Vergara was shot three times outside of the school at which he taught.  Witnesses said that he was attacked as he stepped outside to take a phone call.  Gómez was injured by gunmen early in the morning on May 26.  He was later taken to a nearby hospital where he passed away three days later on May 29.

Núñez was shot in the head by a hired gunman as he was celebrating his 46^th birthday.  López disappeared after leaving the school he taught at.  His body was hung with barbed wire and found days later; it also showed signs of being tortured.

The four teachers were members of the teachers’ unions ADEMACOR (Asociación de Maestros de Córdoba) and SUTEV (Sindicato Único de Trabajadores de la Educación del Valle).  Their murders are the most recent in a long line of trade unionist slayings.  Since December of 2008 there have been 20 teachers murdered in the Department of Córdoba alone.

After the killing of Vergara in early May, Domingo Ayala, president of ADEMACOR,   declared that he was going to make a complaint to the International Criminal Court.  For Ayala, the continuing pattern of unionist killings shows that no deterrent has been provided by Colombia.

The International Trade Union Confederation (“ITUC”) called for immediate government action saying, “[t]he context of almost total impunity for these murders has led to an alarming humanitarian crisis in the education sector and has put teaching and trade union actions at risk, [it] clearly refutes the Colombian governments’ statements in international forums about human rights’ improvements.”

The United Steelworkers also condemned the Colombian government’s lack of action in bringing those responsible to justice.  They expressed outrage that U.S.  representatives are considering passing the Free Trade Agreement between the two countries when the Colombian government is unable to address the brutality against unionists in its own country.

For more information, please see;

Colombia Reports – 17 Murdered Unionists a Grim Record for Colombia: US Union – 30 June 2011

Teacher Solidarity – Two More Teachers Murdered in Colombia – 27 June 2011

Education International – EI Condemns the Murders of More Teachers in Colombia – 26 June 2011

CNN World – Union Group Slams Colombia Over Recent Killings of 2 Teachers – 24 June 2011

Colombia Reports – Teacher’s Murder in North Colombia Sparks Complaint to ICC – 17 May 2011

By Paula Buzzi
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

Over the past month, more than 200,000 people have participated in organized protests held on the streets of Santiago. Protest organizers claim that such mass protests are necessary to grab the government’s attention and put education reform high up on their agenda.

Education Minister Joaquin Lavin responded to the strike earlier this week by drafting the 75 million USD “Public University Education Revitalizing Fund;” an act which some believe to be a superficial solution to the education crisis. Additionally, Lavin has moved up winter break by 12 days, claiming that the shorter winter break will allow students to make up the class time they have missed while being on strike.

Some protestors, however, are not satisfied with Lavin’s response, claiming that the government’s recent action reflects its inability to solve conflicts. Many are demanding an end to for-profit education fueled by the unstable market. Jaime Gajardo, president of the College of Professors, believes educational policies must be redesigned. “We cannot continue on this path of privatization,” he tells CNN Chile.

Other groups in support of public education include: The Center Labor Federation (“CUT”), the Communist Party, and the Allende Party of Socialism (PSA).

CUT president, Arturo Martinez, defended his position to join the mobilization based on the fact that the high cost of education is being funded by working families.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press — Chile moves up school vacations as protests rage —29 June 2011

Inside Costa Rica — Chile: New National Strike against For-Profit Education — 28 June 2011

Escambray – Deeper Reforms Are Needed, Chilean Students  – 27 June 2011

El Universal — Protestan en Chile 20 mil estudiantes —24 June 2011

CNN — Chileans rally in capital to demand better education policies — 16 June 2011

By Emilee Gaebler
Impunity Watch Reporter, South America

 BOGOTÁ, Colombia – Fighting with the rebels of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Columbia (FARC) recently occurred in the southwestern Cauca region.  On June 4, 2011 army reports from a skirmish with the guerilla fighters revealed that FARC is still actively recruiting child soldiers. 

 Three members from FARC forces were arrested after the skirmish, two of them were minors.  The three arrested all confirmed that FARC has been active in recruiting children from the indigenous populations in the Huila, Cauca and Valle de Cauca regions.  The two child soldiers stated that in the past two months, roughly 15 children between the ages of 12 and 15 years old have been forcefully recruited.

 Child soldiers are sometimes used in armed combat but more commonly, they act as FARC’s transporters for explosives, rations and anti-personnel mines.  Recent decisive moves by the Colombian army resulted in the death and capture of many FARC fighters.  The army believes this has led to a need for replacements and thus prompted the surge in forced child soldier recruitment. 

The two child soldiers were placed in the care of the state and officials urged indigenous communities to report these recruitments to authorities.  In an effort to relieve fear of reprisal, authorities stated that indigenous communities should not fear condemnation by the state. 

 Indigenous groups have asked for a more concerted and swift response from the government to eradicate this widespread practice.  Aída Quilcué, the leader of the Cauca Regional Indigenous Council, stated; “[w]e have cases of minors from 8 years of age to 15 who have been forcefully recruited by the FARC.  We are asking for the government’s help so this situation stops.  We are tired of seeing women raped, tortured, children dead and children obligated to join the FARC’s ranks.”

 For more information, please see;

 Child Rights Information Network – Colombia: ‘FARC Are Recruiting Indigenous Children’ – 9 June 2011

 Latin America Press – FARC Recruiting Indigenous Minors – 9 June 2011

 Colombia Reports – FARC Are Recruiting Indigenous Children – 4 June 2011

 Ejército Nacional – Las FARC Estarían Reclutando Menores en Cabildos Indígenas – 4 June 2011