Meeting with Canadian Ambassador to Colombia
On Tuesday September 1 we met with Geneviève des Rivières, the Canadian ambassador to Colombia in her office in Bogota. Based on the experience of the delegation in Colombia and OPSEU’s previous stand on issues like the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, Sister Jen Giroux presented the ambassador with a letter from President Smokey Thomas. The letter outlines the key concerns of OPSEU: our opposition to the Canada Colombia Free Trade Agreement; our condemnation of the human rights atrocities being committed against trade unionists and human rights activists; our call for the passing of Bill C300 regarding corporate social responsibility on the part of Canadian corporations; guarantees for safety for those opposing the regime, including providing refuge in Canada for many whose lives have been threatened; and our stand against the rush to privatize health care in Colombia.
The ambassador took pains to praise the Canadian mining corporations in Colombia for their corporate social responsibility and their adherence to prior consultation with communities before any concessions are awarded.
She also defended the case for a Canada Colombia Free Trade Agreement and pointed to the example of Peru as the first time ever that Canada has been able to negotiate two side agreements – one on Labour and one on the Environment. “Canada is a leader rather than a follower” she said and went on to talk about how our government cannot just be subservient to a sovereign government like Colombia. We can, through avenues like free trade agreements monitor the government’s activities, build a closer relationship through dialogue and influence their public policies more effectively than we could otherwise. “We see it as an opportunity to have privileged access because Canada is such a highly respected country”, she said.
We pointed out that Canadian corporations, far from being the social citizens she portrayed, had actually been instrumental in redesigning the mining laws to incorporate less stringent laws for their operations in Colombia. The ambassador asked us for more information on this issue and we will provide her with the details.
When Ms. des Rivières began once again to talk about how socially responsible they were being in Colombia, and how the Canadian mining corporations were there to create employment which is sustainable beyond the life of the mine, our delegation repeated what the indigenous leaders in each community had told us. They were not interested in that kind of employment; they wanted to stay on their land and provide for their communities as they had always been able to do. Brother Yhony Muñoz outlined how he had worked alongside the Embera Katio whose lands and fishing grounds had been destroyed by a hydro – electric project funded by Export Development Corporation (Canada). Then their leader, Kimi Pernia was “disappeared” by paramilitaries and later it was confirmed that he had been killed.
The ambassador reiterated that she still believed that Canada would have more capacity to monitor the activities of Canadian companies by engaging with the Colombian government. Our meeting had to end as the ambassador was late for her next meeting. We thanked her and left, not surprised by her response but at the same time frustrated by the complete lack of empathy for the suffering and devastation at the hands of the Colombian regime we had witnessed in this country.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Monday, August 31, 2009
Wayuumsurat Women for Peace
Wayuumunsurat
Sister Deborah Fince is a lawyer and head of Wayuumunsrat, a women’s organization for peace in the Guajira region. In particular she talked to us about the actions of the paramilitaries and the affect of mining on the Wayuu people.
Sister Deborah Fince is a lawyer and head of Wayuumunsrat, a women’s organization for peace in the Guajira region. In particular she talked to us about the actions of the paramilitaries and the affect of mining on the Wayuu people.
The Wayuumunsurat were the first organization to denounce the paramilitary forces in this area. The paramilitary killed 12 people in Bahia Portete in 2004. The “North Block” was the paramilitary group in this area, lead by Jorge Cuarente, one of those now extradited to the United States. After the massacre 346 people were displaced from the area. Bahia Portete is a natural bay in an area not far from a large open pit coal mine. The coal mining company would like to load coal into transport ships from that bay.
We have also denounced the way the government has modified the mining law to delete the requirement for prior consultation with aboriginal groups. This is a Constitutional requirement and it erodes our rights. The fact that they denounced the massacre meant that, at least, this story would be known and told. Otherwise it would soon be forgotten. The killings were done in a manner designed to terrorize others; methods included decapitation, burning to death and various methods of torture including evisceration and castration.
All of the atrocities emanate from the transnational companies. Serrahone Mines provides money to the paramilitaries for food, guns and ammunition. They say this is to protect the mine. But who are they protecting it from? There have never been guerrilla forces in this desert region. The climate cannot support a guerilla army. The Wayuu people are the only others here, with their culture and history. In Deborah’s case, it has been two years since she has had to have 2 police officers with her 24 hours a day for protection.
The Wayuu people are a large group in Colombia yet they have killed so many of us. It is difficult to bring these issues to the public. The paramilitaries have a presence in the premier’s office, the mayor’s office and the office of the attorney general. While President Uribe has said that the paramilitaries no longer exist, they are as strong as ever.
The Wayuu want groups like OPSEU to write strong letters to our President to demand that he respect the indigenous people like the Wayuu.
“One of the things we do to resist and honour the deaths of our brothers, is to annually celebrate the anniversary of the massacre. We would like the international community to join us at these events so that one day the Wayuu people can return in safety to Bahia Portete. Many are still refugees from the violence and are across the border in Venezuela.”
“I am happy to meet with you in this tiny office today; I cannot be sure that I will be alive a week or a month from now. What is even more courageous is that other sisters are ready to replace me if I am killed. Sister Epinayuu is one of these. Others have already died.”
There are now about 200,000 Wayuu people on the coast of Colombia. There is another women’s matriarchal and as a result women are much more outspoken on issues. There are valuable male leaders as well.
Most of the upper Guajira Region is recognized as a reserve for the indigenous people. The coal mine is on aboriginal land and the mine pays royalties to the province but none of it gets returned to native people. These projects always come with claims of progress for the region. Instead they bring disgrace.
Fine coal dust causes skin and breathing problems. The coal trains also hit the Wayuu’s domestic goats. The Wayuu people herd goats as a traditional form of agriculture. When they go to the company to ask for compensation there is never any response.
The Wayuu work closely with ONIC and other central first nations confederations. Once again we are struck by the courage of the Wayuu women and commit OPSEU’s assistance to write letters demanding respect for their community and their right to live in peace on their ancestral lands.
Public sector workers - solidarity from Canada to Medellin
In Medellin the delegation had the honour of sitting down with a number of different unions.
Public Service Workers (Sindicato Trabadore Deptales Antioquia)
This union formed in 1945. In 1997, Alvaro Uribe became premier of Antioquia, and began to support private security cooperatives, which quickly developed into paramilitary groups. During Uribe's reign, he fired 900 public service workers, leaving membership of the union at only 600. Following in Uribe's footsteps, the next premier fired an additional 500 members, leaving the union with only 100 members today. Many of these members, after being fired, were taken from work by police officers.
The matter has been taken to the International Labour Organization, which ordered that a number of the workers previously fired must be rehired but the government pays little attention to this. The union is now in another legal battle to have another member, who was illegally fired, reinstated.
The overall perception is that the government, at the national and provincial levels, is trying to annihilate the union movement and have resorted to murdering and threatening union activists as a way of achieving this goal. The brothers and sisters asked that we take this information home and share it, and added that the dignity of Canadians should not be used to exploit Colombia through free trade agreements.
Municipal Workers
The Union of Municipal Workers of Antioquia was created in 1970 – and at it's peak had 1850 members in fifty different locals. Today, the union represents only 370 workers in 32 locals. The government attempted to pressure workers to quit their jobs in order to be rehired in cooperatives. When a large number of those workers refused, paramilitaries began to threaten them, resulting in a number of members being displaced, and seventy members being murdered. Of the seventy cases, not one charge has been laid.
In one area, seven workers were murdered in their workplace -- terrorizing their colleagues in an attempt to stop the union. In another case, a number of garbage men were killed while on their routes.
