From: Subject: [BAN-Announce] Unionist to Speak about Violence in Columbia - Wed, 2/12!!! Date: Wednesday, February 05, 2003 3:02 PM ***PLEASE FORWARD*** COLUMBIAN UNIONIST THREATENED WITH DEATH WILL SPEAK AT UB: HECTOR GIRALDO PAINTS A GRIM PICTURE FOR LABOR UNIONISTS IN COLUMBIA ***WHEN: Wednesay, February 12th, 8pm ***WHERE: University at Buffalo North Campus, Natural Science Complex Rm 201 (for a map visit www.buffalo.edu/scripts/directions/Spine_bw.pdf) ***HOW MUCH: This talk is ABSOLUTELY FREE!!! BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Columbia is the most dangerous country in the world for unionists. Last year alone 201 union activists were killed in Columbia - a number that comprises 90% of all unionist assassinations worldwide last year. In an attempt to alert US citizens to the plight of olumbian unionists and to prevent some of these assassinatons, the AFL-CIO has started a program to bring Columbian unionists who've received death threats to the US for a year to speak to citizens about their situation at home, in hopes that upon returning the threat these unionists faced will have subsided. Hector Giraldo, Treasurer of a federation of public sector unions in Columbia, is a participant in this AFL-CIO program. The Columbian government has been trying to destroy Hector's union for years, utilizing paramilitaries and violence to coerce union officials to renounce their collective bargaining agreement and resign from the union. On December 16, 2001, Francisco Eladio Sierra Vasquez, the president of Hector's union, was gunned down. As they killed Sierra Vasquez, the murderers said they were also looking for Hector Giraldo. It was at that point that Hector decided to join the AFL-CIO program by coming to the US for a year. Later this month Hector will be returning to Columbia. He fears that the threat he faced a year ago has not subsided; if anything, he fears it has increased. Join us on this very special night as Hector paints a grim picture of the situation for trade unionists in Columbia. Hector will answer any questions the audience may have, as well as offer us advice on how we can help ensure his safety and the safety of other trade unionists in Columbia. Brought to you by the UB Students Against Sweatshops, Poder, and Latin American Student Association. === IMC-BUFFALO is a mailing list for announcements of events and actions of interest to people in the Western New York area. Please visit our webpages at http://www.buffaloimc.org and http://www.buffaloactivist.net For more information. _______________________________________________ Imc-buffalo mailing list Imc-buffalo@lists.indymedia.org http://lists.indymedia.org/mailman/listinfo/imc-buffalo