[R-G] One day strike and Indigenous mobilizations in Colombia

[Anthony Fenton]

One day strike and Indigenous mobilizations in Colombia
http://www.nupge.ca/news_2008/n22oc08d.htm

Follows 6 weeks of strikes and Indigenous mobilizations across  
Colombia against regime’s hard-line policies.



(22 Oct. 2008) - Colombia’s Central Trade Union Federation (CUT) has  
responded to the growing crisis in Colombia by calling for a one-day  
national strike for Thursday, October 23rd.  A solidarity picket is  
being held in Toronto on Thursday, October 23rd over the lunch period  
(12 - 1 pm) outside the Colombian Consulate at 1 Dundas Street West.



The action is in solidarity with a wave of striking workers.  It is  
also in opposition to President Alvaro Uribe’s recent declaration of  
a “state of internal commotion” (or state of emergency) which  
grants the president extraordinary powers to further repress and  
criminalize labour and social movements as ‘threats to public  
order’.



Growing crisis in Colombia



This most recent desperate action by the right-wing Uribe government  
follows more than 6 weeks of strikes and nation-wide mobilizations of  
Indigenous people against the government's hard-line neo-liberal  
policies.



Labour actions include the strike of more than 9,000 sugar cane  
cutters in the Cauca Valley region - the centre of the country’s  
multi-million sugar and ethanol biofuel industry. The cane cutters  
demands include a living wage, direct employment contracts (instead of  
subcontracting through “associated cooperatives”), the right to  
receive social benefits and recognition of their right to unionize.  
Colombia’s sugar barons have refused to negotiate with the workers.  
The government has assisted the employers by attacking strikers’  
rallies with anti-riot squad violence.



In addition, thirty-two thousand public sector court workers were on  
strike demanding improved wages and the independence of the judiciary  
from the executive branch of government. After 42 days on strike the  
workers, through their union ASONAL, forced the government to  
negotiate a tentative deal on October 20th.



Nation-wide Indigenous people protest Free Trade Agreement



Heightening the growing opposition in the country has been nation-wide  
mobilizations by Colombia's Indigenous population that began on  
October 12th.  These protests and actions  have been harshly repressed  
by government anti-riot squads.



In the Cauca region, a twelve-thousand strong Indigenous and Popular  
Minga (or Assembly) was held in opposition to the militarization of  
Indigenous, Afro-Colombian and peasant communities/territories.  The  
Assembly also declared it's firm opposition to the Free Trade  
Agreements (FTAs) with Canada, U.S. and the European Union.



Estimates are that, to date, more than 100 Indigenous activists in  
Cauca have been seriously injured, at least three have been killed,  
and others have disappeared likely due to direct government repression  
or collusion.



On October 20th Cauca’s Indigenous communities and their allies  
started a three-day walk to the city of Cali to continue pressing  
their demands.



Canadian activists respond to crisis



Across Canada trade union and social justice activists have responded  
to the crisis in Colombia by organizing solidarity demonstrations and  
writing to elected leaders.  NUPGE

More information:
● Colombia: the struggle for peace and justice

Web posted by NUPGE: 22 October 2008