 Washington Fair Trade Coalition Working on behalf of people and the planet for a fair global trading system |
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Resources >> WFTC Press Release on Colombia FTA | ||||
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May 1, 2008 WFTC Press Release: Washington Congress Members Have Still Not Taken Stand Against Violence in Colombia Recent news from Colombia has been troubling. An assassination plot was discovered that threatens a witness who claims Colombian government officials are linked to death squads. President Uribe's cousin was arrested for allegedly supporting right-wing paramilitaries. Even President Uribe himself is under investigation for connection to a massacre. Meanwhile, 17 union organizers have been murdered so far this year, continuing the disturbing pattern in which 2,500 unionists have been killed since 1986. And yet, despite these abhorrent circumstances, not one member of Congress from Washington State has taken a stand against this violence and corruption by declaring opposition to the pending US-Colombia free trade agreement (FTA). Many people in Washington State and around the country are angered by the fact that the Colombia FTA is still on the table in these circumstances. While the House of Representatives has postponed a vote on the FTA indefinitely, many organizations and individuals are still calling on their members of Congress to speak out against the agreement. A majority of House Democrats across the country have already come out in opposition, but notably none from Washington State have done so. In Washington State, the FTA is opposed by the Washington Fair Trade Coalition, whose 33 member organizations include labor, environmental, and faith groups among others. "We want to see our Representatives in this state taking a stand against violence and corruption," says Stephanie Celt, director of the Washington Fair Trade Coalition. "Washington's citizens have a high regard for human and workers' rights, and there is true outrage over this trade deal - something our Representatives seem to be ignoring." "It goes without saying that if it were CEOs rather than union members being regularly murdered in Colombia the US would never have considered negotiating this trade agreement," comments Rick Bender of the Washington State Labor Council. "It is unacceptable to ignore the continued violation of human rights in Colombia." The Washington State Labor Council is one of many groups around the state that has written to our members of Congress asking them to oppose the agreement. "Washington is a very trade-dependent state, and that is all the more reason why we have to be sure that trade agreements support free and fair trade," argues Stan Sorscher of SPEEA, the union of Boeing engineers and technical workers. We should stop approving NAFTA-style agreements, and re-examine our trade policies overall, instead of approving a new agreement with Colombia.” Rejection of this agreement is not expected to be very harmful to Colombia, which already receives preferential access to the US market. Each passing day seems to bring about more stories of violence, corruption, and disregard for the rule of law in Colombia. Each day also sees increasing numbers of Congress members declaring opposition to the FTA; now a majority of House Democrats have done so. Washington State's Democratic members of Congress are now noteworthy for their absence from this majority. ### |
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