uniteLANDWORKER Summer 2023
MORE TRUCKS FOR PEACE
Help Colombian worker co-ops build a road to peace and prosperity
Building worker and lifelong trade unionist Ken Routledge is appealing for other Unite
branches to join with the Everton NW/UD088 Unite Branch, of which he is
secretary, in donating towards TRUCKS FOR PEACE – raising funds for
Colombian Co-ops.
The
co-ops are organised by former FARC guerrillas in the South American Republic
south west region around the city of Cali and are essential to helping build
peace and co-operativism and in raising living standards amongst poor rural
communities.
It is
seven years since a Peace Agreement was signed by FARC insurgents who in 1964,
a time when democratic change appeared impossible, took up arms and over the
next 52 years about 260,000 people were killed and millions displaced by the
conflict with the Colombian government.
One of
those involved with the Peace negotiations - in which the Unite backed London
based Justice for Columbia organisation played a key role - with the government
was Alexandra Nariño, a Dutch former guerrilla fighter and English
teacher who joined FARC, then 20,000 strong, in 2002 and became one of FARC’s
leading public figures from 2007 onwards.
Narino,
plus an indigenous former FARC fighter, feature in a short ‘TRUCKS FOR
PEACE’ Fundraising Campaign video launched by TRADEMARK, an anti-sectarian
Belfast based organisation which has a strong UNITE membership.
“The
agreement we signed was a good one but the government then changed and we are
battling to have it implemented,” explains Narino. Dozens of former guerrillas
have been killed in mysterious circumstances by forces loyal to the state
whilst Columbia also remains the most dangerous place in the world for trade
unionists who are the targets for paramilitary forces.
When they
gave up their arms and settled for peace, insurgents were awarded $2,000 each
to help finance and find work and build a future for the communities they live
in. Some have pooled these monies to set up worker cooperatives, whose members
also include indigenous people who were never armed fighters, producing coffee,
clothes and beer, among many other products. However, the bottleneck for most
of them is to bring their products to the market and sell them for a fair
price.
De Mano
en Mano (From
Hand to Hand) has been
established to help the 27 former FARC members newly formed coops and those
from surrounding rural communities in Southwest Columbia to commercialise their
products. Marketing will be key but, in addition, transporting products is
difficult because “the roads are poor……….so we need a truck,” states Narino.
The
vehicle will cost around £25,000. As we go to press around a third of this has
been raised including £100 from the UNITE English Language Teachers’ Branch and
Unite LE128 - Trade Union Staff Branch and £75 from Everton NW/UD088 Unite
Branch.
“Our
members regularly donate to good causes,” explains Ken, who back in 1973 was
involved in helping two Chilean exiles, who had escaped South America when
General Pinochet took power in a coup and began a period of totalitarianism in
which tens of thousands of trade unionists were disappeared, to find work at
the Vauxhall car factory, where Ken himself was a steward for over a
decade.
“I am
full of admiration for South American people who have stood up for their rights
for decades as whilst we often lose battles here that usually means we lose our
jobs. In Colombia it might mean losing your life. I think Narino’s bravery is
also an inspiration.
“The
monies are needed to help people with the rebuilding of their lives and the
communities they live in. I’d urge other branches to show support and also
support the invaluable work of Justice for Colombia.”
https://justiceforcolombia.org/about-jfc/
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