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Workers Uniting protests at the killing of Colombian trade unionists

30 January, 2012In a letter to the president of Colombia, the USW and Unite trade unions call for an investigation into the brutal killings of Mauricio Redondo (USO) and Víctor Manuel Hilarion (SINTRAPAZ).

COLOMBIA: The new transatlantic trade union, Workers Uniting, formed by the USW (Canada and United Sates) and Unite (United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland) has written to the President of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, to protest at the recent killing of Colombian trade unionists.

The letter highlights two cases. First, Mauricio Redondo, leader of the oil workers' union, USO, killed on January 17, along with his wife, leaving five children. Second, Víctor Manuel Hilarion Palacios, an agricultural workers' union leader, disappeared on January 9 while travelling to an event near Río Nevado. His body was taken to the CTI (part of the Public Prosecutor's Office) in the town of Villavicencio. Soldiers claimed he was killed in cross-fire but family and colleagues who saw the body said it bore visible signs of torture.

Hilarión was a member of SINTRAPAZ, affiliated to FENSUAGRO, a national federation of agricultural workers' unions. In February 2010, Hilarión's name and photograph appeared on a list of 18 activists accused of being "FARC militants".

Workers Uniting, which represents three million workers, has signed a partnership agreement with FENSUAGRO and states, in the letter to the Colombian president, that it will treat any attack on a FENSUAGRO member as though it were an attack on a union member in Canada, the United States or the United Kingdom.

The letter says it is unacceptable that such killings are carried out with impunity and calls for an immediate investigation into these brutal crimes. It asks for guarantees that those responsible are brought to justice; calls for the release of union members currently in prison; and requests adequate protection for FENSUAGRO and USO leaders.

Finally, the letter points out that more than 25 Colombian trade unionists were killed in 2011 for defending trade union rights and urges the Colombian government to put an end to these abuses.