Interim Report - REPORT_NO265, June 1989

CASE_NUMBER 1477 (Colombia) - COMPLAINT_DATE: 28-OKT-88 - Closed

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INTRODUCTION
A. Case No. 1434
C. The Committee's conclusions
The Committee's recommendations
ANNEX I

475. The complaints in Case No. 1434 were examined by the Committee at its
- November 1988 meeting, when it submitted an interim report to the Governing
- Body, which was based to a large extent on the direct contacts mission carried
- out by Mr. Philippe Cahier in Colombia from 31 August to 7 September 1988.
- (See 259th Report of the Committee, paras. 589 to 678 (and annexes) approved
- by the Governing Body at its 241st Session (November 1988).) These complaints
- were submitted by the following organisations: the Workers' Central
- Organisation (CUT), the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions
- (ICFTU), the World Confederation of Organisations of the Teaching Profession
- (WCOTP) and the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU). Subsequently, the
- Government sent new observations in communications dated 14 March and 17 May
1989.
476. The complaints concerning Case No. 1477 are contained in communications
- from the CUT (26 and 28 October and 3 and 16 November 1988; 23 and 24
- February, 29 March and 7 April 1989), the ICFTU (28 October and 8 November
1988; and 3 February and 6 March 1989), the WFTU (10 November 1988 and 17
- March 1989), the WCOTP (23 November 1988; and 20 February, 31 March and 14
- April 1989), and the Trade Unions International of Public and Allied Employees
(2 and 20 March 1989). The Government replied in communications dated 26 and
31 October and 14 December 1988, and 4 April and 24 May 1989.
477. Colombia has ratified the Freedom of Association and Protection of the
- Right to Organise Convention, 1948 (No. 87), and the Right to Organise and
- Collective Bargaining Convention, 1949 (No. 98).

A. Case No. 1434

a. Previous examination of the case
1. 478 When the Committee examined this case at its November 1988 meeting, it
made the following recommendations on the allegations pending (see 259th
Report, para. 678):
The Committee is very deeply concerned by the dramatic situation of
violence facing Colombia which generally makes conditions of normal existence
impossible for the population and in particular impedes the exercise of trade
union activities.
As regards Case No. 1434, the Committee is shocked by the very high number
of murders and disappearances, and expresses its particular preoccupation in
noting that such a high number (over 200 since 1986) of trade union leaders
and unionists, mostly linked to the CUT, the most representative organisation
in the country, were among the victims. The Committee notes that the
Government has adopted a series of positive measures to counter this violence,
but observes that these measures have not met with the desired results.
The Committee requests the Government to adopt vigorous measures at the
national level to dismantle the so-called paramilitary groups active
throughout the country which, according to the mission report, are the
authors, along with hired assassins, of the majority of the murders of trade
unionists. The Committee trusts that these groups and persons responsible for
financing them will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law as soon as
possible, and requests the Government to keep it informed on all these points.
Likewise, the Committee requests the Government to communicate the results of
the investigation of the paramilitary groups undertaken by the Deputy Attorney
of the armed forces.
The Committee requests the Government to supply full information concerning
the existence and content of provisions in force concerning the so-called
"self-defence committees" (composed of members of the civilian population in
areas where guerillas are present, which have certain defence functions, but
also collaborate with the army in military operations), on any monitoring that
may exist concerning their actions and any sentences that have been handed
down for abuse of power.
Considering the high degree of impunity enjoyed in fact by those responsible
for most of the murders of trade unionists, the Committee requests the
Government to take the necessary measures to strengthen substantially the
human and financial resources of the judiciary, and to keep the Committee
informed in this respect.
The Committee requests the Government to send observations concerning the
alleged murders of 32 trade unionists in respect of whom no information has
been received (see Annex I to 259th Report) and to keep it informed of
developments in the judicial inquiries under way into the murders of the trade
unionists identified in the Government's earlier replies.
As regards the disappearance of trade unionists, the Committee notes that
there is no official record of the disappearance of Jaime Casas Rojas, and
that judicial inquiries have been opened into the disappearances of Marlene
Medina Gómez, Luis Alberto Builes, Alvaro Usuga, Marina Elvia Déaz, Marcial
Alonso González and Christian Roa. The Committee requests the Government to
keep it informed of developments in these judicial inquiries and to send its
observations concerning the disappearance of trade unionist Luis Villadiego,
Gabriel Holguin and Lucio Serrano Luna.
The Committee requests the complainant organisations to provide additional
information concerning the alleged murder of Anébal Déaz and the disappearance
of Jaime Casas Rojas and the arrest of Leonardo Chacón and Blanca Vera, since
the Government states that it has no record of these events.
b. The Government's reply
1. 479 In its communication of 14 March 1989, the Government provides the
following information in connection with some of the inquiries:
- - Melba Amariles Hernández, Arturo Salazar, Gustavo de Jesús Callejas,
Héctor Alonso Loaiza, Pablo Emilio Córdoba, Alonso Miguel Lozano, José
Lilealdo Herrera Cano, Hamet Consuegra Llorente, Juan José Hérnández D. and
Luis Antonio Martínez D. Those responsible for the murder of these persons
have not been identified.
- - Concerning the murder of Domitila Cigue, the investigation is being
conducted by the 17th Criminal Examining Magistrates' Court of Santa Rosa de
Viterbo (Bogotá) and, as a safety measure, the preventive detention of several
people has been ordered; however their names may not be released because they
are under investigation.
- - Concerning the murder of Asdrúbal Jiménez Vacca, SINTAGRO adviser,
statements have been taken from the sister of the deceased to try and obtain
fresh information on the crime.
1. 480 In its communication of 17 May 1989, the Government annexes three
Decrees signed on 19 April 1989 by the President of the Republic (Nos. 813,
1. 814 and 815) providing for: (1) the establishment of a commission mandated to
evaluate and co-ordinate the actions against the death squads and other groups
of hired assassins and of "private justice"; this commission includes the
Ministers of Defence, of Justice and of the Government, the Chief of the
Administrative Security Unit, the Chief Commander of the armed forces and the
Director-General of the National Police; (2) the constitution of a special
armed corps, comprised of 1,000 members of the National Police, to ensure
public order against the death squads and other groups of hired assassins and
of "private justice"; (3) the restriction of the population's collaboration
with the armed forces to non-aggressive activities; under this Decree,
civilians are expressly prohibited from giving, carrying and using firearms
exclusively reserved for the armed forces.
B. Case No. 1477
a. The complainants' allegations
1. 481 The complainant organisations allege that given the difficult period
through which Colombia is passing, especially the working classes, the
Workers' Central Organisation (CUT) submitted a list of claims to the
Government on 18 May 1988 which, amongst other things, demanded that the
Government should undertake a policy to protect trade union and popular
leaders attempting by all possible means to dismantle paramilitary groups
which have caused so many deaths amongst the ranks of trade unions and
people's movements; it also requested an overall increase in wages and the
freezing of prices of basic goods for the shopping basket for a specific
period of time. As the Government failed to show any interest in discussing
this list of claims, the CUT, the Workers' Confederation of Colombia (CTC),
the General Confederation of Labour (CGT) and other trade union organisations
called a general strike for 27 October 1988. The Government responded by
issuing Decrees Nos. 2201 and 2200 on 25 October 1988 which, in particular,
contain the following:
Whilst the present state of siege continues, any trade union or trade union
federation or confederation that organises, conducts, promotes, encourages or
incites in any way outside the law, the total or partial, continuous or
staggered stoppage of normal activities of an industrial or any other nature,
may have their legal personality suspended by the Ministry of Labour and
Social Security.
