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Public Services International and LabourStart have launched a campaign calling for the Colombian government to cease state violence, negotiate with the National Strike Committee, and accept the requests of human rights commissions.
Ottawa (03 June 2021) — The general strike in Colombia, and the Duque government’s brutal repression of the demonstrations, continues.
The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) has joined the call on the Colombian government to stop the violence against demonstrators and to engage in negotiations with the National Strike Committee. Read on to see how individuals can take action in solidarity with the Colombia people and learn more.
Brutal state violence
The general strike began on April 28 in response to a tax reform bill, which sought to increase taxes on basic foodstuffs and essential services like water and electricity, and to other social policies that threaten to widen inequality. There has been widespread participation from the Colombian population, including trade unionists, social organizations, and youth.
The demonstrations have been met with violent repression from state agencies, including the National Police, and the military.
NUPGE in solidarity with the people’s movement
In May, Larry Brown, President of NUPGE, wrote a letter to the President of Colombia to condemn the violence against protestors and to voice solidarity with the people’s movement and their demands.
"NUPGE strongly condemns the brutal repression of the Colombian people who have exercised their right to freedom of expression against the tax reform bill and the anti-social policies of your government," wrote Brown. “We support the continuity of the strike and peaceful mobilizations in line with the decisions of the National Strike Committee (Comité Nacional del Paro) and the multiple social organizations that accompany it."
And the movement is bringing about change. The tax reform bill was withdrawn, the finance minister resigned, and a health care privatization bill was abandoned. But there is still much to be done.
Send a letter in solidarity with Colombian people
Public Services International (PSI) and LabourStart have launched a campaign calling for the Colombian government to:
- cease state violence
- begin negotiations with the National Strike Committee immediately
- accept the requests of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights and the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights to conduct working visits to Colombia
Through an online tool, individuals can send this message to the Colombian government. The campaign is available here: https://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=4859.
Learn more
Want to learn more about what is happening in Colombia?
To hear directly from Colombian union leaders about the ongoing crisis, join PSI today, June 3, at 3:00 pm EDT for a virtual event. You can participate on Zoom, Facebook Live, or YouTube.
The full details are available on PSI’s website.