Cablegate: New Initiative On Crimes Against Trade Unionists

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DE RUEHBO #6486 1991514
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 181514Z JUL 06
FM AMEMBASSY BOGOTA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 7100
INFO RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS 7984
RUEHLP/AMEMBASSY LA PAZ JUL LIMA 4060
RUEHQT/AMEMBASSY QUITO 4711
RUEHGL/AMCONSUL GUAYAQUIL 3614
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1360

UNCLAS BOGOTA 006486

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

DEPT. PLEASE PASS DEPT. OF LABOR, USTR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ELAB PHUM PGOV CO
SUBJECT: NEW INITIATIVE ON CRIMES AGAINST TRADE UNIONISTS
WELCOMED BY LABOR LEADERS

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GOC TO SPEED UP JUDICIAL PROCESS IN LABOR CASES
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1. (U) On July 5, Prosecutor General Mario Iguaran announced
an initiative to speed up the judicial process in cases of
crimes against trade unionists. The GOC has earmarked
approximately 1.5 million USD to the project, which will
target the 1,176 cases of trade unionist violence denounced
before the International Labor Organization, collectively
identified as "ILO Case 1787." Under the initiative, the
Prosecutor General's Office will hire 25 legal aides to
assist state attorneys, form special inter-agency
investigative groups, transfer cases involving paramilitary
suspects to the Prosecutor General's Justice and Peace unit,
and implement protection measures to witnesses and victims'
family members to encourage their cooperation in cases. The
Prosecutor General's Office will also provide monthly
progress reports to the ILO.

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TRADE CONFEDERATIONS PLEDGE COOPERATION
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2. (U) In a July 4 meeting with Iguaran and Minister of
Social Protection Diego Palacio, the heads of the three
principal trade confederations pledged to cooperate with the
criminal investigations and provide the Prosecutor General
with their priority cases. The GOC has often cited lack of
cooperation from the confederations as one of the obstacles
to efficient investigations into crimes against trade
unionists. Labor leaders are optimistic about the new
project. Julio Roberto Gomez, Secretary General of the
General Work Confederation (CGT), Colombia's second largest
trade confederation, told Laboff the initiative was "a very
good solution to solve the impunity problem."

3. (U) The GOC expects to initiate the project in mid-August.
DRUCKER

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