Whilst the present state of siege continues, any one who organises,
conducts, promotes, encourages or stimulates in any way outside the law the
total or partial, continuous or staggered stoppage of normal activities of an
industrial or any other nature, shall be liable to imprisonment from 30 to 180
days; this sentence may be imposed by a governor, intendant, commissioner or
mayor, on the basis of legal grounds.
Any penalty imposed in accordance with the present Decree shall be
considered just grounds for the termination of a labour contract.
1. 482 The complainant organisations add that on the basis of these
provisions, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security suspended the legal
personality of the following organisations: Electricity Workers' Trade Union
(SINTRAELECOL), Zipaquira Salt Mineworkers' Trade Union (SINTRASALINAS), Trade
Union of Workers at the Mezclas Centre (SINTRAMEZCLAS), Trade Union of Workers
in the Glass and Allied Industries (SINTRAVIDRICOL), San Juan De Dios Hospital
Workers' Trade Union (SINTRAHOSPITAL), Agricultural Workers' Trade Union
(SINTRAGRO), National Banana Industry Trade Union (SINTRABANANO) and National
Food Industry Workers' Trade Union (SINTRAINAL). The complainant organisations
also sent as an annex a list of 204 trade unionists and workers arrested on
account of the general strike (the number which, at the end of November 1988,
was reduced to 89), some of which were sentenced to 180, 150 and 60 days'
imprisonment. The following were amongst those detained: Jasafat Tarazona,
President of the Trade Union Federation of Santander, César Carrillo,
President of the Petroleum Workers' Trade Union of Santander, Ligia Caceres,
executive member of the National Federation of State Workers and Employees,
Bernardo Blanco, member of the Trade Union of Agricultural Workers of the
Department Norte de Santander, Orlando Mesa, Conzalo Gomez and Edilberto
Ramirez, members of the Textile Workers' Trade Union, Eduardo Yando and
Guillermo Chitan, members of the Inventors' Trade Union, and Ramón Sinisterra,
member of the Sugar-Cane Trade Union. The complainant organisations point out
that it is up to the judicial authorities to suspend the legal personality of
trade union organisations and to impose prison sentences and not the
administrative, military or police authorities. The complainant organisations
also point out that many trade unionists and trade union officials were
dismissed by virtue of the above-mentioned Decrees (the complainants enclose a
list of 76 persons dismissed).
1. 483 Furthermore, the complainant organisations, after pointing out that the
paramilitary groups are continuing to murder trade union members and officials
with total impunity, allege the following murders and disappearances:
- - JOSE MANUEL HERRERA, deputy member of the National Executive of SUTIMAC,
worker in the Cementos del Nare enterprise in the Caracolé municipality,
murdered by hired assassins while he was going to his mother's house with his
family in the district of La Sierra, Nare municipality (Antioquia). This gave
rise to a strike which started at 9 p.m. on 4 September in the Cementos del
Nare enterprise and the Caracolé quarries.
- - CARLOS JAIME RINCON, activist and member of SINTRAELOCOL-Bucaramanga, 27
years of age, murdered by hired assassins in Bucaramanga (Santander) on 13
September 1988 whilst returning home.
- - ARSENIO OSORIO, member of SINTRAMONARK, murdered on 23 September 1988 in
the town of Cali (Valle) by two motor-cyclists; he was riddled with bullets
and died before reaching hospital.
- - HARVEY MURIEL VELASCO, member of the Teachers' Trade Union of Risaralda,
Popular Front militant, murdered by four hired assassins in his classroom, in
Vereda la Argentina on 4 October 1988.
- - ANIBAL DE JESUS ECHEVERRIA (40 years of age) and MANUEL GILLERMO QUIROZ
  1. (23 years of age), members of SINTRAGRO, workers on the El Guineo farm;
- murdered by a hired assassin in a jeep on 11 October 1988.
- - ARGELIO NOVOA, member of SINDEJORNALEROS, candidate for the next elections
to the Executive, worked on the Rita María estate in the municipality of
Apartadó (Antioquia). On the pretext of searching for arms, five hired
assassins riddled him with bullets in front of his home on 13 October 1988.
- - ALVARO FAJARDO, head of Núcleo, trade union activist and member of the
- co-operative movement; murdered by Lieutenant Danil Rodríquez, commander of
the police station in the municipality of San José de Isnos (Huila), on 14
October 1988.
- - CESAR CASTRO, member of the National Peasants' Association, ANUC, was
murdered on 15 October 1988.
- - CARLOS CONDA, deputy member of the Executive of the Agricultural Workers'
Trade Union of Caquetá; murdered by two hired assassins on a motor-bike at 9
a.m. in Puerto Rico Caquetá on 15 October 1988.
- - ELECTO FLOREZ, treasurer of SINTRABANANO; murdered on 15 October 1988 when
he was travelling with his wife from Carepa to Apartadó at 7.15 p.m. by two
hired assassins on a motor-bike. This crime was committed near the Voltígeros
batallion.
- - ALCARDO PATINO, member of SINTRABANANO, who worked on the Corralito estate
in the municipality of Chigorodó (Antioquia); murdered by hired assassins on
1. 16 October 1988.
  - - ALBERTO JOSE PALMERA, former President of the Deputy Executive of SINTAGRO
2. in Chigorodó, employed on the Guatapuri estate; shot and killed outright on 17
October 1988 several minutes after leaving the barracks; and MANUEL PENATE,
wounded in the face on the same day, managed to get by himself to an ice-cream
parlour to escape from hired assassins and from there to the Chigorodó
hospital; he was then taken by a policeman in an ambulance to the Apartadó
hospital, where he was found dead with about six bullets in his head. Manuel
Peñate was a member of SINTAGRO and worked on the Ethel estate in Turbo.
- - HERMELINDA CASTRO, member of the Executive of SINTRAPOY, employee of
Inderena, engaged in the Carare-Opón forestry project; murdered by a hired
assassin from MAS on 20 October 1988.
- - FELIPE GALEANO, departmental ANUC official and FENSUAGRO official;
murdered by six persons who came to his home at 5 p.m. on 23 October 1988.
- - RISARALDA VEREDA ARGENTINA, trade union activitist from the Pereira
district; murdered on 26 October 1988.
- - OSCAR CHAQUER, teaching staff official in Córdoba, member of ADEMACOR;
murdered by hired assassins in Montería (Córdoba) on 26 October 1988.
- - FRANCISCO RENTERIA, murdered on 27 October 1988, when a ship from the
national navy fired on the barge transporting workers from ASODIMBRAS and
SINDEBRAS home.