Many of the communities serviced by the union are in isolated areas that are converged upon by armed groups, military, and police. This has resulted in workers quitting their jobs in order to escape from threats and intimidation.
Like so many other situations in which workers have been fired, this union has also experienced the illegal firing of 23 workers in 2008. Despite a court ruling to rehire the workers, the employer continues to avoid doing this. This again reiterated that there is little respect for the court process by the government.
These workers stated that the Colombian government has no respect for ILO standards or court rulings. This union, like so many, has been labelled as being sympathetic to guerrilla groups. With little credible space within their own country to denounce the situations that they live on a daily basis, OPSEU was again thanked for creating a link between union brothers and sisters so far apart.
Liquor Board Union
In 1998, this union had 720 members in the province of Antioquia. Following the illegal firings initiated by Uribe when he was premier, the union now is made up of only 250 members.
Similar to the high profitability of Ontario's liquor store sales, the sale of liquor in the province of Antioquia accounts for $1 billion pesos per year. This results in roughly $800 million pesos of profit in one year. Ultimately, there is no reason to privatize an asset that results in so much money returning to public hands. Despite this, Uribe initiated the privatization of the board. In 2002, Uribe divided the board amongst a group of politicians, supporters, and friends. In 2006, a piece was sold off to an individual officially linked to the paramilitaries and drug trafficking groups. Despite there being a law suit with regards to the sale to this individual (known as “the onion dealer”), little is expected in terms of a satisfying outcome.
To sum up, what previously only resulted in 7% of total revenue returning to private hands, now results in 22% of revenue returning to private hands. The price for this has been the murders of eight union members as a result of their union activity and denouncing the actions of the government.
The message was clear from this union: continue to oppose the free trade agreement!
OPSEU Attends a Protest Held by ADIDA and CUT
Our afternoon was filled with a public demonstration held by the central trade union organization, CUT, and the Provincial Teacher's Union (ADIDA). The demonstration, of about 5000 people, was a magnificent show of the strength and determination of union brothers and sisters, who, despite the many threats directed at them, continue to fight for what they believe in.
ADIDA, CUT, ANTHOC, COMOSOC
A meeting was also held by ADIDA, CUT, ANTHOC, COMOSOC, and members of community organizations. During this meeting, ANTHOC (Union of Health Care Workers) shared with us stories of the pressures put on union members to quit their jobs and avoid participation in union activities. We heard of mass illegal firings, threats and intimidations by paramilitary groups, as well as forced displacements. We heard the story of one union member who was taken from work at the hospital, only to be found dead the next day. The body showed signs of having been tortured. This was done in the name of privatizing health care.
A memorial to 76 teachers killed in the struggle
We also heard the stories of women who have been displaced by paramilitaries. We heard of how children are forcibly recruited by the army and paramilitary groups from poor neighbourhoods. We heard about how these children are placed on trucks and taken to stadiums where they are asked for proof of having completed the mandatory military service. We heard the stories of their mothers, who run along behind the trucks to try to ensure that their taken children are safe and that they will be returned to them; and we heard of how these women are often the victims of sexual harassment and sexual violence by the military.
In attempts to save their children from this misery, many women uproot their families and move into shanty towns – where they have no access to hydro, water, health care, or education. The women often turn to domestic work, begging, or prostitution to provide for their families.
Members of Christians for Peace shared stories of shootings taking place in their neighbourhoods, and the struggle to prove who was responsible for these actions. As communities approach police to report paramilitaries being present in the neighbourhoods, police advise the communities that the paramilitaries have been demobilized and, therefore, do not exist. It was reported that fighting these groups was comparable to fighting a ghost.
Amidst all of this was the news that only the day before a young woman had been shot while in bed by a stray bullet that pierced the cardboard wall of her home; and only three days before, a member of Christians for Peace had been murdered. Also, in the last 16 days, 15 families had been displaced as a result of the ongoing violence in the neighbourhoods. Gangs and paramilitaries simply move into the homes of the displaced and use them to store weapons or for their own shelter.
In one community, children are being shot by guns with silencers a mere two blocks from the police station. When police arrive at the scene, they ask first if the child is dead – as this creates less work for them. He described being a “prisoner in [his] own neighbourhood” and how these gangs and para groups make it unsafe to even cross certain streets. And, although these terrorists can be seen sitting in local cafes having a cup of coffee, police appear to be unable to capture them.
Another brother added that these groups have entered community schools in order to kill children in the presence of their peers. Many communities have accepted police states in an attempt to clear the neighbourhoods of terrorism – but, again, nothing has changed.
The president of ADIDA discussed the attempt to privatize education: from pre-school to post-secondary. He also made it very clear that Colombia and its people need a safe space where they can descent. With a government in which 30% of congress has links to paramilitaries, the people have little opportunity to safely show their disagreement with the policies, legislation changes, and abuses of the government.
ADIDA is a union not untouched by the horrors of the human rights abuses in Colombia. Over seventy faces of murdered ADIDA activists lined one wall of the building. Since 1986, a total of 260 teachers have been murdered from ADIDA. The affect has been not only on keeping members from being active within the union, but has also resulted in high drop-out rates amongst students, after seeing peers victimized in classrooms by terrorist groups.
ADIDA members spoke of the unlawfulness of the government. They asked that we support them in the struggle to stop the free trade agreements between Colombia and Canada, and that we share their stories abroad.
With statistics like this from CUT alone in 2009:
- 23 trade unionists murdered
- 13 trade unionists have received death threats
- 1 has had an attempt on his life
- 1 has been displaced
OPSEU is committed to do all that we can to ensure that these stories are carried wide and far.
Sunday, August 30, 2009
ANTHOC - the Union for Health Care Workers
ANTHOC continues the fight against privatization of health care - depite the tremendous personal risks
ANTHOC leaders in Bogota
ANTHOC continues the fight against privatization of health care
125 Health Care workers were murdered between 2000 and 2009. In that same period, 382 health care workers were displaced, and 328 were victims of death threats.
Crowded around a table in a small room, over 15 health care workers gathered to tell us their stories. Members of ANTHOC, the Union of health care workers, bravely shared the details of their lives. Their stories spoke clearly to one key theme: speaking up for your rights, or against corruption and privatization will result in death threats, displacement, imprisonment or assassination.
The Colombian government is privatizing Colombia's few remaining public services under tight deadlines. Hospitals are being privatized or shut down around the country, while over a third of the Colombian population does not have access to medical care. As part of the government strategy to implement these free-market economic policies, those who speak out against privatization, and the corruption associated with it, are subject to extreme repression. The government responds by denying the existence of paramilitary groups that often carry out the repression on their behalf. Worse still, they claim that anyone who resists is a guerilla or terrorist.
Here are some of the testimonials we heard:
Rosa, worked as a nurse for 18 years. When she found out the managers at her hospital were stealing funds, she reported it to the Prosecutor's Office. She was given 10 days to leave her region. She has been displaced and moving around the country for four years now. “It is so hard to be displaced, to be alone. There are no government programs to support us.”
Carmen, imprisoned for 25 months on false charges. “They destroyed my life, put my image in the newspapers. All the charges were dropped except for 'rebellion'. But now, my employer refuses to hire me. Some of my family members have disappeared because of my involvement in the union. They destroyed my life and now I have no means of survival.”
Eduardo, survived two attempts on his life. “If the paramilitaries are demobilized and don't exist, how did they threaten my life twice?”
Jorge, due to his activity in his local, his wife was assassinated on January 5th, 2009. He fled his home with his three kids on January 14th. “My economic situation is so tight. My kids are now in school so far away. I tried to go back home, but the rate of killing is so high, I couldn't.”
