Colombia: International action for trade unionists

Amnesty International is concerned about the situation in Colombia, as it is one of the most dangerous places to be a trade unionist. More than 2,000 trade unionists have been killed and 138 victims of enforced disappearances in Colombia over the last two decades.

In the context of Colombia's long-running internal armed conflict, trade unionists have often been the targets of human rights abuses. In many of the cases documented by Amnesty International, killings and threats have taken place in the context of disputes over working conditions and the privatisation of public services or public sector companies. Also targeted are trade union campaigns in support of poor communities resisting development of large scale mining or other industries, which threaten to undermine their livelihoods. 

Moreover, there is a pattern of human rights abuses against trade unionists taking place in the context of labour disputes, which indicates that trade unionists are also being targeted precisely because of their trade union work, violating their fundamental right to freedom of association.

• Take Action
• News
• Resources
• Recent Events

Take a look at Amnesty UK's Colombia page for further news, actions and reports on the human rights situation in the country. Find out more

Take Action

Colombia: SINALTRAINAL food workers' union Leaders of the food workers' union SINALTRAINAL received a series of death threats in 2007 and in September the teenage son of a regional SINALTRAINAL leader was abducted and beaten up. Take action

News

Colombian government in denial over human rights abuses  Amnesty International launched a report 'Leave us in peace! Targeting civilians in Colombia's internal armed conflict' on 28 October 2008. Colombia's internal armed conflict has pitted the security forces and paramilitaries against guerrilla groups for more than 40 years. It has been marked by extraordinary levels of human rights abuses. Recommendations in this report echo and support the demands and aspirations of the many human rights defenders, community activists and trade unionists who continue to strive for justice often at great personal cost. Find out more       Read the report (pdf)

Killings of trade unionists on the rise in Colombia 30 April 2008   Some 22 trade unionists have been killed in Colombia so far in 2008, a significant increase on the number killed in the same period last year. Despite the setting up in Colombia of a permanent office of the International Labour Organization and a specialist unit to investigate human rights abuses against trade unionists, the security of trade unionists remains precarious.  Find out more

Amnesty Renews Suport for Colombian Trade Union Rights Centre Amnesty has renewed its funding to the Colombian Trade Union Rights Centre in Bogotá, following an impressive inaugural year during which the Centre has established itself as a principal forum for legal support for Colombian trade unionists. With continuing high levels of attacks, assassinations and disappearances against trade unionists, the Centre aims to challenge the climate of impunity by raising civil claims and preparing case files for the investigative body of the Public Prosecutors' Office. The Centre is a joint initiative of the Lawyers' Collective Jose Alvear Restrepo and the London-based International Centre for Trade Union Rights. Find out more

Updates

Colombia: Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro released Trade unionists Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro were released from jail in November 2007. Following her release, Raquel Castro presented Amnesty International with an embroidered picture to thank members for their solidarity during her time in prison on charges of rebellion.

Amnesty considers that Samuel Morales and Raquel Castro have had unfair trials, and will pay close attention to the appeals they are undertaking against their convictions. Amnesty is still monitoring their situation, as many social activists accused and detained on charges of rebellion have been the target of serious human rights violations following their release. Find out more

Resources

Trade Union Report on Colombia

  Activist version (PDF)
  Full international report  (PDF)

 

Trade Union Action Cards
Download Action Cards for Colombian Trade Unionists (PDF)
To order action cards on behalf of these Trade Unionists please contact activism@amnesty.org.uk or phone 020 7033 1675

Recent Events

Colombia: Challenging the Impunity Faced by Trade Unionists - 9 October 2007
Amnesty and ICTUR (the International Centre for Trade Union Rights) hosted a conference addressing the harrassment of trade unionists in Colombia.
Download conference report

Colombia: Human Rights - 8 March 2008 
Amnesty's Leeds group with Yorkshire and Humberside's TUC held a free day conference. The event featured educational workshops, speakers and presentations to raise awareness of human rights abuses in Colombia and beyond.

Challenging Extrajudicial Killings and Impunity in Colombia - 15 April 2008 
A major Report published by Amnesty International last June highlights the impunity enjoyed by the perpetrators of violent crimes and death threats against trade unionists in Columbia. This evening event was a follow-up to the conference (outlined above), at which Lilian Uribe, a prominent human rights lawyer described her work in challenging extra judicial executions and the military tribunal system.

• Read a draft programme (pdf)
• Read a blog about Liliana's talk at amnesty
• Read more about Liliana's Uribe's visit to Europe

Threats to Freedom of Expression and Association in Colombia: The Views of Indigenous Organizations and Community Organizations- 12 May 2008
An event sponsored by AB Colombia, Amnesty UK, ICTUR & PBI. Speakers from COMOSOC - the Coalition of Colombian Social Movements and Organizations- talked about contemporary challenges faced by Colombian civil society.
Read a draft programme for the event (doc)


COMOSOC Publication- Democracy and Peace in Colombia

• Read Executive Summary (pdf)
• Read Full Report (pdf)

COMOSOC Videos

Shane Enright, Trade Union Campaigns Manager for Amnesty UK, talks about human rights abuses in Colombia Click here for video

 

Omer Fernandez talks about COMOSOC's involvement with human rights in Colombia Click here for video