by René Lavanchy
LEADERS of a Colombian trade union federation are in imminent danger of being murdered after a series of threats from people calling themselves friends of President Alvaro Uribe.
Eberto Diaz, president of the agricultural union group FENSUAGRO, and Aidee Moreno, its human rights officer, have been followed around by strange men and received e-mails calling them “sons of bitches” who will be “exterminated”. Mr Diaz’ children have also recently been threatened at gunpoint.
The threats – which often precede the killings of trade unionists – come amid heightened tension between Mr Uribe and the trade union movement ahead of mass anti-government demonstrations planned for today (Friday).
Last month, Mr Diaz’ 14-year-old son was grabbed by an armed man, who demanded that he open the door to his parents’ house.
A week later, Mr Diaz received an e-mail attributed to “friends of Uribe for Colombia”. It accused him of links to the left-wing FARC guerillas and said: “We know that to finish the guerillas we need to exterminate you guerilla sympathisers… Look after yourselves sons of bitches and count yourselves dead.”
Seven FENSUAGRO members have already been assassinated this year, and the Colombian army has been linked to some of the deaths.
A report into the British Government’s military aid to the country, published by pressure group Justice for Colombia this week, says that 1,200 people have been unlawfully killed by the armed forces since President Uribe came to power in 2002.
The Colombian Embassy did not comment.
