According to Álvaro Uribe, the paramilitary groups have demobilised, however the truth is that they are more active than ever.

Each time the government and the management of Ecopetrol implement programmes of privatisation of the the Colombian peoples’ state oil corporation, or hand over our natural resources, the threats against the union increase. This is what is happening now as we, the workers, are against the sale of ECOPETROL shares.

ENGLISH / ESPAÑOL

ENGLISH

FACTS:
 

·        On Friday, 21st September 2007, comrade RODOLFO VECINO ACEVEDO  was threatened by the following email: 

“You, Vecino, who has no conscience, arsehole triple son of a bitch guerrillero [guerrilla fighter], we told you to leave here, Barranca, and you did not, flying about by helicopter you saved yourself like a coward. You think in yourself that you will survive, stupidly denouncing and reporting many times, you think you can save yourself from what we have planned for you, which is already a fact, faggot, keep playing, keep playing so that you see where this will lead, guerrillero, don’t be elusive rude son of a bitch, we don’t want you neither in Barranca, nor in Cartagena, nor in any other part of our national territory, take the test and we will fire you to the floor, we have already located and marked your family, and you in Bogota.

You arsehole remember that here in Barranca you saved yourself in 22nd Street, about 25 days ago, you know what rounds you were making and with whom you met that day, in your secret meetings, we have photos, videos and recordings, and know your journeys to the neighbouring country, you know what we are talking about, you are trapped and trustingly you will continue to disobey our orders, you already know that you are a military target, afterwards will come the lamentations, we told you in advance arsehole, everything happens and then is forgotten, like your companion Auri Sara Marrugo, all your guerrilleros dead, you will see thrice son of a bitch, you will go and tell your companions that they should not annoy us with their ridiculous interventions, and all these organizations without a base, all this will end, already your order is ready, we have the power and will achieve our objective. We will triumph.”

Barranca September 19th 2007

Commander Zone

The Black Eagles of Colombia.

BACKGROUND:

• The workers trade union has come from a process of struggle and resistance in defence of Ecopetrol, a process that has been harshly repressed by the government of Álvaro Uribe Vélez.

• The oil workers union (USO), has been the victim of genocide perpetrated by the Colombian state, therefore it has sought protection from the Inter American Court of Human Rights which recognises this and has recommended precautionary measures.

• 105 affiliates of USO, leaders and activists have been assassinated.

• 2 comrades have been forcibly disappeared.

• 6 workers have been kidnapped. 

• 35 workers affiliated with our organization have been wounded in assassination attempts.

• Within the trade union, 400 affiliates are now internal refugees, workers who have had to leave their original place or work to save their lives, and those of their families.

• We have 10 comrades exiled in other countries.

• 300 affiliates of our organization have been threatened.

• 30 comrades have been unjustly imprisoned and have since been declared innocent.

• Today there are 900 legal processes against our affiliates.

• In 2004 the trade union carried out a strike in defence of ECOPETROL, following this 248 workers were sacked.

• In March 2005 there was an assasination attempt against comrade Rafael Cabarcas and between September and October there was an attempt to kidnap the children of Rodolfo Vecino as they were leaving school. On 25th Nov 2006 there was an attempted against comrade Rodolfo, who continues to receive death threats.

REQUESTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Given the negligence of the Colombian state to provide the necessary protection to practice social and trade union activities, we hold the Colombian State responsible for any attempt against the life of comrade RODOLFO VECINO ACEVEDO, his family and any other member of the union leadership.  

• We ask  social organizations and trade unions to organize themselves in defence of human rights, to speak out against these threats and devise actions which will support and protect the lives of Rodolfo, his family and other leaders of the USO.

• We ask the national government and ECOPETROL to immediately offer all the necessary measures to safeguard the life of RODOLFO VECINO and his family as well as all the other members of the union.

USO NATIONAL DIRECTIVE COMMITTEE

NATIONAL COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE  (USO)

BOGOTA, SEPTEMBER 25, 2007

Please send your URGENT ACTIONS to the following addresses and emails: /Favor dirigir las  ACCIONES URGENTES a los siguientes correos y direcciones:

Vicepresidencia de la República

Dr. Francisco Santos

Vicepresidencia de la República

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Presidencia ECOPETROL S.A.

Dr. Javier Gutierrez Pemberthy

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Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario.

