> -----Original Message-----
> From: Andy Higginbottom [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: 31 January 2002 10:49
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Victory Celebrations - SINTRAEMCALI OCCUPATION
> EYEWITNESS No 14
> L2
>
>
> SINTRAEMCALI OCCUPATION: EYEWITNESS UPDATE NUMBER 14
>
> Wednesday, 30th January
>
> Victory Celebrations End Historic Occupation of CAM Tower
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Today in Cali, the neo-liberal model,  based on impoverishment of the
> many for the benefit of the few, has again been dealt a serious blow.
> Through the courage, dedication, and imagination in resistance of
> thousands of people, the CAM Tower occupation came to an end,
> and EMCALI
> EICE ISP remains in state hands, will fulfill its social role by not
> increasing prices to people who can barely afford to eat, and now has
> the power to root out the corruption that has plagued the company for
> years.
>
> Last night I spent my last night in the CAM Tower, with people whose
> dignity and courage has changed many peoples lives, including my own.
> Many joked and laughed, others cried tears of tension and joy.  For
> everyone the immensity of what they had achieved was understood, and
> people chatted about how the 'model' can be broken, and of how public
> services such as education and health could be defended.  There were
> lots of hugs, and special moments, and signs that friendships
> forged in
> these situations will never disappear.  But most of all there was talk
> of the 'salida' (leaving the building).
>
> We had been preparing for this possible day of victory for
> several days,
> with hundreds of Colombian flags being sewn, and the new SINTRAEMCALI
> flag and symbol being designed.  The CAM Tower has become the new
> symbol, with the faces of workers and communities surrounding it. The
> colours of the flag represent the ideas of the movement:
> Green for hope,
> White for honesty, Red for the struggle, and Black for all the members
> that have been assassinated. Around the circular perimeter is written
> SINTRAEMCALI : Por la Vida: Hasta la Vida Misma, a rough translation
> would be 'for life, even if we have to give up our own lives.'.
>
> The 'salida' fulfilled all the expectations, with thousands of people
> filling the streets, the Internationale playing, and the
> workers filing
> out in military parade, faces covered with balaclavas, flags
> held high,
> and the force and power of what had been achieved present for all to
> see.  Before the 'salida' began the new four metre by three metre flag
> of SINTRAEMCALI was lowered by ropes from the 17th floor.  The streets
> filled with the roar of the crowd as they watched it slowly reach the
> ground.  Everybody outside had been told to wear blue jeans
> and white or
> yellow t-shirts, and as the hundreds of workers filed past the
> barricades, they entered the crowd, took their balaclavas off, and
> merged with the masses.  It was a special moment for all.
>
> After several interventions by the strike command, community leaders,
> representatives of SINTRAEMCALI the time came for Alexander Lopez,
> president of the union to make his speech, and the crowd fell
> silent. He
> thanked everyone who had built this victory from the local community,
> the workers, the people who had occupied the Headquarters of the
> Superintendent of Public Services, and of course the women and men who
> had been in the CAM Tower.  He urged everyone to celebrate
> this victory
> of the people, but only for today.  Tomorrow everyone had to
> carry on in
> the struggle, to build in the communities a spirit of resistance which
> would drive out the corrupt oligarchy that has bled the
> country dry, and
> give back to the people what is rightfully theirs: everything.  As the
> sounds of SINTRAEMCALI PRESENTE ended the speech,  we began a march
> around the city's streets, and those who had been inside the CAM Tower
> for 35 hard days, slipped away, silently, and as planned, to protect
> their security and identity.
>
> The occupation was over, but the danger of state and para-state forces
> taking their revenge is not.  This was a big blow to the
> ruling class in
> Colombia, and we all need to stay alert for when they begin to strike
> back through the selective assassination of the activists and leaders
> involved, a practice which has made them notorious.  One
> battle has been
> won, but the dirty war continues.
>
> Mario Novelli
>
> EYEWITNESS REPORT BACK
> ----------------------
> Mario Novelli will be speaking immediately on his return from Colombia
> at 4pm Saturday 2nd February, CORAS Centre, 161 Lambeth Walk, SE11.
> (nearest tubes Vauxhall or North Lambeth), the monthly meeting of the
> Colombia Solidarity Campaign.
>
> RECOMMENDED ACTION
> ------------------
> Celebrate today - and get ready to struggle again tomorrow.
