US Coal Giant Possibly Involved in Trade Unionist Killings Asked Diplomat for Help with Bad Publicit

[Judi Lynn]

US Coal Giant Possibly Involved in Trade Unionist Killings Asked Diplomat for Help with Bad Publicity
March 18, 2011 at 06:42:22
By Kevin Gosztola

On March 12, 2001, in Colombia, then-president and vice president of Sintramienergetica, were both picked up by men of the the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC), a terrorist paramilitary force in Colombia that has at this point been mostly dissolved. According to El Espectador, a Colombian newspaper (that has partnered with WikiLeaks), the trade unionist leaders were murdered in Locarno and transported in a van to Orcasita where they were found dead hours after being killed.
Sintramienergetica is a trade union that has workers that do labor for a US company based in Alabama, Drummond Coal. The history between the trade union and the coal giant has been tumultuous. Paramilitary leaders alleged to be responsible for the murders of the two trade unionists have gone on trial with Drummond being accused of handing over a suitcase of money to leader Rodrigo Tovar Pupo asking him to help "remove barriers" the union was creating for the company.

Plaintiffs, children of those killed, have been pursuing a civil suit against Drummond that goes after the company for "paying the right-wing United Self Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) to protect their business interests in the Cesar and Magdalena provinces of Colombia, and to terrorize and murder innocent residents in the region who they perceived as sympathetic to leftist guerilla groups and supportive of local union organizations." The plaintiffs also contend Colombia military (funded by US taxpayers) and paramilitary forces" have been supporting Drummond.

Cables from WikiLeaks show the president of Drummond, Augusto Jimenez, sought help in October 2009 from the US in combating "publicity" linking the company to the murders of the two trade unionists. Jimenez emphasizes the fact that those charging Drummond was involved had lost their civil suit in the US.

More:
http://www.opednews.com/articles/US-Coal-Giant-Possibly-Inv-by-Kevin-Gosztola-110318-507.html