Remarks of Carlos Flores, Secretary-General of Public Service Workers Union, Colombia
June 25, 2002
Quiero agradecer a AFSCME, la AFL-CIO, la ISP por haberme dado la oportudidad de explicar lo que nos pasa a los dirigentes y sociedad civil en Colombia y lo que puede hacer los sindicalistas estadounidenses para solidarizar.
En resumen, la siguiente es la situacion que enfrentamos en Colombia. Empezamos con algunas cifras:
- ultimos 10 años: 1741 Dirigentes sindicales y activistas asesinados;
- en 2000: 135 Dirigentes sindicales y activistas asesinados;
- en 2001: 184 Dirigentes sindicales y activistas asesinado;
- hasta la fecha en 2002: 87 Dirigentes sindicales y activistas asesinados.
El contexto economico es el siguiente: 1) Segun el Banco Mundial, el 60% de los colombianos viven por debajo de la linea de pobreza 2) Desde los comienzos de la privatizacion y reformas laborales en 1990, el desempleo ha subido del 10% hasta 22%, 3) Igual que el desempleo, la deuda externa ha aumentado al doble desde 1990-del 22% hasta el 45% del PIB. Mas de 10 años muestran que el modelo no funciona. Todo es un fracaso.
Hay que tenerlo muy claro: parte de esa violencia tiene que ver con la ó.
Un solo ejemplo de estas massacres: In Sintraemsdes sindicato mio y afiliado al ISP. En el 2001, cerca de Cali, 8 dirigentes y activistas fueron asesinados en 8 meses por resistir privatización.
Por el solo hecho de denunciar al gobierno regional y los consejos locales, quienes acceptaron subornos del sector privado y de las multinationales como Leonix de Saux, quienes compraron mas del 80 % de los acueducto Argentinos. El modelo fracaso alla y quieren a todo costo aplicarlo en Colombia.
Y el costo humano es altisimo. Las bandas armadas como las AUC sacaron trabajadores de la planta de tratamiento de la ciudad de Buga, nos mataron dos directivos sindicales. En muchos casos se a desmostrado la complicidad de las fuersas armadas del estado Colombiano con la AUC. Tal violencia crea un ambiente que hace imposible el trabajo sindical. Se mata no solo sindicalistas individuales sino sindicalismo en si.
Impunidad: de los miles de casos de asesinatos citado anteriormente, ni un solo caso ha llevado un responsible a la carcel. Inclusive en los casos muestran los lazos entre el ejercito y los paramilitaries. Para el colmo, la Administracion Bush acaba de certificar las practicas de DDHH de este ejercito y quiere aumentar la ayudar militar al estado colombiano.
Podemos repetir la historia en casi todo el pais: En Antioquia, un sindicato de sector publico, le mataron 25 lideres en 5 años, durante el gobierno de Uribe, actual presidente electo. No hay razon para creer que la situacion va a mejorar. Nesesitamos la solidaridad de todo el movimiento obrero Americano para que con sus impuestos no se siga exterminado al movimiento obrero y la sociedad civil Colombiano. Necesitamos que el Plan Colombia no sea un plan de guerra sino un plan social, dedicado a justicia y paz.
English Translation
I want to thank AFSCME, the AFL-CIO, and PSI for giving me the opportunity to testify to what is happening to labor leaders and civil society as a whole in Colombia. ... and about what US labor can do in solidarity.
Let me start with a few straight facts:
- in the last 10 years, over 1741 union brothers and sisters have been assassinated;
- in the year 2000, 135 trade union brothers and sisters were assassinated;
- in 2001, 184 more brothers and sisters were assassinated;
- so far this year, 87 have been killed.
Here is our economic situation: 1) according to the World Bank, 60% of Colombians now live below the poverty line. 2) Since the beginning of privatization in 1990, unemployment has risen from 10% to 22%. 3) Just as unemployment, our foreign debt has doubled since 1990-from 22% to 45% of our Gross Domestic Product. More than 10 years make clear that the privatization model does not work for workers or the nation. It is a complete failure.
One thing must be made clear: a good deal of this violence we face has to do with privatization. Those who resist it are systematically attacked.
Let me provide the example of my union, The Public Service Workers, an affiliate of Public Services International. In 2001, near Cali, 8 leaders and activists were killed, killed at the rate of one per month, for the mere fact that they resisted privatization.
For denouncing regional and local governments who accepted bribes from the private sector, and transnational corporations like Leoniz de Saux, eager to get contracts for water services. This same firm bought over 80% of Argentina's water services. The selling off of public services failed in Argentina and they want to apply it in Colombia at any cost.
And the human cost is extremely high. Armed groups like the AUC hauled our workers out of one treatment plant and killed two of our leaders. In many cases, there is proof that the army works with these illegal armed groups. Such violence creates an environment that makes everyday trade union work impossible. Not only individual unionists, but trade unionism itself is being killed.
And with thousands killed, attacked, and forced from home and work in over ten years, not even one of those guilty has gone to jail. This is especially indefensible when there is physical evidence and testimony that shows how the government and paramilitaries work together. Yet the Bush administration has recently increased support to Colombian's military and seeks to remove human rights conditions.
One more auspicious case needs mention. In Antioquia, one public employee union has had 25 leaders killed in five years. This atrocity under the governorship of Alvaro Uribe, Colombia's president elect. There is no reason to believe that the situation will improve as long as US policy does not. We urgently need the solidarity of American workers so that their taxes do not continue to destroy Colombian workers and civil society. We need a US policy for Colombia that is not a war only policy but a social plan that works for economic justice and peace.
|
.gif)
