Human rights are being infringed in Columbia – give your support!
PAM members who took part in the joint PAM-SASK decent work ambassador training sent solidarity messages on social media at the weekend. Send your message too!
UNI Global, the worldwide union for service sectors, is campaigning to improve the current human rights situation in Columbia. PAM also condemns the violent events following the national strike on 28 April and calls on the Columbian administration to end the violence.
“The situation in Columbia is very alarming”, confirms Mari Taivainen, PAM’s Advisor for International Affairs.
The tax reform planned by Columbia’s president, Iván Duque, has led to massive protests in the country. A general strike took place at the end of April, during which demonstrators were shot. The victims were mainly unarmed young people. Many demonstrators have also disappeared, and it is not known what has happened to them.
Demonstrations have continued following the strike, however. These are demanding an end to poverty, a guaranteed basic income for citizens and the disbanding of the ESMAD riot police.
“At PAM we are very concerned about the situation in Columbia since PAM, SASK, UNI Global and Trade Union PRO have an ongoing solidarity campaign there”, Taivainen says.
The United Nations, the United States and the European Union have condemned the violence against demonstrators in Columbia. They say that the Columbian security forces have used excessive force.
According to Taivainen, PAM is planning to send a letter to Michelle Bachelet, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights demanding an end to the bloodbath and violation of human rights.
The trade union movement has launched a global campaign that PAM also supports. It is also supported by global unions including UNI Global, BWI, PSI and IndustriAll.
Give your support too! Post a picture of yourself on social media with a message including hashtags like #MilMinutos and #SOSColombia and #TuMuevesColombia.
Read more about the alarming human rights situation in Columbia on the UNI Global website.