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Death threats against occupying workers in Argentina

Voluntary Slave | 01.03.2005 21:32 | Repression | Social Struggles | World

Death threats have been received by workers at the occupied Zanon ceramics factory in Neuquen, Argentina. Meanwhile, the Governer and Security Minister of the province claim that the Zanon workers, union lawyers and even opposition politicians are 'criminals'.

Saturday, February 26th 2005

PLEASE CIRCULATE!!!

DEATH THREATS AGAINST ZANON LEADERS

Raul Godoy, Secretary General of the Ceramista union of Neuquen, Argentina,
received a death threat in his answering machine. Among other things it says
"Godoy, we are going to kill you. You and your wife are done for, PTS
asshole (PTS is the Workers Party for Socialism - tr). You son of a
bitch and your fucking union. [We are going to kill] both you, Godoy,
and Lopez" (referring to Alejandro Lopez, Secretary of the Ceramista
Union and worker of Zanon). The union has already informed the
district attorney about the threat and will soon publish the recording.

The death threat appears in the context of an escalation of threats and
blackmail to the defense attorney for Children's Rights and her deputy,
Nara Oses and Edith Galarza, whom we accompanied in a press conference on
Friday, for the initial steps in the lawsuit against the police officers
who tortured and illigaly imprisoned Pepe Alveal. This situation is
in keeping with the speech given by Mr. Manganaro, Minister of Security of
the province of Neuquen, who, accompanied by Mr. Sobisch, governor of the
province, pointed out that the workers of Zanon, the lawyers of Central de
Trabajadores Argentinos, and opposition deputies should be treated as
"criminals."

We are sending this email to give notice to all the comrades. We will soon
have a press conference in which we will expand the information and discuss
the measures we are going to take in this regard.

Sindicato Ceramista del Neuquén [Neuquén Ceramics Union]

The Zanon ceramics factory, which employs 400 workers, was occupied in late
2001 after the former owner declared bankrupcy and closed the plant. The
workers brought the factory back to production in February of 2002. Since
then, they have given jobs to numerous members of the unemployed workers of
the city of Neuquen, where the factory is located.

For background information on the Zanon occupation in English see
 http://www.zmag.org/sustainers/content/2004-03/18trigona.cfm

Voluntary Slave
- Homepage: http://www.obrerosdezanon.org/