The Organization Wayúu Munusurat is a group that has been working for the defence of the human rights of displaced peoples and the victims of paramilitary groups operating in La Guajira, Colombia with the accompaniment of national and international organizations.

With this communiqué we want to update everyone of the grave situation that members of our organization are facing including death threats, hostilities, persecution and pressure on behalf of the Northern Bloc of the Autodefence group (paramilitaries) of the Counter Wayúu Insurgency who have not demobilized and continue to operating within our territories.

Riohacha, La Guajira 

March 18th, 2008

Four trade union leaders have been assassinated in the week of the 6 March protests.

Nelson Prez, Luis Eduardo Garcia, Jose Domingo Flores

In the last fortnight, three Coca-Cola workers in Bucaramanga, Colombia have been told that before the end of December they will be killed and buried in a mass grave. The threat demands that the union cease all protest against Coca-Cola. Join us in emergency action to defend their lives!

The men – Luis Eduardo, Jose Domingo and Nelson Perez – belong to SINALTRAINAL, the trade union representing Coca-Cola workers in Colombia. Since 1994, nine Coca-Cola workers have been murdered by paramilitary death squads in response to the union’s resistance.