TUC protest re latest attack in Colombia

HE Mr Mauricio Rodriguez
Ambassador
Embassy of Colombia
3 Hans Crescent
London SW1X 0LN

Dear Ambassador

Attempted assassination of CTC President Luis Miguel Morantes and municipal workers leader Adolfo Devia

On behalf of the Trades Union Congress I write to express my shock and deep concern at the news of the attempted assassination attempt, on Saturday 23 February, against the lives of President Miguel Morantes of the CTC and Adolfo Devia vice-president of the Cali municipal workers union.

Sadly as you are well aware we have to write to express our outrage at the killing of trade unionists in Colombia all too frequently, but this attack against the leader of one of the three main national federations marks a disturbing deterioration of the already grim situation. As Sharan Burrow, International Trade Union Confederation general secretary, states in her letter to president Santos your government 'has made countless commitments at international level to tackle the climate of intimidation and violence against trade unionists, but these latest incidents place us on red alert.'

Thanks to the swift action of their bodyguards and the fact that they were using an armoured vehicle, neither colleague was injured in this attack, but I would urge you to convey to your government in the strongest possible terms our call that every action necessary is taken to ensure that those responsible for this attack, along with the others this year, are found and prosecuted and that the Colombian governments repeated guarantee to provide improved protection for trade unionists is honoured.

Yours sincerely

Frances O'Grady

General Secretary