- - EMIRO TRUJILLO and LEONARDO LINDARTE CARVAJAL, distinguished professors of
the Faculty of Public Health of the University of Antioquia. Mr. Trujillo was
- Vice-President of the Association of Teachers at the University of Antioquia.
They were murdered by DAS agents in Medellín on 31 October 1988.
- - RAFAEL ATEHORTUA, President of the ADIDA Deputy Executive in Tamesis;
murdered by hired assassins at 7 a.m. in the classroom in Palermo (district of
Tamesis) on 8 November 1988.
- - CLIRIO GRACIANO, member of the Assembly of Delegates of ADIDA for the Yali
municipality; murdered by hired assassins on motor-bikes in Yali (Antioquia)
1. on 9 November 1988.
  - - GABRIEL LOPEZ (57 years of age), ANUC activist, peasant farmer; murdered
2. on 13 November 1988 at 7 p.m. in his home in San Pelaya (César).
  - - JOSE PEZOTE, ASINORT activist, teacher in Ocaña (Norte de Santander);
3. murdered on 22 November 1988.
  - - RUBEN DARIO MEJIA, teacher, President of the ADIDA Deputy Executive of the
4. municipality of Bolívar (Antioquia); shot and killed on 1 December 1988 by
four hired assassins at 6 p.m. when he was in the municipality's park.
- - ANDRES MOZO, treasurer of SINTRAGRO, member of the National Executive of
the CUT; murdered on the Suerte No. 1 estate in Apartadó (Antioquia) at 9 a.m.
1. on 3 December 1988.
  - - ANTONIO VEGA HERNANDEZ, member of SINTRAINDUPALMA; riddled with bullets
2. when he was at the door of his house in San Alberto (César) on 27 December
3. 1988
  - - FERMIN MELENDEZ ACOSTA, ADEMACOR official and fighter for the cause of
4. workers in the teaching profession, President of FESTRACOR and member of the
National Executive of the CUT; murdered by hired assassins on 31 December 1988
when he was on the terrace of his house.
- - FRANCISCO DE PAULA PEREZ CASTRILLON, teacher belonging to ADIDA; murdered
by hired assassins in Medellín (Antioquia) on 1 January 1989.
- - PEDRO SOLANO, worker at Indupalma, member of SINTRAINDUPALMA; shot by
unknown persons in the 23rd district of Agosto de San Alberto (César) on 1
January 1989.
- - LUIS SIERRA, member of the National Executive of SINUVICOL, disappeared in
the month of December and found dead on 5 January 1989.
- - ANTONIO MARTINEZ, member of the Executive of SINTRATEXTIL and of the
Committee of the Federation of Textile Workers in Antioquia, former member of
the Executive Committee of FEDETA; murdered on 5 January 1989 when he was
travelling by bus from his home to the Rionegro textiles enterprise where he
worked; he was forced to leave the bus and riddled with bullets in front of
his colleagues by a group of six hired assassins.
- - MAURICIO ROMERO and HUMBERTO RUIZ (engineers), GUSTAVE PEREZ and GERARDO
UPEGUI (technicians); murdered on 5 January 1989 in the Cementos del Nare
enterprise (quarries section). Patricia Orejuela and Stella Martínez, members
of the domestic staff, were seriously injured during these events. The workers
in the Cementos del Nare enterprises in La Sierra and Caracolé stopped work to
protest against these murders.
- - ISIDRO CABALLERO DELGADO, teacher belonging to the Teachers' Trade Union
of César; he was arrested on 7 February 1989 by soldiers in the district of
Guaduas in San Alberto and has been missing since then. The army denies his
arrest.
- - JORGE MARTINEZ, President of the Agricultural Workers' Trade Union;
murdered by unknown persons on 22 January 1989.
- - JULIO ELIECER AGUDELO, treasurer of the Trade Union of Metallurgical
Enterprises in Palmira; disappeared on 3 February 1989 and his body was found
1. on 23 February in the Calima lake in the town of Cali.
  - - FRANCISCO DUMAR, Vice-President of the Avianca Trade Union; murdered on 13
2. February in the department of Córdoba by two hired assassins who shot him when
he was arriving at work in the morning.
- - LUIS EDUARDO YAYA, President of the Trade Union Federation of Workers of
Meta and member of the National Executive of the CUT; murdered in
Villavicencio (Meta) on 23 February 1989 when he was leaving his home.
- - FERMIN MELENDEZ, President of FESTRACOR and teachers' official in Córdoba;
murdered in February 1989.
- - JOSE MARIA CASTILLO, President of the Agricultural Workers' Trade Union of
Arjona (Bolívar) and Vice-President of the Deputy Executive of the CUT in the
department of Bolívar; murdered on 20 March 1989 in the town of Cartagena
(Bolívar).
- - HERNAN VARGAS CALDERON, teacher in the San Pablo college, Currillo,
province of Coqueta; murdered on 3 April 1989 after having being threatened
with death on several occasions. He is the second teacher to have been
murdered in this college.
- - LUIS ALBERTO CARDONA, university professor; murdered on 4 April 1989 in
Pereira (Santa Rosa de Cabal), when he was on his way to give a lecture in the
university of Santa Rosa de Cabal. He was President of the Human Rights
Committee of Caldas and was recently awarded the Nelson Mandela peace medal;
he was also a counsellor to the Patriotic Union in Chinchiná and adviser to
various trade union organistions for a long time.
- - EDISON PACHECO, President of the Federation of Workers of Córdoba,
subsidiary of the CUT; murdered on 6 April 1989 in the town of Monteréa; his
wife was hit by bullets and is in a serious condition.
- - FERNANDO MESA CASTILLO, teacher at the national secondary school in
Cartago and the technological university of Pereira; murdered on 7 April 1989.
1. 484 The complainant organisations enclose as an annex a copy of a
confidential report from the Administrative Department of Security (DAS),
which states that:
The hired assassins and drug traffickers operating in the district of Puerto
Boyacá (Boyacá) use the "Association of Peasants and Cattle Raisers of El
Magdalena Medio - ACDEGAM" as their cover, behind which they carry out their
illegal activities ... The ACDEGAM executive is made up of the following
officials: Henry Pérez, President; Gonzalo de Jesús Pérez, Vice-President and
father of the former; Luis Rubio, Mayor of Puerto Boyacá. This organisation is
made up of more than 300 armed men who move between the municipalities of
Puerto Boyacá and Otanche (Boyacá), Cimitarra and Puerto Olaya (Santander), La
Dorada (Caldas) and Puerto Berrio (Antioquia), thanks to the vehicles (more
than 100) they have at their disposal - including jeeps, vans, cars, lorries
and light aircraft. The group is supported by drug traffickers, cattle
ranchers and farmers who, anyway, give over part of their land to the growing
of coca leaves; this activity is covered up by other legal farming activities.
Several high-ranking officials in El Magdalena Medio co-operate with ACDEGAM,
of which particular mention should be made of the following: the Regional
Attorney of Honda (Tolima); the Commander and Deputy Commander of the military
base of Puerto Calderón; the head of the police in La Dorada (Caldas); head of
the police in Puerto Boyacá (Boyacá); the Mayor of Puerto Boyacá (Boyacá) ...
