Murals at the University of Cali
University Workers Union – SINTRAUNICOL
On August 24 before we left Cali, we met with Carlos Gonzalez, President of SINTRAUNICOL at the University of Cali. As well we met with others involved with the union. Jose Sanchez, our driver and guide from yesterday is on the Union executive.
- Parona Ramirez, a microbiologist and professor of 25 years standing is also here.
- Brother Dagoberto Hurtado is part of the human rights section of the union. He works at the university.
- Laura Estiga, the mother of Julio Estiga, who was killed by the government on October 5, 2006 is present.
- William Silva is the father of Johnny Silva, an active member of the student’s movement, killed in Sept 22, 2005 is also here.
We heard testimonies about three cases at the University of Cali. Johnny Silva, William Ortiz and Julian Estiga. However, there have been others – Catarina Soto who was involved in the student movement and was assassinated in 2007. In that case the judge ruled in the family’s favour and the killer was taken to court. We heard from William’s father first.
"The levels of impunity are so high that I do not expect justice to be served. We know who killed my son and we have been to the Attorney General's office to ask when justice will be done. The answer we have been give is that you cannot screw up this officer's career – you should just forgive him. We have had 11 different reps from the Attorney General's department in charge of this case already and the more time that passes the more difficult it is. In October we will go before the special Inter-American Commission at the Organization of American States. I ask you a favour – please put pressure on this government – send letters to request that this government respect its own people. This is not just for my son but for all of the others too. For example, Julian Andres, who was part of the Committee of Truth, was trying to find the answers regarding the death of my son. He was also killed.
We have 38 pieces of evidence that point to the riot police killing my son. We also have a recording and the Attorney General's office has said that we need actual pictures of him being shot! They even opened a case against us and our lawyer for defamation of character. We have a photo of the one who killed my son. The General in charge at the time of the shooting has now retired but is among those being investigated for links with the drug cartels. Please ask the Canadian government to pressure the Colombian government to give an answer to this case. Otherwise we have no recourse to justice."
Johnny's mother showed us pictures of Johnny with his sister.
"Johnny was a physics student in his sixth semester and it is now four years since he was killed. The police officers who killed him were not even suspended from duty. He was killed in front of his classmates and many have testified about the one who actually killed my son."
But that's not enough for the Attorney General.
Julian's mother also spoke to us during this meeting:
“On October 5, 2006, my son came from a meeting with the Provincial Premier, Garzon. Around 10:30 pm he came to my house and then went to walk his girlfriend home. He then stopped at the pool hall briefly. He was well liked by everyone in the neighbourhood so he had little fear in walking home late at night in the darkness. Johnny had a bag with him with a lot of evidence of corruption by someone at the University. He had been discussing this with the Premier.
He was just a few blocks from home and was walking towards our home when a man dressed up as a woman approached him. He tried to use his cell but was then shot in the back. There had been two taxi drivers in the area and one of them took him to hospital... The other cab picked up the man dressed as a women and the shooter. That cab took off. Some gasoline station workers said that they had seen two cabs driving around the neighbourhood earlier. Also, someone they know from the Attorney General’s office said they had seen a soldier in the area. I think that this soldier may have been the one my son met at a military base when he needed to correct some paperwork problems about his military service. His name was Carlos Emilio Mondragon. I think he may have been there to identify my son to the assassins.”
Student William Ortiz and Professor Barbara Bourques were other examples. Barbara was killed in her classroom in front of the students, some of whom were also wounded in the action.
The union believes it cannot separate itself from all of these atrocities committed against students and workers at the university - - just trying to participate in demonstrations and marches, etc., voicing their opinion on what is happening at the university.
Another very important area the union is working on is the fight to keep public education in the universities. At present they are fighting against the increased use of loans for students instead of grants which have traditionally made it easier for poorer students to access university. Even at the public universities like Cali the union has uncovered corruption of officials who are taking bribes and circumventing the proper application process. Rich kids who do not have the grades are getting in and taking up spaces that would normally be given to poorer kids who do have the grades.
SINTRAUNICOL has relations with some Canadian unions and is also part of the CONTUA – a tri-continental organization of university workers in the Americas.
OPSEU pledged to take the message back and to develop closer relations with SINTRAUNICOL in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment