More than 5,000 workers are concentrated in Paipa; They demand tax relief, cessation of harassment and presence of competent authorities.
Mining unemployment.
He Indefinite unemployment of the mining sector in Boyacá and Cundinamarca has been maintained since this Monday, August 4with marches and total closure in the roundabout of the Paipa cemetery, on the double road Bogotá-Tunja-Paipa-Sogamoso.
The day, convened as a peaceful manifestation, It seeks to make discontent visible what the guild considers harmful decisions of the national government towards the sector.
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The Organizing Committee reported that only the passage of ambulances and urgent medical missions is allowed, and called the protesters to carry a helmet, refrain from the consumption of alcoholic beverages and maintain a respectful attitude during the mobilizations.
“We are going to give an example of respect and we will not vandalize or destroy anything,” says the statement released in the call.
Sandra Bernal, spokesperson for unemployment, said that the mobilization responds to the impact that decrees, administrative acts and public policies have had that they said have weakened the mining activity. “We are thousands of men and women affected by the bad decisions of the national government.”he said.
The spokeswoman denounced that despite having scheduled a dialogue table since last Friday, “the National Government did not present with the entities or competent officials to be able to discuss our specifications”. He explained that the central demands have been synthesized in five to eight key points, including:
- Reduction of the tax burden faced by the sector.
- Review of decrees and administrative acts that affect economic activity.
- Recognition of thermal coal as strategic mineral.
- Payment of commitments by the company Gensa to its suppliers.
- Progress in mining and legalization formalization procedures.
- Cessation of criminalization and harassment to the sector.
- Inclusion of mining districts in public policies.
- Reactivation of thermal generation in Boyacá and Cundinamarca.
“We call on the national government to reach territory, to listen to people’s voice. Here are more than 5,000 miners talking to the heart because they are losing their jobs, because they are losing their livelihood ”, Bernal said.
In parallel to the mobilization, the president of the National Mining Agency, Lina Franco, is in the department of Boyacá. According to sector sources, the official leads conversations with regional delegates and is expected that in the afternoon a new dialogue table with the presence of national entities is installed.
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The unemployment committee also asked to avoid additional blockages during the day of Monday, in order to facilitate the return of the protesters who moved to Paipa.
However, they warned that as of Tuesday closures could be activated in other strategic points of Boyacá and Cundinamarca. “On Monday we must demonstrate to the National Government that we are thousands and that we are united in the same purpose”they indicated.
Source: Integrated information system
