En Colombia los presos políticos se cuentan por miles aunque el gobierno lo niegue. Mensaje de Huber Ballesteros

Comunicado
Por Huber Ballesteros

Ante el gran éxito de la campaña de solidaridad por la libertad del líder sindical Huber Ballesteros, adelantada por Justice for Colombia, en la que se reunieron más de 25000 firmas, La Organización Sindical Internacional, Labourstart, ha comenzado a promover la petición que encontraran en http://www.labourstartcampaigns.net/show_campaign.cgi?c=2025. Si aún no han firmado es la oportunidad de que sus amigos y usted  apoyen a un hombre que ha dedicado toda su vida en la defensa de los menos favorecidos.

A continuación la carta de agradecimiento de Huber Ballesteros a Justice For Colombia:

Bogotá Colombia, September 15, 2013

Yard 11, La Picota Prison

OPEN LETTER

Comrades,

A fraternal greeting:

It would be difficult to respond to all the expressions of solidarity that I have received in these dark days for myself, my family and the social and political organisations I belong to.

With a bit of time, and when I have some paper I will respond to the letters, notes and all the manifestations of affection and solidarity I have received. I should confess that all of them have moved me, even to tears. Outside, the activity, the responsibilities that we take on to move forward with our work can make us forget or put aside our most human part - affection, comradeship - or at least that is what happens with me. But when difficulties arise and you feel, as in my case, all the affection and tenderness of so many, you come to the conclusion that the years of sacrifice were worth the pain.

Today, despite the circumstances, I don’t feel defeated or relieved of my responsibilities as a social and political fighter of the Colombian, American and global popular movement. Indeed, today I have an extra responsibility on top of those I had, and that is to now struggle for the political prisoners and all those incarcerated in this country since I am now one of them.

From here, from my new place of struggle, I will work day and night for the peasants, the indigenous, the afro-colombians, the workers of all the popular sectors, even in the midst of conditions that I find myself in, a situation I am in not because of corruption, or for having betrayed my class or my people, but because I have worked in accordance to my principles and convictions.

From here I will continue working and some day I will leave in order to rejoin the protests, the strikes and the blockades, the social mobilisation, that powerful instrument with which social changes are forged. I am convinced of this - the social and political struggle in all its forms will manage, sooner or later, to put an end to this horrible night, and the light of justice, equality and peace will flare for the dispossessed, for the displaced, for the prisoners. We will be a sovereign, democratic nation with social justice. Those who have governed us will not win, the unity of democrats and patriots who are the majority will put an end to the reign of treachery, inequality and injustice.

The political moment demands nobility and generosity in order to achieve unity. We have made important steps in this direction, the agrarian strike, the recent agrarian strike that has called the great summit for October shows this. We’re on the right road, we should continue upon it.

I thank all of you, the peasant, indigenous, afro-colombian organisations, the CUT, the international organisations, friends who have one way or another shown their indignation at my arrest and who have expressed their solidarity, please receive a strong embrace and know that I am here, simply another person like you who is struggling for a better country, for a country for the poor.

Yours sincerely,

Huber de Jesus Ballesteros

Political Prisoner