COLA/PARAS-AKUT

English version

PARAMILITARIES MAKE THREATS AGAINST SINALTRAINAL OFFICIAL

The hunger strike is proceeding successfully. We have passed 170 hours on strike and we remain firm and strengthened by the justice of our cause.

Coca Cola maintains a sepulchral silence. It does not move, it is not seen or felt; neither the health nor the life of our comrades bother it. The hunger strikers are presenting signs of dehydration and they continue to lose weight, but their morale is strong and their yearnings for life and liberty have been met with massive solidarity that we continue receiving from all corners of the world.

We are advancing in our struggle against this most aggressive multinational in the food sector, and one of the the most important representatives of the imperialist invasion and neo-colonisation.

Struggling against the criminal policy of the multinationals, we are also facing the macabre offensive of the US invasion forces. They do not only invade peoples with their armies as happened in Iraq and other lands; but countries are also invaded and killed by hunger and misery through the multinationals. The workers of Coca Cola in Colombia continue resisting the oppression of this multinational.

Seven days of hunger strike and the struggle continues. We are profoundly concerned by the following events:

1. On 19th March a communique on the letter-headed paper of the Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia [lit. United Self Defences of Colombia – paramilitaries] circulated in Valle del Cauca Departament. This makes official the threats already made against our organisation. Part of the text reads:

"Our struggle as defenders of democracy and enemies of the authoritarianism embodied by these "communistoid" stirrers is to point out these false personalities with their democratic speechifying, who at bottom only want to do away with all the country’s productive institutions.

The aforesaid camouflage artists belong to the [food workers] trade union SINALTRAINAL, known as an auxiliary and collaborator of the insurgency in Valle de Cauca. Diverting from its true interests and concerns as a union, these little pastors shield themselves behind slogans like defending jobs and the workers.

The Calima-Pacific Block [of the AUC] and other collaborators declare war on the individuals that we have already identified as leaders of the organisation. They must leave within three months or they will become military targets of our organisation and we will finish them all off. ANTI-SUBVERSIVE JUSTICE WILL CARRY OUT JUSTICE"

2. This death threat comes in the midst of the hunger strike by SINALTRAINAL members working for the multinational. We make Coca Cola responsible for any attempt against the health and life of our comrades participating in this dignified protest.

We call urgently on all social organisations and defenders of human rights around the world to reject this new threat against any outcome of the conflict that is not to the benefit of Coca Cola.

We ask you to send letters of protest to:

COCA COLA FEMSA
Juan Manuel Arbeláez (Director de Recursos Humanos)
Armando Gómez (Jefe de Relaciones Laborales
Teléfonos 2942800 y 4011413 fax. 4011687
 agomari@femsa.com.mx y  cocacola@hotmail.com

DEFENSORIA DEL PUEBLO
VOLMAR PÉREZ (Defensor del Pueblo)
MARTHA LUCIA MELO (Directora Nacional de Quejas)
Teléfonos: 3147300 y 5708331

MINISTERIO DE PROTECCIÓN SOCIAL
Dr. DIEGO PALACIO BETANCURT (Ministro)
Dra. LUZ STELLA VEIRA (Jefe de Unidad e Inspección)
Teléfonos: 3365066 y3410631

MINISTERIO DEL INTERIOR
Dr. SABAS PRETEL DE LA VEGA
Fax. 5602604

With a copy to: SINALTRAINAL, fax (+57-1) 2455325 and to electronic mail:
 areainternacional@sinaltrainal.org *

Food Industry Workers Union "SINALTRAINAL"

FOR OUR JUST CLAIMS …LONG LIVE THE WORLD CAMPAIGN AGAINST COCA COLA!

FOR A DIGNIFIED AND SOVEREIGN COUNTRY…WE CONTINUE RESISTING FOR LIFE!

DOWN WITH THE IMPERIALIST INVASION PLAN…LONG LIVE THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE PEOPLES!

YOUR SUPPORT AND PARTICIPATION ARE GUARANTEES OF VICTORY.


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