Carlos Rocero --National Coordinator of Procesos de Comunidades Negras
Raul Arroyave- Secretary of International Relations of Central Unitaria de Trabajadores of Colombia
QUESTION- 2:36 Could you tell us why are here in NYC and the United States
Raul Arroyave: 2:48 -3:09 (SPANISH)
Translator: We were invited by groups here in NY to deal with questions about FTAs and other questions in terms of Human Rights and violence against trade unionists in Colombia.
Carlos Rocero : 3:35-4:03 (SPANISH)
Translator: 4:06- 4:31 Basically, they want to be able to talk to members of trade unions in the communities here in the United States about the effects of the FTA how they will effect the trade unionists in Colombia, afro-Colombians, indigenous populations, in COLOMBIA and they want to have a dialog with people here in NY
QUESTION: 4:32-4:54 Last week, in NY and DC, there was a large delegation of Colombians that came with Uribe's govt. Trade unionists, afro-Colombian activists to lobby on behalf of the FTAs. What is your response to their visit?
Raul Arroyave: 5:12 –5:52 (SPANISH)
Translator: 5:53-6:50 First of all, this just shows the desperation from the President of Colombia, Uribe, that wants to sign the FTA. Secondly, the delegation that came here are not representative of the trade unionists in Colombia. They are not representatives of the Afro-Colombian community there. Not. Rep. Of indigenous populations there. And 3rd, it's ironic that during this economic crisis financial crisis, hat president Uribe wants the economy of Colombia to be linked into this economy that is collapsing. That is very ironic that he wants to do that.
Carlos Rocero : 6:51- 7:41(SPANISH)
Translator: 7:43 He says that Uribe, pres of Colombia, just following trajectory that ..he brought reps. Afro-Colombian representatives including minister that is afro-Colombian. Another sub-ministries that are afro-Colombian. Basically what Uribe wants to do is cover how this FTA affects the situation and plight of the Afro-Colombian population in Colombia – the FTA is not favorable to that community.
QUESTION: 9:50- : about recent assassinations.
Raul Arroyave: 10:14- 10:48
Translator: 10:48-11:34
He says yes it correct that 41 trade unionists have been assassinated and Colombia is the most dangerous place for trade unionists. In the last 20 years there has been 2,500 trade unionists assassinated. But along with this, this demonstrates that in Colombia there are no basic rights for workers to organize and to fight for their interests.
QUESTION: 11:35 How will the FTA affect the current situation?
Raul Arroyave: 11:44- 12:05 (SPANISH)
Translator: 12:07-13:01 Basically hes saying – The FTA extends cheap labor in Colombia. At the same time this leads to a displacement of workers here in the US because they want to use the cheap labor in Colombia. What this does it raises the profits will increase 10 fold for the companies
QUESTION: How will the FTA affect displacement within the Afro-Colombian Community,?
Carlos Rocero : 13:43-14:37 (SPANISH)
Translator: 14:40- 15:28 First of all, when the process of the FTA – there was never any consultation with these communities. The FTAs is going to end rights that existed historically- they are going to eliminate all those rights that were won in the past. This will also affect the environment, the natural resources and the territories for the Afr-Colombians, where the indigenous people live. And is not only going to affect that but effect the rights economically, politically culturally, socially of these population.
Carlos Rocero : 15:29-15:48 (SPANISH)
Translator: 15:48-16:07 In addition, many of these ? That are going to be affected by these FTAs are areas they are going to open up industrial areas where many, many people are going to be displaced. And this was the case of Buenaventura, one of the southern towns in Colombia.
QUESTION: 16:30 What is the significance of your visit that it coincided with the greatest US economic collapse in 60 years?
Raul Arroyave: 16:50-17:23 (SPANISH)
Translator: 17:23 First of all, this is something that people have been seeing due to the cyclical crisis of capitalism. That Marx spoke about the ..in the- 19th C. Basic process the over production of goods.
