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Despite the increase in trade unionists murdered in Colombia last year the European Union appears to be intent on rewarding the Colombian regime with a Free Trade Agreement. The Colombian trade union movement is completely opposed to this (see this joint statement, in Spanish, from all three of Colombia's union federations) and similar trade agreements with the USA, Norway and Canada have all been blocked by their respective parliaments due to human rights concerns.

For the EU to push ahead regardless of the human rights situation will send completely the wrong signal to the Colombian authorities about the importance that the EU attaches to human rights and, as others have so far refused to grant such agreements to Colombia, the EU will be responsible for breaking the international consensus around this issue.

Justice for Colombia, working with the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC), the Trades Union Congress (TUC), the Irish Congress of Trades Union (ICTU) Unite the Union, and others, has arranged a special hearing on this issue to be held in Brussels on Wednesday 9th December. Speakers will include the leader of the Colombian CUT confederation, ETUC leader John Monks, Senator Jorge Robledo from Colombia and Yessika Hoyos, daughter of a murdered Colombian trade union leader who was herself recently awarded the AFL-CIO human rights prize for her work to bring those who murder trade unionists to justice.

For more information or to register for the hearing contact the Justice for Colombia office on +44 (0) 207 794 3644 or info@justiceforcolombia.org

News from Colombia

Ongoing Assassinations and Heavy Combat in Colombian Border Region
Date: 31 July 2009

Arauca region is on the northeast border with Venezuela

Reports from the Colombian region of Arauca, on the country's northeast border with Venezuela, indicate that large numbers of civilians are trapped amidst heavy fighting between guerrillas and the Colombian Army. The CPDH, Colombia's largest human rights group, also says that soldiers in the region have murdered a civilian whilst other reports from local organisations document a further ten assassinations including those of two trade unionists. As has been reported on previously, Arauca is one of Colombia's most violent regions. >>>

Colombia Very Corrupt Says UK Government-Funded Study
Date: 29 July 2009

Only four out of 138 state entities in Colombia have a low level of corruption according to a detailed new study funded by the British Government and carried out by the Colombian affiliate of the international NGO Transparency International. Among those entities found to have "very high" corruption levels were the Colombian Congress whilst the Ministry of Interior and Justice was found to have a "high" level of corruption. >>>

Europeans Targeted in Colombia, British-Trained Soldiers Allegedly Involved
Date: 24 July 2009

Former British Minister Kim Howells posing with High Mountain Battalion soldiers durings a visit to Sumapaz. The unit in the photo was involved in the torture and murder of three trade unionists shortly before the photo was taken.

A Dutch citizen has been murdered in the northern Colombian city of Barranquilla after two men on a motorcycle drove by the house in which he was staying and shot him in the head. The killing follows an incident last month in which a German citizen was robbed by soldiers believed to be members of the notorious British-trained High Mountain Battalion of the Colombian Army. The robbery took place close to a remote military base, known as 'La Australia', where British advisers allegedly provide secret training to counterinsurgency troops. >>>

Colombian President Uribe “Sympathetic” to Honduras Coup
Date: 22 July 2009

President Alvaro Uribe

Colombia became the first, and so far only, country in the world to express support for the illegal military coup that occurred in Honduras in early July according to the de-facto Foreign Minister of the new Honduran regime Carlos Lopez Contreras. The Foreign Minister says that in a secret meeting with President Alvaro Uribe on July 20th the Colombian leader expressed his "sympathy" for the new regime even though it is not recognised as legitimate by any other country or the Organisation of American States (OAS). >>>

New Colombia Journal Website Unveiled
Date: 13 July 2009

The highly respected Colombia Journal website today came back on line with new design and content. The lead article on the comprehensive new site is an interview with Colombian political prisoner Liliany Obando – one of those currently included in the JFC political prisoner campaign. We recommend the new site to anyone with an interest in Colombia. >>>

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Justice For Colombia News

JFC, NUS and UCU Launch New Report on Colombian Students
Date: 5 July 2009

A new report on the human rights abuses suffered by Colombian university students was launched today with a call on the British Government to speak out more forcefully about the human rights situation in Colombia. The new report, entitled 'Colombia: Students in the Firing Line', was put together by Justice for Colombia, the National Union of Students (NUS) and the University and College Union (UCU) to try and highlight the attacks that students face in Colombia. The report details 14 recent assassinations of student leaders as well as numerous other instances of human rights being violated. >>>

BBC: MPs attack Colombia military aid
Date: 1 July 2009

An extensive report on the campaign to end military aid to Colombia has appeared on the BBC website. As well as quoting Justice for Colombia the article details a meeting held yesterday in the British Parliament at which a visiting Colombian trade unionist, Luis Alberto Vanegas of the CUT federation, and JFC President and TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber spoke. >>>

New Parliamentary Group on Colombia Launched
Date: 30 June 2009

Members of the British Parliament yesterday established a new 'Friends of Colombia' group aiming to increase awareness within Parliament of the situation in Colombia and campaign for an improvement in the human rights situation there. Over 20 MPs attended the launch meeting in Parliament earlier today with a further 24 sending their apologies but making clear that they will be joining the group. Among those that have signed up are several former Ministers. >>>

Article in Parliamentary Magazine Accuses Colombia of ‘State-Sponsored Terrorism’
Date: 24 June 2009

An article in 'House Magazine', the weekly publication for the British House of Parliament which is edited, written and read by parliamentarians, has accused the Colombian regime of engaging in state-sponsored terrorism and of "threatening or jailing those that speak out about the systematic repression meted out against civil society". Written by Labour MP Jim Sheridan, who recently visited Colombia, the article appeared in the June 22nd edition of the magazine. Here Justice for Colombia has reproduced the article in full. >>>

JFC Quiz Night a Great Success
Date: 24 June 2009

The winning team from Unite the Union receiving their prizes from JFC President Brendan Barber and Thompsons Solicitors Chairman Geoff Shears

Great fun was had by all at yesterday's Justice for Colombia quiz night which was supported by Thompsons Solicitors. 13 teams and over 100 supporters participated in the event which was held at TUC Congress House, the headquarters of the British trade union movement, and which was presided over by TUC leader and JFC President Brendan Barber who played the role of quizmaster. The trade union Unite won the night with the University and College Union coming second and the National Union of Journalists third. A team of Labour Party leaders, captained by Labour General Secretary Ray Collins, joined the fun as did teams from the Fire Brigades Union, the GMB general union, the RMT and TSSA transport unions, the NASUWT teachers' union, the CWU communication workers union, Thompsons Solicitors, the professional workers trade union Prospect and a team from the TUC itself captained by deputy TUC leader Frances O'Grady. >>>

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