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Intro Note to Our Readers:
Yesterday we sent you Issue No. 111 of the ILC International
Newsletter dated Dec. 28, 2004. That was the last issue published to
date. We are now back on track with our weekly translation of the
newsletter.
We apologize, however, for the delay in sending you Issues No. 107
through No. 110 of the ILC International Newsletter. Issue No. 107 is
included below; the three remaining issues will be sent to you over the
course of the next few weeks.
We urge all of you who have come to value this important newsletter to
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make your check payable in US dollars to "OWC."
Many thanks to all of you who have already sent in your financial
contribution, and, again, wishing everyone a happy and healthy New Year.
In solidarity,
Alan Benjamin
ILC Support Committee
PS. Those of you interested in hard copies of the ILC International
Newsletter for your union and/or coworkers, can order the elegantly
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********************
ILC INTERNATIONAL NEWSLETTER NO. 107
A dossier of weekly information published by the International
Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
November 30, 2004
Price 0,50 E
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To contact us:
ILC International Newsletter
International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples
87, rue du Faubourg Saint Denis 75010 Paris, France
PRESENTATION:
For the third time the Peruvian workers went on a general strike on
November 25 "Against hunger and layoffs, and for a constituent
assembly." These are legitimate demands as are those of the
landless peasants in Brazil that invade land that the government refuses
to give them.
It is this legitimate fight that will be discussed at the World
Conference of the ILC that will meet in Madrid on March 18 through 20,
2005.
In Italy on November 5, there were strikes and demonstrations for the
defense of public education: "from north to south, all united,
don't touch public education." On November 30, a general strike
"Italy stopped," against the law on finances. The legitimate
demands of the workers from all sectors of the population come up
against the policies of the European Union.
The national committee for the NO vote to the European Constitution will
be present on January 22 in Paris at the demonstration for the NO vote
to the European Constitution. Activists and trade unionists will be
present at the World Conference.
In this issue we publish reports received from our correspondents in
South Africa, the Philippines, Pakistan (who are appealing for
international solidarity), Brazil, Peru, Uruguay, and Guadeloupe,
certain documents regarding strikes in China and the situation in Cote
d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast).
Write to us and subscribe to the ILC International Newsletter
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TABLE OF CONTENTS:
Page 1: Presentation
Page 2: Azania (South Africa) murder of a black activist S. Peter
Pakistan: layoff of 250 trade unionists, appeal for solidarity.
Page 3: Italy: November 30 appeal for a general strike by the
CGIL, UIL, ICFTU
Page 4: Brazil: Five landless peasants murdered in the state of
Minas Gerais
Page 5: Peru: Appeal for a general strike "against
unemployment and hunger, for a constituent assembly" by three
national trade unions.
Page 6: Cote d'Ivoire: What is at stake in a conflict that haunts
the whole continent.
Page 7: China: information on strikes, fights against oppression,
and for demands.
Page 8: Guadeloupe: the situation after the release of Madassamy
Page 11: Philippines: Massacre of peasants
Subscriptions
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AZANIA
To shed light on the assassination of the black activist Stephen Peter
Stephen Peter was gunned down with a bullet to his head on November 22
as he was opening the trunk of his car. The Star, the
Johannesburg newspaper, after noting that "the killer was able to
escape," saw this as "an execution style murder."
A leader of the large wave of uprisings of black students during 1980,
Peter was one of the founders of the Socialist Party of Azania (SOPA),
and was its former secretary general.
At the time of this writing, the killer has not been apprehended. A
communiqué from SOPA stated that, "the motives and the conditions
of the brutal death have not been clarified."
Below is a message sent by the International Liaison Committee of
Workers and Peoples to his family:
The International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples was
devastated to learn of the death of comrade Stephen Peter, murdered in
Braamfontein (Johannesburg) on November 22, 2004.
Comrade Stephen Peter was a long time activist in the movement of the
black conscience, before becoming a leader of the Socialist Party of
Azania (SOPA).
His death constitutes a loss for the labor movement in South Africa (Azania),
for the international labor movement and for the International Liaison
Committee of Workers and Peoples. We have lost an avant-garde fighter in
the struggle for emancipation of the black people and the emancipation
of all humanity.
The International Liaison Committee of Workers and Peoples will fight
shoulder to shoulder with SOPA, with Peter's comrades and his family, to
demand a complete investigation into the circumstances surrounding his
assassination, and demand that those responsible of his death will be
arrested immediately and brought to trial.
In the name of the International Liaison Committee of Workers and
Peoples, I express our profound sorrow and assure you of our fraternal
sympathy for Peter's family and his comrades at SOPA.
Daniel Gluckstein
Coordinator of the International Liaison Committee of Workers and
Peoples
***********************
PAKISTAN
Solidarity Needed Urgently!
CRESCENT is a big industrial group in Pakistan, having many
industries in big cities of the country, one of its unit named CRESCENT
Textile & Garment located in District Hafizabad near Faislabad. The
factory manufacturing cloths, dying it, stitching and exporting to
abroad. Five thousand (5000) workers are working including 1500 women,
it is a sub-contractor of multinational corporation such Levise Strauss
etc.
