Posted on: July 31, 2008  @ 16:44

The struggle of the Colombian people deserves our admiration and support

If you’ve read each of the commentary about our Colombia solidarity tour, you’ve noticed the difficult environment that face the Colombian workers, our brothers and sisters in the labour movement, Indigenous communities, displaced people and the vast majority of the population. We ought to pay them tribute.

In a country ruled by paramilitaries, armed groups and drug traffickers, the Colombian people resist tirelessly. In a country where the government systematically abolishes labour laws and where impunity is the rule, Colombians stand up for their rights each and every day.

As an example amongst many others, I want to emphasize the struggle of our brothers and sisters from the National Union of Postal Workers of Colombia (STPC). For years, they’ve campaigned against the privatization of the Colombian post office. They fought the liquidation of ADPOSTAL and are currently fighting to organize the whole postal sector. Their dedication to the labour cause is boundless.

In Colombia, if you don’t agree with the ruling class, you become a “terrorist” and are faced with the frustrations, threats and arbitrary treatment from the government and armed groups. At the point of the gun, one-track thinking reigns supreme.

But in spite of all this, Colombians resist heroically because they believe in social justice, in human and in labour rights. They believe another world is possible and necessary. The people in struggle of Colombia deserve our undivided admiration and support.

Let’s show our solidarity.

 

cupe 1979 / cope 225