In June 2000 a human rights emergency was declared by the largest labour federation in Colombia, the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia (CUT), due to the large increase in crimes against trade unionists and CUT members in particular.

Although the Colombian state and President Andres Pastrana were notified of this human rights emergency they did not assume responsibility or effect any policies to protect Colombian trade unionists. This continues to be the case today.

One can see from the statistics below that the situation for union activists and workers affiliated to the CUT is extremely severe. However, the statistics are almost certainly not complete as various disappeared people who are probably actually victims of assassinations have been left out. Gilberto Agudelo Martinez, for example, the national president of the University Workers Union of Colombia, was taken by paramilitaries on April 7th 2000 and has still not been found.

The numerous trade unionists that have had to flee their homes and become internal refugees or have been forced to flee the country and become external political refugees are also missing from the statistics.

Source: Director of the CUT Human Rights Department - Jesus Antonio Gonzalez Luna

Note: Paramilitaries linked to the Colombian army were responsible for all of the assassinations on this list without exception.