Colombia trade deal dead this year, US unions say

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Reuters

Colombia trade deal dead this year, US unions say
12 Feb 2008 20:51:58 GMT
Source: Reuters
By Hugh Bronstein

BOGOTA, Feb 12 (Reuters) - A trade deal with Colombia will not pass the U.S. Congress until it is revamped to protect union members being killed at a rate of almost one per week in the Andean country this year, U.S. labor leaders said on Tuesday.

A delegation from the AFL-CIO, the United States' largest labor organization, is in the capital city Bogota to lobby the government to crack down on right-wing militias that have assassinated hundreds of union members.

"They will have to renegotiate the deal in 2009," said Dan Kovalik, a delegation member and lawyer for the United Steel Workers, a union with strong ties to the Democratic Party.

Since 2002, when President Alvaro Uribe was first elected, 470 union members have been killed in Colombia, Kovalik said. There have been five killings so far in 2008, he said, or nearly one a week.

Read more: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N12268963.htm

[Judi Lynn]

1. Intense LTTE, Guardian: Kim Howells' insult to Colombians

Kim Howells' insult to Colombians
The Guardian, Wednesday February 13 2008

This article appeared in the Guardian on Wednesday February 13 2008 on p31 of the Leaders & reply section.
It was last updated at 00:02 on February 13 2008.


I've never written to the Letters page before. But after seeing the photograph of foreign minister Kim Howells posing with troops of the High Mountain Brigades and Gen Mario Montoyo in the Sumapaz province of Colombia (Report, February 11), I felt I just had to put my feelings in writing. I'm a solicitor who went to Colombia in December 2006 as part of a human rights/trade union delegation. While in Colombia, I visited the Sumapaz region and listened to harrowing testimonies from ordinary Colombians about the murder and torture of their loved ones by the High Mountain Brigades of the Colombian army.

I vividly remember two Colombians speaking about how their two teenage sons had been tortured and then murdered by soldiers from the same army brigade with whom Howells is pictured grinning. Looking at this picture and remembering what I saw and heard in Sumapaz is an emotional reminder of just how wrong our government's policy is towards Colombia - the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist.

The posting of this photo on the Foreign Office website is an insult to ordinary Colombians. The most appropriate apology would be for our government to end its military aid to Colombia. As a former trade union official, Howells should be standing up for trade unionists who are - quite literally - in the firing line by taking a lead to secure this important change to our foreign policy.

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/13/colombia.humanrights

[Judi Lynn]

3. Here's the article the LTTE directly above discussed:

Anger at minister's photo with Colombian army unit linked to trade unionist killings
Seumas Milne The Guardian, Monday February 11 2008

http://image.guim.co.uk.nyud.net:8090/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/02/11/kimhowells460x276.jpg

Kim Howells with troops of the High Mountain Battalion of the Colombian
Army including General Mario Montoya (behind him and left of Howells)



It might have been any one of hundreds of stiffly posed official photos taken on ministerial visits to military establishments around the world and then duly posted and ignored on government websites - if it had not been for the attention of human rights campaigners.

Surrounding the smiling face of the Foreign Office minister Kim Howells in a picture taken in the Colombian region of Sumapaz are a general linked to paramilitary death squads and soldiers of a notorious unit of the Colombian army accused, including by Amnesty International, of torturing and killing trade unionists.

The photograph, taken in a military base and posted on the Foreign Office website, was yesterday greeted with outrage by Labour parliamentarians and trade union leaders. Howells is pictured with the High Mountain Brigades, a unit held responsible for the killing of trade union activists, peasants and anti-narcotics police during the past three years.

Behind him stand the Colombian defence minister, Juan Santos, and General Mario Montoya, head of the Colombian army, reports of whose collaboration with paramilitary death squads and drug traffickers and links with disappearances and killings - including leaked CIA reports - were cited last year by US congressional leaders as part of the reason for the suspension of tens of millions of dollars of US military aid to the south American regime. The Colombian government denies the accusations.

Colin Burgon, Labour MP for Elmet, said yesterday he was "shocked and saddened to see these pictures. I have visited this area and spoken to ordinary people in the area and they view the military there as an oppressive force."

More:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/feb/11/colombia.humanrights

[factanonverba]

9. I take exception to this

As a Colombian, this article is simply not accurate. It suggests that trade unionists are being killed at the rate of one a week. But since Uribe assumed power in 2002, 470 have been killed, that's not quite one a week, is it? Then while they do happen to be trade unionist as their day job, their night job is as a front for the FARC. Colombia loves Uribe. I voted for him twice and I will support whoever promises to keep the Uribe platform going forward. Security and order. Kidnappings are down 91% since Uribe took over. In the last three years the FARC has seen its numbers drop from over 50,000 to just 19,000. Uribe has taken to a carrot and stick approach. Amnesty to anyone under arms, guerrillas or paramilitary, at any time. Turn in your weapons, resume civilian life. The stick is obviously taking the fight to the guerrillas. If you want to do something for Colombia, don't use drugs and help us the trade in narcotics. That will help Colombia more than anything.

