

Ask Your Members of Congress to Oppose the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia


Ask Your Members of Congress to Oppose the Free Trade Agreement with Colombia
The Issue
During the administration of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, more trade union members have been killed in Colombia than the rest of the world combined. According to initial reports from the Escuela Nacional Sindical, there was some decrease in murders of trade unionists in Colombia in 2007, while there was a dramatic increase in forced displacement and disappearance. Death threat levels remained about the same. An additional report released by the Colombian government in January 2008 demonstrates that the situation of impunity has not improved under the government of President Uribe. The Colombian government's own figures show a 98% rate of impunity, with fewer convictions being acheived annually than murders committed. The backlog of unconcluded cases contines to grow. Additional information is available at our website, www.usleap.org. Despite these statistics, the Bush Administration is pushing hard for a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia. Colombia also receives more U.S. aid, mostly military aid, han any country outside of the Middle East and Afghanistan. The issues of violence and impunity in Colombia must be resolved before considering a trade agreement with Colombia in any form. Write your Members of Congress about these troubling figures, ask them to oppose the pending Free Trade Agreement with Colombia and to support any measure that would reduce military aid to Colombia.

The Issue
During the administration of Colombian President Alvaro Uribe, more trade union members have been killed in Colombia than the rest of the world combined. According to initial reports from the Escuela Nacional Sindical, there was some decrease in murders of trade unionists in Colombia in 2007, while there was a dramatic increase in forced displacement and disappearance. Death threat levels remained about the same. An additional report released by the Colombian government in January 2008 demonstrates that the situation of impunity has not improved under the government of President Uribe. The Colombian government's own figures show a 98% rate of impunity, with fewer convictions being acheived annually than murders committed. The backlog of unconcluded cases contines to grow. Additional information is available at our website, www.usleap.org. Despite these statistics, the Bush Administration is pushing hard for a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia. Colombia also receives more U.S. aid, mostly military aid, han any country outside of the Middle East and Afghanistan. The issues of violence and impunity in Colombia must be resolved before considering a trade agreement with Colombia in any form. Write your Members of Congress about these troubling figures, ask them to oppose the pending Free Trade Agreement with Colombia and to support any measure that would reduce military aid to Colombia.

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Petition created on July 2, 2008