Colombia
15.06.04
Urgent Interventions
"Coincidences", trade unionist freedom in Colombia.
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PRESS RELEASE
« COINCIDENCES »
Geneva, June 15th 2004
At the International Labour Conference organised by the ILO in June each year, a debate takes place concerning the global report of the Director General, each time dedicated to one of the fundamental worker’s rights. In this case, the topic of debate was trade unionist freedom.
The OMCT has a consultative statute at the ILO and therefore regularly participates in matters that it is concerned with. It therefore asked to speak at the debate on Friday, June 10th. (According to the rules, the NGOs authorised may express themselves at the plenary conferences or at the commissions if the president gives his authorisation, which he does in practise, when there is consensus of the three groups: the government, the workers and the employers).
The OMCT, which deals with numerous cases of serious violations each year, wished to discuss the issue in Colombia. The particular issue of concern is that, despite the fact that Colombian law grants trade unionist freedom, the assassinations of trade unionist leaders continue and are generally unpunished, revealing a serious breach of the State’s duty to protect labour and human rights. While it intended to make the Conference face its responsibilities, by developing an argument showing the collusion between the authors of these crimes and certain sectors of the army, the governmental authorities and certain private firms, the representative of the employers, Mr. Potter, asked to interrupt the speaker arguing that particular situations should not be discussed in a general debate, as these are discussed in the Commission of Standards.
Unfortunately, nobody expressed any surprise at this censorship, which was endorsed by the president of the session, despite the fact that:
1 – the OMCT was refused the right to speak on Colombia at the session for the Commission of Standards, due to the opposition of, again, the employers group.
2 – the global report of the Director General contains a page-long box dedicated to the problems of trade unionist freedom in Colombia.
Consequently, the World Organisation against Torture was not able to ask its conclusive question: by not taking a firm position on Colombia, when it is the only country in the world where dozens of responsible trade unionists are killed each year, does the ILO not risk to lose its credibility?
(Contact: Eric SOTTAS, director OMCT, Tél.:+ 4122.809.49.39)
Click here for PDF version
PRESS RELEASE
« COINCIDENCES »
Geneva, June 15th 2004
At the International Labour Conference organised by the ILO in June each year, a debate takes place concerning the global report of the Director General, each time dedicated to one of the fundamental worker’s rights. In this case, the topic of debate was trade unionist freedom.
The OMCT has a consultative statute at the ILO and therefore regularly participates in matters that it is concerned with. It therefore asked to speak at the debate on Friday, June 10th. (According to the rules, the NGOs authorised may express themselves at the plenary conferences or at the commissions if the president gives his authorisation, which he does in practise, when there is consensus of the three groups: the government, the workers and the employers).
The OMCT, which deals with numerous cases of serious violations each year, wished to discuss the issue in Colombia. The particular issue of concern is that, despite the fact that Colombian law grants trade unionist freedom, the assassinations of trade unionist leaders continue and are generally unpunished, revealing a serious breach of the State’s duty to protect labour and human rights. While it intended to make the Conference face its responsibilities, by developing an argument showing the collusion between the authors of these crimes and certain sectors of the army, the governmental authorities and certain private firms, the representative of the employers, Mr. Potter, asked to interrupt the speaker arguing that particular situations should not be discussed in a general debate, as these are discussed in the Commission of Standards.
Unfortunately, nobody expressed any surprise at this censorship, which was endorsed by the president of the session, despite the fact that:
1 – the OMCT was refused the right to speak on Colombia at the session for the Commission of Standards, due to the opposition of, again, the employers group.
2 – the global report of the Director General contains a page-long box dedicated to the problems of trade unionist freedom in Colombia.
Consequently, the World Organisation against Torture was not able to ask its conclusive question: by not taking a firm position on Colombia, when it is the only country in the world where dozens of responsible trade unionists are killed each year, does the ILO not risk to lose its credibility?
(Contact: Eric SOTTAS, director OMCT, Tél.:+ 4122.809.49.39)
Click here for PDF version