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This is a press release from the International Transport Workers' Federation (ITF), dated 22 April 2008

On March 2nd, Guatemalan banana union leader, Miguel Angel Ramirez of SITRABANSUR, was shot dead. SITRABANSUR, which is affiliated to Banana Links Guatemala partner union UNSITRAGUA, was founded by Miguel Ramirez and his fellow workers at the 'Olga Maria' plantation in the Pacific South of Guatemala in July 2007. Since then SITRABANSUR members have been harassed and threatened by private security hired by the company -Frutera Internacional Sociedad Anónima, supplier to Chiquita Brands- and 24 union members have been sacked. UNSITRAGUA has been working with SITRABANSUR to support these sacked workers and strengthen union organisation on the Olga Maria plantation.

The bus drivers of Tehran are one of the medal winners in New Internationalist's Human Rights Olympics. The medals have been awarded to inspirational groups around the world who are struggling for human rights in their fullest sense. In the online magazine you can find a brief background to their extraordinary three-year struggle to set up an independent trade union.