Members of ANTHOC ended by stressing that the situation for them now is critical. Those who want fair conditions of trade and development are facing a “genocide” under Uribe: “we are being killed by bullets, but also because of starvation and the loss of our jobs and our lives.”
Fabio Serna, coordinator of COMOSOC, the Coalition of Movements and Social Organizations of Colombia, summarized the situation: “we are trying to respond to this campaign of extermination by the [Uribe] government. All these policies are aimed at converting rights, such as health care, association etc. into merchandise. We are experiencing a military response to social problems.”
In terms of its mandate, Fabio explained that they have three main goals:
To re-empower social actors
Reorient the position on war. That is, developing political solutions, as opposed to military ones, emphasizing the importance of life and work with dignity, and insisting on territorial sovereignty and real democracy.
Propose a different economic model and reality than the one currently being offered by the Uribe government.
Our meeting ended with another call to share what we heard with our members and our government.
ANTHOC in Atlantico
Once again when we met with ANTHOC in Santa Marta on the north coast of Colombia, it was the same story. Along with the rush to privatize health care in this province, comes repression against those who try to stand in its way. Executive Board member, Ricardo Roscoe was killed in 2001 and after that 22 brothers and sisters were forced to leave the country after death threats. Brother Carlos Germenez was killed on the way out of a hospital after putting up flyers about bad management at the hospital. In 2003, Carlos Rojas left the country because of death threats. In March 2004 Brother William Torres, Secretary General of ANTHOC as shot in the back and his wife is imprisoned for 6 years, charged with rebellion.
In April 2005, the process of privatization of the University Hospital in Barranquilla was completed and this included eradicating services like the trauma unit. A total of 462 workers were fired and the current workers have serious health and safety issues, including infections with Hepatitis C and many spinal problems. These workers have no access to Workers’ Compensation.
In this area, 660 people have been outsourced in the hospitals and only 86 people are hired directly by the hospital. 70% of health care is now transferred to “cooperatives”.
In 2006 Carlos Hernandez Janos was killed at this home because he was initiating an investigation into bad management of the hospital. He was killed by two paramilitaries and it was discovered that these two gunmen had been the personal bodyguards of the hospital manager. The federal court actually ordered this manager, Pedro Clave Quintero, fired because of bad management but he was so powerful that even though the Prosecutor’s Office gave orders to the office responsible in the region, they were never carried out – until 7 months later when the union found out and he was fired.
In July 2008 the Union President was captured by intelligence agency representatives handcuffed and charged with rebellion. She spent 5 months in jail but lawyers managed to get her out. She is free to work but the legal process is continuing.
In July this year, the whole Executive Board of ANTHOC was threatened by the Black Eagles paramilitary organization. In August, Juan Jose Malina denounced the bad management of the hospital and so the paramilitaries burned his car in front of his house. In total, this Union has had 3 different Executive Boards so far this year - January to August. As well, hospital managers have refused to take union dues out from workers’ pay cheques and the union is now in a deficit of 380 million pesos.
The goal in this province as elsewhere in Colombia is to privatize the whole health care system in the shortest time possible. Under this government 180 hospitals have been privatized throughout Colombia and in this region it has meant 4 hospitals and 47 clinics. The privatization process here is supposed to be completed by September 23, 2009. If it goes through, 650 more workers will be fired and they will keep only 150 because they are entitled to pensions.
How did they do it before? They came at night and took away doctors, nurses, support workers and brought bus loads of replacement workers in with armed police and the military present. Now they are outsourcing everything.
The Union has tried to sit down with the Ministry of Social Protection but their meetings have been cancelled and they have had no answers to their calls, etc. ANTHOC wants answers on who is behind the threats and killings of brothers and sisters – and they want to know why this Ministry is allowing the system to be devastated and the quality of heath care destroyed. As far as personal security for this Union, they have been given 2 bullet proof cars and two bodyguards for 8 people altogether so they have to go everywhere together.
Postscript:
During our stay in Bogota, together with ANTHOC – and only because OPSEU was here – we did get the chance to meet with the Deputy Minister of Social Protection and members of his staff on three occasions. Each time it was an extremely frustrating exercise as they tried to describe the benefits of the new privatized health care system they are rushing to implement. One particular Senior Staff person rolled her eyes as ANTHOC related a story of a brother who was killed for his activity against privatization.
That is the indignity that Colombia unionists have to face every day as they try to go about their work to defend members of their union and at the same time struggle to hold on to the remnants of a high quality public health care system. It’s the same work we do every day on Canada – but without the death threats, displacements and murder of trade unionists and human rights defenders.
125 Health Care workers were murdered between 2000 and 2009. In that same period, 382 health care workers were displaced, and 328 were victims of death threats.
Crowded around a table in a small room, over 15 health care workers gathered to tell us their stories. Members of ANTHOC, the Union of health care workers, bravely shared the details of their lives. Their stories spoke clearly to one key theme: speaking up for your rights, or against corruption and privatization will result in death threats, displacement, imprisonment or assassination.
The Colombian government is privatizing Colombia's few remaining public services under tight deadlines. Hospitals are being privatized or shut down around the country, while over a third of the Colombian population does not have access to medical care. As part of the government strategy to implement these free-market economic policies, those who speak out against privatization, and the corruption associated with it, are subject to extreme repression. The government responds by denying the existence of paramilitary groups that often carry out the repression on their behalf. Worse still, they claim that anyone who resists is a guerilla or terrorist.
Here are some of the testimonials we heard:
Rosa, worked as a nurse for 18 years. When she found out the managers at her hospital were stealing funds, she reported it to the Prosecutor's Office. She was given 10 days to leave her region. She has been displaced and moving around the country for four years now. “It is so hard to be displaced, to be alone. There are no government programs to support us.”
Carmen, imprisoned for 25 months on false charges. “They destroyed my life, put my image in the newspapers. All the charges were dropped except for 'rebellion'. But now, my employer refuses to hire me. Some of my family members have disappeared because of my involvement in the union. They destroyed my life and now I have no means of survival.”
Eduardo, survived two attempts on his life. “If the paramilitaries are demobilized and don't exist, how did they threaten my life twice?”
Jorge, due to his activity in his local, his wife was assassinated on January 5th, 2009. He fled his home with his three kids on January 14th. “My economic situation is so tight. My kids are now in school so far away. I tried to go back home, but the rate of killing is so high, I couldn't.”
Members of ANTHOC ended by stressing that the situation for them now is critical. Those who want fair conditions of trade and development are facing a “genocide” under Uribe: “we are being killed by bullets, but also because of starvation and the loss of our jobs and our lives.”
Fabio Serna, coordinator of COMOSOC, the Coalition of Movements and Social Organizations of Colombia, summarized the situation: “we are trying to respond to this campaign of extermination by the [Uribe] government. All these policies are aimed at converting rights, such as health care, association etc. into merchandise. We are experiencing a military response to social problems.”
In terms of its mandate, Fabio explained that they have three main goals:
To re-empower social actors
Reorient the position on war. That is, developing political solutions, as opposed to military ones, emphasizing the importance of life and work with dignity, and insisting on territorial sovereignty and real democracy.
Propose a different economic model and reality than the one currently being offered by the Uribe government.
Our meeting ended with another call to share what we heard with our members and our government.
ANTHOC in Atlantico
Once again when we met with ANTHOC in Santa Marta on the north coast of Colombia, it was the same story. Along with the rush to privatize health care in this province, comes repression against those who try to stand in its way. Executive Board member, Ricardo Roscoe was killed in 2001 and after that 22 brothers and sisters were forced to leave the country after death threats. Brother Carlos Germenez was killed on the way out of a hospital after putting up flyers about bad management at the hospital. In 2003, Carlos Rojas left the country because of death threats. In March 2004 Brother William Torres, Secretary General of ANTHOC as shot in the back and his wife is imprisoned for 6 years, charged with rebellion.