>
>
> NOS CUBRIMOS EL ROSTRO PARA QUE NOS VIERAN
> ------------------------------------------
> Ustedes protagonizaron con nosotros durante treinta y seis días la
> defensa histórica de EMCALI, como una Empresa Industrial y
> Comercial del
> Estado,   acompañaron a SINTRAEMCALI, a la ciudadanía de Cali y  al
> pueblo colombiano a librar una de  las luchas más fuertes de
> la historia
> contra la privatización, la globalización y el modelo neoliberal.
> Presenciaron como los trabajadores tuvimos que cubrir nuestros rostros
> para que el gobierno nos viera. Protegieron la Torre de
> EMCALI que desde
> el 25 de diciembre de 2001 se declaro  Asamblea Popular Permanente.
>
> Ochocientas sesenta y cuatro horas de resistencia para la victoria de
> EMCALI E.I.C.E. demuestran  que la única forma de acceder a los más
> elementales derechos humanos es la protesta social. Llegamos
> a Bogotá y
> ocupamos pacíficamente durante 13 horas la Superintendencia
> de Servicios
> Públicos  para que el gobierno entienda que nuestra propuesta
> de defensa
> de lo público es seria, que no luchamos por un empleo, salario o
> reivindicación social simplemente, lo que hoy ganamos, es el respeto
> integral a los derechos del pueblo colombiano.
>
> Las comunas, las juntas de acción comunal y local,  los sectores
> sindicales sociales de derechos humanos, lograron la firma
> integral del
> petitorio presentado al gobierno: 1. No liquidación ni
> privatización de
> EMCALI y mantenimiento de su naturaleza como Empresa Industrial y
> Comercial del Estado. 2. No incremento de las tarifas de servicios
> públicos domiciliarios por encima de lo establecido en el
> presupuesto de
> EMCALI E.I.C.E. E.S.P. para el año 2002. 3. Solución óptima para
> garantizar la continuidad, operación y funcionamiento de la PTAR,
> buscándose con ello, por parte del gobierno nacional minimizar el
> impacto de las finanzas de EMCALI E.I.C.E E.S.P. y de la comunidad
> usuaria. 4. Ningún tipo de medida administrativa y/o disciplinaria,
> penal o fiscal en contra de trabajador alguno y  pagos de salarios
> correspondientes al tiempo de duración de la asamblea permanente. 5
> Compromiso de convocar una audiencia pública donde se informe a la
> ciudadanía sobre la situación de la empresa y su futuro.
>
> NO NOS MOVERÁN EN LA LUCHA contra la privatización, la corrupción,  la
> impunidad y la criminalización de la protesta social, NO NOS
> MOVERAN es
> el sentido de una lucha en la que hoy gana SINTRAEMCALI,  los
> trabajadores colombianos y el mundo entero que se levanta  contra la
> injusticia.
>
> En medio del luto por los 7.900 asesinatos políticos contra nuestros
> compatriotas el  año pasado, 155 de ellos, dirigentes sindicales a
> quienes dedicamos este triunfo. A todos les decimos: Nuestros muertos
> son mártires de una causa que no se rinde.
>
> A los cientos de trabajadores que desde dentro  de la Torre de EMCALI
> EICE ESP, resistieron 36 días, a los que se arriesgaron su vida al
> ocupar la Superintendencia de Servicios Públicos en Bogotá, y
> enfrentaron   la arremetida de la fuerza pública, con comandos
> especiales y francotiradores quisieron desalojarlos. A todos
> los que se
> movilizaron, participaron en las marchas, mítines, asambleas,
> ocupación
> de  vías, a la comunidad internacional, a las organizaciones
> sindicales
> hermanas, a las organizaciones que confluyeron en el comando municipal
> de paro, a todos y cada uno de los que colocaron un grano de
> arena para
> convertir esta lucha en una espiral incontenible de dignidad y
> resistencia por la justicia social, a todos les decimos vamos para
> adelante, por que la lucha continua.
>
> POR LA VIDA Y LA DIGNIDAD MAS VALE MORIR POR ALGO QUE VIVIR POR NADA.
>
> CONTRA LA PRIVATIZACION
>
> SINTRAEMCALI  PRESENTE, PRESENTE, PRESENTE...
