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Zamora killing anniversary: does new government bring hope for justice?
15 January 2008
A year to the day after the murder of Guatemalan trade union leader Pedro Zamora, the ITF is asking the country’s new leader to help end the cover-up that has allowed his killers to escape justice.
The federation is welcoming the inauguration of new President Alvaro Colom, which it believes offers fresh hope to Guatemala and an opportunity to end the impunity that has plagued the nation.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft will today call on President Colom to breathe new life into the stalled and ineffective investigation into the murder of the popular labour leader, who was gunned down as he picked up his child from a clinic on 15 January last year. Working with Pedro Zamora’s STEPQ trade union the ITF has spearheaded a campaign to demand justice, protect other union members whose lives have also been threatened, and help the union in the struggles against arbitrary sackings that are thought to have led to the murder (see www.itfglobal.org/campaigns/zamora.cfm).
David Cockroft said: “Pedro’s assassination has been deliberately buried under layers of deceit and obstruction. Like the people of Guatemala we hope that the change of government gives the best chance so far of sweeping them aside. We are pleased to offer this new government the same assistance in securing justice that we offered its predecessor – but with greater hope that real action will finally be taken.”
In the latest move by the ITF in its No to Impunity Campaign its Assistant General Secretary and the head of its Information and Policy Department will travel this month to Guatemala City to participate in a No Impunity conference.
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