Colombia: the search for peace with social justice

Colombia: the search for peace with social justice

As President Uribé pursues pro-rich and anti-worker neo-liberal policies, his search for a military solution to Colombia's deep and complex social malaise and the undermining of democratic and trade union rights in law and practice continue to be the key barriers to a negotiated peace and to sustainable economic and social development. Anti-trade union violence continues - with 94 murders in 2004 - and the total of human rights violations against trade unionists (including arbitrary detention, forced displacement and death threats) has risen significantly since Uribé took office, most notably against women. The large number of arbitrary detentions of union activists contrasts bleakly with the continued impunity for the paramilitary and army thugs responsible for the murders. The government has sought to undermine modern industrial relations further by introducing bogus self-employment under the guise of 'cooperatives' - a form of contract labour which removes employers' obligations and job security. Strikes are regularly declared illegal and, with the honourable exceptions of local government in Bogotá and Valle de Cauca, both run by former presidents of the CUT national trade union centre, collective bargaining remains denied to public servants.

Democratic forces in Colombia are responding by strengthening the Democratic Alliance - stretching from parts of the Liberal Party to the left organisations - to challenge Uribé in the next presidential elections with the respected academic Senator Carlos Gaviria Diaz as their candidate. Senator Gaviria, who represents the Social and Political Front in Congress, recently visited London as a guest of Justice for Colombia and met trade union colleagues and others. Moves towards unity are also reflected in merger discussions between the CUT and the ICFTU-affiliated CTC, both of which cooperate with the WCL-affiliated CGT in a 'united trade union command'.

The TUC continues to deepen its relationships with the Colombian national trade union centres. Carlos Rodriguez, CUT President, will visit Britain in September and address Congress. He will also take part in a JfC National Committee meeting to determine solidarity project priorities - the TUC will ensure that the Colombian trade union leadership is represented at these annual talks. Numerous visitors from the Colombian unions have come to Britain in recent months - notably including Aidee Moreno of the rural workers union Fensuagro, who addressed the Tolpuddle rally.

The TUC has continued to raise with the British Government its concerns about the situation in Colombia including our opposition to UK military aid until the Colombian government meets the terms of all the human rights recommendations of the UN and the army verifiably breaks its links with the paramilitaries. JfC has run a concerted campaign against this aid to Uribé and an Early Day Motion - which the TUC has urged MPs to sign - has already gained widespread support. The TUC and ICFTU have denounced the recently adopted 'Law on Justice and Peace' - which institutionalises impunity for Uribé's paramilitary terrorist allies and fails to establish effective mechanisms for truth and redress.

Some progress has been made in the ILO, where the employers and numerous governments have been blocking appropriate measures for several years. A concerted lobbying campaign in European capitals in May and well coordinated interventions by the trade union representatives at the ILO Conference succeeded in challenging the veracity of the evidence the Colombian government had been sending to the ILO, which decided to send a high-level tripartite mission to Colombia to establish the facts.

For further information on solidarity projects, delegations and the military aid campaign see www.justiceforcolombia.org