ON May 1, hundreds of banana workers from north-west Colombia gathered in the municipal stadium of Apartado to celebrate international workers day and hear Guillermo Rivera, president of agro-industrial workers union SINTRAINAGRO tell them that unity was essential to overcome the problems facing an industry upon which so many depended in the regions of Uraba and Magdalena.
Twenty or 30 years ago, to even contemplate such a meeting would have been virtually unthinkable in an era when violence perpetrated by guerillas, paramilitaries and state actors had reached unprecedented levels.
In 1987, 40 plantation workers had been killed by September and in 1995 alone, 300 more were slain by competing factions.
Colombia’s success in controlling the drug trade should be recognised and its sovereignty respected, argues Dr GLORY SAAVEDRA



