Teachers Union Leader Killed in Colombia

[Judi Lynn]

Teachers Union Leader Killed in Colombia

BOGOTA – A teachers union leader in northwestern Colombia was gunned down and his teenage daughter wounded over the weekend, police said.

Hernan Polo Barrera, president of the Sitraenal teachers union in Cordoba province, was killed in front of his house on Saturday night.

Two unidentified individuals arrived at Polo Barrera’s house and shot him several times, police spokesmen in Monteria, the capital of Cordoba, said.

The gunmen fled on a motorcycle after killing Polo Barrera.

The union leader’s 16-year-old daughter, Listeh, was taken to a hospital for treatment of a gunshot wound, but she is expected to live, doctors said.

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[Judi Lynn]

1. Assassination of Hernán Polo, leader of PSI affiliate SINTRENAL in Montería Colombia

Assassination of Hernán Polo, leader of PSI affiliate SINTRENAL in Montería Colombia

PSI is shocked and saddened to learn of the assassination of Colombian trade union leader HERNAN POLO, president of the Montería branch of PSI affiliate SINTRENAL.

According to information received by PSI, on April 4 at 6.30pm Hernán Polo was shot dead near his home in Montería, Northern Colombia, in front of his family, by two thugs on motorcycles. Mr Polo had been leading a campaign, on behalf of his union, denouncing irregularities by the regional administration in the grading system and setting of pay scales for administrative workers in the education sector.

PSI has written to President Uribe condemning this assassination in the strongest terms, calling for a swift, thorough and transparent investigation into the events that led to Mr Polo’s death, and for those responsible for Mr Polo’s death to be brought to justice. PSI invites affiliates to do the same. PSI further calls on the Colombian government to end the culture of impunity which has now seen 10 trade unionists killed this year alone.

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