The gang of common criminals which are known throughout the region as
"Death to Kidnappers (MAS)" is subsidised by several members of the so-called
Medellín Cartel ... (of which names are quoted). The following persons are
middle-ranking officials in the organisation of hired assassins: ... an army
sergeant ... The DAS report continues by giving details about the training
grounds of hired assassins and their whereabouts.
1. 485 Finally, the complainant organisations allege the following acts of
violence and arrests:
- - On 6 October 1988, there was an attempt on the life of Mario Montes de
Oca, member of the Executive of the Trade Union of Workers in Risaralda in
Quinchia; he was injured.
- - On 9 October 1988, unknown persons fired from a car at the teacher Hugo
Arnulfo Escobar, leader of the Single Trade Union of Teachers of Valle in the
municipality of Jamundé (Valle del Cauca).
- - On 23 October 1988, police officers attacked workers travelling in trade
union buses, injuring Adela Caicedo, Mármol Isaac and Parra Fausto.
- - On 25 October 1988, bombs exploded in the headquarters of the Teachers'
Trade Union of Santander and the Sugar-Cane Workers' Trade Union of Palmira.
Some weeks before, on 6 October 1988, a ten-kilo bomb was discovered in the
headquarters of the Teachers' Trade Union of Córdoba, which was timed to go
off during the meeting of the union executive; fortunately, the bomb was
discovered in time and defused.
- - In October 1988, the CUT publicly denounced the harassment of Angela Tobón
Puerta and Jimmy Abdala Oliveros, trade union officials in Antioquia; after
the calling of the general strike on 27 October, they had been followed and
harassed by armed civilians and received threatening calls at their homes.
- - Ana Inés Candela (Vice-President of the Trade Union of the National
Provident Fund) and Maritza Palencia (employee of the district administration
of this Fund in Bogotá and member of the Trade Union of Employees in the
special district of Bogotá) were accussed of having links with the guerrillas.
During the trial, the judges dismissed the charges and ordered the persons
concerned to be released. However, they are still being held in the Buen
Pastor Prison in Bogotá, where they have been since 7 January 1989 (these
allegations are contained in a communication dated 2 March 1989).
- - In March 1989, there was a terrorist attack against Alfonso Rodríguez,
manager of the ECOPETROL Workers' Co-operative; a bomb was placed in his home.
- - On the morning of 29 March, army troops from the military headquarters in
Urabá arrested all of the workers on the Pan Gordito estate and others from
the El Porvenir estate, both of which are in the municipality of Apartadó.
More than 85 persons were arrested, including three SINTAGRO officials:
Fernando Diaz, member of the national executive; Clémaco Herrera, member of
the Carepa deputy executive; and Mario Ibarra, member of the deputy executive
of Apartadó. The three officials were tortured, and after the workers of Urabá
took action they were released on 30 March at 5 p.m. Mario Ibarra is seriously
ill in hospital in Bogotá.
- - On 7 April 1989, there was an attempt on the life of the treasurer of the
Workers' Federation of Norte de Santander (FENOSTRA-CUT), Juan Bautista
Patiño, during which his 18-year-old son was injured. This occurred in
Pamplona and the shots were fired from a car.
- - Officials of the Federation of Workers' Trade Unions (USITRAS), in
Santander, have received death threats. These threats have been received by
César Martínez, Rarid Florez and Alberto Gil, all officials of the Teachers'
Trade Union of Santander, and Victor Lizcano, President of USITRAS.
- - In Santa Marta, Magdalena, the Workers' Federation of Magdalena has
received death threats against its trade union officials, Henry Taité,
President of the Trade Union of Licorera, Juan Luis Gómez, Lurdes Manjarrés
and Angel Manjarrés. The two latter persons are teachers' trade union
officials.
b. The Government's reply
1. 486 In its communication of 26 October 1988, the Government encloses
information published in the press on a document confiscated by the Colombian
authorities according to which, during the strike organised for Thursday, 27
October, by the CUT and the CGT, the so-called "National Guerrillas'
- Co-ordinating Committee" was preparing a day of terrorism and planning all
sorts of attacks and disturbances against public law and order - totally
divorced from trade union matters. This document had unmasked a sinister
terrorist plot involving the majority of guerrilla groups, organised by the
"Simón Bolívar Terrorist Co-ordinating Committee". This plan set out: to call
upon all sectors of the population and workers to engage actively in street
fights and to antagonise the police; to deploy a large-scale "military
action", by carrying out attacks against and sabotaging public bodies; before
and during the general strike on Thursday, to install groups of agitators and
carry out a vast campaign of psychological terrorism by means of anonymous
telephone calls and false alarms, announcing the placing of explosives in
various places; to extend terrorism to petrol stations, telephone exchanges,
electricity networks and stations and airports, to oil pipelines, gas
pipelines and other pipelines and to international enterprises; to weld, with
synthetic materials, the locks of various businesses so that the employees
could not go to work on that day; to blow up roads and destroy bridges, to
scatter nails, block the main approaches to industrial complexes, prevent the
mobilisation of troops and blockade municipal centres in order to cut off the
supply of agricultural goods to towns; to draw the troops away to areas remote
from urban centres in order to ambush them and attack the military bases which
would consequently be less well guarded.
1. 487 With its communication of 31 October 1988, the Government transmits the
speech made by the President of the Republic, the day after the strike called
by the trade union federations. Several extracts are given here below:
I am able to announce to you that we have defeated the enemies of our
country. The measures of prevention taken by the national Government to
maintain law and order today have been successful. Our institutions have shown
renewed evidence of their strength. The test to which several violent small
groups wished to put our democracy has been largely overcome.
The strike called by several trade union federations was not followed. The
vast majority of the population preferred to fulfil their obligations and go
to work. Although the subversive elements had planned various actions to
destabilise the situation, there were no serious incidents. The intervention
of the armed forces prevented any terrorist action. The measures adopted by
the Government proved successful in upholding law and order.
But it is you, Colombians from all walks of life - workers, heads of
enterprises, housewives and ordinary people - who, thanks to your
steadfastness, have turned a threat into a plebiscite in favour of peace and
democracy. I have always firmly believed that the agitators' major obstacle
would be the allegiance of the majority to our institutions. Similarly, I was
also sure that subversive action would never succeed because it would always
come up against the feelings of the majority of Colombians.
1. 488 In its communication of 14 December 1988, the Government, referring to
the day of protest known as the general strike, called by the CUT and backed
by the CGT and CTC, states that only trade unions or groups of workers
directly or indirectly concerned have the right to strike. Under section 417
of the Labour Code, "all trade unions shall have the right, without any
restrictions whatsoever, to establish and join local, regional, occupational
or industrial federations and these shall also have the right to join together
in confederations. Federations and confederations shall be entitled to
recognition of their legal personality and the same functions as trade unions,
with the exception of the right to declare a strike, which belongs
exclusively, when authorised by the law, to the trade unions or groups of
workers directly or indirecly concerned". The Government adds that, as regards
the alleged arrests of trade union officials during the day of protest on 27
October 1988, the Ministry of Labour has started preliminary investigations to
determine the accuracy of these allegations.
