Nineteen trade unionists were reportedly killed in Colombia in the first six months of 2007. Cases indicate that in 2005 around 49 per cent of human rights abuses against trade unionists were committed by paramilitaries and 43 per cent by the security forces. Just over 2 per cent and 4 per cent were attributable to guerrilla forces and criminal gangs respectively. Trade unionists in Colombia are at grave risk of human rights abuses. The long-term security of trade unionists depends on decisive action by the Colombian authorities to end the impunity which protects the vast majority of those responsible.
