So, is it safe to be a trade unionist in Colombia today?

Alma del Norte says on Mar 9, 2008, 01:39:

We all know about the content of that vid. But would you offer to defend your beliefs and community with your life? Could you do it any easier in 2008 than before?

La vida es una rutina

buggy says on Mar 9, 2008, 09:53:

“Ojos y oídos para Norteamérica / para su propio pueblo, sordo y ciego" Pablo Neruda

juancegomez says on Mar 9, 2008, 11:42:

It is, evidently and unfortunately, not "safe" at all in absolute terms.

It can be argued to be safer, in that less union leaders have been killed in recent years, but the problem still persists, not to mention new or old laws which do not favor union activity in general, and it's definitely something which deserves to be denounced in many ways, including during the March 6th protests.

However, I do not agree with the way this organization from the UK describes the situation and assigns responsibilities, through the use of videos such as this one.

For example, this is how the user/account who/which posted the video sums it up: " The Colombian army work together with paramilitaries to kill thousands of trade unionists and human rights activists."

Many of the murders have to do with labor disputes and are carried out by hit men, including but not limited to the actual paramilitaries. The above description makes it seem like it's the Army, in collaboration with paramilitaries (which is, in itself, a real phenomenon, outside of this context), that is directly and predominantly responsible for the murders of both these labor unionists and human rights defenders in general.

In terms of conscious omission, I understand that's probably the case in many circumstances. I'm also aware that the Army has also participated in killings per se.

But the implication here is that the Army is directly behind or an active participant in the majority of those killings, as a general rule....which doesn't compute with what other sources have argued or what their statistics show, even when they denounce the same crimes.

Alma del Norte says on Mar 19, 2008, 20:18:

Ok, here is the latest roll-call of dead, productive, educated, enlightened leaders this country has reared. Forget the hysteria and weep:


Assassinated Trade Unionists in the week of 6 March

Carmen Cecilia Carvajal, teacher. Killed 4 March, in Ocaña.

Leonidas Gómez Rozo, member of the bankworkers union, Unión Nacional de Empleados Bancarios (Uneb), president of the CITY-BANK Branco. Killed on 5 March, in Bogotá.

Gildardo Gómez Alzate, teacher and activist of the Asociación de Institutores de Antioquia (Adida). Killed 7 March, in Medellín.

Carlos Burbano, vice-president of the Hospitalworkers Union, Asociación Nacional de Trabajadores Hospitalarios. Killed 11 March, San Vicente del Caguán.

.

La vida es una rutina

Alma del Norte says on Mar 19, 2008, 20:19:

I salute you...

La vida es una rutina

Mr. Hollywood says on Mar 19, 2008, 20:25:

Didn't none other than Sr. Tertius run the murder rate numbers and decide it was safer, statistically, to be a trade union member than just a plain old Colombian citizen?

Alma del Norte says on Mar 19, 2008, 20:27:

where?

La vida es una rutina

cali373 says on Mar 19, 2008, 20:46:

Even if it was safer, it is still one of the worst countries in the world to be a trade union leader.

Smile if you are a thinker!

la campiña says on Mar 19, 2008, 22:05:

NO its not but I wish to fuck it was !