In April 2005, the process of privatization of the University Hospital in Barranquilla was completed and this included eradicating services like the trauma unit. A total of 462 workers were fired and the current workers have serious health and safety issues, including infections with Hepatitis C and many spinal problems. These workers have no access to Workers’ Compensation.
In this area, 660 people have been outsourced in the hospitals and only 86 people are hired directly by the hospital. 70% of health care is now transferred to “cooperatives”.
In 2006 Carlos Hernandez Janos was killed at this home because he was initiating an investigation into bad management of the hospital. He was killed by two paramilitaries and it was discovered that these two gunmen had been the personal bodyguards of the hospital manager. The federal court actually ordered this manager, Pedro Clave Quintero, fired because of bad management but he was so powerful that even though the Prosecutor’s Office gave orders to the office responsible in the region, they were never carried out – until 7 months later when the union found out and he was fired.
In July 2008 the Union President was captured by intelligence agency representatives handcuffed and charged with rebellion. She spent 5 months in jail but lawyers managed to get her out. She is free to work but the legal process is continuing.
In July this year, the whole Executive Board of ANTHOC was threatened by the Black Eagles paramilitary organization. In August, Juan Jose Malina denounced the bad management of the hospital and so the paramilitaries burned his car in front of his house. In total, this Union has had 3 different Executive Boards so far this year - January to August. As well, hospital managers have refused to take union dues out from workers’ pay cheques and the union is now in a deficit of 380 million pesos.
The goal in this province as elsewhere in Colombia is to privatize the whole health care system in the shortest time possible. Under this government 180 hospitals have been privatized throughout Colombia and in this region it has meant 4 hospitals and 47 clinics. The privatization process here is supposed to be completed by September 23, 2009. If it goes through, 650 more workers will be fired and they will keep only 150 because they are entitled to pensions.
How did they do it before? They came at night and took away doctors, nurses, support workers and brought bus loads of replacement workers in with armed police and the military present. Now they are outsourcing everything.
The Union has tried to sit down with the Ministry of Social Protection but their meetings have been cancelled and they have had no answers to their calls, etc. ANTHOC wants answers on who is behind the threats and killings of brothers and sisters – and they want to know why this Ministry is allowing the system to be devastated and the quality of heath care destroyed. As far as personal security for this Union, they have been given 2 bullet proof cars and two bodyguards for 8 people altogether so they have to go everywhere together.
Postscript:
During our stay in Bogota, together with ANTHOC – and only because OPSEU was here – we did get the chance to meet with the Deputy Minister of Social Protection and members of his staff on three occasions. Each time it was an extremely frustrating exercise as they tried to describe the benefits of the new privatized health care system they are rushing to implement. One particular Senior Staff person rolled her eyes as ANTHOC related a story of a brother who was killed for his activity against privatization.
That is the indignity that Colombia unionists have to face every day as they try to go about their work to defend members of their union and at the same time struggle to hold on to the remnants of a high quality public health care system. It’s the same work we do every day on Canada – but without the death threats, displacements and murder of trade unionists and human rights defenders.
125 Health Care workers were killed between 2000 and 2009. In that same period, 382 health care workers were displaced, and 328 were victims of death threats.
In Bogota, crowded around a table in a small room, over 15 health care workers gathered to tell us their stories. Members of ANTHOC, the Union of health care workers, bravely shared the details of their lives. Their stories spoke clearly to one key theme: speaking up for your rights, or against corruption and privatization will result in death threats, displacement, imprisonment or assassination.
The Colombian government is privatising Colombia's few remaining public services under tight deadlines. Hospitals are being privatised or shut down around the country, while over a third of the Colombian population does not have access to medical care. As part of the government strategy to implement these free-market economic policies, those who speak out against privatisation, and the corruption associated with it, are subject to extreme repression. The government responds by denying the existence of paramilitary groups that often carry out the repression on their behalf. Worse still, they claim that anyone who resists is a guerilla or terrorist.
Here are some of the testimonials we heard:
Rosa, worked as a nurse for 18 years. When she found out the managers at her hospital were stealing funds, she reported it to the prosecutor's office. She was given 10 days to leave her region. She has been displaced and moving around the country for four years now. “It is so hard to be displaced, to be alone. There are no government programs to support us.”
Carmen, imprisoned for 25 months on false charges. “They destroyed my life, put my image in the newspapers. All the charges were dropped except for 'rebellion'. But now, my employer refuses to hire me. Some of my family members have disappeared because of my involvement in the union. They destroyed my life and now I have no means of survival.
Eduardo, survived two attempts on his life. “If the paramilitaries are demobilized and don't exist, how did they threaten my life twice?”
Jorge, due to his activity in his local, his wife was assassinated on January 5th, 2009. He fled his home with his three kids on January 14th. “My economic situation is so tight. My kids are now in school so far away. I tried to go back home, but the rate of killing is so high, I couldn't.”
Members of ANTHOC ended by stressing that the situation for them now is critical. Those who want fair conditions of trade and development are facing a “genocide” under Uribe: “we are being killed by bullets, but also because of starvation and the loss of our jobs and our lives.”
Fabio Serna, coordinator of COMOSOC, the Coalition of Movements and Social Organizations of Colombia, summarized the situation: “we are trying to respond to this campaign of extermination by the [Uribe] government. All these policies are aimed at converting rights, such as health care, association etc. into merchandise. We are experiencing a military response to social problems.”
In terms of its mandate, Fabio explained that they have three main goals:
To re-empower social actors
Reorient the position on war. That is, developing political solutions, as opposed to military ones, emphasizing the importance of life and work with dignity, and insisting on territorial sovereignty and real democracy.
Propose a different economic model and reality than the one currently being offered by the Uribe government.
Our meeting ended with another call to share what we heard with our members and our government.
ANTHOC in Atlantico
Once again when we met with ANTHOC in Santa Marta on the north coast of Colombia, it was the same story. Along with the rush to privatize health care in this province, comes repression against those who try to stand in its way. Executive Board member, Ricardo Roscoe was killed in 2001 and after that 22 brothers and sisters were forced to leave the country after death threats. Brother Carlos Germenez was killed on the way out of a hospital after putting up flyers about bad management at the hospital. In 2003, Carlos Rojas left the country because of death threats. In March 2004 Brother William Torres, Secretary General of ANTHOC as shot in the back and his wife is imprisoned for 6 years, charged with rebellion.
In April 2005, the process of privatization of the University Hospital in Barranquilla was completed and this included eradicating services like the trauma unit. A total of 462 workers were fired and the current workers have serious health and safety issues, including infections with Hepatitis C and many spinal problems. These workers have no access to Workers’ Compensation.
In this area, 660 people have been outsourced in the hospitals and only 86 people are hired directly by the hospital. 70% of health care is now transferred to “cooperatives”.
In 2006 Carlos Hernandez Janos was killed at this home because he was inititating an investigation into bad management of the hospital. He was killed by two paramilitaries and it was discovered that these two gunmen had been the personal bodyguards of the hospital manager. The federal court actually ordered this manager, Pedro Clave Quintero fired because of bad management but he was so powerful that even though the Prosecutor’s Office gave orders to the office responsible in the region, they were never carried out – until 7 months later when the union found out and he was fired.