Dr.  Carlos Franco

Calle 7 N° 5-54

TEL: (+571) 336.03.11

FAX: (+57 1)  337.46.67

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Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
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Representante Permanente de la OIT en Colombia

Dr. Marcelo Castro Fox

Dirección: Av. 82. No. 12-18 Oficina: 504.
Teléfono: 623 75 86.
Bogotá D.C.

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Procuraduría General de la Nación
Dr.  Edgardo José Maya Villazón
Carrera 5 No. 15-80
Santa Fe de Bogotá.
Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23
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Fiscalía General de la Nación
Dr.  Mario Iguarán
Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
Santa fe de Bogotá.
Fax:  (+571) 570 20 00
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Unidad de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario
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Defensoría del Pueblo
Dr.  Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz.
Calle 55 No. 10-32
Santa Fe de Bogotá.
Fax:  (+571) 640 04 91
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Central Unitaria de Trabajadores CUT

Calle 35. No. 7-25 piso 9°

Tel. 3237550. Bogotá

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and to Colombian Embassy in London This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it   (or the Embassy in your country)

with copies to  USO at e-mail: This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it  and to This email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

ESPAÑOL

ACCION URGENTE

NUEVAS AMENAZAS CONTRA DIRIGENCIA DE LA USO

BOGOTA, SEPTIEMBRE 25 DE 2007

Según Álvaro Uribe, los grupos paramilitares se desmovilizaron, pero lo real es que continúan más activos que nunca.

Cada vez que el gobierno y la administración de ECOPETROL implementan programas de privatización de la Empresa de los colombianos, o de entrega de nuestros recursos naturales, se incrementan las amenazas contra el sindicato, como ahora cuando los trabajadores estamos en contra de la venta de las acciones de ECOPETROL.

ANTECEDENTES:

• La Unión Sindical Obrera, ha venido en un proceso de lucha y resistencia en defensa de ECOPETROL, proceso que ha sido duramente reprimido por el gobierno de Álvaro Uribe Vélez.  

• La USO, ha sido victima de un genocidio perpetrado por el estado colombiano, por esto,  se encuentra amparada por medidas cautelares, dictadas por la Honorable Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos.

• A la USO le han asesinado 105 afiliados entre dirigentes y activistas.

• Le han desaparecido a dos (2) compañeros forzosamente.

• Le han sido secuestrados seis (6) trabajadores. 

• Han sido heridos en atentados treinta y cinco (35) trabajadores afiliados a nuestra organización.

• El sindicato tiene más de 400 afiliados refugiados Internamente, son trabajadores que han tenido que abandonar su sitio original de trabajo para poder preservar su vida y la de su familia.

• Tenemos a diez (10) compañeros exiliados en otros países.

• A nuestra organización sindical le han amenazado a mas de 300 afiliado.

• A la USO le han detenido injustamente a treinta (30) compañeros, todos han sido declarados inocentes.

• Actualmente existen 900 procesos judiciales en contra de nuestros afiliados.

• En el año 2004 el sindicato realizó una huelga por la defensa de ECOPETROL, por este hecho fueron despedidos 248 trabajadores afiliados.

• En marzo del 2005 se atenta contra el compañero Rafael Cabarcas, y además entre los meses de septiembre y octubre intentan el secuestro de los hijos del compañero Rodolfo Vecino a la salida del colegio, el 25 de  noviembre de 2006 se atenta contra la compañera de Rodolfo, quien ha seguido recibiendo mas amenazas.

HECHOS:

·        El viernes 21 de septiembre de 2007, el compañero RODOLFO VECINO ACEVEDO  fue amenazado  mediante un correo electrónico que transcribimos a continuación: 

SOLICITUDES Y RESPONSABILIDADES:

• Ante la negligencia de brindar la protección necesaria para ejercer la actividad sindical y social, responsabilizamos al Estado Colombiano de cualquier atentado en contra de la vida del compañero  RODOLFO VECINO ACEVEDO,  su familia y demás integrantes de la dirigencia sindical de la USO.

• Solicitamos a las organizaciones sociales y sindicales, organismos defensores de DDHH, a pronunciarse en contra de dichas amenazas y desarrollar todas las acciones que respalden la protección de la vida de Rodolfo, su familia y demás dirigentes de la USO.

• Exigimos al gobierno nacional y a ECOPETROL, se brinden de inmediato todas las medidas necesarias para salvaguardar la vida de RODOLFO VECINO su familia y los demás miembros del sindicato.

JUNTA DIRECTIVA NACIONAL  DE LA USO