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Defend Union Leaders in Colombia, Oppose the FTA

More Death Threats against Martha Cecilia Diaz, president of the Santander Union of Public Employees (ASDEMPT)

Union negotiations under fire

Martha Cecilia Diaz visited Washington, DC to brief congress on the situation of union leaders in Colombia as part of a Women’s Delegation organized by AFSC, Oxfam-America, Washington Office on Latin America and the Quixote Center, in August of 2007. During that visit, Martha shared her testimony of how she had been kidnapped, beaten shot and tortured by men who claimed to be sent by the ex-mayor of Los Santos to kill her. Because of this incident and multiple threats to her life Martha is now on the International Labor Organization’s list of cases that the Colombian government must address immediately.

Martha continues to do her work under the most insecure conditions and on October 11, 2007 she along with Guillermo Prieto Casas (an executive member of ASDEMPT) decided to return to the Municipality of Los Santos in the province of Santander to finish negotiations she had been carrying out on behalf of public service employees in that area before the attempt on her life. During the negotiations she received yet another threat to herself and her colleagues.

The threat in the form of a letter was left in the Municipality’s City Hall on the second floor right above the National Police’s Station which is on the first floor.

Here are some excerpts from the threat:

Martha Cecilia Diaz (expletive) …..We know what you came to do in the municipality of Los Santos and it seems that you don’t have any shame, we have warned you that we do not want to see you here, if you come back we will execute one of your followers from your union we are watching you and you will pay, we know what you and all of those (expletive) guerrillas camouflaged in unions like the CUT, that are against the policies of our president are doing.

Terrorist (expletive) get out of Los Santos, Santander and Colombia.

11 of October 2007—NEW GENERATION OF BLACK EAGLES

The Black Eagles are demobilized paramilitaries who have rearmed under this umbrella group. The threat raises serious concerns for Martha and her colleagues’ lives as well as questions surrounding the state of the “peace process” that the Colombian government claims has demobilized more than 33,000 paramilitaries. In addition there are serious concerns about military and paramilitary collusion in the threats to her and her colleagues lives given previous investigations that tie a Colombian Army Sergeant to her kidnapping and the attempt on her life. The situation is urgent and they need our solidarity at this time.

What you can do to help

Martha and her colleagues are asking you to write or call your representatives stating that the situation for union leaders has not changed and that paramilitary and military collusion continues in human rights abuses towards union leaders. For these reasons they request that:

1. The Free Trade Agreement with Colombia not be ratified due to the corruption and complicity between paramilitary forces, the military and governmental officials in human rights violations.

2. Ask your representatives to call on the State Department to check into the situation and threats against the union leaders from ASDEMPT including: Martha Cecilia Diaz, Alix Rodriguez, Enrique Perez, Pedro Julio Salazar Acevedo, Raul Barcenas Mantilla and Wilson Mantilla Rincon and their families.

For information on your representatives and senators, go to:

www.house.gov

www.senate.gov

Sample call to your representatives and senators:

“I am calling today to bring to your attention the case of Colombian union leader Martha Diaz, president of the Union of Public Employees of Santander and the current threats to her and her colleague’s lives. I understand that Colombian officials are in the United States to lobby for the US-Colombia trade agreement and for more military aid. And I am concerned about the lack of progress the Colombian government has made on cases like Martha’s which show complicity between the military, government officials and paramilitary groups. Based on this concerns and the most current threat to Martha’s life I am asking that Rep.____________ not vote for the trade agreement. And that Rep.___________ question Colombian government officials about this case and what they are doing to provide security for Martha and her colleagues. I also want to encourage Rep. _____________ to call on the State Department to check into the situation and threats that Martha and union members from ASTDEMPT are facing. The US government finances part of the human rights program that the Colombian government says it has put into place to protect leaders like Martha.”

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