Workers formed union by the name of ITTEFAQ MAZDOOR UNION CRESCENT
Bahuman, (united workers union) registered by the Registrar of Trade
Union, Government of Punjab, the management refused to acknowledge the
union and pressurize the office bearers to leave the union, otherwise
they will not only dismiss from the services but also send them behind
the bar levelling criminal activities. The union office bearers refused
to withdraw from the union activities and said that they will ready to
face all the consequences. The factory management also approached to the
families of the office bearers and pressurize them to asked their
sons/daughters to leave the union otherwise the management has a power
to even murder them. The union leaders and their families refused to
accept the threat by the bosses and replied them that they will support
union and office bearers.
Factory management with the collaboration of the local administration as
well as police officers registered false criminal cases against the
union office bearers and four of them were arrested by the police.
Meanwhile all the office bearers and 250 activists of the union
terminated from the services without any written reason. The union
approached to the All Pakistan Trade Union Federation General Secretary,
Gulzar A. Chaudhary and desired to affiliate with APTUF. I would like to
inform you that in Pakistan according to the labour laws, every union
had to affiliate with any federation. After discussion in the executive
committee of the federation, union was allowed to affiliate with the
federation.
Workers situation in above said factory is miserable, office bearers
were indulged in many criminal and civil cases which are proceeding in
different courts. The bosses in factory harassing the workers,
especially women workers and pressurizing them to leave the membership
of the union, but the workers have a firm stand to support the union and
struggling against the managementís illegal tactics.
APTUF and its affiliated unions are fully supporting the struggle of the
crescent workers, the General Secretary APTUF along with other office
bearers Rubina Jamil, Chairperson, Fazal-e-Wahid, Nasir
Chaudhary,Shabbir Shah, Mohammad Siddique went to the factory area,
located 100 kilometre away from Lahore on November 8th, 2004 and
addressed to a large gathering of the workers including many hundreds
women, even the important thing is that the local citizen of the area
also participate in the meeting. Workers were enthusiastic and chanting
slogans against the factory management as well as the local police.
Gulzar Chaudhary address the gathering and strongly condemned the
CRESCENT ownerís anti workers policies and levelling false cases,
dismissal of 250 workers from the services illegally and warn the
management to reinstate workers, withdrawal all the cases against the
workers otherwise federation and its affiliate unions infront of factory
gate and hold big demonstration and march towards the district head
quarter of the local administration. The other labour leader also
support the struggle of the CRESCENT workers and approved the views of
Mr. Chaudhary.
Following program chalked which will be start after EID.
Campaign for reinstate workers and withdrawal charges.
- Protest meetings will be organize with CRESCENT workers of their
every shift.
- Protest meetings will be organize in big industrial cities of Pakistan
to mobilize workers and aware them about the worse situation of the
CRESCENT workers.
- APTUF write letters to the President, Prime Minister of Pakistan and
other relevant authorities for redress workers grievances.
- Big gathering will be held last week of November in front of CRESCENT
factory main gate.
I request you to the ILC and Workers Party of France that kindly
circulate this letter widely and send solidarity messages to President,
Ittefaq Mazdoor Union CRESCENT Bahuman, Hafiz-a-bad Pakistan and General
Secretary APTUF on the following address:
14 N, Industrial Area, Gulberg II, Lahore, Pakistan,
Fax: 92-42-666- 5301
Email: rubinawwo@nexlinx.net.pk
atuf@brain.net.pk
********************
ITALY
NOVEMBER 30 GENERAL STRIKE
APPEAL FROM CGIL, UIL, ICFTU TRADE UNIONS
"Against the FINANZIARIA, Italy Stopped"
November 15 "From north to south, united we fight, don't touch
public education!"
Interview with Lorenzo Varaldo, education trade unionist, and activist
of the ILC in Italy.
What were the reasons for called for a general strike on November 30 in
Italy?
The general strike called for November 30 by the CGIL, the UIL and
the ICFTU is in opposition to the finance law of 2005.
"Against the Finanziaria, Italy stops," was the headline in La
Repubblica on November 30. All sectors are concerned: banks, postal
services, gas, electricity, government officials, researchers and the
University, transportation, railroads and airlines, hospital personnelŠ
You must recall that last November 15, all schooling was stopped,
thousands of schools were closed, teachers and parents joined the strike
and the demonstration, along with trade union organizations to say:
"Abrogate the Moratti reform! No to the destruction of public
education, no to the destruction of the national statue!" As they
walked past the Council's office, they broke out spontaneously crying:
"From north to south, united in our fight, don't touch public
education!"
This same will to resist and defend the unity of the country, public
education, the rights conquered in the framework of the nation, against
the creation of "20 little Italies", developed into the
general strike. It is a strong movement from which arise the desire and
the will to "Get rid of Berlusconi!"
What obstacles are in the way of this determination?
The obstacles are the European Constitution and all the European
directives. When Prodi greeted the new president of the European
Commission, Barroso, he invited him to "go to the very end of the
Lisbon policies" and this is the origin of the 'reform' of schools
and universities.
