Another Unionist Murdered
On Apr. 3, rightwing paramilitaries from the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) abducted Alfredo Zapata Herrera, a leader of the Santa Barbara section of the Unitary Union of Construction Materials Industry Workers (SUTIMAC), affiliated with the Unitary Workers Federation (CUT). The paramilitaries pulled Zapata off a bus that was transporting workers home to Santa Barbara, Antioquia department, from their jobs at the nearby El Cairo cement company factory. Zapata's bullet-ridden body was found the next day, near where he was abducted. [Communique from CUT Human Rights Department Director Jesus Antonio Gonzalez Luna 4/4/02; El Tiempo (Bogota) 4/4/02]
Torres Set to be Released
Labor Minister Angelino Garzon announced on Apr. 3 that the AUC had agreed to hand over United Union of Workers (USO) leader Gilberto Torres Martinez to a commission of representatives from the Office of the Defender of the People, the High Commissioner for Peace and the International Committee of the Red Cross (CICR). The AUC has not set a time or place for the release of Torres, who was abducted on Feb. 25 [see Updates #631-635]. [ET 4/4/02] As of Apr. 1 the USO remained on strike protesting Torres' abduction and the recent murders of other union activists. [Hoy (NY) 4/2/02 from AFP]
Colombia's three main labor unions have called a strike for Apr. 10 to protest the constant murders and threats to which the country's union activists are subjected. [ET 4/4/02]
From the
Weekly News Update on the Americas (ISSN 1084-922X), published by the Nicaragua Solidarity Network of Greater New York, 339 Lafayette St., New York, NY 10012, 212-674-9499,
wnu@igc.org.
Paramilitaries Use Aircraft
