Colombia Solidarity Campaign
- Fighting for Peace with Justice -
| 60% are Poor |
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| Bulletin archive - Bulletin Issue3 October?December 2001 | |||
| Tuesday, 09 September 2008 13:08 | |||
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In Colombia today 26 million people, that is 60% of the population, are absolutely poor (people whose income is insufficient for the basic minimum basket of family goods). Of these, some 9 million people, that is 23% of the population, are indigent (they do not even have the income for one proper meal a day) according to figures just released by the Latin America and Caribbean Economic Commission (Cepal) published in El Colombiano on 26th September 2001.
The figures show the catastrophic impact of the neo-liberal model in Colombia in the 1990s. Ten years ago the poverty level was 49%. José Fernando Gutiérrez from the National Trade Union School in Medellín points to the sharp deterioration in recent years, "Income per had, which is the principal indicator of the standard of living of a population, fell from US $2,716 per head in 1997 to US $1,890 this year". This drop in average income of more than 30% in less than four years hides the inhuman impact on the working class and peasantry. 5 million people have been forced into absolute poverty in the last 5 years. According to Cepal 46.6% of Colombians have an income of less than 150,000 pesos (US $70) a month, which is half of the minimum wage. Besides the socio-economic situation is getting worse. The Department of National Statistics (Dane) reports that the rate of unemployment for August in the country's thirteen principal cities was 18.1%. According to Dane urban underemployment reached 33.4% as well. That is to say the Colombian state admits that more than half of the urban population subsists without a formal job. Surely this figure is an underestimate, nonetheless damning for the Pastrana government and its neo-liberal framework. Cepal reports that in most Latin American countries the income per head of the top 10% is more than 20 times higher than the average income of the poorest 40% of the population. And Colombia is one of the countries with the highest indices of poverty, unemployment and inequality in income distribution. Andy Higginbottom
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Colombia Solidarity Campaign on Twitter
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Colombia's resistance to corporate mining excess has lessons for the world http://t.co/fNuNBtdr
about 2 days ago
RT @HollmanMorris : http://t.co/lK0NEEax "Suarez Gold" en @guardiannews Reflexión recomendada sobre minería
about 16 days ago
RT @amnestylondon : Thank you Andy from @ColombiaSC for an in depth discussion around HR & peaceful protest in #Colombia http://t.co/19ryL9aW
about 20 days ago
Blog: No head of state should rest easy – today a precedent has been set – Taylor-made justice will catch up with you http://t.co/96K1ewqH
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RT @HollmanMorris : Colombianos en Londres, todavía pueden llegar a la presentación del nuevo documental Los espero!!! http://t.co/bV2KDsyW
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Film screening and Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro -descendant rights and mining in #Colombia 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 20 days ago
Suárez Gold: Afro-Colombian miners defending their heritage - New doc from MRG Thurs 26th April Amnesty HR Centre http://t.co/bV2KDsyW
about 20 days ago
RT @londonmining : Web: Colombia: going for gold http://t.co/ibbiXkTX
about 20 days ago
Film screening and a Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro-descendant rights and mining in #Colombia - 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 21 days ago
RT @Gus5ilva : RT @Contravia : IMPUNITY en París, Francia. HOY http://t.co/Oqko4A2g
about 21 days ago
Film screening and a Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro-descendant rights and mining in #Colombia - 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 22 days ago
Film screening and a Q&A with @HollmanMorris and experts on Afro-descendant rights and mining in #Colombia - 7pm 26 Apr http://t.co/n7M1jd97
about 26 days ago
#FF @londonmining @ABColombia1 @Col_Caravana @JOTAKLAN @PBIColombia @PBIUK @AmnestyUK @ccajar @HollmanMorris @Contravia
about 26 days ago
RT @londonmining : @newsneighbour Vote Rio Tinto for #GreenwashGold 2012 at http://t.co/oSZbUJIV
about 26 days ago
RT @londonmining : Olympic medal pollution protesters disrupt Rio Tinto meeting http://t.co/xozf1XSy via @guardian #greenwashgold
about 26 days ago
RT @bbcmundo : Los planes hidroeléctricos que pueden poner en riesgo a la Amazonia http://t.co/HtLDrDvP
about 26 days ago
Where does the metal for 2012 medals come from? http://t.co/NbRjSajg The women leading mining resistance via @thefworduk #greenwashgold
about 26 days ago
Protesters grab chance for a dig at mining giants - Business News - Business - The Independent http://t.co/CZcC7shU #GreenwashGold
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