Guatemala: Another SITRABI Member Assassinated

Guatemala: Another SITRABI Member Assassinated

Brussels, 13 October 2011 - The ITUC has joined with its Guatemalan affiliates, the CUSG, CGTG and UNSITRAGUA, in condemning the murder of Henry Anibal Marroquin Orellana, a member of the Izabal banana workers' union SITRABI, on 24 September in the municipality of Amates, in the department of Izabal.

This new killing is one more in the long list of murders targeting trade union leaders and members. His death is mourned by the Guatemalan trade union movement and SITRABI, and has left yet another Guatemalan family suffering the pain of losing a loved one.

"Yet another member of the Guatemalan trade union family has been killed on account of his trade union activities, and those responsible will most probably never be brought to justice," said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow. "This impunity must end now! Impunity must not continue to abet those who exploit it! The Guatemala authorities, which pledged to take the steps necessary to end the violence against trade unionists at the II ITUC Conference against Impunity, must fulfil their commitments and responsibility," insisted Sharan Burrow.

In a letter to President Colom, the ITUC urged the Guatemalan authorities, and in particular the Public Prosecutor's Office, to take every action necessary to guarantee the right to life as well as respect for the core ILO conventions, and to bring an end to the reign of impunity, by strengthening the rule of law.

The ITUC represents 175 million workers in 151 countries and territories and has 305 national affiliates. Website: http://www.ituc-csi.org and http://www.youtube.com/ITUCCSI

ENDS

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