The murders of trade unionists have become a concern in Colombia. According to multiple sources including the British Broadcasting Corporation, eleven trade unionists were murdered in Colombia in 2024. Moreover, around three thousand trade unionists have so far been killed in Colombia, where they are murdered more than anywhere else in the world. Trade unionists in Colombia are killed by many groups including the security forces, paramilitary armed groups and rebel groups. The murders of trade unionists that impact the rights of workers often lead to widespread criticism in Colombia and beyond. But it remains unclear how much the murders of trade unionists will be reduced in Colombia.
There are armed conflicts-based, retaliatory and other reasons for the murders of trade unionists in Colombia. Conflicts between the paramilitary forces and rebel groups, intimidation tactics by powerful corporations and involvement of paramilitary groups with political agendas are crucial causes. Ongoing conflicts between the government forces and rebel groups —the conflicts which have been going on for several decades — often target union leaders for their perceived political influence. Among others, retaliation for organizing workers also leads to the murders of trade unionists. But the lack of effective government protection for trade unionists in high-risk areas and corruption within the government and law enforcement agencies allow perpetrators to act with impunity or facilitate the killing of many including trade unionists in Colombia.
The government of Colombia has taken legal and other steps to fight the murders of trade unionists. The government has strengthened the legal framework, created specialized investigative units within the Attorney General’s Office to prosecute those responsible for murdering trade unionists, improved security for them, increased funding for protection programs including the National Protection Unit and promote dialogue between social partners to address the violence against such unionists and their murders. Though the measures of the government have helped address various reasons to some extent and led to a decrease in the number of trade unionist murders in recent years, they are still negligible in Colombia, one of the worst places in the world for trade unionists.
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There are also various flaws in the government measures, leading to limited outcomes of the efforts and the continuation of such murders. Pertinently saying, there is often a lack of concrete action against the murderers of trade unionists, ineffective government protection mechanisms and persistent impunity for the perpetrators in Colombia. Among others, there is inadequate implementation of international recommendations and a history of government complicity or collaboration with paramilitary groups. Many of these issues stem from the government’s failure to prioritize the protection of trade unionists and its slow approach to these murders. These shortcomings have led to a continued climate of fear and impunity for those responsible for these heinous crimes.
Addressing the challenges and ending the murders of trade unionists is vital in Colombia — where most of such murders have been carried out by the armed forces or the rebels. But there is a need for greater accountability for perpetrators and a robust legal system. For this, bolstering the judicial system and the improvement in law enforcement are vital. The authorities need to prioritize investigations into all cases of deaths and threats, ensure accountability of those who are responsible and provide adequate protection to those trade unionists who are at risk. The government needs to address the root causes of conflict. Fostering international cooperation will also help.Â
But it is vital to ensure the full exercise of the freedom of association right, while also addressing the harassment of trade unionists. For this, ensuring the freedom and integrity of trade unionists is crucial and will be helpful. But systemic inequality and social injustices that exacerbate tensions between different groups in society also need to be addressed in order to reduce the risk of the murders of trade unionists further. But continued peace efforts with rebel groups will also help end the murders of trade unionists in Colombia.