Millions of workers are today on strike against the finances law imposed
by the European Union, that in the name of the stability pact, strangles
public services, the communes, and imposes privatisations.
Prodi is one of the architects of the European Constitution
Fausto Bertinotti, the secretary general of the Refounded Communist
Party, said he was against the European Constitution. At the same time
he was part of, along with Prodi, and other oppositon parties of a
"Grand Democratic Alliance" and he is ready to govern with
Prodi.
Your national committee for the NO vote to the European Constitution,
no to decentralization, sent an open letter to Bertinotti:
That's right. In this letter we told him there is a pit, a line of
demarcation between those who vote for the YES and those who vote for
the NO:
"You voted for another government and we respect that, and
getting rid of Berlusconi is urgent. After the strikes of November 15
and 30, it has become more evident that if you break with Prodi and the
European Union, you will go in the direction of the legitimate demands
of teachers and parents who wish to defend public education, public
services, employment, et al. On the contrary, if you stick to Prodi,
that's like going against the legitimate demands of the population and
allows the application of the Brussels directive and the European Union,
that are the originators of the destructive plans. We all want a
government who can handle the situation, abrogate the Moratti 'reform'
and that of pensions, a government that will save Alitalia and Fiat, who
will block privatisations. The recent events in these last weeks confirm
that in order to do this, we need a government that will break with
Berlusconi and Prodi. This government, we are certain, would have the
support of all the workers, the youth and the pensioners."
We had this letter signed and demanded it should be received by
Bertinotti. We also decided to respond to an appeal from the national
committee for a NO vote to the European Constitution in France, and to
send a delegation to the meeting and demonstration on January 22 in
Paris for the NO vote to the European Constitution.
We will be present at the demonstration on January 22 in Paris for
the
NO VOTE TO THE EUROPEAN CONSTITUTION.
********************
BRAZIL
Five landless peasants were assassinated in the State of Minas Gerais.
Five landless peasants were assassinated and 13 other injured during a
new massacre perpetrated by the large landholders in Brazil. It is an
ignoble act committed against the occupants of a camp of the Movement of
Rural Landless Workers (MST), in Nova Alegria, in the state of Minas
Gerais. For Minister Rossetto, this is not a "problem of
landowners' property." The Landless, demand the punishment of all
those responsible and they immediately reacted by occupying the land of
the largest landholder who is suspected of having organized the murders.
"The most recent episode of the violent confrontation between
the large landowners and the (MST) Movement of Rural Landless Workers)
was of a rare brutality. On Saturday afternoon, five landless peasants
were assassinated and 13 other were injured during an attack against the
"Terra Prometida" camp in Nova Alegria, in the State of Minas
Gerais. According to the military police (MP), around 15 armed men,
wearing masks, invaded with extreme violence the occupied area, machine
gunning and burning the barracks there," according to an editorial
in Folha de Sao Paulo on November 25.
The Minister for Agrarian Reform, Miguel Rossetto, who visited the camp
where the massacre occurred dared to say, "it is not a question of
landowners' property, but of public security."
Not a problem "of landowners' property?" Let us recall the
facts: thousands of families have been camping along the roads, deprived
of land that would allow the to survive. A commission set up by the Lula
government, under the responsibility of Plinio A. Sampaio, said there
were two million families that should be given land. Not even a tenth of
this has been done. Nevertheless during this time 40,000 landowners,
banks and big international groups have divvied up 400 million hectares
of land. A concentration that continues to accentuate.
In order to end this situation two years ago, 53 million Brazilians
voted to elect Lula. Two years later, in which the Minister for Agrarian
Reform, Miguel Rossetto, has distributed less land than his predecessor
under the rightist government of Cardozo, where opposition to a
"radical agrarian reform" was proven and known.
But Miguel Rossetto has also gone along and adopted a provisional
measure (decree-law) imposing an accelerated indemnity reimbursement to
the former owners, on families receiving land. Over these two years,
Rossetto has allowed or covered up more assassinations of landless
peasants than in the years preceding his appointment.
"The massacre could have been avoidedŠin the last three years,
these people are threatened with death," said his colleague, the
secretary for human rights of the presidency of the republic.
Even the president of the National Institute for Colonization and
Agrarian Reform (INCRA), Rolf Hackbart, who is under the tutelage of
Rossetto, was obliged to publicly admit that the objective of settling
115,000 landless peasants in 2004 would not be reached. "This year,
we have spent all our resources destined to the purchase of lands. We
are down to zero. We need more funds," he explained in Folha de
Sao Paulo. Why? Because the millions of reales in public
funds are removed from the budget in order to fatten the "primary
fiscal surplus" and allow the government to pay the foreign debt,
that is to say to enrich the millions of banks and international
speculators.
Yes, the landless that forcefully occupy lands that the government
refuses to give them, who have invaded the lands of the grand landowner
who is thought to have commanded the massacre in Felizburgo, are right.
The fight is legitimate.
Along with all the worker activists in Brazil and all those who support
respect for the mandate, they want immediate measures: the immediate
arrest and an exemplary punishment of all those responsible for this
massacre-those who did the killings and the landowners-a break with the
IMF, and end to "the primary fiscal surplus" and the
redirection of financial resources thus freed to provide land for two
million landless families according to a census by the Sampaio
commission.
