The total number of trade unionists assassinated this year in Colombia has now reached 41 following three further murders this month. The figure is now already higher than the total number killed during the whole of 2007 and ensures that Colombian will retain the macabre title of being the most dangerous country in the world for trade union members.

Amnesty International is concerned for the safety of Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo, Rafael Cabarcas ,Nelsón Berrio, Hernando Hernández , members of the Oil Worker’s Union Unión Sindical Obrera de la Industria del Petróleo USO ; Domingo Tovar , member of the Trade Union Congress (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores, CUT); Lenin Fernández, student leader in the Department of Cesar following an ongoing campaign of intimidation by paramilitary groups. On 18 September, the Oil Workers’ Trade Union, Unión Sindical Obrera de la Industria del Petróleo USO, received a death threat via e-mail from the paramilitary group, The Carlos Castaño is Still Alive Eagles, (Águilas Carlos Castaño Vive, CCV). The death threat warned, “we are reminding you about the death sentences for those son of a bitch guerrillas who still continue screwing around” (les recuerda las sentencias de muerte a los querilleros (sic.) HP que aun continuan jodiendo).

The email goes on to accuse the six men of making up the political wing of the National Liberation Army (Ejército de Liberación Nacional, ELN). It also informs them that they will “all fall little by little which they deserve for being guerrillas” (todos caeran poco a poco comoe se lo merecen por querilleros (sic.)). In addition to the four members of USO, Domingo Tovar from the Trade Union Congress (Central Unitaria de Trabajadores CUT) was threatened and the CUT was labelled “the birthplace of terrorists” (cuna de terroristas). Lenin Fernández, a student leader in the Department of Cesar was also “sentenced to death” (sentenciado a muerte).

On 9 September, two funeral wreaths were sent to USO’s offices in Cartagena, which is located on the Northern coast of Colombia in the Department of Bolívar. The wreaths were sent with messages of condolence for Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo who was in the city of Cartagena at the time. Sometime later two different funeral parlours telephoned USO’s offices asking for their address because they had more funeral wreaths to send, supposedly at the request of an unidentified female caller. In December 2007, a similar funeral wreath and ‘message of condolence’ naming Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo had been sent to USO’s offices in Barrancamermeja, Department of Santander.

On 1 September, the offices of USO in Cartagena received a telephone call asking for Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo and Rafael Cabarcas. The caller warned that, “they knew that this pair of sons of bitches were in the city and they wanted to kill them” (que si sabían que estaban en esa ciudad el par de hijos de putas esos y que tenían ganas de matarlos).

On 18 June, USO and five other organizations working in Barrancabermeja received a written death threat signed by the paramilitary group, the United Black Eagles of Colombia (Águilas Negras Unidas de Colombia). After participating in the May Day marches on 1 May, Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo and Rafael Cabarcas were followed by unknown men to the place where they were staying.

On 31 August 2007, Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo was the victim of a death threat sent via e-mail by the paramilitary group, the United Black Eagles of Colombia (Águilas Negras Unidas de Colombia) which warned him that he would “leave behind a widow and four children” (vas a dejar a una viuda y cuatro hijos). He had previously received threats from the paramilitary group, the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (Autodefensas Unidas de Colombia, AUC) in 2005. In November 2006 the bullet-proof car he normally used was shot at by gunmen travelling on two motorcycles. Rodolfo Vecino’s wife, acquaintance and bodyguard, who were in the car at the time, managed to escape unharmed.

The Inter-American Court of Human Rights of the Organization of American States has called on the Colombian authorities to take measures to guarantee the safety of Rodolfo Vecino and his family. Despite this, Rodolfo Vecino Acevedo and other members of USO continue to be at risk.

Background Information
During Colombia’s 40-year armed conflict, human rights organizations, trade unions and other social organizations have often been labelled as guerrilla collaborators or supporters by the security forces and paramilitaries. As a result they often suffer threats, enforced disappearance or killings. Guerrilla groups have also threatened or killed human rights defenders they consider to be siding with the enemy.

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