Annex 3 to Circular No. 008/A.2/2007
¡No a la impunidad!
Campaign for justice for Pedro Zamora Alvarez, General Secretary of the
ITF-affiliated port union STEPQ, murdered in Puerto Quetzal, Guatemala,
and for protection of the remaining leaders and members of STEPQ.
“The ITF will ensure Guatemalan authorities cannot sweep this politicallymotivated assassination under the carpet and is determined to protect STEPQ
members” David Cockroft, General Secretary.
This short briefing is for ITF affiliated unions, national centres and other trade union
organisations, campaigning for the murderers of Pedro Zamora to be brought to
justice, for an end to anti-trade union violence in Guatemala, and for social justice for
Guatemala’s port workers.
Background
In October 2006, 300 armed riot police occupied the port of Quetzal following
industrial action by the ITF’s affiliate, the Puerto Quetzal Dockers’ Union (STEPQ).
The union’s action was in protest over plans to privatise the port, the company's
failure to negotiate a collective agreement and trade union oppression. Workers were
also demanding the removal of the head of the port.
International protests at the government’s actions poured in. The banana companies
using the port were lobbied - with the help of the IUF, the food workers’
international. The Guatemalan government then indicated that was ready to come to
the negotiating table. By January 2007, it seemed that the dispute was all but settled.
However, Guatemala is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for trade
unionists, with many being murdered each year. During the course of the dispute,
union leaders were threatened and armed security agents followed and intimidated
Pedro Zamora, the General Secretary.
The death of Pedro Zamora
On 15th January, after picking up his children from a hospital appointment, Pedro
Zamora's car was followed and then rammed by a white pick-up truck. His car was
sprayed with gunfire from both sides of the vehicle. More than 100 bullets hit the car,
around 20 hit Zamora. One of the killers then walked up to his vehicle and shot him
in the face, a method reminiscent of that used by paramilitary forces during the
country's civil war. Despite Zamora's efforts to protect his children during the attack,
his 3-year-old son was injured.
Surviving leaders receive death threats
Since the killing, the five surviving leaders of the STEPQ union have received
telephoned death threats. They are being followed; one leader has a car with people
Annex 3 to Circular No. 008/A.2/2007
in it constantly parked in front of his house. The trade unionists say that they are
particularly concerned because the threats are that their families will also be
murdered.
The ITF and the International Trade Union Confederation - ITUC are making a
complaint to the International Labour Organization’s Freedom of Assocation
Committee, on the grounds that these acts constitute gross violations of trade union
rights. The ITF has also sought the assistance of the Office of the United Nations
High Commissioner for Human Rights.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft has written to the government of Guatemala,
and equally, others in the international trade union movement have called on the
Guatemalan government to ensure that a full investigation takes place, that the
culprits are identified and that they are brought to justice (for more information on
this, please visit the ITF website). Other Global Unions have offered support and are
being approached to participate in joint activities. Human Rights organizations and
other international bodies are being approached.
What can you do?
In this particularly shocking and violent case, the ITF wants to do more. It is
important to ensure that Pedro Zamora’s death is properly investigated and that the
authors and the perpetrators are brought to justice. It is also important that the death
threats and campaign of intimidation against STEPQ leaders are stopped. The ITF
wants to ensure that the port workers of Guatemala win their battle to achieve
proper recognition and respect in the process of modernisation of their port.
Pedro’s commitment to the union cause is the reason he was targeted for political
killing – his death must not be in vain. For this reason, we are today launching a
Campaign for Justice for Pedro Zamora and STEPQ. We are calling on unions
internationally to:
1. Continue to send protest letters to the government of Guatemala, demanding
safety guarantees for the union’s leaders and members, condemning the
assassination, demanding an investigation into the murder and asking that the
perpetrators be brought to justice.
2. Approach Members of Parliament, Congress and Assembly Deputies to support
the campaign by asking that their governments seek a firm assurance from the
government of Guatemala that Pedro Zamora’s killers will be brought to justice
through a transparent judicial process and that STEPQ leaders will be protected.
3. Circulate the Charter for Justice (attached as Ax 2.) to union members and public
figures for signature and return to the ITF. This charter is also available in
petition form on the ITF website.
Start your campaign now
We are asking unions to take up these three actions immediately:
Annex 3 to Circular No. 008/A.2/2007
Sending letters: It is already possible to send automated letters from the ITF website;
the link is : http://www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/pedro-zamora.cfm. Please use this
method, or send a fax, and circulate this link to as many supporters as you can. You
can also send letters by post.
Lobbying parliament and assembly representatives: We want you to contact members of
parliament and ask them to join the campaign. They can do this by publicly asking
their governments to seek an assurance from the government of Guatemala that
Pedro Zamora’s killers will be brought to justice through a transparent judicial
process.
Charter for Justice, and online petition: The attached Charter can be used both for
publicity and to give union members a chance to contribute to the campaign. Print
out the Charter, and give it to members of parliament or other public figures, to sign
– they may want to do this in a signing ceremony. Equally, ask your members to sign
them and fax them back to the ITF. We will be keeping records of the numbers that
sign up to the campaign, and will use this for ongoing campaigning.
“Pedro was one of our own, a valued member of the ITF as well as a family man and
leader of his trade union. We will grieve for him alongside his family, friends and
colleagues, but we will not forget that it does not end here.” David Cockroft, ITF
General Secretary.
Help Pedro’s family and support his union
We are appealing for financial assistance, both for Pedro’s family and to support the
union struggle in Guatemala.
Pedro died fighting for justice for the port workers of Guatemala. Any modernisation
of Puerto Quetzal must take place in an environment of respect for trade union
rights, of consultation with the workers and with an understanding of the role of the
port for the broader community. The union must be able to continue to function in an
environment free of death threats and intimidation.
The ITF is making a donation; should you wish to make a financial contribution to
support Pedro’s family and/or to support the union struggle, please contact the ITF.
More information
For the ITF’s solidarity and campaign pages please go to:
http://www.itfglobal.org/solidarity/pedro-zamora.cfm
http://www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/zamora.cfm
For detailed information about trade union rights violations in Guatemala over
2005/6, go to the ICFTU’s Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights
http://www.icftu.org/displaydocument.asp?Index=991223863&Language=EN