**********************
LATIN AMERICA
For the third time in little over a year, the Peruvian workers were
on a general strike on November 25 "against unemployment, hunger
and a for constituent assembly."
Are the demands of these workers, cast into a nameless misery by the
successive plans of the IMF and the World Bank, legitimate or not?
Of course they are legitimate. As legitimate as the demands of the
landless that invade by force lands that the government refuses to give
them in Brazil.
It is the demands of the workers and peoples of Latin America and from
all continents, their affirmation of the right to sovereignty, to a
dignified life, to work, and for a future for their children.
A simple, elementary yet vital demand, that shouldn't pose problems as
the ones we see in Brazil, where the Lula government, elected just over
two years ago by 53 millions workers, youths and landless Brazilians,
that affirm their will to live in freedom and sovereignty, hasn't
stopped applying all the reactionary policies that the IMF insists on.
It is the fight of the landless, that of the workers in Peru, that of
the Venezuelan workers and their independent trade union federation, the
National Union of Workers (UNT) and that of all the peoples that will
express their thoughts at the World Conference of the ILC that will meet
in Madrid on March 18-20, 2005.
----------
PERU
An appeal by the General Confederation of Peruvian Workers (CGTP), the
Peasant Confederation and the United Workers Central:
General Strike against unemployment, hunger and for a constituent
assembly!
In Lima, hundreds and thousands of workers and youths gathered on
November 25 before the Congress of the Republic.
Throughout the country, gatherings of equal strength marked a new day of
a general strike called by the General Confederation of Peruvian Workers
(CGTP), the Peasant Confederation and the United Workers Central,
"Against unemployment, hunger and for a constituent assembly,"
these were the slogans massively repeated.
On July 14, a general strike had already shown the strength of the
popular movement that wanted an end to the Toledo government and its
"letters of recommendation" from the IMF, the free trade
agreements signed by the country, privatisations, misery, Hunger and
unemployment that affects over a quarter of the population.
They demanded the convocation of a sovereign constituent assembly;
dozens of motions were voted on in trade union assemblies throughout the
country.
In Lambayeque, (the principal town in northern Peru), the trade union of
the CGTP called for the holding of a popular assembly on the night of
the 25th.
The declaration that convoked this assembly demanded an end to the
pillage of the country, the payment of a debt that is not that of the
people and that will next year remove, if it doesn't end, $3.4 billion
dollars from the budgets for health, education, public and social
services, already bled to death. "Rising against this policy are,
the towns of Arequipa, Loreto, Cuzco, Yurimagauas, PunoŠthe
universities, the workers in national companies, the sugar cane workers,
the fishermen, the bases of the CGTP throughout the country.
The country is on the edge of a social uprising. No Peruvian can support
for one more day the pro-IMF policies of Toledo and his "government
accord". Through these demonstrations all the people of Peru demand
and end to the government as a means of resolving the most vital
demands. For a sovereign constituent assembly, a government who will
immediately break with the anti-national plans of the IMF."
In Puno, in the southern part of Peru, the workers and peasant
organizations constituted a "united fight committee" last July
14. It is this committee that is organizing the present demonstration.
On the eve of the strike, we held our last coordination assembly, we are
certain that the strike will be strong. We must point out that the
committees of the electricity sector in the north, starting with Juliaca,
will start their strike now for 48 hours. Arequipa, Tacna, Moquegua will
also strike and join the big national strike on November 25.
Erwin Salazar,
President of the CGTP of Lambayeque
********************
URUGUAY
Two weeks after the victory the "Frente Amplio" candidate
for the presidency, Tabaré Vazquez with 50.4% of the votes, and that of
the referendum for the nationalization of water with 64.4% of the votes,
the flags of the Frente Amplio are visible in the windows of Montevideo.
If the victory party of the 300,000 has come to an end, there is tension
in the air due to the defeat of the two imperialist parties, the White
and the Red that had held power for over 180 years.
A headline (13/11) indicated the blows dealt by an adviser to his
vice-minister because he hadn't been named-that would give the
government stability. The nominations were made at the Central Bank,
almost provoking a strike by the bank workers' trade union, the AEBU.
The AEBU had been accused by the 'dethroned' of technically sabotaging
the liquidation of four banks that had gone under during the crisis in
2002.
Under these conditions, until the new Economy minister Astori was named,
guaranteeing that the new government would respect the contracts and
agreements with the IMF, the newly elected president was in meetings
with the losers to discuss an "orderly transition" and he had
shocked the voters by inviting the Whites and the Reds to form part of
the ministry.
The question of the nationalization of water had been brought up. The
new president has already announced the closure of the largest licensee,
Uragua (Spanish capital), responsible for the water distribution and
treatment in the region including the Punta del Este seaside resort. The
speed is designed to guarantee the payment of a contractual indemnity
within 90 days ($20 million dollars), or possibly in 12 months.
What is the position of the trade unions?
