COPY OF OFFICIAL LETTER FROM SINALTRAINAL

Bogotá, 7th December 2004
Señor RAFAEL BUSTAMANTE
Director Protection Programme
Ministry of the Interior
City

With this letter we inform you that at about 8:00 p.m. on 25th November 2004, as comrade GUSTAVO LINDARTE, a member of SINALTRAINAL's Claims Committee and a Coca Cola worker in the city of Cúcuta, was passing by 9th Street and 7th Avenue, having left the trade union office on his way home, he was hit by a firearm projectile in his left leg, above the knee.

Our comrade heard a noise like pyrotechnic games and at that same instant felt a blow to his leg. He tried to run but realised that he was wounded. He immediately went to the Social Security located on Guamaral Avenue where the bullet was extracted. The police were present at the hospital centre and they were informed of the events.

Trade union leader GUSTAVO LINDARTE is now out of immediate danger from the shooting injury, but this serious incident that endangered his life leaves us very concerned.

We demand that the government and the Colombian authorities investigate and deal with those responsible for this incident, that they protect the lives of the leaders and members of SINALTRAINAL and that they assign immediate security guarantees to GUSTAVO LINDARTE. We hold the state responsible for what might happen to our comrade or to any of our members.

Yours,
JAVIER CORREA SUAREZ
President
SINALTRAINAL
Colombia Solidarity Campaign adds RECOMMENDED ACTION:

Dear President Uribe,

Following the shooting of Coca Cola worker and SINALTRAINAL trade leader GUSTAVO LINDARTE in Cúcuta on 25th November 2004, as the union reported to the police and Ministry of Interior, I/we urge that the Colombian government and authorities:
investigate and deal with those responsible for this incident
assign immediate security guarantees to GUSTAVO LINDARTE
protect the lives of the leaders and members of SINALTRAINAL.

I/we remain extremely concerned for the human rights of trade unionists in Colombia and await your confirmation of progress on the above matters.

Yours,
(Name)
(Organisation)

To send an e-mail to Uribe, login to http://www.presidencia.gov.co and click on ESCRIBALE AL PRESIDENTE at the bottom of the page.

And, in the UK, send copies to:

Colombian Embassy (UK): mail@colombianembassy.co.uk

Foreign Office Minister Bill Rammell rammellb@parliament.uk

and to the Colombia Solidarity Campaign colombia_sc@hotmail.com