AMANGA: MORE DEATH THREATS AGAINST COCA-COLA WORKER AND TRADE UNIONISTS

India Resource Center | >(version en Español abajo)

On 17 November 2004 at about midday, paramilitaries delivered the following message to the headquarters of the regional CUT in Bucaramanga, Santander:

"This threat is directed towards those trade unionists who oppose the governor, the mayor and those private companies who are supporting the policies of the government of Dr Alvaro Uribe Velez. We inform you that we have made a military judgment to force you from the areas under our influence, or to kill you. We will show no mercy to those trade unionists who have initiated legal proceedings against government of private company officials. For this reason we have declared the following as military objectives:

David Florez
Martha Diaz
Teresa Baez
Efrain Guerrero
Carlos Castro
Javier Jimenez
Rafael Ovalle

Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia (AUC), Santander."

The above names are all members of the CUT, and Efrain Guerrero is a Coca-Cola worker and leader of SINALTRAINAL in Bucaramanga. On 20 April of this year, paramilitaries entered his house in the early morning and killed 3 members of his family; Gabriel, Fanny and Robinson Remolina.

This is the second time recently that Efrain has received death threats, a situation that has us exceptionally worried. We ask you to send immediate protests demanding the following:

"We, members of the international community, worried by the repeated death threats against Coca-Cola workers and trade union leaders in Bucaramanga, urge you to take all possible action to protect the lives of David Florez, Martha Diaz, Teresa Baez, Efrain Guerrero, Carlos Castro, Javier Jimenez and Rafael Ovalle.

We further demand that the Colombian authorities thoroughly investigate the facts surrounding the murder of the Remolina Family on 20 April 2004, and bring those responsible to justice."

auribe@presidencia.gov.co
fsantos@presidencia.gov.co
mail@colombianembassy.co.uk

Colombia Solidarity Campaign adds:

To better send an e-mail to Uribe, login to: Presidencia.gov.co and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page.

Para enviar correo al Sr Presidente, dirijase a la pagina Web: Presidencia.gov.co y haga clic en ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE ubicado en la parte inferior, al final de la pagina.

Bucaramanga: mas amenazas contra sindicalistas por SINALTRAINAL Friday, Nov. 19, 2004 at 1:31 PM
sinaltrainal@sinaltrainal.org

El dia 17 de Noviembre de 2004, en horas del medio dia en la sede de la Subdirectiva de la Central Unitaria de Trabajadores CUT, ubicada en la calle 42 N° 14-09 de la ciudad de Bucaramanga, los paramilitares dejaron el siguiente comunicado, que textualmente dice:

"Esta amenaza va dirigida contra los sindicalistas que en santander hacen oposicion al gobernador, los alacaldes y empresas privadas que apoyan el plan de gobierno del dr. Alvaro uribe velez, queremos informarle que los hicimos un juicio militar para sacarlos de las zonas dodne hay influencia nuestra o matarlos, seremos implacables conlos sindicalistas que han hiniciado procesos en las entides de control contra estos funcionarios, por lo tanto declaramos objetivo militar:

David Florez
Martha Diaz
Tereza Baez
Efrain Guerrero
Carlos Castro
Javier Jimenez
Rafael Ovalle

Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia Santander"

Los nombres aqui relacionados, corresponden a dirigentes sindicales de la CUT, incluido EFRAIN GUERRERO quien es trabajador de Coca Cola e integrante de la Junta Directiva de SINALTRAINAL en la ciudad de Bucaramanga.

Oportunamente denunciamos el asesinato a manos de grupos paramilitares de GABRIEL, FANNY y ROBINSON REMOLINA, familiares del companero Efrain Guerrero, quienes ingresaron el 20 de abril de 2004 a la casa de Gabriel Remolina disparando indiscriminadamente.

Este es la segunda ocasion en que Efrain recibe amenazas de muerte, situacion que nos tiene profundamente preocupados, por lo que les pedimos de manera urgente el envio de notas de protesta dirigidas a:

auribe@presidencia.gov.co
fsantos@presidencia.gov.co

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