1. 489 In a later communication dated 4 April 1989, the Government states that
it appears from the allegations that the arrests were necessary to comply with
the standards of public law and order. The Government was guided by the
philosophy that public law and order should not be disrupted. The situation
prevailing in Colombia is well known and it was important that it should not
worsen. It is for this reason that the state of siege has been decreed on
several occasions and this provides for restrictions on some rights. These
disruptions of public law and order require high-level policy decisions. The
Government stresses that not only trade unionists and workers are victims of
the violence, but also heads of enterprises and civil servants. Furthermore,
as regards the suspension of legal personality, the Government states that it
is bound to abide by the rulings of the State Council, which is competent at
the national level to define the situation. Finally, the Government requests
the ILO to ask the trade union organisations for detailed information on the
places where the alleged occurrences in the present case occurred. (The
International Labour Office immediately sent the Government's request to the
complainant organisations.)
1. 490 Furthermore, the Government asks the ILO to request the complainant
organisations to provide detailed information about the places where the
alleged facts took place (the International Labour Office immediately
transmitted the Government's request to the complainant organisation).
Finally, in its communication of 24 May 1989, the Government indicates that
the union leaders detained because of the 27 October 1988 strike have been
released the following days (Mrs. Ligia Cáceres was held in detention for 15
- days). The Government then mentions a series of serious acts of terrorism and
sabotage which were committed in the country on the day of that strike.

C. The Committee's conclusions

491. As regards the allegations concerning the murders and disappearances of
- trade union leaders and unionists, the Committee recalls that at its November
1988 meeting it pointed out that, without doubt, it found itself confronted
- with one of the most serious cases it had received concerning the respect for
- the right to life (see 259th Report, para. 650), and that the dramatic
- situation of violence facing Colombia impeded the full exercise of trade union
- activities (see 259th Report, para. 678(b)). Consequently, the Committee,
- after stating how shocked it was by the very high number of murders and
- disappearances of trade union leaders and unionists (over 200 since 1986),
- requested the Government: (1) to adopt vigorous measures at the national level
- to dismantle the so-called paramilitary groups active throughout the country,
- and (2) to take the necessary measures to strengthen substantially the human
- and financial resources of the judiciary (see 259th Report, para. 678( d)and
  - (f)). The allegations examined by the Committee at its November meeting also
- included death threats to hundreds of trade unionists.
492. Six months after having examined these extremely serious allegations,
- the Committee notes the contents of Decrees Nos. 813, 814 and 815 of 19 April
1989 that establish a high-level commission mandated to evaluate and
- co-ordinate actions against the death squads and other groups of hired
  - assassins and of "private justice", as well as a Special Armed Corps comprised
- of 1,000 members of the National Police, to fight these groups; furthermore,
  - under these Decrees the population's collaboration with the armed forces is
  - restricted to non-aggressive activities, and civilians are prohibited from
  - giving, carrying and using firearms exclusively reserved for the armed forces.
  - In spite of these developments, the Committee notes with deep concern that the
  - complainants have alleged the murder of a further 46 trade unionists, another
  - disappearance and many acts of violence, and that there are no indications in
  - the Government's observations that it has adopted effective and definite
  - measures to strengthen the human and financial resources of the judiciary. In
  - addition, as regards the alleged murders and disappearances, the Government
  - has merely referred to the stage reached in the inquiries undertaken
  - concerning ten of the murders, pointing out that those responsible for these
  - murders have not been identified.
- 493. In these circumstances, the Committee expresses its disappointment,
  - reiterates the conclusions and recommendations it reached at its November 1988
  - meeting and is obliged to conclude at its present meeting that the Government
  - has not yet adopted all the necessary and appropriate measures required from
  - it to guarantee the right to life to trade union leaders and unionists, which
  - is a fundamental prerequisite for the exercise of the rights contained in
  - Convention No. 87. Taking into account the absolute need to put an end to the
  - violence confronting the country, which is seriously affecting trade union
  - circles, the Committee urges the Government to adopt the measures it proposed
  - to strengthen substantially the human and financial resources of the
  - judiciary. The Committee requests the Government to send observations on the
  - allegations concerning the numerous murders of trade unionists in respect of
  - whom no information has been received (see Annex I), to keep it informed of
  - developments in the judicial inquiries undertaken on the other cases (see
  - Annex II), and on the results of the measures taken to fight and dismantle the
  - death squads and the other groups of hired assassins or of "private justice".
- 494. As regards the banning of the general strike on 27 October 1988 and the
  - measures adopted as a result of the strike (suspension of the legal
  - personality of eight trade unions by the Ministry of Labour, arrests and
  - dismissals of a large number of trade unionists) under Decrees Nos. 2201 and
- 2200 issued under the state of emergency, the Committee notes the Government's
  - statements that federations and confederations do not enjoy the right to
  - strike (section 417 of the Labour Code) and that during the above-mentioned
  - general strike, the "National Guerillas Co-ordinating Committee" was preparing
  - a day of terrorism which included calling upon workers to engage in street
  - fights and clashes with the police, assaults and acts of sabotage against
  - strategic points and attacks on military bases. The Committee notes that the
  - decrees issued under the state of emergency on account of the general strike
  - sought to avoid the disturbance of public law and order in view of the
- well-known situation prevailing in Colombia, resulting in arrests on this
  - occasion; it also notes that as regards the suspensions of legal personality,
  - the Council of State is the competent authority that has to define the
  - situation.
- 495. The Committee considers that a general protest strike demanding that an
  - end be put to the hundreds of murders of trade union leaders and unionists
  - during the past few years is a lawful trade union activity. The Government
  - raised two basic arguments for its banning: (1) labour legislation denies this
  - right for federations and confederations; and (2) groups of guerillas were
  - planning to carry out attacks and to sabotage installations during this
  - strike. On the first point, the Committee has mentioned on many occasions that
  - "the prohibition on calling of strikes by federations and confederations is
  - not compatible with Article 6 of the Convention, which refers to Article 3 of
  - the Convention with respect to the functioning of federations and
  - confederations". (See Digest of Decisions and Principles of the Committee,
- 1985, para. 366.) Similarly, at its March 1989 meeting, the Committee of
  - Experts on the Application of Conventions and Recommendations objected to
  - section 417 of the Labour Code that bans federations and confederations from
  - calling a strike and requested the Government to review the legislation on
  - this matter. As regards the attacks and acts of sabotage which, according to
  - the Government, guerilla groups were planning to carry out during the general
  - strike and actually took place, the Committee recalls that from the standpoint
  - of the principles of freedom of association, nothing would have prevented the
  - banning of the strike in essential services (i.e. in those services whose
  - interruption would endanger the life, personal safety or health of the whole
  - or part of the population) or the setting up of minimum services. The
  - Committee therefore concludes that the banning of the general strike on 27
  - October 1988, by virtue of the decrees issued under the state of emergency on
- 25 October, constitute a serious violation of freedom of association.
