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A dossier of weekly information published by the
December 4, 2007 Issue 264
----- Introduction Romania: Mineworker trade unionist Miron Cozma has been freed! Contribute to the Workers' Solidarity fund! We are publishing an exclusive interview with Dorin Lois, a trade unionist imprisoned in the Barcea Mare prison. France: You will find below a communiqué by the Workers Party: "The national convention has called for the founding of a working class party." On November 24 and 25, 2007, 236 delegates, 14 observers, and 43 guests, mandated by 8,026 workers, youth, and activists met in the national convention in Saint-Ouen, organized by the provisional committee for a workers party. France: We are publishing a contribution from Roger Sandri for the Mumbai Conference that will take place on January 19 and 20, 2008.
Bolivia: On November 24, after months of right opposition sabotage and unsuccessful attempts at conciliation by the majority party, the MAS, with the opposition parties, the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, had the new constitution adopted. We are publishing a declaration by La Chispa. Bangladesh: On the eve of the general elections scheduled for 2008: an "intermediary" government has taken all power, under the pretext it will prepare for the elections. Subscribe to the ILC International Newsletter! ----- Table of Contents p. 1: Introduction **************************
Mumbai Conference (India), January 19 and 20, 2008 A contribution by Roger Sandri In today's world context, China has become the El Dorado for a large amount of multinational corporations, most of all from America, who work together with the Chinese leaders. But, for the mechanism to continue to function, China is obliged to financially support the United States, or else the system falls apart. This has its consequences for the whole world economy, particularly concerning the price of oil, which in fact is indexed to the fluctuations of the American dollar, which today, regardless of what some might say, continues to serve as the base for the transaction in the domain of the trade of resources. With higher energy costs, it is first of all the producers of basic goods, most of which belong to the developing countries, that are the first to be penalized. This takes place in relation to China, the most important and biggest factory in the world, which is opened to foreign enterprise, which, we repeat, are principally American. According to the official international statistics, 300 million Chinese live under the poverty line, making less than one dollar a day. The survival of the population of some parts of this immense country depends on selling their organs for some patient, often in the West. AIDS afflicts a large sector of the population and tends to spread because of the lack of therapy, tracking, and planned treatments. The misery hitting the countryside forces the people to the big industrial towns, giving birth to a super-exploited labor force, most of whom are women, who work 12 hour days, or more, and often work seven days a week. To this we must add the use of political prisoners and other prisoners to produce manufactured goods, such as toys. The big Western importers make huge profits of the backs of a punished proletariat. Some reactions have reached the light of day. In the south of China, inside the Special Economic Zones, the wage earners have begun to organize independent trade unions, to negotiate agreements and collective conventions with the employers. This process deserves our attention and our full support. But China is not a case apart. We know that the trade unions in the developing countries fight in very difficult conditions to better the living and working conditions of the working class and peasants, who more than ever are submitted to capitalist exploitation. At first, it might seem that the workers of the world benefit for the world division of labor. But this is not true at all. The workers of the industrialized countries are also subject to the laws of competition and of the market. The race to the bottom prevails everywhere. In the name of the world market and competition, what we see is the implementation of the right to exploit the labor of the workers as much as possible. Throughout the world, from the United States to Western Europe, the workers' conquests won through two centuries of class struggle are constantly threatened and undermined. Social legislation is cut. The length of the workday is constantly made more "flexible". The needs of production take primacy; the principle of a collective labor contract is being superceded by individualized labor. In the name of the law imposed by the world market and competition, the liberty of trade and the suppression of all collective rights reign supreme. Automatically, wage levels are blocked or even lower, due to the blackmail of losing the job. Purchasing power is stagnating. The systems of social protection allowed the wage earners and their families to overcome the effects of illnesses; but today, these systems are being destroyed. Of course, it is harder and harder to afford decent health care and, thus, more and more workers are being excluded from any access. The liberal offensive is clear: the purpose is to substitute individual care for collective care. Throughout the world we are witnessing a serious march backwards. This situation provokes just reactions from the working classes, which explains the rise in strikes and social movements in France, Germany, Italy, and Belgium. The workers of the United States and all the Americas are also affected by these reactionary policies that, in the name of globalization, that aim to destroy our social gains. This is one of the main tasks of the ILC: to help coordinate the struggles of the workers of the world. In this context, leaning on the multinationals that have become true political entities, the U.N. and its specialized institution, the ILO, continue to promote the theme of "corporate social responsibility." In previous contributions we have already discussed this theme. Let us recall that the 500 biggest corporations control 52% of the world's GDP. Of these companies, 58% come from the United States - more proof of the American military industrial complex's strength> With the goal of winning these capitalistic enterprises to reason - that is, to respect the "Charter of Good Conduct" adopted at the Davos Forum on January 31, 1999, through the form of a "Global Compact" between the United Nations and the main multinational corporations - the General Secretary of the U.N. at the time, Kofi Annan met in New York on June 24, 2004 with the representatives of the main signers of the agreement Under pressure from the NGOs, Kofi Annan