A union called Sindicato de Trabajadores del Bambusal (1998-2002); strike by banana workers in Sarapiqui on 6 March 2001 [CRI39156.E]

No reference to a union called Sindicato de Trabajadores del Bambusal or to a strike by banana workers in Sarapiqui on 6 March 2001 could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

On 9 July 2001 the Democratic Force (Fuerza Democrática) party requested informatino from the Secutiry Minister on the legal basis for an "imminent intervention" (inminente intervención) by police to evict from the banana farm "El Bambuzal," located in Río Frío de Sarapiquí, a group of workers fired by the Dole company and who were claiming compensation for damages caused by pesticides (La Nación 10 July 2001).

In early August 2001 La Nación reported that the Institutional Council of the Technological Institute of Costa Rica (Consejo Institucional del Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, ITCR) reportedly publicly condemned the 16 July 2001 police action that dislodged dozens of families from the Bambuzal farm of Sarapiquí, Heredia department (ibid. 11 Aug. 2001).

Later in August, the Honduran daily La Prensa reported a protest sit-in in San Jose by peasants from the Peasant Association of Sarapiqui (Asociación de Campesinos de Sarapiquí), to demand land for farming (23 Aug. 2001). La Prensa reports that the peasant march to San Jose and their sit-in protest was a follow-up to a violent eviction of some 500 peasants and their families in July 2001 from a "bamboo farm" known as "El Bambuzal" (finca de bambú conocida como El Bambuzal), apparently owned by the Standard Fruit Company; the eviction resulted in the death of one person, injuries to five policemen and the arrest of eight peasants (ibid.).

At the time, a bulletin from the Legislative Assembly of Costa Rica reported that the parliamentary caucus of the National Liberation Party (Partido de Liberación Nacional) expressed concern (se manifestó preocupada) for the situation of hundreds of members of families evicted from "Bambusal farm in Sarapiqui" (finca Bambusal, en Sarapiquí) (Boletín de Prensa 22 Aug. 2001). Although acknowledging that their occupation of the farm was illegal, the violent eviction which resulted in the death of one peasant was condemned by that party's caucus (ibid.).

More recently a source refers to "Bambusal" as the name of a community affected by toxic waste pollution from bananan companies on the shores of the Reventazón river (COLSIBA 2002).

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

References


Boletín de Prensa [San Jose]. 22 August 2001. Shirley Gutiérrez Araya. "Liberacionistas se solidarizan con desalojados de Bambusal." http://www.racsa.co.cr/asamblea/actual/boletin/2001/ago01/22ago01.htm [Accessed 17 July 2002]

Coordinadora Latinoamericana de Sindicatos Bananeros (COLSIBA), San Jose. 2002. "Importante logro ambiental en Costa Rica." http://www.colsiba.org/salud.htm [Accessed 17 July 2002]

La Nación [San Jose]. 11 August 2001. "ITCR se pronuncia." http://www.nacion.co.cr/ln_ee/2001/agosto/11/pais13.html [Accessed 17 July 2002]

_____. 10 July 2001. "Noticias Nacionales." http://www.nacion.co.cr/ln_ee/2001/julio/10/pais6.html [Accessed 17 July 2002]

La Prensa [Tegucigalpa]. 23 August 2001. "Campesinos ticos exigen al Gobierno tierras para cultivar." http://www.laprensahn.com/caarc/0108/c23001.htm [Accessed 17 July 2002]

Additional Sources Consulted


Central America Report [Guatemala City]. 1998-2002.

Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 1998-2001. 1999-2002.

IRB databases.

Latinamerica Press [Lima]. 1998-2002.

Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 1998-2002.

Internet search engines and sites, including:

Amnesty International.

International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU).

International Labour Organization (ILO).

La Nación [San Jose]. Searchable archives, 1997-2002.

The Tico Times [San Jose]. Searchable archives, 1997-2002.

Note:

This list is not exhaustive. Country and region-specific publications available in the Resource Centre are not included.