ARMY ASSAULT AGAINST WORKERS IN TAURAMENA, CASANARE
EMERGENCY PICKETS CALLED EVERY THURSDAY
Today (2 June 2010) at the hour of mid-day, a commando group of the National Army of Colombia equipped with combat arms burst in, leaping over a security grid at the installations of the Central Processing Facility of Tauramena, where they met workers affiliated with USO engaged in a peaceful protest.
This war-like handling of a group of workers expresses an attitude of excessive force; of treating a labour conflict as though it were an issue of public order. This illustrates the warlike mood of the company BP. They are accustomed to generating violence and the violation of human rights the world over. We recall the cases of Iran, South Africa, Angola as well as the Colombian case, which has been documented and presented by English investigators, in which the relation between the company and the creation of private armies – all under the guise of providing security to their installations, meaning security to continue the looting that always accompanies the exploitation of Colombian oil – has been demonstrated.
We condemn the war-like handling of a group of workers and union leaders by the national government; workers who are only demanding that their fundamental rights be respected.
CHARGES AND REQUESTS
• We hold BP responsible for the acts of violence that are occurring in the Central Processing Facility of Tauramena and for the consequences unleashed by them, as well as for anything that may happen to the life and physical integrity of members of USO in Casanare.
• We hold the Colombian State responsible for the military assault against the workers, which we consider to be a violation of fundamental rights.
• We ask the international community to condemn this warlike aggression and to demand that the national government and BP respect the fundamental rights of the workers.
NATIONAL COMMISSION OF HUMAN RIGHTS AND PEACE, USO
Colombia Solidarity Campaign adds:
- See video Big Oil in Colombia
- Send protest messages
- Send protest emails to BP Group Chief Executive Tony Hayward at: tony.hayward@bp.com
- Send messages of solidarity to the workers and community at: movimientoporcasanare@yahoo.es
In the light of the emergency in Casanare we have called for weekly pickets of BP’s international headquarters from 5pm to 6pm every Thursday until further notice.
VICTORY TO THE COLOMBIAN WORKERS! NO BLOOD FOR OIL!
Emergency Pickets of BP HQ
5pm-6pm 10 June, and every Thursday
1 St James Square, London SW1 (nearest tube Piccadilly Circus)
Bring banners, placards and let’s make a noise!
If you can’t get to London, take action where you are
Picket of BP Group HQ in London, 2 June
Jim Catterson of ICEM, global union of oil and chemical workers, full support to USO
We Are All Aguazul and Tauramena!
Francisco Mora of the National Transport Workers Union
Play the acronym game…what does BP really stand for?
The picket was supported by Polo Democrático UK, Green Left, Latin American Workers Association, Workers Against Climate Change, Climate Camp, ICEM (International Federation of Chemical, Energy, Mine and General Workers’ Unions), SNTT (Sindicato Nacional de Trabajadores del Transporte) Colombia, the Colombia Solidarity Campaign plus individuals from Amnesty International, Sheffield Cuba Solidarity Campaign and the Coordinadora Latinoamericana.
ACCION URGENTE
ARREMETIDA DEL EJERCITO NACIONAL CONTRA TRABAJDORES EN TAURAMENA, CASANARE
Hoy, 2 de junio de 2010, en horas del medio día un comando de tropas del Ejército Nacional de Colombia, equipados con armas de combate, irrumpió, saltando la malla de protección industrial, en las instalaciones del CPF de Tauramena, lugar donde se encuentran los trabajadores afiliados a la USO Tauramena adelantando una protesta pacífica. Este tratamiento de guerra a un grupo de trabajadores, es una actitud de fuerza desmedida, dándole tratamiento de orden público a un conflicto laboral.
Esto muestra el talante guerrerista de la empresa BP, ellos están acostumbrados a ser generadores de violencia y violadores de Derechos Humanos en el mundo, recordemos los casos de Irán, Sud-África, Angola y el caso colombiano, que ha sido presentado y documentado por investigadores ingleses, donde se evidencia la relación entre la empresa y la creación de ejércitos privados, todo con el sofisma de brindar seguridad a sus instalaciones, seguridad para continuar con el saqueo que han realizado del petróleo de los colombianos.
Repudiamos la actitud del gobierno nacional de dar tratamiento de guerra a un grupo de trabajadores y dirigentes sindicales, que están exigiendo se respeten derechos fundamentales.
RESPONSABILIDADES Y SOLICITUDES
· Responsabilizamos a BP por los hechos de violencia que está generando en el CPF de Tauramena y de las consecuencias que esto desencadene, así como por lo que le pueda pasar a la vida e integridad física de miembros de la USO en el Casanare.
· Responsabilizamos al Estado colombiano por el asalto militar realizado contra los trabajadores, el mismo lo consideramos violatorio de derechos fundamentales.
· Solicitamos a la comunidad internacional rechazar este tratamiento de guerra y exigir al gobierno nacional y a BP respeto por derechos fundamentales de los trabajadores.
COMISION NACIONAL DE DERECHOS HUMANOS Y PAZ, USO
Dirigir acciones a: / direct letters or emails to:
Presidencia de la República
Dr. Álvaro Uribe Vélez,
Cra. 8 No..7-26, Palacio de Nariño,
Santa fe de Bogotá.
Fax: (+57 1) 566.20.71
E-mail: auribe@presidencia.gov.co
Vicepresidencia de la República
Dr. Francisco Santos
E-mail:fsantos@presidencia.gov.co
Programa Presidencial de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario.
Dr. Carlos Franco
Calle 7 N° 5-54
TEL: (+571) 336.03.11
FAX: (+57 1) 337.46.67
E- mail: cefranco@presidencia.gov.co
E-mail: fibarra@presidencia.gov.co
Comisión Interamericana de Derechos Humanos
E-mail: cidhoea@oas.org
Representante Permanente de la OIT en Colombia
Dr. Marcelo Castro Fox
Dirección: Av. 82. No. 12-18.
Oficina: 504.
Teléfono: 623 75 86.
Bogotá D.C.
E-mail: castrofox@oit.org.pe
Procuraduría General de la Nación
Dr. Edgardo José Maya Villazón
Carrera 5 No. 15-80
Santa Fe de Bogotá.
Fax: (+57 1)342.97.23
E-mail: reygon@procuraduria.gov.co; anticorrupcion@presidencia.gov.co
Fiscalía General de la Nación
Dr. Mario Aguarán
Diagonal 22 B No.52-01
Santa fe de Bogotá.
Fax: (+571) 570 20 00
E-mail: contacto@fiscalia.gov.co; denuncie@fiscalia.gov.co
Unidad de Derechos Humanos y de Derecho Internacional Humanitario
E – mail: elbsilva@fiscalia.gov.co
Defensoría del Pueblo
Dr. Volmar Antonio Pérez Ortiz.
Calle 55 No. 10-32
Santa Fe de Bogotá.
Fax: (+571) 640 04 91
E-mail:secretaria_privada@hotmail.com
Central Unitaria de Trabajadores CUT
Calle 35. No. 7-25 piso 9°
Tel. 3237550. Bogotá
E-mail: presidencia@cut.org.co
Colombia Solidarity Campaign adds:
- Send protest emails to BP Group Chief Executive Tony Hayward at: tony.hayward@bp.com
- Send messages of solidarity to the workers and community at: movimientoporcasanare@yahoo.es
