------------------------- Via Workers World News Service Reprinted from the May 10, 2001 issue of Workers World newspaper ------------------------- INTERVIEW WITH COLOMBIAN TRADE UNIONIST: "STOP THE DEATH SQUADS!" By Rebeca Toledo New York His smile is warm for someone who brings such a somber message to workers in the United States. Jose Fernando Ramirez, a member of the oil workers' union in Colombia, has been on a tour of this country so that people will know what their tax dollars are doing to the workers and peasants of Colombia. Ramirez is also a member of the National Commission for Human Rights and Peace. Before presenting a brief history of his union to this reporter, he sent greetings to the workers of the U.S. With a war raging in Colombia that is more and more being funded and organized from Washington, Ramirez wants workers here to know what a long struggle his sisters and brothers have had against the huge U.S. oil monopolies. FIGHTING THE 'SEVEN SISTERS' FOR ALMOST A CENTURY His union was formed back in the early 1900s to fight against the "seven sisters"--the world's biggest oil companies, nearly all based in New Jersey. The union's goal was to nationalize Colombia's oil, which was being exploited by the imperialists. In 1948, a union strike eventually gave birth to Copetrol, the Colombian national oil company. "This strike was marked by heavy repression from the state, including harassment, disappearances and deaths. The Colombian military would assassinate unionists and throw them into the Magdalena River," recounted Ramirez. Nevertheless, the union prevailed and in 1951 Copetrol was formed. In 1963, a national strike of the oil workers shut down the entire oil industry. "Shell, Texaco and others saw production come to a standstill," said Ramirez. In 1977, the union launched a 68-day strike against the selling of some Copetrol plants to Dow Chemical. Again the unionists faced fierce state repression. Some 217 workers were fired and blacklisted. But again the union prevailed. "Today," Ramirez continued, "it is not safe to be a trade unionist. In a seven-day period in April, for example, 14 trade unionists were killed by paramilitary terrorists, who are armed, trained and aided by the Colombian military. In this year alone, 130 trade unionists have been murdered by these forces, who are part and parcel of the Colombian military." His union has to operate very cautiously, avoiding certain areas where the paramilitaries and the Colombian military operate. Ramirez explained that the multinational corporations want to privatize and take over Colombia's wealth. And where they can't privatize they will destroy. He used the example of agricultural production. "Colombia, which was once self- sufficient, now imports 700 tons of food a day. It imports coffee, rice, plantains, corn and yucca," he stated. "What is really behind U.S. intervention in Colombia is an attempt by the multinationals to take over industry," Ramirez said. Of the $7.5 billion earmarked for Plan Colombia, $4.4 billion has to be raised by the Colombian government. The only way it can do this is by selling off Colombia's national industries and natural resources. "That is why," Ramirez said, "the workers, peasants and revolutionary movement are against Plan Colombia. It is a plan of war against the people." This war against the people has been going on for a long time now. And the U.S. wants to escalate it, he stated. "It began in 1948 with the assassination of the popular presidential candidate, Jorge Eliecer Gaitán," explained Ramirez. "The two bourgeois political parties then carried out a war that led to the deaths of over 300,000 workers and peasants. The landowners used this opportunity to throw the peasants off the land, with the help of the paramilitary forces of the time." RESISTANCE TURNED INTO ARMED STRUGGLE The peasants retreated to the mountains, Ramirez continued. In 1964, 80 families set up collective farms and became an example for the entire country. The Colombian military responded by sending 16,000 troops and dropping napalm, compliments of the U.S., on the peasants. Led by Manuel Marulanda Velez, Jacobo Prias Alape and others, the peasants resisted, armed themselves and formed what became the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia- People's Army (FARC-EP). "What was needed then and is still needed today in Colombia," Ramirez said, "is peace with social justice. A political solution must be found to the armed conflict." Ordered to do so by the International Monetary Fund, the Colombian government has laid off more than 1,500 state workers. Unemployment is officially at 20 percent. Colombia doesn't need helicopters, arms and bombs from the U.S. What Ramirez wants the people of the U.S. to understand is that although the Colombian military is well-trained in the art of torture, disappearance, assassination and other things learned at the School of the Americas, it cannot be taught to win. The just struggle of the people will win out. "But we need the help of the people in the U.S.," said Ramirez. "Demand that the U.S. stop its intervention in Colombia. Demand that all military aid to Colombia is stopped. Demand that all political intervention be stopped," stated Ramirez. "Demand self-determination for the people of Colombia." He invited all progressive forces to visit Colombia to support the struggle against neoliberalism and globalization. 'STOP THE DEATH SQUADS AND FUMIGATION' "Pressure the Colombian government to stop the paramilitary death squads," he continued. "Demand that the fumigation of Colombian lands be stopped. This fumigation has led to sickness in the peasants-skin diseases, degenerative diseases. It has also led to the destruction of all crops and the environment. "The phony 'war on drugs' has not worked," he stated. "More coca is being grown today than ever before." He explained that the popular movement supports manual eradication of the coca plants. But it "has to be gradual, concerted and must include plant substitution, social and economic programs. "A debt moratorium must be instituted," Ramirez added. "Sixty-five percent of the Colombian GNP goes to paying off the interest on international bank loans. The Colombian government spends twice as much on the military as it does on healthcare, education and social programs. "There has to be a redistribution of wealth in Colombia so that we can build a New Colombia, where the rich won't get richer and the poor poorer," said Ramirez. "We need agrarian reform with credits, technology and land for the peasants." Ramirez states, "If globalization, as put forth by the multinationals, meant freedom for all countries to develop and share in the wealth produced, than we would be for it. But since its goal is to make the rich richer and the poor poorer, we declare it the number one enemy of humanity. "The people of the U.S. are our friends- we need to struggle together. Let's build a world front against poverty and exploitation. Let's build a new world together." - END - (Copyright Workers World Service: Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies of this document, but changing it is not allowed. For more information contact Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., NY, NY 10011; via e-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] For subscription info send message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Web: http://www.workers.org) ------------------ This message is sent to you by Workers World News Service. 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