Ignoring Murders of Colombian Unionists, Bush Set to Honor Uribe

[Omaha Steve]

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/01/06/ignoring-murders-of-colombian-unionists-bush-set-to-honor-uribe/

by Mike Hall, Jan 6, 2009

In a final flip-off to human rights activists, international trade unionists and Colombian workers, President Bush will award the United States’ highest civilian honor—the Presidential Medal of Freedom—to Colombian President Alvaro Uribe. Colombia is the deadliest nation in the world for trade unionists.

White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said Bush was awarding Uribe and two other honorees for:

their work to improve the lives of their citizens and for their efforts to promote democracy, human rights and peace abroad.



How’s this for Uribe’s work for “human rights and peace”?

Nearly 500 trade unionists have been murdered there since he took office in 2002. Since 1986, more than 2,600 Colombian trade unionists have been murdered: however, only a small fraction of those responsible for the crimes have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted.

Bush has long sought to win a U.S. Colombia-Free Trade Agreement for his close ally Uribe. But the AFL-CIO and a broad coalition of unions, human rights, environmental, religious and other groups have been able to mobilize enough opposition to derail Bush’s plan to Fast Track the agreement through Congress.

FULL story at link.

[dcsmart]

1. when is GW going to leave

Class Struggle and solidarity with the workers of the world will always be true as long as unregulated capitalism and pig-capitalists like bush have the power. Democrats or Republicans are not our salvation, workers must unite in order to protect ourselves. we need social justice unionism, where unions go beyond themselves into the communities and onto the world stage to show solidarity with other unions and workers. We need this type of unionization. we need to go beyond blue and white collar....all workers have collars and we must take back the chains.....

and yes, bush is a pig....and his presidency will go down in the flames of history.

[struggle4progress]

2. Disgraceful