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More
than 40 trade unionists have been killed this year in Colombia by
para-military death squads. Every day, more union activists are
threatened with death by these forces, who carry out the orders of big
business and the political establishment.
On
Aug. 31, Jairo del Rio, the president of
SINTRATUCAR (the union representing workers at the Tenaris
steel tube company in Cartagena) and a member
of the Socialist Workers Party (Colombian section of the International
Workers League), received a written message threatening death to him,
his wife, and children. The message said in part: “We would remind you
that in this country guerrilla communists like you and your group die
fast, so you better stop interfering in things that are not your
business.”
The
following day, the union vice president, Deivis
Blanco, received a similar note. The union is pushing for work
stoppages of a few hours in response to the threats. International
solidarity with these union activists is extremely important.
E-mail:
Mr. Ruben Fidalgo, Gen. Manager, Tubos del Caribe Tenaris S.A., rfidalgo@tenaris.com. Copies: Alavaro
Uribe Velez, president of Colombia, auribe@presidencia.gov.co,
and sintratucar@gmail.com. More information: www.litci.org.
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