Global unions to UN: Condemn violence in Colombia

(Photo: BBC Mundo)

The Building and Woodworkers’ International (BWI) and fellow global unions called on the United Nations Human Rights Council to condemn the Colombian government’s excessive use of force against workers who launched a national strike to oppose the introduction of a new tax measure. 

The national workers’ strike, which started on 28 April, registers 37 people dead so far and hundreds injured.

In a declaration sent to Antonia Urrejola Noguera, Commissioner of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, in Washington D.C. and Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, the global unions deplored the state violence unleashed against the protesters. 

The global unions also called on the Colombian government to sit down and have a dialogue with the protesting workers regarding their demands. 

"We demand the urgent eradication of violence together with the search for fairer alternatives, and not through impoverishing health, fiscal, labor and pension reforms that fall on the most vulnerable population and that would further aggravate inequality in the country", the global unions said.

Colombia’s major confederations namely CTC, CGT, CUT also signed the declaration. CUT-Brazil also added its name to the statement. 

 A copy of the document was sent to Colombian President Iván Duque, who is asked to respond to the issues hurled against him and his administration.