For different and more accurate picture of Colombia, check this out. See how Ciclovias are changing Colombian society. The power of a bike. http://local.theoildrum.com/node/3333

[Bacchus39]

10. Colombia has become a scapegoat for anti-Bushism

not that anti-Bushism is bad but unfortunately Colombia has become a line in the sand for opposition of Bush policies, and I mean in general. Iraq, free trade, domestic spying, torture. sticking it to Bush by denying the free trade agreement with Colombia.

And I do not pretend to know what the benefits and negatives of a free trade agreement would be for the US and Colombia or the level of support or opposition to the agreement. I do know that Colombia is and will remain a US ally under an Obama or Clinton presidency or McCain for that matter, and I believe that is a good thing.

more enemies we don't need.

[Judi Lynn]

11. I am reminded of this material from Amnesty International:

Justice & Peace Law and Decree 128

Since 2003, paramilitary groups, responsible for the vast majority of human rights violations in Colombia for over a decade, have been involved in a government-sponsored "demobilization" process. More than 25,000 paramilitaries have supposedly demobilized under a process which has been criticized by AI and other Colombian and international human rights groups, as well as by the OHCHR and the IACHR. The process is lacking in effective mechanisms for justice and in its inability to ensure that paramilitary members actually cease violent activities.

In fact, paramilitarism has not been dismantled, it has simply been "re-engineered." Many demobilized combatants are being encouraged to join "civilian informer networks," to provide military intelligence to the security forces, and to become "civic guards". Since many areas of Colombia have now been wrested from guerrilla control, and paramilitary control established in many of these areas, they no longer see a need to have large numbers of heavily-armed uniformed paramilitaries.

However, evidence suggests that many paramilitary structures remain virtually intact and that paramilitaries continue to kill. Amnesty International continues to document human rights violations committed by paramilitary groups, sometimes operating under new names, and often in collusion with the security forces.

AI would welcome a demobilization process which would lead to the effective dismantling of paramilitarism and end the links between the security forces and paramilitaries. But the current demobilization process is unlikely to guarantee the effective dismantling of such structures. In fact, it is facilitating the re-emergence of paramilitarism and undermining the right of victims to truth, justice and reparation.

Amnesty International is deeply concerned that the law governing the demobilization of armed groups in Colombia is wholly inadequate. It threatens to guarantee the impunity of those responsible for heinous and widespread human rights atrocities, not only paramilitaries, but also those who have backed the paramilitary such as wealthy landowners, and government and military officials. Furthermore, the demobilization law may not rid the country of the scourge of illegal armed activity and human rights abuses against the civilian population. In fact, it may make the situation worse by:

• Providing de facto amnesties for paramilitaries and guerrillas responsible for serious human rights abuses and violations;
  
• Perpetuating impunity for human rights abusers and violators thereby undermining the rule of law in Colombia;
  
• Failing to guarantee the effective dismantling of paramilitary structures by focusing solely on individual combatants;
  
• Failing to expose those Colombian security forces, government officials, and private citizens who have supported and benefited from the activities of the paramilitary;
  
• Failing to establish a full and independent judicial process to oversee the demobilization process;
  
• Neglecting to respect the rights of victims of human rights violations and abuses to truth, justice and reparation.