Adriana Marquiso, leader of the water workers' trade union, of the
central PIT-CNT, that had demanded the referendum, noted that the law
foresaw the indemnity payment but, "we think we should talk about
what the company has not respected (contractual objectives, etc.) It has
occasioned a loss of $24 million dollars, since the state had to
continue paying an loanof $70 million dollars invested in water.
"There has not been any water treatment done," she said and,
"we have covered the whole country explaining what is at stake. The
citizen who voted knows exactly why he voted." (El País,
14/11).
The 300 workers at Uragua demanded a guarantee of employment. The
problem is that of nationalization without indemnization, with a
guarantee of employment and without an increase in tariffs; that's what
the people voted for. The company has already stolen enough from the
country!"
Also, the telecommunications trade union has reason to invalidate the
franchises given to America Movil and Telefonica, as do the bank workers
of the AEBU who are contesting the concession to private interests of
the funds of the four banks that went under in 2002.
The Spanish capital of Uragua is presumably 'protected' by a law that
protects investments, similar to that of the doddering Battle signed
with the United States in preparation for the FTAA, weeks before the
election-an affront. Both should be annulled by the new government, that
should also recall the troops sent to Haiti, sent last June, while the
representatives of Frente Amplia voted and demonstrated their
opposition.
The new government has a sufficient majority in congress and in the
senate, to be able to validate the will of the people and apply a policy
free from obligations to the IMF.
This question is fundamental for all who fight for the victory of the
workers of Uruguay, with a repercussion that is evident in the region.
Markus Sokol
Montevideo
(1) In Uruguay, all the water workers' trade union are grouped under the
same central trade union PIT-CNT.
********************
COTE D'IVOIRE (IVORY COAST)
Cote d'Ivoire: what is at stake in the conflict that haunts the whole
continent
With the threat of an explosion in Cote d'Ivoire, it is Western Africa
and the entire continent that is on the edge of falling into chaos.
In April 1994, under the aegis of the UN, genocide was organized in
Rwanda. This led to the explosion in Zaire, one of the richest countries
in the continent. The peace agreements that were signed under the aegis
of international institutions, and ratified, a situation of ethnic
separation and permanent conflicts, as is the case in Burundi.
The African continent is ravaged by so-called 'ethnic' wars, by
famine and pandemics: where can we find the causes and those
responsible? What is the role of the international institutions, the IMF,
the World Bank, the UN, the European Union and the imperialist powers?
Let us recall that in October 1998, a mechanism of fixed purchase price
for coffee was set by the state in Cote d'Ivoire. On August 12, 1999 it
was the turn of cacao. It was a demand by the World Bank and the IMF
that, in the name of plans for structural adjustment, insisted on the
dismantling of the state monopoly. Cacao is the country's most important
resource since it is the world's first supplier of this product, and in
reality it was the dismantling of the state itself since it used its
monopoly to finance the state's budget.
Under the dictates of the IMF and the World Bank, the Ivorian government
dismantled (price stabilization) CAISEE DE STABILIZATION DES PRIX (CAISTAB).
The consequences were immediate and dramatic. The peasants and small
producers found themselves face to face with the multinationals and
without protection. This caused the price of cacao dropped. The absence
of a set national price first provoked regional confrontations. The
peasants, no longer having access to credit, were plunged into misery.
In 1994 the 50% devaluation of the CFA franc-under the aegis of
Camdessus, the then president of the IMF-caused the doubling of the
foreign debt. The Ivoirian state had to assign 77.3% of its revenue to
service the debt with dramatic consequences in the social sphere. The
price of medication doubled. The IMF insisted on privatisation of 50
public companies in key sectors. The multinationals (mostly French then)
made the most of this opportunity????
Several months later, the first signs of the dislocation of the Ivoirian
state appeared. At present "the Cote d'Ivoire has always
represented a case apart in the 'pré carré'. It has been governed up
to November 1993 by Houphouet-Boigny under the protection of the French
army." (Le Figaro, November 22).
The disappearance of the premier president of Cote d'Ivoire, the
devaluation of the CFA franc, the undermining of the state monopoly on
cacao started the march towards conflict. The time is over where Paris
decided everything. "The Cote d'Ivoire is swimming in an
internationalized Africa, where the important decisions are taken in
Brussels or at the headquarters of the IMF. Even though it shares the
same language as France, the Cote d'Ivoire of Gbagbo is close to
Anglophone countries such as Ghana. France no longer has the means to
influence Abidjan and to renew an African policy of great
strength." (Le Figaro, November 22).
If one analyses the part of foreign companies in the cacao field,
this same newspaper indicates that French companies control most of
them. But the U.S. multinational Cargill controls 20% of the beans
exported. No doubt, the void left by the French will be rapidly filled.
One must also refer to the discovery of offshore oil and the control of
US multinationals on it.
"The loss of French influence, if it is confirmed, will have heavy
consequences in Paris. Perhaps not on an economic level, since French
interests in Cote d'Ivoire have been disappearing. But because Cote
d'Ivoire helps to maintain France's status in the world, it is the
beacon country of Paris influence in francophone Africa. Paris has long
refused to face and recognize its long decline in Cote d'Ivoire.
