Why Must Democracies Force CAFTA on Their People?
Fred Hyde
www.virtualcitizens.com
2007-01-29

http://www.virtualcitizens.com/articles/Why_Must_Democracies_Force_CAFTA_on_Their_People

Editor’s note:  while some Americans protest injustice, the U.S. invasion and occupation of Iraq is not the only problem.  So-called free trade agreements, which serve to protect corporate polluters, sweatshop owners and those who steal indigenous lands, still loom on the horizon.  Unlike the American media, labor activists in Costa Rica are not so easily swayed as to support legal arrangements that will shield corporate criminals to their detriment.  When will America wake up?   

Union and anti-CAFTA leader Orlando Barrantes challenges government frame-up in Costa Rica

An international campaign is under way to defend Orlando Barrantes, a union leader and activist in Costa Rica.  Barrantes is the General Secretary of the National Council of Banana Workers (CONATRAB).  Currently he is in prison after a judicial frame up stemming from events that happened six years ago. 

In October 2006, after a sham trial, Barrantes was sentenced to two years in prison and three years probation with conditions of limited political activity.  Barrantes has one avenue in Costa Rica to overturn his conviction.  On November 14, 2006, his defense lawyers filed an appeal with the Costa Rican appellate court.  If that body doesn’t reverse the sentence, Barrantes will take his case to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights.

The case against Barrantes is based on events that took place during a peaceful protest in December 2000.  Landless farmers and banana workers were publicizing their effort to seek redress for serious health problems suffered as a result of exposure to the highly toxic pesticide Nemagón.  During the protest, without warning, riot police attacked and a seven-hour battle ensued as protesters defended themselves.  Protesters took four police hostage, but released them without harm. 

The Costa Rican government claimed that police were “kidnapped” and held for ransom.  Officials fingered Barrantes and local labor leader Iván Angulo though the two were not involved in the resistance.  Prosecutors demanded a 60-year sentence for Barrantes, who is 53 years old!

Numerous witnesses, including two police on site and an ex-minister of planning who helped defuse the situation confirm that Barrantes wasn’t involved in the “kidnapping” or even near the confrontation when it took place.  Instead the government relied on perjured testimony from Orvil Ruiz, ex-commander of the police force that initiated the violence.  Since the trial, Ruiz has been removed from his job for falsifying documents.

The government also fabricated a videotape in an attempt to depict Barrantes inciting demonstrators against police.  In fact, the only speech he gave was delivered hours before the attack took place — and at a different location.

A voice not to be silenced

At the heart of the government’s case is a drive to criminalize political and social protest after decades of relative respect for individual rights and dissent.

Costa Rica is the last holdout against the Central American Free Trade Agreement.  Wide popular and even political opposition to CAFTA there is due to strong opposition from labor unions and civil society, organized by leaders like Barrantes.  Costa Rican president Oscar Arias seeks to suppress this resistance and ratify CAFTA, opening the door to dismantle social programs and privatize the unionized public sector.

Barrantes is a thorn in the side of only the government, trans-national corporations and large landowners as well.  CONATRAB is helping farm workers bring more than 1600 lawsuits to U.S. courts against companies that produce or use Nemagón. Among these companies are Shell Oil, Dow Chemical, Standard Fruit, Del Monte and Chiquita.

Before, and even after, Nemagón was banned, workers applied it without protective gear. As a result, many workers now suffer from cancers, sterility, and other severe side effects.

CONATRAB is also defending land seizures by small farmers and landless peasants. And in addition to heading up CONATRAB, Barrantes is a leader of the General Confederation of Labor (CGT), and President of the Movement of Workers and Campesinos (MTC) — a socialist party.  MTC recently gained ballot status and, consequently, access to a wider audience.

Despite government persecution, Barrantes keeps organizing.  In October 2006, Barrantes was involved in a general strike by Costa Rica’s labor movement to protest CAFTA.  But to keep this fighter from prison, and out organizing for justice, international pressure is needed to demand all charges be dropped.

Readers can write letters to members of the Judicial Inspector’s Office via the following email address: ins_judicial@poder-judicial.go.cr.

Send donations to help with legal costs via Western Union to Orlando Barrantes Cartin, Guápiles, Costa Rica, and please email notification of your donations and/or copies of letters to the defense committee at orlandobarranteslibre@yahoo.com

For information in Spanish, go to www.orlandobarrantes.com.

Freedom Socialist Newspaper, Vol. 28, No. 1, February-March 2007; www.socialism.com

Fred Hyde
www.virtualcitizens.com