More:http://www.amnestyusa.org/Colombia/Justice_and_Peace_Law_and_Decree_128/page.do?id=1101862&n1=3&n2=30&n3=885

~~~~~~~~~
I'm also aware that Alvaro Uribe has FOUR American public relations firms working for him, one of them being a firm which works for Hillary Clinton, as well.

I've read they are constantly monitoring information flowing in the States concerning Colombia, and that they move to repudiate any negative information whenever and wherever it appears.

Colombia has not been living on its own income for years, now that President Clinton kicked in Plan Colombia. Colombia is the THIRD LARGEST RECIPIENT OF U.S. FOREIGN AID IN THE WORLD. They are NOT going to give that up without a fight.

Pity.

In the meantime, all the foreign aid doesn't seem to improve the lot of the common man, as almost all of it goes to the military and government services, and it does NOT trickle down to improve the daily lives of the people.

[Bacchus39]

15. you really have your finger on the pulse of the Colombian populace

NOT!!!


meanwhile in La La Land:

"The Venezuelan government's own figures show that 382 people were taken hostage last year, up from 232 in 2006 and 44 in 1999 -- Chávez's first year in office. That was before Colombia's long internal conflict with guerrillas began a violent, rapid expansion into Venezuela. But the government, which shares an ideological affinity with Colombia's rebels, officially denies that the FARC or ELN kidnap Venezuelans, or that the two groups hold hostages inside Venezuelan territory, as families here contend."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/12/AR2008021202762.html

[Bacchus39]

4. 3 soldiers from the High Mountain brigade accompanied a group of us tourists to the Nevado de Ruiz

that is the same unit that was mentioned the pic. frankly, I felt better they were there. most of the tourists on the excursion were Colombians by the way.

and finally, that article is a letter to the Guardian from a reader.

[Judi Lynn]

5. Are you referring to the LTTE I posted, indicating it's an LTTE, or are you

referring to the article by Seumas Milne?

[Judi Lynn]

6. You've always been so keyboard vocal supporting Uribe's government I assumed you WERE

a kind of a Colombian, not a tourist!

http://manolomen.com.nyud.net:8090/images/ugly%20american.jpg

[Bacchus39]

7. nope not a Colombian, an American. there were two Swiss guys as well

about 10 Colombians. the Swiss mountain climbers and the soldiers, from the mountain brigade, walked up to the glacier at about 16,500 feet. most of the group stopped at the 16,000 mark. in fact, they told us we couldn't go any higher but the Swiss guys really wanted to and the guides let them go.


are you having fun with the pictures?

[Judi Lynn]

8. Had to use that tourist guy photo another time before turning it loose again! n/t

[ck4829]

2. These free trade deals aren't good for Americans, and they aren't good for poor people anywhere

They only benefit the rich and the corporations.

[nealmhughes]

12. The appeal of the law suit against the deaths of two labor leaders at the Alabama owned mines of

Drummond continues after the plaintiff lost the first round in Birmingham earlier last year. The UMW is behind the law suit for the survivors and swear they will take it all the way to the USSC if need be.
The judge would not allow three witnesses to testify even though the planitiffs had located them (one was in jail) and merely asked for a short stay to have them brought to Bham for testimony.

Colombia's government needs all the PR agents it can get, and they aren't earning their pay, because nearly all one reads in the US and UK press is how repressive the Colombian paras are to the labor movement.

I assume that the "mere" 400+ killed since Uribe took office was not intended as irony, but it was taken so by this reader.

[Judi Lynn]

13. The first trial was a travesty, wasn't it? Actual evidence was simply not allowed into court.

I guess there's an advantage in being a powerful company, capable of hiring death squads to torture and slaughter your union workers who try to improve the lot of the slave-labor you can hire to work in the mines with NO PROTECTION whatsoever, even having them killed in front of witnesses, then keep evidence out of court because the trial is held in your own home town where you've been powerful for ages.

Those men started getting the always expected death threats, and asked Drummond for permission to sleep overnight at the company, for sanctuary, and they were simply out of luck of course. Drummond, the company which hired the death squads had no intention of allowing them to live.

Despicable people. Apparently a wildly melodramatic feigned sense of concern and morality is only in use when you are dealing with other white Americans, not brown people, and certainly not the dirty POOR people who have to work for you.

It's not as if this is the only time this has happened. This crap has been happening over and over endlessly. That's they way they've got it all arranged. No one has been able to force REAL democracy on Colombia, although they strut and posture about their beloved President whom, as we know, was the subject of a report by the United States Defense Department in 1991, in which he was connected DIRECTLY to Pablo Escobar, when Uribe was a Senator, and the report said that he had worked to get legislation which would protect these scumballs from extradition, should they accidently get in trouble with a foreign government which hoped to bring them to justice.

Here's the link to that report:

U.S. INTELLIGENCE LISTED COLOMBIAN PRESIDENT URIBE AMONG
"IMPORTANT COLOMBIAN NARCO-TRAFFICKERS" IN 1991

Then-Senator "Dedicated to Collaboration with the Medellín Cartel at High Government Levels"

Confidential DIA Report Had Uribe Alongside Pablo Escobar, Narco-Assassins

Uribe "Worked for the Medellín Cartel" and was a "Close Personal Friend of Pablo Escobar"


