Labor Opposes US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement

Labor and human rights leaders today reiterated their opposition to the US-Colombia Free Trade Agreement, citing targeted assassinations of trade unionists, widespread impunity, and the influence of paramilitary death squads responsible for much of the violence.

On April 10, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to indefinitely delay a vote on the US- Colombia free trade agreement. The groups applauded the decision, but urged House members to firmly press Colombia to show meaningful and sustained results in breaking the pattern of violence and impunity before considering the deal.

“Until our brothers and sisters can exercise core worker rights without fear of intimidation, threat or murder, we cannot seriously consider passing a trade agreement with Colombia,” said AFL-CIO President John Sweeney. “The test of trade should not be how much profit it generates. Should the Colombia FTA come up for a vote this year, we will mobilize our members and the resources of the federation to defeat it.”

Human rights leaders also expressed their concerns with the proposed agreement.

"The Uribe government has consistently resisted taking meaningful steps to break paramilitaries' power and hold them accountable," said Jose Miguel Vivanco, Americas Director at Human Rights Watch. "Until Colombia demonstrates a credible shift in approach and real sustained results in dismantling the paramilitaries, trade unionists will remain vulnerable to persecution by these vicious groups."

Lisa Haugaard, director of the Latin America Working Group, a coalition of U.S. human rights, humanitarian, policy, faith-based and grassroots groups, added, "In its zeal to win a trade agreement, our government must not ignore other grave human rights abuses that continue to take place in Colombia. Deliberate killings of civilians by the Colombian armed forces are on the increase. We must see serious investigations, prosecutions, convictions, and perpetrators in jail for these crimes.”

Nicole Lee, Executive Director of TransAfrica Forum, discussed the impact of the agreement on the Afro-Colombian community:

"Afro-Colombian organizations have stated their opposition to the FTA but their voices have been stifled, and their communities harassed and attacked. The FTA will legalize the appropriation of constitutionally-protected collective territories by the government and corporate interests, furthering displacement, poverty and discrimination faced by these marginalized communities. In the face of the FTA, we must continue to support alternative development plans and urge the Colombian government to respect and work with Afro-Colombian representational bodies as created by the Law of Black Communities."