In July 2008 the Union President was captured by intelligence agency representatives handcuffed and charged with rebellion. She spent 5 months in jail but lawyers managed to get her out. She is free to work but the legal process is continuing.
In July this year, the whole Executive Board of ANTHOC was threatened by the Black Eagles paramilitary organization. Lat month (Augus), Juan Jose Malina denounced the bad management of the hospital and so the paramilitaries burned his car in front of his house. In total, this Union has had 3 different Executive Boards so far this year - January to August. As well, hospital managers have refused to take union dues out from workers’ pay cheques and the union is now in a deficit of 380 million pesos.
The goal in this province as elsewhere in Colombia is to privatize the whole health care system in the shortest time possible. Under this government 180 hospitals have been privatized throughout Colombia and in this region it has meant 4 hospitals and 47 clinics. The privatization process here is supposed to be completed by September 23. If it goes through, 650 more workers will be fired and they will keep only 150 because they are entitled to pensions.
How did they do it before? They came at night and took away doctors, nurses, support workers and brought bus loads of replacement workers in with armed police and the military present. Now they are outsourcing everything.
The Union has tried to sit down with the Ministry of Social Protection but their meetings have been cancelled and they have had no answers to their calls, etc. ANTHOC wants answers on who is behind the threats and killings of brothers and sisters – and they want to know why this Ministry is allowing the system to be devastated and the quality of heath care destroyed. As far as personal secutiry for this Union, they have been given 2 bullet proof cars and two bodyguards for 8 people altogether so they have to go everywhere together.
In April 2005, the process of privatization of the University Hospital in Barranquilla was completed and this included eradicating services like the trauma unit. A total of 462 workers were fired and the current workers have serious health and safety issues, including infections with Hepatitis C and many spinal problems. These workers have no access to Workers’ Compensation.
In this area, 660 people have been outsourced in the hospitals and only 86 people are hired directly by the hospital. 70% of health care is now transferred to “cooperatives”.
In 2006 Carlos Hernandez Janos was killed at this home because he was inititating an investigation into bad management of the hospital. He was killed by two paramilitaries and it was discovered that these two gunmen had been the personal bodyguards of the hospital manager. The federal court actually ordered this manager, Pedro Clave Quintero fired because of bad management but he was so powerful that even though the Prosecutor’s Office gave orders to the office responsible in the region, they were never carried out – until 7 months later when the union found out and he was fired.
In July 2008 the Union President was captured by intelligence agency representatives handcuffed and charged with rebellion. She spent 5 months in jail but lawyers managed to get her out. She is free to work but the legal process is continuing.
In July this year, the whole Executive Board of ANTHOC was threatened by the Black Eagles paramilitary organization. Lat month (Augus), Juan Jose Malina denounced the bad management of the hospital and so the paramilitaries burned his car in front of his house. In total, this Union has had 3 different Executive Boards so far this year - January to August. As well, hospital managers have refused to take union dues out from workers’ pay cheques and the union is now in a deficit of 380 million pesos.
The goal in this province as elsewhere in Colombia is to privatize the whole health care system in the shortest time possible. Under this government 180 hospitals have been privatized throughout Colombia and in this region it has meant 4 hospitals and 47 clinics. The privatization process here is supposed to be completed by September 23. If it goes through, 650 more workers will be fired and they will keep only 150 because they are entitled to pensions.
How did they do it before? They came at night and took away doctors, nurses, support workers and brought bus loads of replacement workers in with armed police and the military present. Now they are outsourcing everything.
The Union has tried to sit down with the Ministry of Social Protection but their meetings have been cancelled and they have had no answers to their calls, etc. ANTHOC wants answers on who is behind the threats and killings of brothers and sisters – and they want to know why this Ministry is allowing the system to be devastated and the quality of heath care destroyed. As far as personal secutiry for this Union, they have been given 2 bullet proof cars and two bodyguards for 8 people altogether so they have to go everywhere together.
Postscript:
During our stay in Bogota, together with ANTHOC – and only because OPSEU was here – we did get the chance to meet with the Deputy Minister of Social Protection and members of his staff on three occasions. Each time it was an extremely frustrating exercise as they tried to describe the benefits of the new privatized health care system they are rushing to implement. One particular Senior Staff person rolled her eyes as ANTHOC related a story of a brother who was killed for his activity against privatization.
That is the indignity that Colombia unionists have to face every day as they try to go about their work to defend members of their union and at the same time struggle to hold on to the remnants of a high quality public health care system. It’s the same work we do every day on Canada – but without the death threats, displacements and murder of trade unionists and human rights defenders.
During our stay in Bogota, together with ANTHOC – and only because OPSEU was here – we did get the chance to meet with the Deputy Minister of Social Protection and members of his staff on three occasions. Each time it was an extremely frustrating exercise as they tried to describe the benefits of the new privatized health care system they are rushing to implement. One particular Senior Staff person rolled her eyes as ANTHOC related a story of a brother who was killed for his activity against privatization.
That is the indignity that Colombia unionists have to face every day as they try to go about their work to defend members of their union and at the same time struggle to hold on to the remnants of a high quality public health care system. It’s the same work we do every day on Canada – but without the death threats, displacements and murder of trade unionists and human rights defenders.
Presenting the OPSEU banner to ANTHOC
Friday, August 28, 2009
30 years of struggle by the OREWA People
Meeting with the OREWA People in Quibdo
The OREWA representatives showed us a powerpoint on their major problems – entitled “Problematica”
The Constitution was rewritten in 1991 and states that this country is pluricultural and multi ethnic. How then is all of this violence possible? Because Colombia is a country which has a better constitution on paper than the application of it in practice.
This government has refused to sign Section 169 of the ILO, which speaks about consultation with indigenous people before development on their lands and its Democratic Security Plan is a tool used to violate the rights of Black and Indigenous communities.
A 2004 Constitutional Court stated that the government is ruling in an unconstitutional manner. This is fuelled by foreign capital operating in this country, taking ownership of the natural resources in the region and behaving in a manner which is opposite to the manner in which the Black and Indigenous groups see natural resources. They see it as the basis of life.
When foreign capital moved to the Pacific Region, war came to this region. The government reformed the constitution to make it easier for foreign capital to come into our areas. It is basic capitalism – everything has to be for profit; everything has to be in private hands not public hands.
“The government needs to legalize these atrocities committed against the people through the FTA and they need to continue the impunity to do that. We have had 1300 aboriginal people killed already under this regime. The Constitutional Court has noted that of the 84 aboriginal groups in Colombia, 34 are in danger of cultural extinction due to the fact that the government refuses to intervene and instead grants impunity to those who commit atrocities against these communities”.
(As I write this blog, we hear from ONIC that 12 AWA First Nations people were assassinated yesterday by paramilitaries in an area south of Cali, including 6 children)
Mining is one of the elements fueling this situation and places our communities in danger of extinction. The government of Canada has partially funded the reforms to the mining laws in Colombia and allowed Canadian companies to benefit from this exploitation.
Hydro electric projects have also caused large problems for the people and their environment. This area is native land. It has great biodiversity, equal to that of the Amazon and yet it is the area that has the greatest number of development projects per square mile. Also, these problems do not always show in the statistics as people who are displaced may move from one aboriginal village to another.
On the evening of August 24 we were invited to a special meeting with the OREWA people of the region. They belong to an indigenous organization affiliated with ONIC and have had many struggles trying to preserve their land and culture. In particular they wanted to talk about Canadian mining companies and their activities in the region.
Along with the chief of the people in the area, representatives from ONIC and other related groups also attended. The association, OREWA, has many functions including education, legal services, communications, etc. One of the people present is from the Embera people. In total, 14 people attended.