As the former U.S. ambassador in Angola said to Le Figaro several
years ago, "France is great while it stands on the shoulders of
Africa." For instance the military bases that France maintains in
Africa: could they be maintained if the French presence in Africa is
reduced to UNE PEAU DE CHAGRIN?" (Le Figaro, November 22).
Over several decades, big French companies subjected the former
French colonies to exploitation. Apparently, the United States decided
that France shouldn't stand on "Africa's Shoulders" any longer
that that cacao, and the oil of these countries should no longer belong
to French companies. The U.S. multinationals have set foot in AfricaŠsolidly.
From Informations Ouvrieres (France)
------------
A REMINDER
The verdict of the special session of the African Tribunal dedicated to
the tragic development that affects Cote d'Ivoire and Western Africa
(Paris, January 26, 2001).
"In the first place in 1996 the CAISSE DE STABILISATION (CAISTAB)
was liquidated at the insistence of the IMF and the World Bank.
The mission of the CAISTAB was firstly to establish national solidarity
for the producers. The state (CAISTAB) would fix a purchase price "bord
du champ" for the farmers, whatever their distance from the
commercialisation centers. So then, the peasant from Man, who was 700kms
from Abidjan, would receive the same price for his production as that of
Adzope that was just around 60 kms from Abidjan.
It was this mechanism of solidarity that also filled an important
political role, placing all the country's citizens on an equal footing,
a role that was accentuated by the fact that the participation of the
State in the commercialisation of coffee and cacao allowed it to dispose
of funds to build the best network of highways in Africa."
Following the dictate of the IMF, "the producers found themselves
isolated in the face of the power of the multinationals. The price of
cacao, that was around 500 Francs CFA a kilo (5 FF)---bord du champ
price-is now only 300 francs CFA (3FF), sometimes lower, which means
ruin and poverty for the peasants."
The workers in the towns and on the farms, the small peasants, suffer
the terrible consequences of these confrontations
Since November 4, water, electricity and telephones have been cut in
the north of Cote d'Ivoire. We can easily figure out the consequences
for the population. We know that vaccinations are out of date when the
cold spell breaks The wells dried up and the infected rivers are a cause
of worry for the emergence of epidemics. The hospitals can only accept a
minimum of emergency cases for lack of electricity. Most businesses are
closed for lack of stock.
Hundreds and thousands of citizens have already fled to Liberia and a
million and a half Ivorians of burkinabe origin are rushing to run from
the country and provoke an exodus where the human consequences are
incalculable.
The OMS center for vaccination against polio is located in Abidjan. This
month the campaign to vaccinate 80 million children in all Western
Africa and the Center should have started.
According to a spokesman for the OMS, this campaign is paralysed.
Most companies have stopped working, and wages haven't been paid. There
is a shortage of provisions in the large towns for a population fleeing
combat zones that have settled there. "The Cote d'Ivoire will not
recover with peace while the principal protagonists of the crisis have
cut through the country for over two years and continue to profit
financially.
This is the conclusion of a recent report published by a group of
independent experts, International Crisis Group (ICG): "The
political impasse is exceptionally lucrative for nearly everybody except
for ordinary citizens," they indicate.
Can there be a solution and peace in Cote d'Ivoir without the
re-establishment of the nation's sovereignty, without re-establishing
the mechanisms through which the peasants can produce and live,
regardless of their religion or their ethnicity?
Can there be a return to peace without getting rid of the international
financial institutions that are bleeding the country, and the military
authority imposed by foreign powers?
*******************
CHINA
Strikes, demonstrationsŠagainst oppression, for their demands, the
workers resist and sometimes they win
3,000 workers of Computime in Shenzhen got a 170% raise in wages!
The demands were satisfied by the strike. The 3,000 workers at
Computime in Shenzhen rose up, marched in the streets and got what they
demanded: 170% increase in wages! The textile workers in Xianyang also
went on strike for over six weeks with the support of the population and
forced management to accept two points.
It is certainly unusual that we can indicate, "I didn't think that
we would have the courage to fight to the end," said a 19-year old
migrant worker at Computime. "I wasn't afraid as everyone joined
the movement. I just contributed my support." These sentiments are
shared by a good number of workers and employees that went on strikes
and demonstrations.
There are numerous conflicts: a magazine of the Chinese PC, Outlook,
had counted 58,000 conflicts in 2003, involving three million workers,
an increase of 15% over 2002. But in 2004, this increased. We can
foresee the same happening in 2005 since according to the Asia Times,
the Chinese government would like to reduce from now through 2005 the
number of large state enterprises from 9,000 to 1,200. How many layoffs
and supplementary unemployed? From 1998 to 2003, 25 million workers in
state companies registered in employment agencies and in the first
semester of 2004, there were an additional 1.16 million supplementary
layoffs from state companies. (From: Commission d'enquete Chine)
Document: victory for the workers at Computime
The 3,000 workers went on strike on October 6 and had demonstrated
in Shenzhen against their low wages: even half the legal SMIC of
Shenzhen of 14-hour workdays!
