Definitive Report - Report No 208, June 1981

Case No 1023 (Colombia) - Complaint date: 02-FEB-81 - Closed

1. 52. The complaint is contained in a communication from the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) dated 2 February 1981. The Government sent its observations in a communication dated 11 March 1981.
2. 53. Considering that the statements by the parties are contradictory and in accordance with the procedure of the Committee on Freedom of Association, the Director-General requested the complainant organisation, in a letter dated 8 April 1981, to furnish no later than 15 May 1981 appropriate comments on the observations made by the Government. The Committee has to date received no such comments.
3. 54. 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. Allegations of the complainant

1. 55. In its communication of 2 February 1981, the World Federation of Trade Unions (WFTU) alleges that Mr. Angelino Garzón, Secretary-General of the National Federation of State Workers and Secretary for International Relations of the Confederation of Colombian Workers was arrested, along with other labour leaders.

B. Reply of the Government

1. 56. In its communication of 11 March 1981, the Government points out that inquiries were made in the Department of the Public Prosecutor with the Procurator responsible for the Armed Forces, whose report - a copy of which is provided by the Government - indicates that "relevant inquiries in the Brigade of Military Institutes showed that [citizen Angelino Garzón] has not been deprived of his liberty by members of the Armed Forces".

C. Conclusions of the Committee

1. 57. The Committee notes that the complainant has referred to the arrest of several trade union leaders, although it provides the name and details of the trade union functions of only one of these, Angelino Garzón. The Committee also notes that the complainant has provided no details on the circumstances of and motives for the alleged arrests; the complainant has neither exercised the right to communicate additional information to the Committee nor furnished any comments on the reply of the Government which the Director General transmitted on 8 April 1981. Furthermore, the Committee notes that the competent authorities indicated in a report that Angelino Garzón "has not been deprived of his liberty by members of the Armed Forces".

The Committee's recommendations

1. 58. In these circumstances, the Committee recommends the Governing Body to decide that this case does not call for further examination.