On the way in there was a small room with about 25 crosses lined up against the walls, each with the name of someone who has died in their struggles. This respect for the heroes and victims who have been killed is common to all of the groups we have visited. An area near the entrance to the building notes the names and photos of the OREWA who have been assassinated.
Jose Luis Ruan Chiche, Brother Ataca, Amelia Carrillo, Omaira Cabrera, Juliana Cortez, Emilio Cansari, Dionisio Cabrera Mecha, Baltazar Mecha, Luis Felipe Flores, Jorge Cardenas, Dora Elena Sepulveda Velasquez, Celina Velas and Joselito Conquista are some of the people present.
“Our association is made of five nations including the Embera Wounaan, Katio, Chami and Tule from the region of Choco. We have had 30 years in this particular phase of our struggle. Our four principles are: unity, terrritory, culture and autonomy. The struggle has been about preserving our right to land and life. We are 245 local communities present in 29 of the 31 municipalities of Choco. Our struggle has allowed us to keep our culture, our teachings, our ancestral lands... We depend of the support of the church, NGOs and other groups. We have our own communications system within the Association.
Our political and cultural life is based on our concepts and views of life. It allows us to consolidate our autonomy and has an expression in our belief in food security and food sovereignty. We have different processes for decision making including a regional congress, indigenous authorities and offices for coordination, and an evaluation system for our programs. We have support for these programs from ONIC. Our main program areas are:
Along with the chief of the people in the area, representatives from ONIC and other related groups also attended. The association, OREWA, has many functions including education, legal services, communications, etc. One of the people present is from the Embera people. In total, 14 people attended.
On the way in there was a small room with about 25 crosses lined up against the walls, each with the name of someone who has died in their struggles. This respect for the heroes and victims who have been killed is common to all of the groups we have visited. An area near the entrance to the building notes the names and photos of the OREWA who have been assassinated.
Jose Luis Ruan Chiche, Brother Ataca, Amelia Carrillo, Omaira Cabrera, Juliana Cortez, Emilio Cansari, Dionisio Cabrera Mecha, Baltazar Mecha, Luis Felipe Flores, Jorge Cardenas, Dora Elena Sepulveda Velasquez, Celina Velas and Joselito Conquista are some of the people present.
“Our association is made of five nations including the Embera Wounaan, Katio, Chami and Tule from the region of Choco. We have had 30 years in this particular phase of our struggle. Our four principles are: unity, terrritory, culture and autonomy. The struggle has been about preserving our right to land and life. We are 245 local communities present in 29 of the 31 municipalities of Choco. Our struggle has allowed us to keep our culture, our teachings, our ancestral lands... We depend of the support of the church, NGOs and other groups. We have our own communications system within the Association.
Our political and cultural life is based on our concepts and views of life. It allows us to consolidate our autonomy and has an expression in our belief in food security and food sovereignty. We have different processes for decision making including a regional congress, indigenous authorities and offices for coordination, and an evaluation system for our programs. We have support for these programs from ONIC. Our main program areas are:
- Territory and the environment
- Justice and Human Rights
- Culture
- Youth
- Women
- Health
The OREWA representatives showed us a powerpoint on their major problems – entitled “Problematica”
The Constitution was rewritten in 1991 and states that this country is pluricultural and multi ethnic. How then is all of this violence possible? Because Colombia is a country which has a better constitution on paper than the application of it in practice.
This government has refused to sign Section 169 of the ILO, which speaks about consultation with indigenous people before development on their lands and its Democratic Security Plan is a tool used to violate the rights of Black and Indigenous communities.
A 2004 Constitutional Court stated that the government is ruling in an unconstitutional manner. This is fuelled by foreign capital operating in this country, taking ownership of the natural resources in the region and behaving in a manner which is opposite to the manner in which the Black and Indigenous groups see natural resources. They see it as the basis of life.
When foreign capital moved to the Pacific Region, war came to this region. The government reformed the constitution to make it easier for foreign capital to come into our areas. It is basic capitalism – everything has to be for profit; everything has to be in private hands not public hands.
“The government needs to legalize these atrocities committed against the people through the FTA and they need to continue the impunity to do that. We have had 1300 aboriginal people killed already under this regime. The Constitutional Court has noted that of the 84 aboriginal groups in Colombia, 34 are in danger of cultural extinction due to the fact that the government refuses to intervene and instead grants impunity to those who commit atrocities against these communities”.
(As I write this blog, we hear from ONIC that 12 AWA First Nations people were assassinated yesterday by paramilitaries in an area south of Cali, including 6 children)
Mining is one of the elements fueling this situation and places our communities in danger of extinction. The government of Canada has partially funded the reforms to the mining laws in Colombia and allowed Canadian companies to benefit from this exploitation.
Hydro electric projects have also caused large problems for the people and their environment. This area is native land. It has great biodiversity, equal to that of the Amazon and yet it is the area that has the greatest number of development projects per square mile. Also, these problems do not always show in the statistics as people who are displaced may move from one aboriginal village to another.
At present 75% of these projects are either on land belonging to Black communities or Indigenous communities. 67% of the mining concessions are on Indigenous land (assisted by Canadian mining companies) and the current mining laws have removed the requirement to consult with aboriginal groups, something that is contained in the ILO Agreement. It should be classified as a “crime against humanity”. The situation is not very visible by the rest of society and that is done on purpose. This area has the highest number of mega projects in the country.
The main particular case in Choco region is located in el Cerro Cara de Perro (Hill of Dogs), located between the municipalities of Murindo in the province Antioquia and Carmen Del Darien in the province of Choco .
Muriel Mining Company
The Mande Norte project will be an open pit mine including several hills and 19 rivers and creeks originate in this area. The rivers cross native and black communities.
The local Indigenous community is opposed to this mine. The reason is that the 3 hills are sacred land. Spirits live in the 3 hills and this will disturb the spirits and hurt mother earth. This has been the home of Black and Indigenous communities for thousands of years.
“We see the impacts already. The presence of the company has caused internal conflicts because of death threats, accusations and they try to divide us and disrupt our internal harmony and community”.
The army has come in to help the multinationals. This is outside of the mandate of the army. There is a protocol that local people/indigenous people should be informed when the military enters an area unless they are in hot pursuit of an enemy force. This did not happen here. The army came in with helicopters to assist mine engineers to clear land and begin mining development. This makes an oxymoron of the Democratic Security campaign. It is only protecting the rights of multinationals – not the Indigenous people.
In this instance the women of the community went ahead of all others in the community to try to resist as the helicopters came down.
Copper and molybdenum is mined in Colombia at Cara de Perro and in other areas gold is mined. The mines pay social development money to the local municipalities, even though the damage and environmental effects primarily hit indigenous and black peoples. This money does not reach those most affected.
Health Care
The example of the Aymara was quoted and shows how the whole situation affects the rights of people to good health care. In 2007 they reported 5 deaths of children from malnutrition because the families had been displaced and they had no crops. As well, the army controls how much food you can bring into the community as they accuse the communities of feeding the guerrillas. And now as they are privatizing the health care system, health care workers are not coming to our region.
Choco province has been abandoned by the government. They only look to this region for profit and they do not care about health care for the population. We are finding many malformations at birth – particularly up river where the mining is occurring and there are chemicals pouring into the streams.
Now with plans to create a new health care Co-op – very much like a privatized clinic. The government put in Capricom but they do nothing for the people. We have been trying for 8 months to get action on this issue – medications, equipment, etc. Aboriginal health is one of our major concerns.
The OREWA representatives asked us to take the message back and put pressure on the Canadian government and tell them that they should not just look at how to develop the mining project without consulting the Black and Indigenous community and without respecting the dignity of the groups who live in this land.
