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OSSTF District 11- Thames Valley
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District 11 Office |
Education Matters Online
Feature
Volume 1, Issue 1: April 7, 2003
Colombia and CanadaBy Bryan Smith, Chairperson of the Human Rights and Status of Women Committee |
For several years, Colombia has been portrayed in the news and popular media as the land of cocaine peopled by drug smugglers and their hired guns. Lost to our perception have been the victims of a ruthless and senseless war being waged against ordinary people by paramilitaries, paid assassins, regular troops, guerillas, and death-squads, In the last two years, over 200 people have been killed or "disappeared " for trying to help their fellow workers. A recent refugee brought photos of friends and associates. After naming people in the photos, he would say "dead" and point to at least one person per photo, victims of assassinations.
The Canadian Labour Congress, of which OSSTF is a member, struck a deal with Canada Immigration for status as a Sponsorship Agreement Holder in order to bring families targeted by assassins to safety in Canada. Under these Sponsorship Agreements, churches and other humanitarian organizations have long provided supportive environments for people fleeing for their lives. CLC’s participation in this form of international solidarity is an indication of several things:
 | an increasing awareness of the blood being spilt in Colombia, among other places. Press clippings tell us that teachers there are frequent targets. |
| an awareness of the need for solidarity with workers in Canada and around the world |
| the creativity in the labour movement in adapting an outreach method usually associated with religious organizations |
| generosity of spirit |
| a profound analysis of the root causes of the situation in Colombia, |
| the willingness of all CLC member unions, including OSSTF, to provide assistance to people whose lives are at risk. |
Interesting things happen when broad-based coalitions are formed at national and local levels. The impetus to intervene in Colombia may be national, but the first local group to agree to host a refugee family is, in fact, a coalition in Woodstock. Members of OSSTF, CAW, Steelworkers, community groups, youth, women’s advocates and environmentalists have signed on. With little information about the specific individuals, some excellent training, strong support from CLC and a growing awareness of the risks that union members in Colombia face daily, our group began to plan to receive a family. The more their names were used, the higher the risk to them of a pre-emptive assassination to prevent their departure from Colombia.
Why would anyone agree to work with an unknown family, whose members may be one to nine in number, whose ages may be less than one or more than ninety? We have heard horrific stories from human rights activists who have visited Colombia, and from Colombians here. We have heard of flower-workers who protest against the spraying of pesticides over pregnant women, only to become targets. We know that over fifty families are in immediate danger and that this year, and entire negotiating team was massacred in front of the union membership. We felt we must act. Torture and death are not things we could think about dispassionately.
Taking a cue from a tiny community that has sponsored nine refugees over the past ten years, the Oxford group has decided to
| collect clothing, household goods, furniture and other supplies needed for a family. Our community was generous. Goods flowed regularly. My trunk was regularly filled with donations from OSSTF members in my branch and others. CAW members contributed furniture, clothing, and short-term accommodations. |
| work with partners at finding appropriate housing, ESL health-care providers, and moral support for the refugees. An OSSTF retiree worked with the family in the summer to develop their English skills. |
| begin to find money for necessary expenses. District 11's Human Rights committee and Political Action both recognized that this was a case that spanned both mandates. The assassinations are part of a political agenda to attack organized labour, leadership and education. Fundamental rights were being attacked: kidnap attempts on the children in the family were an attempt to silence the adults. |
On the other hand, we know that CLC and CAW have committed to
| supporting host groups through training and networking |
| doing the legwork with the federal government to get the refugees into Canada, to safety |
| providing financial guarantees to Canada Immigration |
| encouraging local members, member groups, associations and coalitions to participate, and share their experiences and |
| tapping and developing expertise. |
Under Sponsorship Agreements, constituent groups do not have to be large. Their hearts, however, do need to be. Additionally, they need to have people willing to plan, to welcome others into their community, and to assist people through feelings of strangeness and isolation. Education workers are, of course, well equipped with the skills needed!
If you want to help, you can:
| join the Human Rights committee! Contact Mary Lou Cunningham at District 11 offices to have your name added to the committee member list |
| consider founding a sponsoring group under the CLC umbrella |
| support the work of OSSTF Human Rights initiatives |
| support the work of CLC groups in your local community offering refuge to Colombians |
| encourage churches, service clubs, labour or other organizations to begin or renew sponsorship arrangements. |
| make a donation of goods, services or money to the Oxford Coalition for Social Justice to help with the Colombian family coming to Woodstock. Mail cheques payable to the "Oxford Coalition for Social Justice" to Eleanor Hart, Treasurer, RR #6, Woodstock, Ontario, N4S 7W1 |
| challenge Federal politicians to investigate Canada’s role in countries where Human rights violations occur and ask them to militate for a more active role by Canadian politicians and diplomats in favour of the respect for rights we expect. |
For more information on sponsorships, refugees and what you can do, contact
| Canadian Department of Citizenship and Immigration |
| United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees |
| Kairos: Canadian Ecumenical Justice Initiatives |
| Colombia Update newslist of the Canada Colombia Working Group |
| Amnesty International Canada |
| Human Rights Watch |
| local CLC or CAW offices, |
| Bryan Smith c/o College Avenue Secondary School (539-0020), Woodstock |
| The Oxford Coalition for Social Justice c/o Cathy Austin |
| Domenic Bellisimo, the provincial Secretariat member attached to the provincial Human Rights Committee, regarding OSSTF initiatives in South America. |
Having spent a summer, fall and winter in Canada, our refugees remain grateful to OSSTF and other labour organizations who intervened to help them and remain committed to promoting social justice. Their message of courage is an inspiration to us all.
