a result of this attack, 55 families were forced to flee their
homes in La Union and move to the urban center of Apartado,
leaving behind their crops, livestock, and other belongings.
Residents of La Union are urging supporters to contact Colombian
officials to demand a full investigation into this and previous
attacks, which have left a total of 90 community members dead. US
supporters are also urged to demand an end to US aid to the
Colombian military because of its collusion with paramilitary
death squads. Contact President Andres Pastrana Arango at fax
(571) 286-7434 or 286-6842 or via email at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] For information contact Colombia
Support Network (CSN), 608-257-8753, <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
www.colombiasupport.net. [CSN Urgent Action 8/8/01]
In related news, Colombian retired general Rito Alejo Del Rio was
freed on Aug. 5 after a judge determined that habeas corpus rules
had been violated in the case and that the investigation had been
fraught with "irregularities." Del Rio was arrested on July 23 in
Bogota on charges that he sponsored rightwing paramilitary death
squads from 1995 to 1997, while serving as commander of the
army's 17th Brigade, based in Uraba [see Update #600]. [Agence
France Presse 8/6/01]
=======================================================================
Weekly News Update on the Americas * Nicaragua Solidarity Network of NY
339 Lafayette St, New York, NY 10012 * 212-674-9499 fax: 212-674-9139
http://home.earthlink.net/~nicadlw/wnuhome.html * [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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