Oscar Arturo Orozco
I was born and raised in Caldas, these are my people, and I won’t be exiled.
Oscar Arturo Orozco is President of the Central Unitaria de Trabajadores de Caldas – CUT (Colombian Confederation of Workers) and President of the Sindicato de Trabajadores de la Energía de Colombia in Caldas – SINTRAELECOL (Electrical Union of Colombia).
HRDs in Colombia work in a violent and unsafe environment. They are subjected to threats, intimidation, arbitrary detention, enforced disappearances, physical assaults, torture, killings, illegal searches of their homes and offices and stigmatisation as a result of their activities in defence of human rights. The perpetrators of these abuses are frequently paramilitary groups, many of whom have links to the government or security services, or armed opposition groups. The continued frequent and severe threats and attacks against HRDs around the country contradict government claims of paramilitary demobilisation.