Washington, D.C., 1 August 2004 - Then-Senator and now President Álvaro Uribe Vélez of Colombia was a "close personal friend of Pablo Escobar" who was "dedicated to collaboration with the Medellín cartel at high government levels," according to a 1991 intelligence report from U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) officials in Colombia. The document was posted today on the website of the National Security Archive, a non-governmental research group based at George Washington University.

Uribe's inclusion on the list raises new questions about allegations that surfaced during Colombia's 2002 presidential campaign. Candidate Uribe bristled and abruptly terminated an interview in March 2002 when asked by Newsweek reporter Joseph Contreras about his alleged ties to Escobar and his associations with others involved in the drug trade. Uribe accused Contreras of trying to smear his reputation, saying that, "as a politician, I have been honorable and accountable."

The newly-declassified report, dated 23 September 1991, is a numbered list of "the more important Colombian narco-traffickers contracted by the Colombian narcotic cartels for security, transportation, distribution, collection and enforcement of narcotics operations." The document was released by DIA in May 2004 in response to a Freedom of Information Act request submitted by the Archive in August 2000.

The source of the report was removed by DIA censors, but the detailed, investigative nature of the report -- the list corresponds with a numbered set of photographs that were apparently provided with the original -- suggests it was probably obtained from Colombian or U.S. counternarcotics personnel. The document notes that some of the information in the report was verified "via interfaces with other agencies."

President Uribe -- now a key U.S. partner in the drug war -- "was linked to a business involved in narcotics activities in the United States" and "has worked for the Medellín cartel," the narcotics trafficking organization led by Escobar until he was killed by Colombian government forces in 1993. The report adds that Uribe participated in Escobar's parliamentary campaign and that as senator he had "attacked all forms of the extradition treaty" with the U.S.

"Because both the source of the report and the reporting officer's comments section were not declassified, we cannot be sure how the DIA judged the accuracy of this information," said Michael Evans, director of the Archive's Colombia Documentation Project, "but we do know that intelligence officials believed the document was serious and important enough to pass on to analysts in Washington."

More:
http://www.gwu.edu/~nsarchiv/NSAEBB/NSAEBB131/index.htm

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Simply unbelievable! Slimes!

[Judi Lynn]

14. Kick.

:kick: :kick: :kick: :kick:

[Judi Lynn]

16. USW Delegation Visits Colombia to Meet Union, Political Leaders

USW Delegation Visits Colombia to Meet Union, Political Leaders

Fact-finding mission on Colombian Free Trade Agreement

PITTSBURGH, Feb. 11 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Representatives of the United Steelworkers (USW) and Unite of the United Kingdom and Ireland unions traveled today to Colombia, the most dangerous country in the world for trade unionists, on a mission to gather facts regarding the proposed Colombian Free Trade Agreement.

Other U.S. labor leaders including AFL-CIO Executive Vice President Linda Chavez-Thompson, will meet tomorrow with Colombian trade union leaders and the leaders of three major Colombian union federations, CUT, CTC and CGT. On Wednesday, they are to meet with Colombian President Alvaro Uribe and Attorney General Mario Iguaran.

While the Bush Administration and Uribe have applied new pressure to bring the Colombian FTA to a vote in Congress, U.S. trade unions have opposed any action on the pact while trade unionists are routinely threatened, tortured and murdered in Colombia and the country avoids prosecuting anyone for these crimes.

In meetings tomorrow, trade unionists are expected to tell the members of the U.S. delegation about the 40 Colombian trade unionists who were murdered last year, more than all union activists killed in all other countries of the world combined.

In addition, union leaders in Colombia are expected to express concern about the failure of the Colombian government to redress these murders. More than 2,283 labor union leaders have been killed in Colombia since 1991 -- 443 since President Uribe took the office in 2002. Yet fewer than 3 percent of these have been successfully prosecuted to conviction. That means 97 percent of the killers remain unpunished.

More:
http://orange.advfn.com/news_USW-Delegation-Visits-Colombia-to-Meet-Union-Political-Leaders_24689559.html

On edit: forgot to emphasize some facts which most taxpayers who've been providing the profits to Colombia have been kept from knowing, since our own corporate-controlled media feels it's a hassle to bother with reality:

In meetings tomorrow, trade unionists are expected to tell the members of the U.S. delegation about the 40 Colombian trade unionists who were murdered last year, more than all union activists killed in all other countries of the world combined.

In addition, union leaders in Colombia are expected to express concern about the failure of the Colombian government to redress these murders. More than 2,283 labor union leaders have been killed in Colombia since 1991 -- 443 since President Uribe took the office in 2002. Yet fewer than 3 percent of these have been successfully prosecuted to conviction. That means 97 percent of the killers remain unpunished.

How anyone can pretend to have a conscience and support a filthy regime like this is so beyond forgiveness it seems impossible they could EVER pretend kinship with the human race.

[Bacchus39]

17. why don't you ask 62% of the Colombians???

why they supported him.


and trade unionists are NOT the only people who get murdered. people of all stripes get murdered in Caracas, the US, and Colombia. why don't you express outrage at those murders??

[Judi Lynn]

18. I could ask the Colombians who have been chased off their land by the death squads

but they're hiding in other countries.