> HASTA CUANDO, HASTA SIEMPRE
>
> Campaña Nacional E Internacional de Derechos Humanos, Contra la
> Privatización, La Corrupción  y la  Penalización de la Protesta Social
>
> Santiago de Cali, 30 de enero 2002
>
>
>
> WE COVER OUR FACES SO THAT THEY SEE US
> --------------------------------------
> You have been fighting alongside us for thirty six days in
> the historic
> defence of EMCALI as a Commercial and Industrial State
> Corporation. You
> have accompanied SINTRAEMCALI, the citizens of Cali and the Colombian
> people in conducting one of the fiercest struggles in history against
> privatisation, globalisation and the neoliberal model. You
> witnessed how
> we the workers had to cover our faces so that the government would see
> us. You protected the EMCALI tower that declared itself on from 25th
> December a Permanent Popular Assembly.
>
> Eight hundred and sixty four hours of resistance to gain the
> victory of
> EMCALI E.I.C.E. demonstrates that the only way to achieve the most
> elementary human rights is through social protest.  We went to Bogotá
> and for 13 hours we peacefully occupied the offices of the
> Superintendent of Public Services, to make the government realise that
> our proposal to defend public services is serious, that we
> are not just
> fighting for a job, a salary or a social demand. What we have
> won today
> is respect for the integral rights of the Colombian people.
>
> The communities, the local and community action committees, the human
> rights, trade union and social sectors achieved the totality of these
> demands presented to the government:
>
> 1. No liquidation or privatisation of EMCALI and maintaining its
> character as an Industrial and Commercial State Corporation.
>
> 2. No increase in charges for public services above those
> already set in
> EMCALI's budget for 2002.
>
> 3. An optimum solution to guarantee the continuity, operation and
> functioning of PTAR [waste water project] with the national government
> seeking to minimise its impact on the finances of  EMCALI
> E.I.C.E E.S.P.
> and the user community.
>
> 4. No administrative, disciplinary, criminal or financial
> measure to be
> taken against a worker, and payment of wages for the time of the
> permanent assembly [occupation].
>
> 5. Commitment to convene a public hearing to inform the
> citizens of Cali
> about the corporation's situation and future.
>
> WE WILL NOT BE DIVERTED AWAY FROM THE STRUGGLE against privatisation,
> corruption,  impunity and the criminalisation of social protest.
>
> WE WILL NOT BE MOVED is the sense of the struggle which today saw
> victory for  SINTRAEMCALI, the Colombian workers and the entire world
> that rises up against injustice.
>
> Amidst sorrow for the 7,900 of our comrades who were murdered by
> political assassinations last year, 155 of them trade union leaders to
> whom we dedicate this triumph. We say to all: our dead are
> martyrs to a
> cause that will not submit.
>
> To the hundreds of workers who from inside the CAM Tower
> resisted for 36
> days;
>
> to those who risked their lives to occupy the Superintendent of Public
> Services building in Bogotá, confronting the attack of the state
> security forces who wanted to force them out with special
> commando units
> and snipers in place;
>
> to all those who mobilised and participated in the marches, meetings,
> assemblies, road blockades;
>
> to the international community, our fraternal trade union
> organisations;
>
> to the organisations who came together in the city's strike command;
>
> to each and everyone who added their grain of sand to turn
> this struggle
> into an unstoppable spiral of dignity and resistance for
> social justice;
>
> to all of you we say fight on, because the struggle continues.
>
>
> FOR LIFE AND DIGNITY, BETTER TO DIE FOR SOMETHING THAN LIVE
> FOR NOTHING.
>
> AGAINST PRIVATISATION
>
> SINTRAEMCALI  PRESENTE, PRESENTE, PRESENTE... UNTIL WHEN, FOR ALWAYS
>
> National and International Human Rights Campaign Against
> Privatisation,
> Corruption and the Criminalisation of Social Justice.
>
> Santiago de Cali, 30th January 2002
>
>
>
> COLOMBIA SOLIDARITY CAMPAIGN CONFERENCE AND AGM
> -----------------------------------------------
> SATURDAY 23nd & SUNDAY 24th FEBRUARY 2002
> CONWAY HALL, RED LION SQUARE, LONDON WC1
>
> "Plan Colombia - Clearing the Way for the Multinationals"
>
> For more information on the campaign contact
> [log in to unmask], or
> PO Box 8446, London N17 6NZ, or tel (07950) 923 448
>
> --
> Andy Higginbottom
> Co-ordinator Colombia Solidarity Campaign
>