PUBLIC STATEMENT AND MEETING OF UNIONS, AND SOCIAL AND POLITICAL ORGANIZATIONS FOR THE DIGNITY OF LA GUAJIRA

Social, political, rural, communal, indigenous and Afro-Colombian organizations, as well as various unions, met on May 15, 2014, at the Civic Committee for the Dignity of La Guajira with the aim of:
Consult and approve the List of Demands for the Dignity of La Guajira to be sent to the National Government and multinational Cerrejón Limited, Public Enterprises of Medellin and Ecopetrol Association - Chevron Texaco, and
To define in conjunction, a preparatory agenda of social mobilization of a departmental civic strike of the Guajiro people.
Consensus of Collective Considerations Derived from the Encounter:
We reaffirm our rejection of neoliberal policies that have been implemented in the country  over four lustrous decades in the presidency of Juan Manuel Santos, resulting in the delivery of natural resources to multinationals, privatization of public services, education and health, cutting of labor guarantees and measures against the agricultural sector, especially the Free Trade Agreement – NAFTA – with the United States, reducing transfers to departments, municipalities and indigenous reservations and the robbing of privileges, thereof.
We reject these government policies that have plunged La Guajira into deep crisis; it has amplified the gap of social inequality and has positioned us as one of the most unequal societies on the planet.
We also reject the following disastrous consequences suffered by the Guajira, which derived from this neoliberal monster:



High levels of poverty and misery;
Illiteracy;
Unemployment;
Labor outsourcing;
Malnutrition and rise of infantile mortality rates;
Low coverage, poor quality and high rates of public services;
Misuse and abuse on the part of the companies rendering domiciliary public services;
 Crisis in the hospital/medical and educational networks;
The collapse of the trade, the agriculture, the industries and the grave, as well as irreversible environmental impacts;
The criminalization of social protest and systematic violation of human rights through intimidation and threats to our union, social and leftist leaders.
We are in a state of flux struggles and mobilizations of various social sectors in the country and in La Guajira, as illustrated the recent agricultural strike, the teacher’s strike and blockades which occur on a daily basis in the department by indigenous parties, blue-collar workers, farmers, users of public services, victims’ organizations and many others. These protests are a sign of the high degree of dissatisfaction with the current situation in the Department of La Guajira, and the unwillingness of the government to improve working conditions and to dignify the lives of the Guajiro people.
Decisions Derived from the Encounter:
For the above expressed by the spokesman of the various organizations that took part in the First Encounter of Union, Social and Political Organizations for the Dignity of La Guajira, the following was approved:
To organize and carry out a departmental Grand Civic Strike “For the Dignity of Guajira,” which will be peaceful in nature, and characterized as a social protest that will demand the National Government, multinational Carbones del  Cerrejón Limited, Public Enterprises of Medellin and Ecopetrol Association - Chevron Texaco, payment for the immense social debt owed to the Guajiro people. The payment will compensate for the immense environmental, social, economic and cultural liabilities owed to them for 37 years of mining and energy development. Delegate to The Civic Committee for the Dignity of the Guajira, the direction of the Grand Departmental Civic Strike, an agency which will be considered an official departmental committee, and will host delegates from municipalities and other organizations and associations who wish to participate in the strikes.
Set in the second encounter of Union, social and political organizations to be held on the next June 21, the zero hour for the start of the Grand Departmental Strike.
To establish a correlation between the execution of the zero hour of the Grand Departmental Civic Strike, the determination and decision both the National Government and Multinational enterprises to discuss and negotiate the list of demands imposed by The Civic Committee for The Dignity of the La Guajira.
To design and approve a social movement plan to organize and acclimate the completion of the Departmental Grand Civic Strike, through which the following actions will occur:
Create a letter in the Casa of Nariño, which will identify  the main points of the list of demands, such letter is to be constructed in conjunction with diverse social sectors and it must contain the most desired constructive solutions of the Guajiro people.
Require the national government, and through respective intermediaries,  the multinationals Cerrejón Limited, Public Enterprises of Medellin and Ecopetrol Association - Chevron Texaco, the formation of committees in order to make appropriate negotiations- to the previous mentioned - list of demands on behalf of The Civic committee for the Dignity of La Guajira.
To establish and strengthen in each municipality the committees for The Grand Departmental Civic Strike, in order to organize and direct the strike at the municipal level. Local committees that must conform into municipal assemblies that have the widest possible participation, in order to be broadly representative.
Convener in Riohacha, on Thursday June 5, the Agricultural Encounter of La Guajira, to make a more accurate diagnosis of the departmental agrarian situation and to organize the Front for Agrarian Dignity of La Guajira.
The Departmental Committee of Members of Public Utilities of the Guajira organize and develop a pot-banging on June 10 to protest against the privatization of public services and the abuses and inefficiencies Electricaribe, the company ASAA and other service providers basic sanitation in the department, and at the same time demanding that public services are provided by municipalities without the intermediation of any private entity, for the purpose of achieving a fair rates that are affordable for income users.
· That same committe will engage in Popular Action to claim from the municipality and companies of public services, the following collective rights and interests related to: 1) Implementation of an efficient service infrastructure to ensure public health; 2) public access to public services and (a) their efficient and timely delivery; and 3) Recognition and respect for the rights of consumers and users. (Act 472 of 1998). Popular action to specifically achieve optimal provision of potable water 24 hours a day and expand the coverage of sewerage services.
· To call municipal mayors to establish the minimum living free provision  of 10m3 of water per user or subscriber of strata 1 and 2, as a way to help increase the quality of life of the guajiros.
· Support and strengthen the various manifestations of social struggle both in the department and the nation, such as the agricultural unemployment, the teachers and the marches of health.
· Convene a Departmental Indigenous Encounter, in order to determine the performance of an indigenous Yamana (collective work) on 10 June.
· Require the competent authorities to investigate the threats and intimidation cases made to union, social and Left leaders .
· Finally, to appeal to the leadership and the political, social, labor, farm, farmers, environmentalists, ethnic, student, civic, political, users of public services, of Indians, Afro, fishermen, transporters of mototaxistas, and displaced; to mayors, councilors, democrats and lovers of progress, and the peasant people in general to support and be linked to the process of organizing and holding the GREAT CIVIL DEPARTMENTAL STRIKE: FOR THE DIGNITY OF GUAJIRA.

