S.O.S SINTRAEMCALI:
URGENT ACTION

ONCE AGAIN EMCALI WORKERS FALL
VICTIM TO BRUTAL ASSAULT BY STATE
LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES

5th of May 2004, Cali, Colombia.

Members of the Cali Municipal Workers Union SINTRAEMCALI, The Association for Social Action Research, NOMADESC and participating organisations in the “National and International Campaign against Privatisation, Corruption and the Criminalisation of Social Protest: FORBIDDEN TO FORGET” denounce before the National and International Community the brutal acts of police violence against workers at the EMCALI water and sewerage plant on the 5th of May 2004.

The Acts

Part of the agreement to the saving of EMCALI EICE ESP was the commitment to the Collective Convention, a participatory decision making assembly in which the workers and union are included. Yesterday it was handed over to the executive Committee excluding workers and the union. In response to the exclusion from the official process and aware of the direction in which the company will go without their input workers assembled at the water and sewerage plant on the Kr 15, Calle 59 at approximately 8.00am, Tuesday the 5th of May. They arrived both ready to work but also with the objective of analysing the implications of the hand-over of the Collective Convention and the loss of rights associated with it that have been achieved through long and arduous struggle.

Almost as soon as it had begun the open assembly was met with considerable contingent of the state law enforcement agencies comprising of members of the Mobile Anti (civil) Disturbance Squadron (ESMAD) and Military Police Force (PM). Officers rushed the workers in military fashion. Firearms were repeatedly unloaded at the crowd and into the streets generating an atmosphere of chaos and terrorising local residents including women children and old people of the Nueva Base Neighborhood. Bombs containing tear and pepper gas and a substance which causes itching and painful irritation of the skin (possibly Picana) were also employed similar to those employed on May Day. Shotguns were also used spraying small ball bearings into the crowd and injuring various workers including GUSTAVO TACUMA who was attacked in front of Public Ministry Officials who had arrived at the request of the workers in response to the police aggression to act as witnesses to the human rights abuses.

Members of the special police forces ESMAD and Military Police with no judicial warrant attempted to enter the building illegally by forced entry through the adjoining residential apartments of the Nueva Base. The attempt failed.

Most seriously, in the middle of the physical attacks and with out any explanation a Cali Metropolitan Police vehicle was positioned next to the plant from which the young occupants shouted insults at the workers. Simultaneously an explosion was set off by the ESMAD force leaving a number of the occupants of the vehicle wounded. According to the Police the vehicle was transporting young people with behavioral problems to a juvenile detention centre. The police superintendent in charge claimed in an abusive and defamatory statement that EMCALI workers had attacked the police transport vehicle that had been passing through area on routine business.


In view of the gross violations of National and international law committed on the part of State law enforcement agencies we urgently demand:

• That the Colombian government provide guarantees for the safety and security of Colombian Workers

• The respect of the fundamental constitutional rights to life, security, liberty of opinion, information, assembly, social protest and the right to form labour unions and as such that the Colombian Government comply with international agreements it has signed committing to respect of the above.

• That the Colombian Government make a declaration before the United Nations, the Organisation of American Status, The Diplomatic Bodies seated in Colombia and the International Organisation of Work so as to guarantee the protection of the human rights of the leaders and activists of SINTRAEMCALI.

• That the Colombian Government explain the reasons for the ongoing and systematic persecution of Union Leaders and activists in the Vale del Cauca.


Asociación Para la Investigación y Acción Social
NOMADESC
Sindicato de Trabajadores de Las Empresas Municipales de Cali
SINTRAEMCALI
Sindicato De Los Trabajadores Universitarios De Colombia
SINTRAUNICOL
La Unión Sindical Obrera
USO
Asociación para el Desarrollo Social Integral
ECATE
Central Unitaria De Los Trabajadores
CUT - VALLE DEL CAUCA
Corporación Servicios Profesionales Comunitarios
SEMBRAR
Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Minería en Colombia
SINTRAMINERCOL
Movimiento Estudiantil del Valle del Cauca y Nariño
Fundación Comité De Solidaridad Con Presos Políticos Seccional Valle del Cauca
Sintramunicipio Bugalagrande
Sintramunicipio Yumbo
Sintramunicipio Dagua
Sintrametal Yumbo
Organizaciones Barriales Juveniles Artísticas y
Populares de Santiago de Cali


- posted by 1984 @ 11:29 pm