The OREWA people thanked us for coming and hearing their story directly from them. The OPSEU delegation committed the Union to supporting the people of the region by opposing the FTA, pushing for Bill 300 (Corporate Responsibility Legislation) and other measures. Hopefully OPSEU will also meet with the Canadian Ambassador to Colombia before we leave and voice our concerns about the situation facing First Nations and Black communities in the Choco region.
The main particular case in Choco region is located in el Cerro Cara de Perro (Hill of Dogs), located between the municipalities of Murindo in the province Antioquia and Carmen Del Darien in the province of Choco .
Muriel Mining Company
The Mande Norte project will be an open pit mine including several hills and 19 rivers and creeks originate in this area. The rivers cross native and black communities.
The local Indigenous community is opposed to this mine. The reason is that the 3 hills are sacred land. Spirits live in the 3 hills and this will disturb the spirits and hurt mother earth. This has been the home of Black and Indigenous communities for thousands of years.
“We see the impacts already. The presence of the company has caused internal conflicts because of death threats, accusations and they try to divide us and disrupt our internal harmony and community”.
The army has come in to help the multinationals. This is outside of the mandate of the army. There is a protocol that local people/indigenous people should be informed when the military enters an area unless they are in hot pursuit of an enemy force. This did not happen here. The army came in with helicopters to assist mine engineers to clear land and begin mining development. This makes an oxymoron of the Democratic Security campaign. It is only protecting the rights of multinationals – not the Indigenous people.
In this instance the women of the community went ahead of all others in the community to try to resist as the helicopters came down.
Copper and molybdenum is mined in Colombia at Cara de Perro and in other areas gold is mined. The mines pay social development money to the local municipalities, even though the damage and environmental effects primarily hit indigenous and black peoples. This money does not reach those most affected.
Health Care
The example of the Aymara was quoted and shows how the whole situation affects the rights of people to good health care. In 2007 they reported 5 deaths of children from malnutrition because the families had been displaced and they had no crops. As well, the army controls how much food you can bring into the community as they accuse the communities of feeding the guerrillas. And now as they are privatizing the health care system, health care workers are not coming to our region.
Choco province has been abandoned by the government. They only look to this region for profit and they do not care about health care for the population. We are finding many malformations at birth – particularly up river where the mining is occurring and there are chemicals pouring into the streams.
Now with plans to create a new health care Co-op – very much like a privatized clinic. The government put in Capricom but they do nothing for the people. We have been trying for 8 months to get action on this issue – medications, equipment, etc. Aboriginal health is one of our major concerns.
The OREWA representatives asked us to take the message back and put pressure on the Canadian government and tell them that they should not just look at how to develop the mining project without consulting the Black and Indigenous community and without respecting the dignity of the groups who live in this land.
The OREWA people thanked us for coming and hearing their story directly from them. The OPSEU delegation committed the Union to supporting the people of the region by opposing the FTA, pushing for Bill 300 (Corporate Responsibility Legislation) and other measures. Hopefully OPSEU will also meet with the Canadian Ambassador to Colombia before we leave and voice our concerns about the situation facing First Nations and Black communities in the Choco region.
Black communities and the OREWA indigenous organization
Cali to Quibdo
Our time in Quibdo was short but we learned a tremendous amount about the Black and Indigenous communities there and their respective issues. Yhony Muñoz had spent time working for the indigenous communities in this region. It is the hottest and most humid place we have visited and buzzing with life in the narrow streets and markets.
Our first meeting was with various community and religious groups who came together to present to us the conditions of some of the Black, Indigenous and Peasant groups they work with and the reasons why. We met in a community space overlooking the Atrato River.
Apparently during the period of slavery, some of the Black slaves brought to this region ran into the jungles to escape their enslavement. The native people welcomed them and taught them how to survive in the rain forest. This region, with its mix of Black and Indigenous communities is a unique expression of this history.
COCOMOPOCA
We first looked at the situation of COCOMOPOCA (Consejo Cumunitario Mayor de la Organizacion Popular y Compesina del Alto Atrato).
This is a territorial entity. It is in the south western part of the province and is made up of 172,000 hectares of land. There are 42 community councils across this area. In 1999 there were 30,000 inhabitants but the majority have been displaced due to violence. They live on the upper Atrato River where there have been many problems. In 1999 there were 30,000 inhabitants and now there are only 17,000. Around 50% of the population has been forcibly displaced.
In 1999, using Bill 70 and decree 1745, they claimed the ownership of their ancestral lands. That is how they established their collective title to the land.
Since then the government has been denying these titles to the land. The government does not have any legal right to deny their title. Their only reasons are political and economic. Multinationals are interested in the land and the harbour on the coast. It is an important corridor for illegal groups to transport drugs and war materials inland or from the interior to the coast.
Anglo Gold Ashanti
In 2006/2007 Anglo-American Ashanti (a South African company) requested licenses from the government to mine on about 50% of their land. The company has been given more than 40 licences in over 50,000 hectares of land.
The inhabitants have had their land claim in since 1999 without response but Anglo American was licensed after an expedited process in 2007. In protest, the native group has also been using an old law that provides priority for local indigenous mineral production over modern industrial approaches as a way to contest the licenses provided to Anglo American. Again, this legal challenge has not been recognized by the government.
Within their 172,000 hectares there are about 120 open pit mines for gold. This contaminates the river with mercury and kills many fish. These operations are illegal as they do not follow ministry requirements. Local authorities do not apply the law. There are also oil deposits in the region. Natural gas deposits are also present around the town of Bagado.
There is also a mapping of the province underway to assist in mining and other natural resource development. Large scale development will mean cultural genocide for the current people. Once the multinationals come in, the destruction of the culture begins and this in turn brings other social problems.
Anglo Gold Ashanti is now using the name Kedahda – a subsidiary organization-to counter the mobilization efforts of local people. Kedadha exerts control through paramilitary tactics, displacements and other measures. They use the government to make changes to the mining laws. While Kedadha is one such organization, there are other "front organizations" in other regions with the same dirty tactics.
The local people also have problems with the army. The army of Colombia is directly guarding and protecting the gold mining companies. Army helicopters transported the surveyors and mine engineers into the area. They also set up a protected camp for the gold mining company. Constitutionally, the army should not be used to protect multinational corporations. But instead they are intimidating the local people and asking: Why are you still here? Haven’t you gone yet?
Free Trade Agreement
The FTA with Canada will also have an effect in this region of Colombia. President Uribe has said that he will not give any more community land titles to Black or Indigenous communities as these titles could slow development under the future FTA. The agreement will take land ownership from Colombians and pass it to private interests. The people in this region understand that western unions have some power so they must use the power to influence their governments in favour of Colombians and against the FTA.
The internal armed conflict in Colombia is 60 years old and it is based on land ownership. Community leaders at this meeting stressed that this is the source of the crisis here. Four million hectares have been taken from Black, Indigenous and peasant communities and turned into mono-cultures like palm oil or sugar cane production for bio-fuels. This robs local people of their food security.
“The government says we oppose development. This is not true. We want to use our own methods and approaches to development. This is a clash of development models. We want development that can support our lifestyle. Their model only benefits multinational companies and the wealthy and forgetting the majority of society.”
A couple of other examples were given:
Palm Oil Scandal
In Santander province in the municipality of San Vicente de Chucuri, the government announced a project offering displaced peasants land to grow palms for palm oil. They did not say that a refinery would be needed to process the oil. They were given loans to start but they had to guarantee the loans with their land. When the refinery came, they only offered low prices for the local farmers and so the farmers lost their land. They now just work on the land, which is owned by the palm oil refiners. The government said this was proof that local farmers could not be depended on to be partners in this project. They said it was better to give the rights to large companies that have the needed resources.