496. As regards the consequences of the above-mentioned general strike, the
- Committee shares the point of view expressed by the Committee of Experts in
- its March 1989 meeting, when it examined the question of the suspension of the
- legal personality by administrative authority under the above-mentioned
- decrees issued under the state of emergency. The Committee of Experts stated
- the following:
- The Committee wishes to refer to the conclusions made by the Committee on
- Freedom of Association when examining Case No. 1343 concerning Colombia (see
244th Report, para. 376) in which it gave its opinion on the suspension of the
- legal personality of an organisation and pointed out that the dissolution or
- suspension by administrative authority of workers' and employers'
- organisations is contrary to the provisions of Article 4 of the Convention,
- particularly since the appeal to the Ministry of Labour (the result of which
- would be subject to judicial appeal) did not result in the suspension of the
- measure; consequently, the organisations in question could not legally operate
- while the measure was in force. The Committee also notes that in October 1988,
- subsequent to the above report of the Committee on Freedom of Association,
- decrees were again issued under the state of emergency penalising the
- organisations participating in the general strike planned for 20 October 1988
- with the suspension of their legal personalities.
- In these circumstances, the Committee regrets that the Government has not
- taken into account the comments by the supervisory bodies on this subject and
- requests the Government to take measures to eliminate from the legislation any
- possibility of suspension or dissolution by administrative authority, or at
- least to provide that the administrative decision does not take effect until
- the judicial authority has ruled on any appeal that may be made by the trade
- union organisations concerned. The Committee points out that trade union
- organisations must be able to call legitimate strikes in order to further the
- economic and social interests of their members without being liable to
- suspension or dissolution when their action has remained peaceful in nature.
497. In these circumstances, the Committee urges the Government to lift the
- suspension of the legal personality of all the trade union organisations
- concerned and to take measures to ensure that the legislation prohibits this
- type of suspension in all cases, including in a state of emergency.
498. As regards the arrests (204 according to the complainants) and
- dismissals (76 according to the complainants), the Committee regrets that the
- Government did not comment on the lists of trade unionists affected by these
- measures and merely stated, in a general way, that the arrests occurred
- because of a failure to comply with standards of public law and order, and
- that the detained union leaders were released on the following days.
- Furthermore, the Committee notes that the decrees issued under the state of
- emergency, to which the complainant organisations referred, provide that the
- administrative or military authorities and not the judicial authority may
- impose prison sentences of 30 to 180 days for having encouraged the strike; it
- also notes that, in principle, the above-mentioned sentences must already have
- come to an end. The Committee requests the Government to inform it whether
- this is the case; furthermore, it deplores all those cases in which prison
- sentences are handed down on account of activities to organise strike action
- because these constitute a violation of freedom of association and it requests
- the Government to take measures to ensure that the legislation prevents the
- administrative or military authorities from imposing penal sanctions. The
- Committee also stresses out that nobody should be dismissed or discriminated
- against in their work on account of their trade union activities and requests
- the Government to take measures towards the reinstatement of those workers
- dismissed for having taken part in the general strike.
499. Finally, the Committee regrets that the Government did not reply to the
- other allegations referring to arrests and acts of violence against trade
- unionists and trade union headquarters since October 1988, as well as to a
- report from the Administrative Department of Security (DAS) provided by the
- complainants, and which concern a paramilitary group from Puerto Boyacá in
- which several civilian and military authorities are allegedly involved. The
- Committee requests the Government to reply to these allegations.

The Committee's recommendations

500. In the light of its foregoing interim conclusions, the Committee
- invites the Governing Body to approve the following recommendations:
  - a) The Committee is deeply concerned by the large number of trade union
- leaders and unionists who have been murdered or have disappeared since 1986
- and observes that the situation is continuing to worsen because since its
- November 1988 meeting (at which it examined allegations concerning the murder
- or disappearance of more than 200 trade unionists), the complainant
- organisations have reported the murder of a further 46 trade union leaders and
- unionists as well as one new disappearance.
  - b) While noting the important measures taken by the President of the
- Republic to fight the death squads and other groups of hired assassins and of
- "private justice", the Committee expresses its disappointment in noting that
- the Government only referred to 12 cases of murder and that there is no
- indication in its reply that it has adopted efficient and concrete measures to
- strengthen substantially the human and financial resources of the judiciary.
- The Committee firmly hopes that the recent Decrees adopted by the Government
- will intensify and make more effective the protection afforded to trade union
- leaders.
  - c) The Committee concludes that the Government has not yet adopted all the
- necessary and appropriate measures required from it to guarantee the right to
- life of trade union leaders and unionists, which is a prerequisite for the
- exercise of the rights contained in Convention No. 87. Consequently, whilst
- reiterating the conclusions and recommendations contained in its November 1988
- report, the Committee urges the Government to send its observations on the
- allegations of murders and disappearances to which it has not replied (Annex
- I) and on the stage of the judicial inquiries undertaken in the other cases
- (Annex II), and especially to adopt the measures already advocated to
- strengthen substantially the human and financial resources of the judiciary.
- The Committee also requests the Government to keep it informed on the results
- of the measures taken to fight and dismantle the death squads and the other
- groups of hired assassins and of "private justice".
  - d) The Committee considers that the banning of the general strike of 27
- October 1988 and the numerous arrests which ensued for activities encouraging
- this strike, constitute violations of freedom of association. The Committee
- requests the Government to lift the suspension of the legal personality of all
- the trade union organisations concerned, to take steps to reinstate all those
- workers dismissed for having participated in the general strike and to keep it
- informed on the matter including indications as to whether any trade unionists
- are still detained (the Government has only mentioned that the leaders were
- released).
  - e) The Committee requests the Government to take the necessary steps to
- amend the legislation so that:
  - - it will be impossible for the administrative or military authorities,
- even in a state of emergency, to suspend trade union organisations by
- administrative authority and to sentence trade unionists to imprisonment;
  - - federations and confederations may be authorised to call a strike.
    - f) The Committee requests the Government to reply to the allegations
  - concerning acts of violence against trade unionists and trade union
- headquarters and arrests that have occurred since October 1988, and to send
- its observations on the report from the Administrative Department of Security
- (provided by the complainants) concerning a paramilitary group from Puerto
- Boyacá in which several civilian and military authorities are allegedly
- involved.

