Page 26





NEWS • VIEWS • INFORMATION • ADVICE





Struggle for trade union freedom continues



A Colombian trade unionist who was imprisoned for over two years for her activism has urged colleagues in the UK to continue supporting the struggle for peace and social justice in her country.



Rosalba Gaviria Toro, an executive member of FENSUAGRO, the Colombian agricultural workers’ trade union, was imprisoned by the Colombian Government on charges of ‘rebellion’.



She was released in June 2011 as a result of a campaign co-ordinated by Justice for Colombia (JFC), a pressure group that works to support Colombian trade unions in their fight for democracy and the rule of law. The NASUWT is a long-standing supporter of JFC and had been campaigning for Rosalba’s release.



Rosalba was recently in the UK to raise awareness of trade union comrades who are still languishing in Colombia’s prisons. Seventy-five members of FENSUAGRO are still in prison, along with many other trade union and human rights activists.



Silencing opposition



These prisoners have been incarcerated without being convicted of any crime in an attempt to silence them in their opposition to the Colombian regime. The detentions are designed to prevent the activists carrying out their work to defend trade union and human rights.



After being arrested in a dawn raid, Rosalba spent her incarceration being moved between several prisons and described the inhumane conditions she experienced: “There was overcrowding and I was denied access to water and medical treatment. I was forced to sleep on the floor and in one prison had to sleep outside. In one prison, I was the only woman in a jail of male paramilitaries.



“It was only because of pressure from JFC and trade unions that I was moved back to a prison where the conditions were slightly better.”



Critical support



She said that support from JFC and trade unions in the UK was critical to securing her release, as JFC was able to get the issue raised in parliament, thereby bringing pressure on the Colombian Government to release her.



“The work of JFC is very valued by the trade union movement in Colombia as the government tries to suppress us.



“I ask for your support in strengthening the campaign to get the remaining prisoners released,” Rosalba said. “It is only with international pressure that we can achieve an end to this persecution.”



(Photo captioned: Rosalba Gaviria Toro, Colombian activist jailed for ‘rebellion’)



To find out more go to www.nasuwt.org.uk/Colombia or www.justiceforcolombia.org





The NASUWT is campaigning for the release of a number of Colombian trade unionists. They are:



The FENSUAGRO 6



All are members of the agricultural workers’ union and were arrested shortly after taking part in a high-profile event to highlight human rights abuses in Colombia. They have been accused by the government of ‘rebellion’, a case that is based on corrupt evidence provided by guerrillas who have been paid by the state.



David Rabelo



Mr Rabelo is a leading human rights activist in Colombia and has been held in prison on false charges of ‘conspiracy to commit a crime’ and ‘aggravated homicide’ since September 2010. The case against him is based on the testimony of a paramilitary who Mr Rabelo helped to put in prison.



Liliany Obando



She has now been held for more than three years without being convicted of any crime after being arrested as she prepared to publish a report into violence against trade unionists. She has been emotionally and physically abused by guards during her time in prison.



NASUWT President John Rimmer will be visiting Colombia later this month as part of a JFC delegation. He will be meeting government ministers to lobby for the release of political prisoners and greater freedom for trade union activists. A report of Mr Rimmer’s trip will be in the next edition of Teaching Today.



Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36