Negotiations took place with the delegates and didn't last long: a
general increase of 170%. A worker interviewed by The South China
Morning Post (October 7), said, "Management said our wages went
to 620 yuans (62 euros). We go back to work and we will see at the end
of the month if they keep their word. If not, we will return to our
movement."
The management of Computime declared that its affiliate in Shenzhen had
always received funds to pay its employees and respected the labor
regulations. If this is true, who pocketed the money for years? If the
workers had good reason to protest against management's illegal
practices, why did an officer of Shenzhen say that the police would
pursue certain demonstrators? (From China Labor Bulletin).
Shameful meeting?
A China Labor Watch reported that on October 20 the authorities in
Yancheng (province of Jiangsu), organized a meeting were over 1,000
people gathered to publicly accuse and proceed to the arrest of two
women, Liu Meifeng and Ding Xiulan, worker delegates of the textile
company on strike. The strike had started on September 2 at the
Zhongheng Textile factory in the district of Funing, when the workers
heard the factory was going bankrupt (it was a state company with 3,000
workers) and that they would lose all social benefits and would only
receive an indemnity of 433 yuans (45 euros) for every year they had
worked.
After a period, seeing that nothing was happening, several hundred of
them went to Yangcheng on October 2 and demonstrated at the government
offices. Liu Meifeng and Ding Xiulan were designated by the strikers to
negotiate with the authorities in regard to their demands. The
bankruptcy was unfair and the indemnities too low. The authorities
promised to look into the matter on condition that the strike ceases.
Once they went back to work the authorities went after the
'troublemakers' and on October 14, the police arrested several workers.
All were released except for Meifeng and Xiulan, who were accursed of
"disturbing the social order." (From China Labor Watch and
AFP.)
Why doesn't the official trade union have the means to negotiate
wages in private companies?
In an article in the newsletter of the official trade union ACFTU
"Gongren Ribao", dated September 30 that it is astounding. (From
Asian Labor News, October 12.)
1. The workers in these companies haven't any power, they are
mobile, precarious and if they have a problem with wages they can resign
or look for extreme solutions such as a strike. Few think of collective
solutions.
2. The trade unions shouldn't be there and if they are, their members
are inexperienced and don't know how to negotiate collectively regarding
wages. Since the delegates are not protected as foreseen by law, they
daren't come forward to protect the interests of the workers.
3. The bosses don't take the initiative on negotiations and the local
authorities don't help them regulate their problems. "For many
reasons (sic!) the bosses become the masters of the new wages." The
local authorities can't find their place in these negotiations.
Therefore, two attitudes on the part of the trade unions in private
companies on wage negotiations: or they don't want to overcome the
problem, or collective negotiations are held without talking about
wages!
If it is the official trade union that says soŠ
A representative of the ACFTU declared to China News (official
site), that China had in 2003, 98.2 million migrant workers, those
who leave their villages in order to work in towns, generally in another
province and their rights are not protected. Wages and social benefits
are not given them, and most companies do not respect the legal working
week of 40 hours. 15.8% of private companies do respect this legal
requirement and 30.5% make employees sign labor contracts. (From: ALN,
November 12.)
********************
PHILLIPPINES
URGENT ACTION ALERT!
14 DEAD, 133 ARRESTED, HUNDREDS MISSING IN THE VIOLENT DISPERSAL OF
HACIENDA LUISITA STRIKE
All they wanted is to own a piece of land to till for a living.
What they got was a piece of mound to lay their bodies to rest till
eternity.
In a violent strike dispersal in Hacienda Luisita last November 16,
2004, 14 people were killed, including two children aged 2 and 5 years
old who died from suffocation from teargas lobbed by the police and army
dispersal teams. One of the victims was allegedly strangled after being
shot and his dead body hanged in the factory's gate. At least 35 people
were reported to have sustained gunshot wounds, 133 were arrested and
detained, hundreds were wounded and another hundred still missing. The
carnage is a gruesome reminder of the infamous Mendiola Massacre and
Lupao Massacre, which also arose from the peasants demand to own their
land.
More than 5,000 sugar mill workers and sugarcane farmers of Hacienda
Luisita went on strike last Nov. 6. Members of the Central Azucarera de
Tarlac Labor Union (CATLU) barricaded the factory's Gate 2 while members
of the United Luisita Workers' Union (ULWU) simultaneously locked up the
mill's Gate 1. CATLU is the employees union while ULWU is the
farmworkers union.
The strike arose from the deadlock in the negotiations for a collective
bargaining agreement (CBA) between CATLU and Hacienda Luisita, Inc. (HLI)
and the illegal dismissal of 327 farm workers belonging to ULWU last
Oct. 1.
More than the issue of wage and jobs, land distribution remains to be
the major demand of Hacienda Luisita workers. The workers, led by ULWU,
are calling for the scrapping of the Stock Distribution Option (SDO),
which the Cojuangcos used to purportedly escape land distribution to its
tenants under the Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program (CARP).
Ironically, it was then Pres. Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, whose family
owns the Hacienda, who signed the CARP law in 1987.
