Justice for Colombia
Justice For Colombia
Justice For Colombia was established in solidarity with trade unionists in Colombia, because it is the most dangerous country in the world to be a trade unionist. Research carried out by Amnesty International indicates co-coordinated strategies between the Colombian military and paramilitary death squads to make the work of trade unionists impossible through assassination and intimidation. Over 2,500 trade unionists have been killed in Colombia in the last 15 years whilst trying to defend the right to collective bargaining and freedom of speech. The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) states that the conviction rate for the murders of trade union members in Colombia is 1%. It is said in Colombia that: "To be a trade unionist is to walk with a gravestone on your back."
The Irish branch of the trade union network Justice For Colombia was established in December 2008. The four founding aims of Justice for Colombia are:
- To provide concrete support to trade unions and other civil society organisations in Colombia in their struggle for human rights, trade union rights, democracy, peace and social justice and to promote links between progressive organisations in Britain and Colombia.
- To campaign against the systematic human rights abuses carried out against trade unionists and other civil society activists in Colombia and to highlight the regular collusion between the Colombian state security forces and illegal paramilitary groups and the impunity which the perpetrators benefit from.
- To support and promote a peaceful politically negotiated settlement to the conflict in Colombia and express opposition to foreign military intervention in Colombia.
- To insist that UN and ILO conventions and recommendations are implemented in Colombia in both law
Congress passes motion on Colombia at 2011 Biennial Delegate Conference
The Irish Congress of Trade Unions passed a motion at its Bi-Annual Delegate Conference in Killarney last week (6th July) reaffirming its commitment to supporting the campaign to block the proposed EU-Colombia Free Trade Agreement and the campaign to free political prisoners. JFC Ireland has been instrumental in the lobbying efforts to block the EU-Colombia FTA campaign, achieving the consensus of all Irish MEPs, across all parties, in opposition to the proposed agreement.
The Irish branch of Justice For Colombia
The following Irish trade unions are affiliated to Justice For Colombia: SIPTU, UNISON, NIPSA, UNITE, IMPACT, PSEU, CPSU, INTO, ASTI, CWU, MANDATE.
The following five Councils of Trade Unions are also affiliated: Dublin, Cork, Wexford, Waterford and Galway.
Michael Dowling (SIPTU) is the Chairperson of the Irish branch of JFC. The Vice Chair is Martin MacMaolain (ASTI) and the secretary of JFC is John O'Brien (INTO) who in April 2011 replaced the former ICTU Global Solidarity Officer Stellan Hermansson.
Several hundred individual trade unionists have subscribed to the JFC e-mail information letter. JFC meets every second month to discuss and decide on the future solidarity work.
Join Justice For Colombia.
If you want to join the solidarity work, please contact ICTU's Global Solidarity Office, please send an e-mail to Secretary John O'Brien