To the Embassador,
The Embassy of Bolivia.
Your Excellency,
We the undersigned wish to express our most energetic condemnation of the repression of workers, peasants and trade unionists that is being carried out by the armed forces under the direction of the government of your country.
We note that in the past few days, at least 74 civilians have been killed and hundreds wounded in this reign of terror directed by a discredited and unpopular government against its own people, who are protesting against misery and exploitation.
No civilised government in the world would kill ordinary people for the “crime” of demonstrating in defence of their most elementary rights – the right to live, the right to work, the right for a roof over their heads and the right for a crust of bread for their children.
We also note that your government has violated the freedom of the press by confiscating papers and magazines just for carrying reports of the protest movement. The Bolivian authorities have also tried to prevent the broadcasting of news concerning these events by the radio.
All these actions show a blatant disregard for the most elementary principles of democracy and human rights.
We wish to inform you, and the government that you represent, that such methods will not halt the struggle of the working people of Bolivia for their just demands, nor will you be able to conceal what is going on in your country from the public opinion of the world.
We demand an immediate cessation of the repression and an end to the harassment of the media.
We express our unreserved support for the working people of Bolivia and demand the immediate resignation of a government that has lost all claim to represent the people, so that the people can freely decide what kind of government and social system they want.
Respectfully yours,
Here you can find the address of the Bolivian Embassy in your country.
Britain:
Jeremy Dear (general secretary, National Union of Journalists)
Nigel Pearce (member of National Executive, National Union of Mineworkers)
Des Heemskerk, media and campaigns officer, AMICUS, metal workers and general (personal capacity)
Ray McHale, Service Conditions Officer, Cheshire UNISON, and Chair of Ellesmere Port & Neston TUC (in a personal capacity),
Ron Graves, Secretary of Peterborough branch of UNISON,
Phil Waker, member of the National Executive Committee of the Communication Workers'
Union (CWU)
Andy Blake, secretary of the CWU London 7 branch,
Mike Hogan, Secretary of the Liverpool Community College branch of UNISON
Pam Woods, Vice-Chair, UNISON, Islington, London.
Rob Sewell, Vice-Chair, Central London branch, NUJ (Personal capacity)
Greece:
Stelios Dafnis, Member of the Executive Committee of Athens
Trade Council.
Tsitonis Takis, Member of Executive committee of
Archaeological places Workers Union.
Dimarogonas Dimos, Member of Executive committee of Greek
Federation of Union in Culture Ministry
Nikakis Dimitris, Vice president of the workers union of
commercial shops
Nikolaou Martha, Member of the Executive committee of the
workers union of commercial shops
Polatos Dionisios, Member of the executive committee of the
union of the workers at shipyard belt
Milonas Elias, Olympic Catering unionist.
Thanos George, Olympic Airways unionist.
Karigianis Leonidas, Member of the committee of unemployment
of Athens Trade Council
Voulis Dimitris, Ex-president of the union of the workers at
the National Ambulance Service
Kanelopoulou Christina, Member of PA.SO.K Youth Athens
Committee.
Karagianopoulos Stamatis, Member of B 4 district Committee
of PA.SO.K Youth.
Gougousis Spiros, Editor of “SOSIALISTIKI EKFRASI”
Doulos Orestis, PA.SO.K Youth member
Sapranidis Nikos, PA.SO.K Youth member
Karaiskos Theodoros, PA.SO.K member
Bouras Kostas, PA.SO.K member
Fragiadaki Maria – Member of the Central Committee of PASOK, member of
the administration of GSEE (Greek TUC)
Vasilakakis Vassilis – Member of the Greek Parliament
Souleles Christos – Vice secretary of the Federation of the Workers at the
Public Sector (ADEDY)
Alexandris Antonis – President of the Workers in the Armaments Industry
Tsichlakis Dimitrios – Vice president of the Municipal Workers in the “Nikaia”
council of Athens
Kritikos Panagiotis – Member of the Greek Parliament, ex - Vice president
of the Greek Parliament.
October 17, 2003.
See also:
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