The deceptive SDO resulted to massive retrenchment and suppressed
collective actions of the two unions. They also said that contrary to
the claim of the Cojuangco family that 33% of the plantation's income
goes to the farm workers being part-owners, only 3% are being
distributed to them in stocks.
The workers also hit the reduction of their working days into once a
week, which forced some of them to do laundry work, collect junks and
get odd jobs for a living.
Over the years, Hacienda Luisita has become very controversial because
of its exemption in the land distribution program through its SDO
scheme. It has become a symbol of the peasants' long battle for genuine
land reform.
Please join us in demanding for justice and indemnification to the
victims of the massacre. We urge you to send protest and condemnation
letters to the following:
Her Excellency President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo
Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines
New Executive Building, Malacañang Palace
J.P. Laurel Street, San Miguel, Metro Manila
Email: opnet@ops.gov.ph; kgma@yahoogroups.com
Hon. Chairperson Dr. Purificacion Quisumbing
The Commission on Human Rights
SAAC Building, Commonwealth Avenue
U.P. Complex, Diliman, Quezon City
Fax: +632 929-0102, Email: drpvq@chr.gov.ph
Please also send letters to the International Labor Organization (ILO)
and the Geneva Convention calling their attention to the brutal carnage
that occurred in Hacienda Luisita.
Reproduce and circulate this Urgent Action Alert to all your networks
and help build an international condemnation to this atrocious act of
human rights violation.
WE DEMAND:
a) A swift and impartial investigation on the bloody dispersal that
resulted to the death and injury of farm and sugarcane workers and its
supporters.
b) A full-dress House investigation on the bloody dispersal and the
issues being raised by the workers.
c) The review and the cancellation of the Assumption of Jurisdiction
which is being used by the DOLE with impunity to repress the workers'
inherent right to free speech and free assembly.
d) Withdraw the criminal charges against the striking workers. Stop the
zoning activities in nearby villages to hunt for strikers and supporters
of Hacienda Luisita.
e) Resume the CBA negotiations and reinstate without retaliatory
measures the 327 illegally dismissed workers.
In Solidarity,
Tess Dioquino,
KMW International Secretary
PS: Also please your solidarity messages to the union, to the attention
of:
Mr. Ricardo S. Ramos
Union President
Central Azucarrera de Tarlac Labor Union
Brgy. Central, Tarlac City
c/o email address: kmuid@tri-isys.com
********************
GUADELOUPE
The day after the release of Michel Madassamy, one of the leaders of the
General Union of Workers in Guadeloupe (UGTG), one of our correspondents
in Guadeloupe wrote to us explaining the situation.
(Madassamy had been arrested by masked me on October 4, jailed without a
warrant for his arrest and released by the tribunal in Point-a-Pitre
after a considerable demonstration in Guadeloupe and international
intervention by democratic and trade union organizations.)
Raymond Gauthierot, secretary general of the UGTG, is one of the
signatories to the appeal for a World Conference of the ILC in March
2005 in Madrid.
Letter from Guadeloupe
Freed on November 5, Michel Madassamy had lost 25 kilos during a
hunger strike that lasted 32 days. He is now hospitalised and undergoing
physical therapy. His spirits are good, that of a fighter, which he has
always been. The president of the tribunal handed down his decision on
Friday, November 19 2004.
He was declared incompetent and returned the dossier to the sentencing
judge.
We gathered together the parents of the young prisoners after the
demonstration of October 23 and with them, we offered a press
conference. A 42-year old man, who had nothing to do with the trade
union organization and was savagely beaten (there were others with
broken ribs), spoke about the ferocity of the repression. A meeting is
foreseen with these same people and the inter-trade union fight
committee against repression.
Regarding the strikes that developed after the arrest o Madassamy, some
were arrested, other continued. The strike of the dockers at the port in
Pointe-a-Pitre has already lasted five weeks and negotiations are under
way. The fact that nothing has been loaded or unloaded for over a month,
that the containers are sitting on the quay is a difficult situation for
the owners and the economy of the island, that depends on imports. The
MEDEF, that had a difficult position during this conflict, was obliged
to recall the employers to the negotiations table.
The conflict with the Colas company has ended, after three weeks on
strike, with inter-trade union CGTG-CTU-UGTG. We obtained a 5% increase
in wages in the form of PRIMES and are waiting that the building and
public service works will come into line with the 5%. We opened a breech
in the flexibility policy and obtained the payment of extra hours after
42 hours (work).
At the Campeche farm, where the picket lines had been broken by the
forces of order on November 5, the strike ended on November 9 with the
signature of a protocol agreement awarding 7% increase in wages and
public apologies against police violence.
At the company where I work, SASEMA that is involved in building and
public works the boss always paid on striking days plus 2.5% increase in
wages, retroactive to January 1, 2004 and the alignment of wages on the
highest level for workers who have the same qualifications and 4.5%
supplementary increase as of March 2005.
In hotel field, the fight continues, and the bosses are against the
wall.
Madassamy, by holding out, has created conditions for strikes to gain
strength and force the bosses and we must redouble our efforts to
transform the trial. The UGTG met in a national conference on Saturday
to draw up a balance sheet on the effects of the demonstrations and to
organize what's next.
Correspondent
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