URGENT ACTION: PARAMILITARY OPERATION AGAINST SINALTRAINAL

Date: Monday 28 Mar 2005

English first, despues en Español

PARAMILITARY OPERATION AGAINST TRADE UNIONISTS AND SINALTRAINAL (COLOMBIAN FOOD AND DRINK WORKERS UNION).

On the 28 March 2005 at about 8.00 AM, workers arriving at the SINALTRAINAL office on Carrera 14, No 41-23 in the city of Barranquilla, found an envelope containing a communication dated 25 March from the paramilitary AUC. It was signed by HH of the Bananero Block of the Atlantic Coast AUC, and stated that as part of the so called "final operation" the following workers had been declared military targets: OSVALDO CARMARGO, EURIPIDES YANCE, RAMON CAMARGO and GERMAN CATANO. Those named are all workers at Coca-Cola bottling plants in Barranquilla and Santa Marta, and all leaders of SINALTRAINAL. The list also contained the name of ORLANDO PEREZ CONTRERAS, Sinaltrainal's lawyer in Barranquilla.

These threats come at the precise time that Sinaltrainal are preparing for collective bargaining with the Coca-Cola bottlers of Colombia's Atlantic Coast.

We demand respect for the lives of all our comrades, that these threats are investigated and that those responsible are brought to justice, and that the right to trade union activity is fully guaranteed by the Colombian government and by Coca-Cola.

Please send messages of protest to the addresses below.

OPERACION DE LOS PARAMILITARES CONTRA LOS SINDICALISTAS Y SINALTRAINAL EN COLOMBIA

El dia 28 de Marzo de 2005, siendo las 8:00 A.M., en momentos en que se llego a la sede de SINALTRANAL ubicada en la Carrera 14 No 41 -23 de la ciudad de Barranquilla, se encontro un sobre con un comunicado de fecha 25 de Marzo de 2005 donde las Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia y firmado como H.H. Bloque Bananero de las AUC Costa Atlantica, en la denominada operacion final, declaran objetivo militar a varios dirigentes sindicales entre ellos a OSVALDO CARMARGO, EURIPIDES YANCE, RAMON CAMARGO y GERMAN CATANO, trabajadores de la embotelladora de coca cola en Barranquilla y Santa Marta y dirigentes de SINALTRAINAL, igualmente en esta lista incluyen a Orlando Perez Contreras abogado de SINALTRAINAL en la ciudad de Barranquilla.

Este hecho se produce precisamente cuando estamos preparando pliego de peticiones a presentar a las embotelladoras de Coca cola en la Costa Norte.

Exigimos respeto a la vida de nuestros companeros, se investigue, se encuentre a los responsables de estas amenazas y se brinden todas las garantias para ejercer la actividad sindical.

Atentamente,

LUIS JAVIER CORREA SUAREZ
Presidente

ADDRESSES: DIRECCIONES

President of the Republic: Presidencia de la Republica
Dr. Alvaro Uribe Velez,
Cra. 8 No..7-26, Palacio de Narino,
Santa fe de Bogota.
Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co

Vice President of the Republic: Vicepresidencia de la Republica
Dr. Francisco Santos
E-mail: fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

Minister of Defence: Ministerio de Defensa Nacional
Dr. Jorge Alberto Uribe
El Dorado con Carrera. 52 CAN,
Santa fe de Bogota.
Fax: (+57 1)222.18.74
E-mail: siden@mindefensa.gov.co, infprotocol@mindefensa.gov.co, mdn@cable.net.co,

Presidential Programme for Human Rights and Internacional Humanitarian Law: Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario.

Dr. Carlos Franco
Calle 7 N° 5-54
TEL: (+571) 336.03.11
FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67
E-mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co

Attorney General's Office: Fiscalia General de la Nacion
Dr. Luis Camilo Osorio
Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
Santa fe de Bogota.
Fax: (+571) 570 20 00
E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co

UN Permanent Mision to Colombia, Geneva: Mision Permanente de Colombia ante las Naciones Unidas en Ginebra.
Chemin du Champ d'Anier 17-19, 1209 Ginebra.
FAX: (+4122)791.07.87; (+4122)798.45.55
E-mail: mission.colombia@ties.itu.int

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