Press area
Delegation flies to Guatemala murder site to demand justice
26 January 2007
A high level delegation from Europe, the US and Latin America will fly to Guatemala tomorrow to demand justice for trade unionist Pedro Zamora, gunned down 12 days ago, and to help protect his colleagues, who are also under threat of death. The delegation has been organised by the ITF as the latest move in its campaign to ensure that the brutal assassination is not covered up by the authorities.
The group will meet with Pedro Zamora’s family, the government, the police, the US Embassy, trade union leaders and human rights groups (see below for agenda), as well as visiting the grave of Mr Zamora. It comprises ITF officials; a Venezuelan Deputy (Member of Parliament); ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) representatives; and Spanish, Guatemalan, El Salvadorean and US trade unionists. Officials from the ILO (International Labour Organization) and the US AFL-CIO are also expected.
ITF General Secretary David Cockroft explained: “In the time since Pedro’s appalling murder – shot 20 times as he tried to protect his children and then blasted in the face at point blank range – we’ve fought to ensure that it isn’t just swept under the carpet. Guatemala’s streets buzz with accusations that it was condoned at a high level, and we aim to keep racking the pressure up on the authorities to do something about it. This delegation, assembled at virtually zero notice, is part of that effort. The calibre of those going on it shows both the outrage this vile little murder created and how seriously people around the world take this mission.
“It (the delegation) is also intended to help protect Pedro’s union colleagues, five of whom are victims of the same kind of death threats, shadowing and intimidation that preceded his murder.”
Pedro Zamora, General Secretary of the STEPQ Dockers’ union in Puerto Quetzal, was shot 20 times by multiple assailants who ambushed him as he collected his sons from a hospital appointment on 15 January. After firing 100 shots one walked up to the wounded Zamora and shot him in the face – in front of his children, one of whom, three year old Ángel, was wounded in the attack. Zamora’s last act had been to push the children to the floor to try and protect them.
At the time David Cockroft, ITF General Secretary said: “This is an outrage, pure and simple. It could not have been a more dirty and cowardly attack. It’s a filthy little act that makes the blood of any decent person boil. The Guatemalan government will never be forgiven if it doesn’t investigate and then bring the murderers to justice.” (see www.itfglobal.org/press-area/index.cfm/pressdetail/1135/region/1/section/0/order/1 )
The delegation includes
Stuart Howard, ITF Assistant General Secretary
Antonio Fritz, ITF Latin American Regional Secretary
Frank Leys, ITF Dockers’ Section Secretary
Francisco Torrealba, Venezuelan Parliamentary Deputy and National ITF Co-ordinator
Amanda Villatoro, ITUC Secretary of Policy and Education (from El Salvador)
Manuela Chavez, ITUC (travelling from Belgium)
Rebecca Madsen, CC.OO union (arriving from Spain)
José María Fernández, ISCOD/UGT union (from Guatemala)
David Morales, UITA-FESTRAS union (from Guatemala)
Arturo Ruiz, USTAC union (from Guatemala)
Oscar Giovanni, STEPQ union (from Guatemala).
Tim Beaty, Teamsters Director of Global Strategies (flying from USA)
Representatives of the ILO and AFL-CIO are to be confirmed.
The delegation’s itinerary includes a visit to Pedro Zamora’s family and to his grave. Meetings are currently being sought with: The President of Guatemala; The General Attorney; the Auxiliary General Attorney, Escuintla District; Deputy Aristides Baldomero Crespo Villegas, head of the FRG, the largest political party in Congress; Deputy Edgar Alfredo Rodríguez, President of the Human Rights Committee of the Guatemalan Congress; Dr Sergio Morales, Human Rights General Attorney; the US Embassy Labour and Human Rights Attaché; and the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights.
ENDS
For more information contact ITF press officer, Sam Dawson.
Direct line: + 44 (0)20 7940 9260.
Email: dawson_sam@itf.org.uk
International Transport Workers' Federation - ITF:
HEAD OFFICE
ITF House, 49 - 60 Borough Road, London SE1 1DS
Tel: + 44 (0) 20 7403 2733
Fax: + 44 (0) 20 7375 7871
Email: mail@itf.org.uk
Web: www.itfglobal.org
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