Sixth teacher trade unionist killed in Colombia in just three months

Teacher trade unionists are being murdered in Colombia – the most dangerous place in the world to be a trade unionist – every fortnight this year. Despite Colombian Government claims that the situation is improving, the latest murder shows that this is a lie.

As teacher trade unionists gather in Britain for their traditional Easter conferences, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber has written to the Colombian Ambassador protesting about the lack of protection or prosecutions.

In the latest case, Duvian Dario Rojo Cadavid and his wife, were killed on the evening of 13 March while enjoying an early evening walk together in the municipal park of their home town of Puerto Berrío. They were shot dead by unknown assailants the day before senatorial elections.

According to his local union ADIDA, Rojo Cavidad was targeted generally for his union activism and specifically because the week before he was murdered he spoke to the media about the fact that at least 30 local teachers had been subjected to extortion by illegal armed groups.

The TUC will continue to oppose UK support for the Government of Colombia, and the proposed EU trade deal with Colombia until the culture of impunity that allows trade unionists' murderers to get away with it is ended.

Owen Tudor