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11 August, 2005ICEM News release No. 12/2002
Yet another Colombian oilworkers' leader has been kidnapped.
Gilberto Torres was abducted on Monday evening, as he was on his way home from his office. Torres is the General Secretary of the pipeline section of the Colombian oilworkers' federation USO.
This is "one more act of violence," says the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) in a protest message to Colombia's President Andrés Pastrana.
"Time and again," the ICEM reminds Pastrana, "we have asked your government to take steps to punish those responsible for the persecution and murder of trade union leaders." The ICEM says that the Colombian authorities have allowed the murderers and those behind them to go unpunished. "Since the beginning of this year alone, more than 20 trade unionists have been murdered," the ICEM points out. It calls on the Colombian government to "take effective measures to track down, judge and punish those responsible for this crime."
Colombia is the world's most dangerous country for trade unionists. Last year, more than 130 union activists were murdered there.
Gilberto Torres was abducted on Monday evening, as he was on his way home from his office. Torres is the General Secretary of the pipeline section of the Colombian oilworkers' federation USO.
This is "one more act of violence," says the 20-million-strong International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers' Unions (ICEM) in a protest message to Colombia's President Andrés Pastrana.
"Time and again," the ICEM reminds Pastrana, "we have asked your government to take steps to punish those responsible for the persecution and murder of trade union leaders." The ICEM says that the Colombian authorities have allowed the murderers and those behind them to go unpunished. "Since the beginning of this year alone, more than 20 trade unionists have been murdered," the ICEM points out. It calls on the Colombian government to "take effective measures to track down, judge and punish those responsible for this crime."
Colombia is the world's most dangerous country for trade unionists. Last year, more than 130 union activists were murdered there.