The North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee Blog

Article about Orlando's talk in Brown student newspaper

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Colombian union leader calls for fairer labor practices

George Miller

Colombian union leader Orlando Acosta spoke last night to a packed Joukowsky Forum in the Watson Institute for International Studies, criticizing both the Colombian and American governments for failing to end human rights violations and unfair labor practices in the Colombian mining industry.

Acosta, who spoke in Spanish through an interpreter, told the audience of more than 60 how mining practices in Colombia displace communities and harm the environment. "The so-called third-world countries," he said, make a mistake in misusing natural resources in the pursuit of development. Acosta is a leader of the mine workers' union at Drummond Mining Company in Colombia.

He described how companies intimidate union leaders and their families to try to quell protests. "A message is sent to the families and union leaders themselves telling them that if they do not stop their denunciation of the policies of the mining companies they're going to lose what they cherish most," Acosta said. He said he had been sent a leaflet printed with a skull - to him, the message was clear.

U.S. aid to the Colombian government doesn't help the situation, Acosta said. The money that comes from this support keeps guerrillas and paramilitary groups - many of which fight against union interests - alive, he said. Americans should be aware of the impact of U.S. trade in South America, he added.

"The coal that is being extracted in Colombia and elsewhere really ends up here, and it's what allows or pays for these commodities that you enjoy here," he said.

Avi Chomsky, history professor at Salem State College and a member of the North Shore Colombia Solidarity Committee, spoke after Acosta and echoed his concerns. "We all participate in unfair trade all the time," she said. "We have no choice of where we get our electricity and we can't live without electricity."

Acosta addressed at length the proposed free trade agreement between the United States and Colombia. He said Colombian union leaders have formally proposed putting the agreement up for referendum. That treaty was signed in 2006 but has not been ratified by Congress due, among other factors, to Democratic leaders' concerns over the Colombian government's failure to curb anti-union violence.

Acosta's appearance was organized by several campus organizations, said Jake Hess GS, including Colombians United at Brown, the Center for Latin American Studies and Colombian Solidarity Network, of which Hess is a member. Acosta was on a tour of the Atlantic region and stopped in New England for a week, Hess said.

The crowd, mostly students, quickly filled available seats, forcing attendees to stand or sit on the floor. Sales of books and handmade shoulder bags as well as a collection envelope passed around during the speech raised money for the labor unions' efforts and Acosta's travel expenses.

Drew Smith '10 said, in reaction to the speech, that consumers should be more aware of the international effects of their actions. "I think we all need to get more involved in these kinds of issues," he added.

posted by Alan  # 8:48 PM