Colombian free trade deal ignores violence, faces Colombian resistance
Uprising Radio | 12 Apr 2011
Colombian free trade deal ignores violence, faces Colombian resistance
Congress is poised to ratify a Free Trade Agreement with Colombia in spite of vehement opposition both here in the U.S. and in Colombia. The Latin American Working group calls Colombia “[t]he world leader in anti-union violence.” Over 50 union organizers were killed in 2010 alone, and at least 200 have been killed since the first Agreement was ratified between the two nations in 2007. The Colombian army has been implicated in the most recent murders of two agricultural union members. Among those voicing concern in the US to a renewed deal are Public Citizen, SEIU, the AFL-CIO, and a cadre of members of Congress. The groups have publicly demanded that President Obama refuse to approve a deal before the Colombian government takes concrete steps to protect workers and to prosecute those crimes that have taken place. However human rights abuses are not the only concern. A negative economic impact on US and Colombian labor is predicted. There is concern that Colombian farmers will not be able to compete with heavily subsidized U.S. agriculture for food products. This could push them to grow coca for the drug trade, or out of agriculture altogether. The agreement also puts US jobs at risk. In Colombia workers have taken to the streets to protest the impending deal.*
GUEST: Jess Hunter-Bowman, Associate Director for Witness for Peace
*Clarification: Colombians staged mass protests against the Free Trade Agreement in 2008-2009. Opposition this year was quelled due to government intimidation.
Find out more at www.witnessforpeace.org.
