Drummond paid to kill unionists: Ex-paramilitary (Drummond, an Alabama-based Colombian coal company)

[Judi Lynn]

Source: Colombia Reports

Drummond paid to kill unionists: Ex-paramilitary
Wednesday, 14 March 2012 14:00
Mary Cecelia Bittner

A former paramilitary has testified before a U.S. court that coal giant Drummond Ltd. paid paramilitaries $1.5 million to murder union leaders, Colombian media reported Tuesday.

Alcides Mattos Tabares, alias "El Samario," claimed to have taken part in the murder of employees that Drummond ordered the Northern Bloc of the AUC paramilitary group to carry out over several years.

Drummond's union president and vice president, Valmore Locarno and Victor Hugo Orcasita, "had" to be killed because they were organizing a strike that would have generated losses for the company, said Tabares.

From 2002 until his 2005 capture, Tabares patrolled Drummond’s railway lines, where he participated in killings, sometimes directed by Drummond employees, he claimed. He spoke of the trade unionists' murder saying,"I was not exactly the shooter, but I participated in the event as Tolomaida's security chief."


Read more: http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/22827-drummond-paid-to-kill-unionists-ex-paramilitary.html

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[Cirque du So-What]

1. Drummond bears a striking resemblance to another American death-squad financier

Can anyone guess who I have in mind?

[Hell Hath No Fury]

4. Which one?

There are sooo many to choose from.

[Cirque du So-What]

6. The one who looks like Drummond

at least to me.

[RKP5637]

10. Yep! n/t

[Dont call me Shirley]

5. Are the initials D.C.?

[Cirque du So-What]

7. You got it

Sure, I could pick out the real Dick of Death in a line-up (oh, if only...), but this guy could pass for a 'decoy' of the sort that Saddam Hussein used to employ.

[Jack Rabbit]

13. This guy could pass for a 'decoy' of the sort Saddam used to employ

Only if I shut my eyes.

To me, he looks more like Charlie Koch.

[Dont call me Shirley]

2. Coal: Really Dirty Energy

[Hell Hath No Fury]

3. This is what "American interests overseas" really means --

Murder, ecological disaster -- who cares? -- American corporate interests need to be upheld.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. I think our forefathers would turnover in their graves to see how america has turned out. I really

don't think they would appreciate the destruction of the constitution in the name of corporations. You have to realize that these corporations would love to do the same to our union leaders if they could get away with it. All for the green back. How sad this country has become and no wonder we are losing our status in the world. We deserve to. We have no honor or morals leaders left.

[RKP5637]

11. Exactly! And I can't imagine anyone doesn't get it by now that most of

these guys are greedy sociopaths.

[midnight]

8. "None of the company's directors have been convicted

for the coal giant's alleged dealings with the death squads, and although Drummond was ordered to pay a $25,000 fine to the U.S. Justice Department the victims' families were never compensated." Something seems over the top unjust....

[whathehell]

14. Outrageously unjust.

They should be convicted.

[pbrower2a]

12. Extradite!

If we are hostile to terrorists, then we should turn them over to recognized authorities.

[unkachuck]

15. I wouldn't want....

....a US corporation on my soil killing my family and friends in the name of business....

....do Chinese, Russian, Brazilian, etc. companies in foreign lands murder people too? Do US colleges teach how to murder people in their business classes?

....having an American corporation in your community could be a very dangerous thing....

[fasttense]

16. This is part of the race to the bottom.

Once the US failed to enforce even one of their laws against corruption or other criminal activity against a corporation, when the US ignored or slapped the wrist of one corporations for known criminal activity then ALL corporations must become criminal in order to compete. It is a business advantage to be able to be criminal without suffering any or little legal penalties. So, in order for the other corporations to compete, they have to become criminals too. And then it's just a matter of time before they commit the most heinous crimes in the name of making money and business.

Don't you just love free trade and the magical mystery of the hand of the free market.

[Bossy Monkey]

17. Bain? Drummond? Boy, "Diff'rent Strokes" is having a bad year. n/t

[glinda]

18. Kick