- Conference
- 2008 National Delegate Conference
- Date
- 26 February 2008
- Decision
- Carried as Amended
Conference condemns the continuing violence and abuses against trade unions, social movements, and civil society organisations in Colombia.
Colombia continues to be one of the most dangerous places to be a trade union activist. More than 3,500 trade union activists have been killed in the past 15 years, many have been disappeared, arrested and tortured and others are forced to leave their homes and jobs because of death threats.
Colombia is also one of the most dangerous places in the world to voice any political opinion, 50 student activists have been murdered in the past 4 years and more than 15,000 people have been ‘disappeared’ and buried in mass graves or their bodies thrown in to rivers.
The majority of victims are women and every two days a woman dies in Colombia for political reasons.
The Colombian Government, supported by the US, is pursuing an extreme Neo-Liberal agenda which is destroying public services and attacking and undermining trade union organisation.
Colombia is in the frontline for US intervention in Latin America as it attempts to halt and roll back the election of progressive governments.
UNISON condemns Foreign Minister Kim Howells for posing for photos with Mario Montoya, the Commander of the Colombian National Army, who is deeply implicated in the murder of trade unionists and Howell’s false claim that Justice for Colombia is linked with the FARC guerilla organisation, an effective death sentence for anyone linked with it in Colombia.
Despite this hostile environment trade unions and social movements, civil society organisations, and women are fighting back – campaigning for an end to violence; for human rights; defending public services; organising support in impoverished communities.
There is much we can learn from the Colombian experience about the longer term consequences of the neo-liberal agenda on public services and employment, and also about different methods of organising and developing alternative political strategies.
Conference agrees:
1)Colombia should be a priority from UNISON’s international work;
2)Regions and branches are encouraged to support Justice for Colombia and the Colombia Solidarity Campaign;
3)Regions and branches are urged to develop links with regions and local trade union organisations in Colombia with a view to developing and providing practical support, and to organise and participate in delegations to Colombia.