Riohacha, 15 of May 2014.

Organizations signing in support:

1.     Comité Cívico de la Guajira por la Defensa del Rio Ranchería y el Manantial de Cañaverales.
2.     Red Colombiana Frente a la Gran Minería, Reclame Guajira.
3.      Sindicato nacional de la Industria del Carbón, SINTRACARBON
4.     Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Colombia, CUT Guajira.
5.     Centro de Estudios del Carbón de la Guajira.
6.     Federación de Comunidades Desplazadas por la Gran Minería en la Guajira, FECODEMIGUA.
7.     Asociación Campesina Monte Verde.
8.     Asociación Campesina de las Veredas de San Pedro y San Pablo, ASOCASAGUA.
9.     Asociación Campesina de Magueyal.
10.                      Asociación Nacional de Usuarios Campesinos, ANUC Guajira.
11.                      Asociación Campesina de Matitas.
12.                      OCEDAYS.
13.                      Cedetrabajo, Cesar.
14.                      Cedetrabajo, Guajira.
15.                      Asociación de Autoridades y Resguardo Indígenas Wayuu del Sur de la Guajira, AACIWASUG.
16.                      Minga Caribe.
17.                      Fuerza de Mujeres Wayuu
18.                      Resguardo Indígena  Wayuu Zahino.
19.                      Resguardo Indígena  Wayuu Trupio Gacho.
20.                          Resguardo Indígena  El Cerro.
21.                      Comunidades Indígena Wayuu de Riohacha.
22.                      Comunidades Indígenas Wayuu de Manaure.
23.                      Asociación de Pescadores Artesanales de Mayapo.
24.                      Red de Mujeres del Caribe.
25.                      Comité de Paz de la Guajira, CODEPAZ.
26.                      Comité Cívico de Paro de Chancleta y Patilla.
27.                      Comité Cívico de Paro de Matitas.
28.                      SINTRABIENESTAR-
29.                      Asociación de Educadores de la Guajira, ASODEGUA.
30.                      SINDESENA.
31.                      Mesa Amplia Nacional de Estudiantes.
32.                      Organización Colombiana de Estudiante, OCE
33.                      Asociación de Estudiante de Secundaria de la Guajira, ASESGUA.
34.                      Organización Estudiantil Sena Somos Todos.
35.                      Organización Juvenil Guajira Digna y Humana.
36.                      Comité de Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios del Barrio los Esfuerzos de Riohacha.
37.                      Comité de Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios del Barrio  Santo Domingo de Riohacha.
38.                      Comité de Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios del Barrio Taguaira de Riohacha.
39.                      Comité de Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios del Barrio Cristo Rey de Riohacha.
40.                      Comité de Servicios Públicos Domiciliarios del Barrio las Mercedes de Riohacha.
41.                      Junta de Vivienda del Barrio 1 de Marzo.
42.                      Junta de Acción Comunal del Barrio Santo Domingo.
43.                      Junta de Acción Comunal del Barrio San Judas, Riohacha.
44.                      Junta de Acción Comunal del Barrio Villa Sharid, Riohacha.
45.                      Polo Democrático Alternativo. PDA.
46.                      Movimiento por la Constituyente Popular. MCP
47.                      Partido Comunista de Colombia.