Q 22:48 What do you want NY'ers to know (Rangel and FTA)
Rocero 24:03- 25 25 -(SPANISH)
the election inext month is a very important event for the country, for colombia, we think that the republicans are going to be defeated and we think that this is a point of weakness. The relationship between Colombia and the United States, especially with what has to do with whats favorable, and what we've maintained with the government and Uribe, to the Senator Rangel we'd tell him from colombia that he has to continue opposing the signature of FTA. The FTA doesnt serve any good to North Americans and neither does it serve any good to the colombian people. The FTA only serves good for corrupt north americans who are already rich and it also serves good for some corrupt colombians who are also already rich. For the town and the workers, who are the core of the work, the FTA serves them no good, which is why we're rejecting it, and we ask that the senator Rangel continues to do what he has done so far.
Q: What specific things do you want them to know?
Raul:
28:25- 29: 31(SPANISH)
In the united states there are thousands of afro-americans that are affected by the application of the internal anti-drug politics in the united states, and in the case of colombia something similar is going on. The anti-drug politics that are occuring there, in conjuction with the united states, is affecting the afro-colombians and also criminalizing them. Here (referring to the united states) the afro-americans go to jail treated as a criminal, in colombia they're fumigating them, the environment as well as the communites have poverty that is increasingly deteriorating them. Its a subject that Rangel has to know about so he can take a position which is strong and firm and where it isn't convenient to have the FTA but it also isnt convenient to have plan colomba with all the effects that it has on our country.
QUESITON 42: 44 : Colombia has a high level of violence against trade unionists, activists, which is carried out by the paramilitaries, which have very close ties to the US funded . What are your strategies to fight the violence and what should US citizens know and how can we help you fight the violence?
Raul Arroyave : 43:47- 44:53(SPANISH)
Translator- 44:55- 45: 45 The origin of this problem deals with the financial aid of this tragedy anti-drugs for the region. This is called plan-Colombia. Drug traffic has increased- as well as violence. The appearance that it keeps is the oppsite taking place
Carlos Rocero : 45:50- 47:35(SPANISH)
Translator47:40- 48:52
What is necessary is a complete change of anti-drug politics. Instead of fumigation, process of iradication. Theres many people that receive economic help from supposedly from Dept. Of State, but this leads to violations of basic respect for Human Rights. Here in the US community organizations, academics, and people fighting for basic rights have to be able to educate about the violence in Colombia the force disappearances, the lack of Human Rights and support the struggle in Colombia
Raul Arroyave: 48:54 – 50:28 (SPANISH)
Translator:50:30-51:57 The politics of the war against the drug traffic has the opposite effect. It promotes violence in Colombia. The so-called war against drug market has replaced the war against Communism. This is from the Cold-War. The hypocrisy of the politics of the US is that ...the drug traffic favors the US- 90% of the profit of the drug market goes to the US. Not even with this type of trade does Colombia get much out of it. The only thing Colombia gets out of this is death, fumigation by chemicals of destruction of lands, destruction of forests in mountains, this a tragedy that has to be dealt with.
QUESTION: Is there a message you have for the American people?
Raul Arroyave: 52:14- 53:17(SPANISH)
Translator: 53:20- 53:54 We would like to propose that there should be major demonstrations here in the US by the people and workers against the violence that is taking place. And that these demonstrations should be actions of solidarity that denounce the policies of Pres. Uribe against the Colombian people and the workers in Colombia. This will have an echo worldwide
Raul Arroyave 55: 25-58:09 (SPANISH)
Translator: 58:14- 101: 25
Today, if we look at the stats. Worldwide, the US has the products – total production the present crisis.... n this crisis of capitalism there is two ways capitalism tries to solve this problem One way is the process of war. Where most of the workers get killed- its the workers that end of dying. The 2nd way the financial capitalists try to solve this crisis is by subjugating other countries. This is where the Free Trade Agreement comes into being. We don't want Colombia to be used to solve this crisis. This is a crisis that is irreversible and irrational related to the capitalist system. You have Gates who owns 64 million? Dollars. Then you have millions of people losing there homes. This is one of the contradictions of capitalism. We have to do more than fix the crisis but look more for a political system that are more democratic that will be able to deal with the needs of the people. We have to go beyond capitalism.
