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APPEAL FOR A CONFERENCE OF WORKERS DELEGATES OF ALL ASIA
Mumbai (India)
December 6th and 7th, 2003
We, trade unionists and activists from India, Pakistan and Bangladesh
-- at a time when the workers and the peoples of our countries are
facing a general onslaught against their rights, their jobs and their
living conditions, when the sovereignty and the unity of our countries
is under threat -- take the initiative to propose an Asian conference of
workers delegates of all Asia.
This is to be a conference in defence of the rights of the working
masses and of their organisations, in defence of national sovereignty
and unity of nations and states, of peace and solidarity between the
peoples of the continent.
In the aftermath of September 11th, 2001, Bush declared a never-ending
war against "terrorism." It is in fact a war against the
peoples and the workers of the world, including the American people and
workers. In that context, the national independence, the national unity
of all nations is under threat. Their carving up along so called
"ethnic" or "religious" lines is a means to weaken
the resistance of the working masses and to allow the plunder by
imperialism.
How is this process of dismantlement of nations expressed in Asia? The
fate of Iraq concentrates the way in which imperialism intends to deal
with all people and nations. The invasion has dealt terrible blows
against the people of Iraq, against the foundation of their economic and
social life. The US-UK military occupation of Iraq goes further: it has
created chaos and is leading to the destruction of the Iraqi nation as
such, dividing it into "communities" and separate parts,
pitting one against the other.
In Afghanistan, more than two years after the American invasion, there
is not even the semblance of "law and order." Under US control
local power is delegated to warlords who loot and kill. The production
of opium is reaching new heights.
We will have to discuss in the conference what are the aims of
imperialism in relation to nations. Isn't the aim to dismantle, destroy
all nations, their sovereignty, their unity? Let's look at what is
happening in Indonesia where the country is divided to fit the need of
multinationals. Does the tendency in various countries of having regions
competing between themselves for the lowest cost of labour so as to draw
foreign investment -- with the risk of confrontation between parts of
the same country, or the right to deal directly with the World Bank --
not mean the opening of a process which would put an end to the
independence and the unity of those countries?
Everyone is conscious of the importance of China for the continent and
for the world, because the development of China is linked to the 1949
Chinese revolution and the significance it has for the oppressed and
exploited people of our continent.
On the eve of the war against Iraq, the American secretary of State,
Colin Powell, while warning the European governments that they would
have to accept the U.S.will and might, declared that China would have to
implement all the conditions of its integration in the World Trade
Organisation. The workers and people of our continent know what
implementation of the WTO requirements means: privatisation in favour of
the penetration of foreign capital. What imperialism is aiming at in the
case of China is to impose upon it the liquidation of the State sector
destroying the very foundations of the unity and of the independence of
the Chinese nation.
We are all aware of the terrible consequences this would have for the
Chinese people: we have all witnessed what a so-called "new era
of capitalist prosperity" has meant for the people of the
former Soviet Union: and of Eastern Europe: dismemberment, poverty,
unemployment, wars.
*****
If we take the case of India, what is happening?
An unprecedented wave of privatisations growing day after day. The very
fabric of industry in India is being torn apart. After the destruction
of the manufacturing sector, the new targets are vital public services,
financial services, communications, energy.
The existing labour laws -- and especially the section of these laws
which protects to a certain extent the rights of the workers in relation
to lay-offs, retrenchment and closure -- are under attack. The fightback
of the workers regrouped around the trade union movement, achieving on
this point the unity of all the main trade unions has up to now
prevented the destruction of those legal barriers to over-exploitation.
Therefore, it is the ability of the working class to organise and to
fight which has become the target. After the recent strike of the Tamil
Nadu State government employees for their rights and against their
arbitrary dismissals, the Supreme Court of India ruled that employees in
the public services have "no right - fundamental, legal, moral
or equitable", to go on strike.
To divide and weaken the resistance of the working class and of the
people, imperialism and those who serve it foster communalism and
attempt to divide the people and the workers of India along
"ethnic" or "religious" lines.
*****
If we take the case of Bangladesh, things have reached a point
where the law is the instructions of the World Bank, WTO and IMF, passed
by the American ambassador. Four conditions have been fixed for
Bangladesh to be granted loans:
- Privatisation of four State-owned or public sector banks. The State
Bank of Bangladesh, which is the controlling authority of money market
is almost under the IMF control. IMF deputed 14 officers to look into
the total functioning of the State Bank.
- Handing over to American companies the gas and oil fields.
- Privatisation of the harbour of Chittagong handed over to the American
multinational SSA, which now operates in occupied Iraq.
- Clamping down on trade union activities and the right to strike.
How can the people of Bangladesh accept such demands?
The workers and the people of Bangladesh are fighting back. Strikes and
demonstrations took place in the vital sectors such as energy,
communications, jute, textile and sugar, etcŠ Starting from Chittagong
a movement is developing to broadly unite the exploited masses in their
organisations under the call "This country is not for sale"
-- and a broad national convention to be held in Chittagong is under
preparation.