ANNEX I

List of unionists whose death or disappearance is alleged
and concerning whom the Government has sent its observations
a) Murdered unionists
1. JOSUE EDUARDO FUENMAYOR (7-IX-86)
2. ESTEBAN FERNANDEZ (6-VI-87)
3. NARCISO MOSQUERA SANCHEZ (4-VII-87)
4. HAROLD JIMENEZ (19-VII-87)
5. IGNACIO BEDOYA (8-VIII-87)
6. MARCO TULIO VILLA (9-IX-87)
7. JOSE GABRIEL CUADROS (3-XII-87)
8. MIGUEL DURAN SARMIENTO (7-XII-87)
9. GILDARDO GONZALEZ (3-I-88)
10. JESUS EMILIO MONSALVE (24-I-88)
11. JUAN DE JESUS GRISALES (3-II-88)
12. ROGELINO RIOS (9-III-88)
13. ROBINSON GIRALDO (4-IV-88)
14. OSWALDO TEHERAN (16-IV-88)
15. HERNANDO COLON HERNANDEZ (27-IV-88)
16. RAFAEL DUQUE PEREZ (27-IV-88)
17. JUAN DIEGO ARANGO MORALES (5-V-88)
18. EFRAIN PEA REYES (13-XII-87)
19. RICARDO RIOS SERRANO (26-VIII-88)
20. LEON CARDONA ISAZA (30-VIII-88)
21. CARLOS TELLEZ (22-II-88)
22. JAIRO SAJONERO GOMEZ (26-II-88)
23. BLANCA ISMELIA MORENO (4-III-88)
24. ALFONSO KUJAVANTE (15-III-88)
25. BENIGNO AGUALIMPIA IBARGUEN (22-III-88)
26. TOMAS BERRIO WILCHES (3-IV-88)
27. GUILLERMO OCHOA (25-IV-88)
28. JOSE OCTAVIO BUITRAGO IBA EZ (25-IV-88)
29. JULIO C. GUTIERREZ (V-88)
30. MANUEL SALVADOR RAMIREZ (20-V-88)
31. LUIS GREGORIO TORRES MORA (29-V-88)
32. HECTOR JULIO ORTIZ (8-VI-88)
33. JOSE MANUEL HERRERA (4-IX-88)
34. CARLOS JAIME RINCON (13-IX-88)
35. ARSENIO OSORIO (23-IX-88)
36. HARVEY MURIEL VELASCO (4-X-88)
37-38. ANIBAL DE JESUS ECHEVERRIA and MANUEL GUILLERMO QUIROZ (11-X-88)
39. ARGELIO NOVOA (13-X-88)
40. ALVARO FAJARDO (14-X-88)
41. CESAR CASTRO (15-X-88)
42. CARLOS CONDA (15-X-88)
43. ELECTO FLOREZ (15-X-88)
44. ALCARDO PATINO (16-X-88)
45-46. ALBERTO JOSE PALMERA and MANUEL PENATE (17-X-88)
47. HERMELINDA CASTRO (20-X-88)
48. FELIPE GALEANO (23-X-88)
49. RISARALDA VEREDA ARGENTINA (26-X-88)
50. OSCAR CHAQUER (26-X-88)
51. FRANCISCO RENTERIA (27-X-88)
52-53. EMIRO TRUJILLO and LEONARDO LINDARTE CARVAJAL (31-X-88)
54. RAFAEL ATEHORTUA (8-XI-88)
55. CLIRIO GRACIANO (9-XI-88)
56. GABRIEL LOPEZ (13-XI-88)
57. JOSE PEZOTE (22-XI-88)
58. RUBEN DARIO MEJIA (1-XII-88)
59. ANDRES MOZO (3-XII-88)
60. ANTONIO VEGA HERNANDEZ (27-XII-88)
61. FERMIN MELENDEZ ACOSTA (31-XII-88)
62. FRANCISCO DE PAULA PEREZ CASTRILLON (1-I-89)
63. PEDRO SOLANO (1-I-89)
64. LUIS SIERRA (5-I-89)
65. ANTONIO MARTINEZ (5-I-89)
66-69. MAURICIO ROMERO, HUMBERTO RUIZ, GUSTAVO PEREZ and GERARDO UPEGUI
(5-I-89)
70. JORGE MARTINEZ (22-I-89)
71. JULIO ELIECER AGUDELO (13-II-89)
72. FRANCISO DUMAR (13-II-89)
73. LUIS EDUARDO YAYA (23-II-89)
74. FERMIN MELENDEZ (II-89)
75. JOSE MARIA CASTILLO (20-III-89)
76. HERNAN VARGAS CALDERON (3-IV-89)
77. LUIS ALBERTO CARDONA (4-IV-89)
78. EDISON PACHECO (6-IV-89)
79. FERNANDO MESA CASTILLO (7-IV-89)
b) Unionists who have disappeared
1. LUIS VILLADIEGO
2. GABRIEL HOLGUIN
3. LUCIO SERRANO LUNA
4. ISIDRO CABALLERO DELGADO
ANNEX
ANNEXE II
List of unionists who have disappeared or have been murdered
concerning whom the Committee requests the Government to inform
it of developments in the judicial inquiries under way
a) Murdered unionists
1. JOSE ELI PAEZ (1986)
2. FRANCISCO ANTONIO JIMENEZ (27-II-86)
3. MARIO TABORDA (27-II-86)
4. VICTOR HERNANDEZ (26-III-86)
5. WALTER ROLDAN (27-III-86)
6-7. JULIO CESAR SANTACRUZ and SIMEON RAMIREZ (IV-86)
8. AURELIO DE JESUS ORTIZ (13-IV-86)
9. RUBEN PINEDA (20-IV-86)
10. PEDRO LEON PINEDA (23-IV-86)
11. CARLOS JULIO ORTIZ (16-IV-86)
12. GABRIEL HOLGUIN OLAVE (7-V-86)
13. SAUL VILLADA (28-VI-86)
14. BALDOMERO MOSQUERA (2-VII-86)
15-17. LUIS ENRIQUE ESPANA, LUIS FELIPE MURILLO, LUIS CARLOS TORRES
(14-VII-86)
18. JOSE LEALDO HERRERA CANO (20-IX-86)
19. GUSTAVO MAYA CARVAJAL (20-IX-86)
20. OSCAR DARIO TORRES (7-IX-86)
21. JOSE MARIA IMBETT ARRIETA (11-XI-86)
22. MARIO CORREZ (11-XI-86)
23. INES ARRIETA (2-XII-86)
24. JULIO CESAR URIBE (8-XII-86)
25. TOBIAS TORRES (10-XII-86)
26. JAIRO ANTONIO CHAMORRO ROMERO (13-I-87)
27. RICARDO EMILIO CORREA (28-I-87)
28. PEDRO HERNANDEZ TORRES (I-87)
29. FREDI TAPIAS (16-II-87)
30-31. RANULFO ENRIQUE SERRANO MORA and ADALBERTO GONZALEZ (16-II-87)
32. OSCAR EXTREMOR (16-II-87)
33. OVIDIO CANO PE ATE (26-II-87)
34. OBDULIO PALACIO LEMOS (28-II-87)
35. JOSE HERNAN USUGA (7-III-87)
36. JESUS ANTONIO MOLINA (9-III-87)
