Victims of police action reject settlement offer

Victims  of a police crackdown on  striking demonstrators in Bocas del Toro last July have rejected a government settlement offer.

Two workers who were totally blinded were offered $400 a month, and the two widows of men killed by the police got a similar offer. The 78 workers who were partially blinded   or disabled were offered $350 a month.

The workers  were hit by police buckshot in the toughest crackdown since the Noriega dictatorship

 The proposal came  from Giacomo Tamburrelli, director of the National Assistance Program, which was formed to provide "humanitarian aid" to the victims of the crackdown that took place in Changuinola.

After protracted  negotiations, the Comité de Afectados del 8 de Julio de 2010, supported by union leaders, said the offer did not meet the expectations of those affected  Tamburrelli  called on negotiators to submit their counteroffer, which to  be discussed on July 12.