Another example was from the Valle del Cauca province. Land was given to people but they could not get a loan to put this land into production. The land was reassigned to a larger company that could put together the required financing.
The participants at this meeting reiterated that there is no reason for us to be producing bio-fuels when it is threatening our food security and independence. We cannot enter into a FTA with Canada or anyone else if this is what it means.
"The President and the government are experts at saying that everything is good in Colombia. This is not true. In the Lower Atrato River people are being displaced with large cattle farms and palm oil crops. In the middle and upper parts of the river there are also problems with many people displaced. The government is also good at looking for money for aid to combat terrorism and other threats. This money is being used to kill peasants and black people. The government is killing far more innocent people than guerilla fighters. The government has a large gunboat tied up close by. Can't the cost for this ship be used for better purposes?"
Our time in Quibdo was short but we learned a tremendous amount about the Black and Indigenous communities there and their respective issues. Yhony Muñoz had spent time working for the indigenous communities in this region. It is the hottest and most humid place we have visited and buzzing with life in the narrow streets and markets.
Our first meeting was with various community and religious groups who came together to present to us the conditions of some of the Black, Indigenous and Peasant groups they work with and the reasons why. We met in a community space overlooking the Atrato River.
Apparently during the period of slavery, some of the Black slaves brought to this region ran into the jungles to escape their enslavement. The native people welcomed them and taught them how to survive in the rain forest. This region, with its mix of Black and Indigenous communities is a unique expression of this history.
- Father Sterling Londoño works in communities comprised primarily of Black Colombians.
- Brother Fidel Silva works with communities in the National Agrarian Association on farm and agricultural matters.
- Elsa Maria Rueda works on life, justice and peace issues as part of the Franciscan Order of the Church.
- Sister Gloria Luna operates a women’s association in the area. They work on gender, ethnic and human rights matters.
- Brother Alexander Moreno comes from a small town and territorial entity. The land is held in common and belongs to all in communities like this one.
- Sister Martha Janeth Perez works at a pastoral centre on indigenous human rights matters.
- Brother Joselito Conquista is on the OREWA indigenous group’s leadership committee and he works on financial matters for the group.
- Maria Celina Velasquez works for the OREWA people.
- Delis Palacio Erron is the president of an organization of displaced people from Bojaya who, after a massive bombing of the church by the paramilitary, cannot return to that town.
- Brother Alberto Rivera is a lawyer who works for the Community Council of the Upper Atrato River.
- Brother Victor Navarrete is part of the Council for National Agrarian Coordination.
- Brother German Bedoya is also part of the CNAC.
- Sister Yusbladidy Bedoya is part of the CNAC.
- Sister Nicolasa Campaña is on the Community council of the Upper Atrato River.
COCOMOPOCA
We first looked at the situation of COCOMOPOCA (Consejo Cumunitario Mayor de la Organizacion Popular y Compesina del Alto Atrato).
This is a territorial entity. It is in the south western part of the province and is made up of 172,000 hectares of land. There are 42 community councils across this area. In 1999 there were 30,000 inhabitants but the majority have been displaced due to violence. They live on the upper Atrato River where there have been many problems. In 1999 there were 30,000 inhabitants and now there are only 17,000. Around 50% of the population has been forcibly displaced.
In 1999, using Bill 70 and decree 1745, they claimed the ownership of their ancestral lands. That is how they established their collective title to the land.
Since then the government has been denying these titles to the land. The government does not have any legal right to deny their title. Their only reasons are political and economic. Multinationals are interested in the land and the harbour on the coast. It is an important corridor for illegal groups to transport drugs and war materials inland or from the interior to the coast.
Anglo Gold Ashanti
In 2006/2007 Anglo-American Ashanti (a South African company) requested licenses from the government to mine on about 50% of their land. The company has been given more than 40 licences in over 50,000 hectares of land.
The inhabitants have had their land claim in since 1999 without response but Anglo American was licensed after an expedited process in 2007. In protest, the native group has also been using an old law that provides priority for local indigenous mineral production over modern industrial approaches as a way to contest the licenses provided to Anglo American. Again, this legal challenge has not been recognized by the government.
Within their 172,000 hectares there are about 120 open pit mines for gold. This contaminates the river with mercury and kills many fish. These operations are illegal as they do not follow ministry requirements. Local authorities do not apply the law. There are also oil deposits in the region. Natural gas deposits are also present around the town of Bagado.
There is also a mapping of the province underway to assist in mining and other natural resource development. Large scale development will mean cultural genocide for the current people. Once the multinationals come in, the destruction of the culture begins and this in turn brings other social problems.
Anglo Gold Ashanti is now using the name Kedahda – a subsidiary organization-to counter the mobilization efforts of local people. Kedadha exerts control through paramilitary tactics, displacements and other measures. They use the government to make changes to the mining laws. While Kedadha is one such organization, there are other "front organizations" in other regions with the same dirty tactics.
The local people also have problems with the army. The army of Colombia is directly guarding and protecting the gold mining companies. Army helicopters transported the surveyors and mine engineers into the area. They also set up a protected camp for the gold mining company. Constitutionally, the army should not be used to protect multinational corporations. But instead they are intimidating the local people and asking: Why are you still here? Haven’t you gone yet?
Free Trade Agreement
The FTA with Canada will also have an effect in this region of Colombia. President Uribe has said that he will not give any more community land titles to Black or Indigenous communities as these titles could slow development under the future FTA. The agreement will take land ownership from Colombians and pass it to private interests. The people in this region understand that western unions have some power so they must use the power to influence their governments in favour of Colombians and against the FTA.
The internal armed conflict in Colombia is 60 years old and it is based on land ownership. Community leaders at this meeting stressed that this is the source of the crisis here. Four million hectares have been taken from Black, Indigenous and peasant communities and turned into mono-cultures like palm oil or sugar cane production for bio-fuels. This robs local people of their food security.
“The government says we oppose development. This is not true. We want to use our own methods and approaches to development. This is a clash of development models. We want development that can support our lifestyle. Their model only benefits multinational companies and the wealthy and forgetting the majority of society.”
A couple of other examples were given:
Palm Oil Scandal
In Santander province in the municipality of San Vicente de Chucuri, the government announced a project offering displaced peasants land to grow palms for palm oil. They did not say that a refinery would be needed to process the oil. They were given loans to start but they had to guarantee the loans with their land. When the refinery came, they only offered low prices for the local farmers and so the farmers lost their land. They now just work on the land, which is owned by the palm oil refiners. The government said this was proof that local farmers could not be depended on to be partners in this project. They said it was better to give the rights to large companies that have the needed resources.
Another example was from the Valle del Cauca province. Land was given to people but they could not get a loan to put this land into production. The land was reassigned to a larger company that could put together the required financing.
The participants at this meeting reiterated that there is no reason for us to be producing bio-fuels when it is threatening our food security and independence. We cannot enter into a FTA with Canada or anyone else if this is what it means.
"The President and the government are experts at saying that everything is good in Colombia. This is not true. In the Lower Atrato River people are being displaced with large cattle farms and palm oil crops. In the middle and upper parts of the river there are also problems with many people displaced. The government is also good at looking for money for aid to combat terrorism and other threats. This money is being used to kill peasants and black people. The government is killing far more innocent people than guerilla fighters. The government has a large gunboat tied up close by. Can't the cost for this ship be used for better purposes?"
Thursday, August 27, 2009
University workers fight for human rights
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.
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