Columbian embassy picket 20th July Knightsbridge London

On the Friday 20th July ( Columbia ’s ‘National Day’) at 1pm the Solidarity Federation will be holding a protest outside the Columbian embassy (3 Hans Crescent SW1. Tube: Knightsbridge. Between Sloane Street and Brompton Road. It's about a mile from Parliament.) as part of a international day of action to highlight the ongoing war waged by the Columbian state on trade unionists.

We call on everyone who believes in the right of unionists to organise without the fear of death to join us on the picket and show solidarity with our fellow workers.

Columbia is amongst one of the world’s most repressive regimes, the US backed government of Alvaro Uribe Velez continues to allow transnationals, such as Coca Cola and Chiquita Brands International and Columbian business interests a free hand to destroy any opposition. Indigenous tribes' people, the Afro-Columbian communities as well as human rights activists have all been targeted. For trade unionists death threats, intimidation, harassment, beating and assassination are a regular feature of daily life.

The international Centre for Trade Union Rights says at least 72 members of trade unions were murdered in 2006(ICTUR-www.ictur.org)

In an explosive new report submitted to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), the ITUC has presented direct evidence of collusion between Colombia’s notorious DAS Security Agency and paramilitary death squads in the murder of at least seven trade unionists since the early 1990’s. The DAS (or “Administrative Security Department”) is under the direct authority of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe Velez.
ITUC article here
Report of three more recent deaths