*****
Pakistan has directly suffered from the US invasion of
Afghanistan economically as well as socially and politically. Not only
has the fact that war was taking place at its borders led to a dramatic
increase in downsizing, closures and privatisations. It has given an
opportunity to attack the basic rights of the labour movement, the right
to organise, the right to strike.
To fight against privatisation, in defence of jobs, has been regarded as
a crime. Some leaders were jailed for upholding trade union rights.
Charges are still pending against them in spite of the fact that they
have been released.
We have here only given a few facts drawn from our countries. We are
aware that the same problems exist in all the countries of our
continent.
Our whole continent is in turmoil. The conflict between India and
Pakistan over Kashmir is used against the interests of the Pakistani and
the Indian people. In the same time American imperialism increases its
pressures and strengthens its position in India and in Pakistan. Huge
amounts of funds are used in military expenses, in nuclear weapons
programs, funds diverted from education and health.
Threats of nuclear war are also to be heard in relation to North and
South Korea, North Korea is classified by Washington as a "rogue
state" and part of the "Axis of Evil".
American imperialism has thus used the opportunities offered by the
general "war against terrorism" to surround Asia with military
bases from South Asia to central Asia, commanding all the oil routes.
The growing pressure exercised by American imperialism combines
diplomatic, economic and military means that all tend to destabilise the
whole of the continent.
The struggle against war, against military intervention is a major
component of the struggle of the working class.
That is why we are convinced that it is high time for labour activists
of our continent to meet, to exchange views and information, to
seriously and democratically discuss these matters in the common
framework of class independence towards imperialism, the local ruling
classes and the international bodies and institutions of imperialism. To
discuss the problems faced by the working class of our continent, the
fact that the plundering and destruction brought about by imperialism
threaten this whole continent with the fate of the African continent.
Our starting point should be the interests of the working masses and
therefore the unconditional defence of the gains and rights secured by
the working class in each country.
To defend these past gains, to consolidate the resistance and to fight
back the working class needs more than ever its own organisations, and
especially its trade unions. Trade unions are working class
organisations, built by the workers in the class struggle. Their
function is to defend the workers against exploitation. They cannot face
up to that task if in one way or another they dissolve themselves in the
so-called "civil society." Trade-unions are a main weapon of
the working class in its struggle against exploitation.
Only that defence can give a solid basis to the struggle for democracy
and social justice and therefore to a genuine struggle for national
sovereignty and independence.
Those who share those basic principles are called on to come together.
That is why we call for a conference of workers delegates of all Asia.
We propose that our conference take place in Mumbai on Saturday December
6th, and Sunday December 7th, 2003.
We are convinced that such a conference, if it reaches through
democratic discussion, common decision, will be a leaning point for all
those who want to fight back, who refuse to accept the destruction of
what the previous generations acquired.
We are convinced that such a Conference of workers in Asia will have a
world wide significance. We endeavour to have the presence and the
contributions of delegations from other continents.
Hence, we have informed the International Liaison Committee of Workers
and Peoples with which we have been associated in several international
campaigns against war and exploitation, and in Open world conferences in
defence of the rights and the organisations of the working class.
In the conference we intend to discuss topics such as:
1. The imperialist plunder of Asia and beyond.
2. The anti-worker policies developed all over the continent and in each
country. Defence of all the gains secured through past struggles in each
country and ways and means to consolidate the resistance and help in
organising the fight back.
3. The struggle against war, for peace, communal harmony and solidarity
between people of all the countries. Defence of national sovereignty and
democratic rights, struggle against the dismantlement of nations.
4. International solidarity of the working people against imperialism,
war and exploitation.
5. Defence of the class independence of workers organisations and of
their class character, independence from the States, the employers, and
imperialist international institutions and bodies.
N. VASUDEVAN,
Convenor Trade Union Solidarity Committee (Mumbai, India)
Tafazzul HUSSAIN,
President of the National Federation of the Bangladesh
Workers, Dhaka
Gulzar CHUDHARY,
General Secretary of All Pakistan Trade Union Federation, (APTUF), Pakistan
For all contacts:
India: N. VASUDEVAN, Joint Convenor,
TUSC, 6, Neelkanth Apartments, Gokuldas Pasta Rd, Dadar E. Mumbai
4000014 India
Phone : 24102252 or 24150750 - Fax 24150750 - Email: aibef@vsnl.net
ou aibef@yahoo.com
Bangladesh: Hussain TAFAZZUL, President, BANGLADESH
JATIYO SRAMIK FEDERATION (Bangladesh National Workers Federation), 15A.
Purana Paltan (3rd floor), Dhaka-1000. Bangladesh.
Phone. 8802-9559093 Fax. 8802-8312358 Email. thussain@citechco.net
Pakistan: Gulzar CHUDHARY, general secretary,
APTUF, 14 N, Industrial Area,
Gulberg, Lahore Pakistan - Tel : 92-42-6686382/6686519 Email: aptuf@brain.net.pk
ILC - c/o Parti des travailleurs, 87, rue du FG St
Denis, 75010 Paris, France
Phone : (331) - 48 01 88 28 - fax : (331) 48 01 88 36 - Email: eit.ilc@wanadoo.fr
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