37-39. NEMESIO CORDOBA SALAS, PASCUAL ACOSTA PEREZ and GERARDO DIAZ CHAVERRA
(11-III-87)
40. FIDEL ANTONIO PINO QUIROS (14-III-87)
41-42. ESTEBAN AGUALIMPIA PEREZ and FABIO DE JESUS LONDO O GARCIA (14-III-87)
43. SAMUEL VALDES RIOS (1-IV-87)
44. MARIO ACORO CUERO (22-V-87)
45-46. ELADIO RENTERIA and GILDARDO MENA (3-VI-87)
47-49. ANTONIO FERNANDEZ, PEDRO EZEQUIEL GIL and JUAN ANTONIO LOPEZ DAVID
(13-VI-87)
50. DARIO GARRIDO RUIZ (3-VII-87)
51. FRANCISCO ANTONIO PALACIO (16-VII-87)
52. EUCLIDES GARZON (16-VII-87)
53-55. BERNARDO GARCIA, JAIME BLANDON and LUIS GUZMAN (VII-87)
56. ADAN GONZALEZ (18-VII-87)
57. ALBERTO COGUELLO (19-VII-87)
58. HERNANDO DE JESUS SANGUINO YACOME (23-VII-87)
59. CARLOS LOPEZ BEDOYA (3-VIII-87)
60. JESUS HERNANDO RESTREPO (4-VIII-87)
61. PEDRO LUIS VALENCIA G. (14-VIII-87)
62. REYNALDO ALZATE CIFUENTES (18-VIII-87)
63. LEONARDO BETANCUR (25-VIII-87)
64. ALEJANDRO JOSE GOMEZ RICARDO (25-VIII-87)
65. LUIS FELIPE VELEZ HERRERA (25-VIII-87)
66. HECTOR ABAD GOMEZ (25-VIII-87)
67. MARCIANO BERRIO (3-IX-87)
68. FULTON GARCES (6-IX-87)
69. JOSE FIDEL MANJARRES (8-IX-87)
70. WILLIAN ALFONSO CADENA (9-IX-87)
71. APOLINO HERNANDEZ DE LA ROSA (13-IX-87)
72. DORA TORRES (18-IX-87)
73. GILBERTO CHAVERRA ROBLEDO (20-IX-87)
74. EUCLIDES MONTES NEGRETE (24-IX-87)
75. DOMITILA GUANAY DE SIGUA (27-IX-87)
76. JOSE ALDEMAR GONZALEZ GALINDO (29-IX-87)
77. ALBERTO ANGULO (29-IX-87)
78. JUAN PAULINO LOPEZ MENA (30-IX-87)
79. PABLO EMILIO CORDOBA MADRIGAL (30-IX-87)
80. ALFONSO MIGUEL LOZANO (X-87)
81. JOSE ARISTIDES GIRON (X-87)
82. CARLOS ALFREDO VANEGAS OSSA (X-87)
83. RODRIGO GUZMAN MARTINEZ (X-87)
84. JESUS CORDOBA QUINTERO (25-X-87)
85-86. ALONSO LOAIZA and GUSTAVO DE JESUS CALLEJAS (16-XI-87)
87. ARGEMIRO COLORADO (4-XII-87)
88. OVIDIO ASSIA (8-I-88)
89. MANUEL GUSTAVO CHACON SARMIENTO (15-I-88)
90. ARGEMIRO CORREA (15-I-88)
91. AUGUSTO GUERRERO MARQUEZ (19-I-88)
92. ARTURO SALAZAR (19-I-88)
93. DARIO GOMEZ (19-I-88)
94. JESUS EMILIO MONSALVE (24-I-88)
95. HUBERT ANIBAL CABEZAS CORTES (1-II-88)
96. BERNARDO ARBELAEZ (2-II-88)
97. JULIO ALBERTO MARTINEZ FAURA (2-II-88)
98-118. OMAR OCHOA, IVAN DARIO MOLINA, GUILLERMO LEON VALENCIA, JOSE BLANCO,
JULIA CARRILLO, MANUEL COGOLLO ESPITIA, ALIRIO ROJAS, NATANAEL ROJAS, JOSE
PINEDA, GUIDO GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, BIENVENIDO GONZALEZ MARTINEZ, PEDRO GONZALEZ
MARTINEZ, ENRIQUE GUISADO MARTINEZ, RITO MARTINEZ REYES, GILBERTO MENESES,
JOAQUIN MENDOZA, JOSE MENA SANCHEZ, SANTIAGO ORTIZ, RODRIGO GUZMAN, MANUEL
DURANGO and NESTOR MARINO GALVIS (4-III-88)
119. VALENCIA VASCO CAMARGO (III-88)
120. JOSE ANTONIO BOHORQUEZ (16-III-88)
121-144. JUAN SAEZ MARTINEZ, TOMAS BERRIO WILCHES, DONALDO BENITEZ BENITEZ,
DIONISIO BENITEZ BENITEZ, LUIS SIERRA, FREDY MARTINEZ, TOMAS RIVERO AGUIRRE,
JOSE GUEVARA, PEDRO PABLO MARQUEZ BENITEZ, CARLOS MARQUEZ BENITEZ, OSCAR
SIERRA MERCADO, DOMINGO SALAS, CARMEN BARRAGAN, JAIME PATERNINA, IVAN ACEVEDO,
RAMON NISPERUZA, ROGELIO MEJIA MEDRANO, MATENCIO SAENZ, SILVERIO SAENZ, SILVIO
PEREZ PEREZ, SILVIO MELENDEZ, JUAN RUIZ, CLETO MARTINEZ and MARCOS MARTINEZ
(3-IV-88)
145-146. JOSE FRANCISCO POLO VILLALOBOS and HUMBERTO MARTINEZ GUALDRON
(9-IV-88)
147-166. JOSE DURANGO ZAPATA, MANUEL GONZALEZ TURIZO, LEONARDO PALACIO ROMAZA,
CALIXTO ANTONIO GONZALEZ TURIZO, PABLO EMILIO MAZO MURILLO, ORLANDO
BALLESTEROS MARTINEZ, LUCAS HERNANDEZ MADARRIAGA, MANUEL MARTINEZ, HERMINIO
BALLESTEROS, NEVER LOPEZ, EDILBERTO AVILA, CALIXTO HERRERA, BERNARDO SEGURA,
GILBERTO QUINTERO, TIRSO NOE GARAVITO, MARIO ANAYA, DOMINGO DELGADO, FRANCISCO
YANEZ, HEISEN TORRES and MILCIADES HURTADO (11-IV-88)
167. AUGUSTO MUNOZ CASTRILLON (21-IV-88)
168. OVIDIO BERMUDEZ (2-V-88)
169. CAMILO RENTERIA (12-V-88) 170. HAMET CONSUEGRA LLORENTE (26-V-88)
171. FRANCISCO TRIVINO (28-V-88)
172-173. OSCAR RESTREPO and GUILLERMO DE JESUS OSORIO (26-VI-88)
174-176. CESAR GENARO SERPA, EDISON GARCIA, FELIX BOHORQUEZ (14-VII-88)
177. GERARDO JEREZ QUIROGA (15-VII-88)
178-179. LUIS ANTONIO MARTINEZ DUARTE and JUAN JOSE HERNANDEZ DUENAS
(28-VII-88)
180. ALIRIO ZARAZA MARTINEZ (29-VII-88)
b) Unionists who have disappeared
1. MARLENE MEDINA GOMEZ
2. LUIS ALBERTO BUILES
3. ALVARO USUGA
4. MARINA ELVIA DIAZ
5. MARCIAL ALONSO GONZALEZ
6. CHRISTIAN ROA