proposed the creation of an international mechanism of control, an authority to verify which of the measures the signers of the global compact actually fulfilled their promises. The proposal of Annan was rejected unanimously. Thus, the main leaders of world capitalism love to talk about human rights, on the condition that these rights to not contradict their ability to exploit the labor force of the world proletariat. Thus we see the true nature of the capitalist's support for the idea of "corporate social responsibility." The so-called humanization of capitalism also passes through what it called "fair trade." This system essentially consists of paying a little more for a product, with the extra revenue going to small producers. The producers in developing countries are supposedly the main forces that benefit. The example of coffee and the "Max Halevaar" brand shows the truth about this media manipulation. Coffee is worldwide the second most traded raw material (after oil) - more than one billion cups of coffee are drunk every day. At the head of this system is the Nestlé company, which has 511 factories in 86 countries. Nestle controls today more than 8,000 brands in water and food products. It is the 27th most important company in the world. It was Nestle that invented milk powder, which is much cheaper than milk from a bottle. But in extremely poor countries, mostly in Africa, this powder is mixed with water that, in 80% of cases, in polluted. You can imagine the health consequences for children. In the name of fair trade, Nestle has positioned itself as a champion of the anti-union offensive, using the most brutal coercive means to crush unions and union leaders. All means are used - armed militias, private military contractors, and the expropriation of the poor peasants, with the complicity of the local authorities. The example of Nestle is not unique, but it demonstrates that so-called idea of "fair trade" is only another way to achieve the domination of world capitalism over society. Concerning "sustainable development," another reoccurring theme: The purpose of this idea is to blame producers and consumers, with the goal of organizing scarcity and thus raise the price of consumption. This concept is not a defense of the environment - a theme that we cannot remain indifferent to. But in reality, how are we supposed to condemn a citizen of Haiti or Africa or Bangladesh when they are forced to survive by cutting down trees? Sustainable development is thus a luxury for the rich. Concerning this theme, I urge everybody to read the excellent article by Pierre Cise, published in Issue 664 of La Vérité, the theoretical review of the Fourth International. This theme, like the others, is an integral part of the class struggle between the interests of the exploited and the exploiters. December 1, 2007 Roger Sandri ***********************
Workers' solidarity with the imprisoned mineworkers in Romania and their families Monthly informational bulletin - Issue 11 "December 3, 2007" "The former head of the Romanian mineworkers, Miron Cozma, has been freed" (Article by Agence France Press, December 2, 2007) Bucharest, December 2, 2007 (AFP) - The former head of the Romanian mineworkers, Miron Cozma, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison for having organized a violent march of several thousand 'black mouths' in January 1999, was freed on Sunday. "I was sentenced to 10 years in prison because I fulfilled my duties as a union leader and I had the courage to confront the corrupt politicians and fight for union rights," Mr. Cozma affirmed as he left the Rahova penitentiary in the suburb of Bucharest. ŠHis release was still conditioned on the prohibition of him entering Bucharest or Petrosani, the main mining center in the Jiu Valley, where the ten 'punitive expeditions' that he organized since 1990 set forth. The former union leader declared that he would contest this prohibition with the European Court of Human Rights (CEDH) of Strasbourg, because it "blocks the free circulation of peoples." Miron Cozma is 55 years old and was imprisoned in February 1999 following a march on Bucharest, which was stopped by the armed forces in Stoenesti. He was first sentenced in 1999 to 18 years in prison for the violent march of September 1991, which resulted in three deaths and the fall of the Petre Roman government, and was sentenced in December 2003 to two new charges, giving him a 10 and 7 years in prison, respectively, for the marches of February 1999. Following this he benefited from various dropped charged and was freed and re-imprisoned three times, due to contradictory decision of different legal structures." ----- An exclusive interview with Dorin Lois, a trade unionist imprisoned in the Barcea Mare prison Question: You have been in prison for two years. How are you? Lois: Life in prison is hard. Even an animal cannot live a long time without freedom; this is even truer for a human. And this is even more shameful because, for the last two years, I still do not know why I am in prison. Question: There is nothing you want to apologize for? Lois: For all my life as a trade unionist, I have been an honest man. I was a honest man and honest leaders during the 1999 protests. I have nothing to apologize for concerning the march. I feel that everything I did as a trade unionist was legal. I respected the decisions of the union structures and statues that I belonged to, the League of Mineworker Unions of the Jiu Valley and the Confederation of Mineworker Unions of Romania. We respected the law. We organized a legal strike and we organized a legal march. We wanted to demonstrate, as the law allows us, to demonstrate at the headquarters of the Confederation that we are part of. But the government tried to prevent us from reaching there. People should remember that Traian Basescu, who was minister of Transportation, abusively blocked both the roads and railways of the Jiu valley. This was an abuse that the parliamentary opposition condemned. And the mineworkers did not tolerate this abuse. We the leaders also could not tolerate this abuse. After that, we were attacked with gas and arms. The men defended themselves, of course. The police were overcome and we arrived in Cozia, where the Prime Minister came to discuss with us. He saw that it was possible to discuss with us and several agreements were made and we returned home. President Constantinescu, who dreamed of being a big regional leader, was not in agreement with this. He did everything to provoke a new confrontation. He pressured the courts and Miron Cozma was condemned to 18 years in prison for the 1991 protests. These are not my words, these are the words of Radu Vasile (the Prime Minister) from his memoir. Constantinescu had the agreements signed by Vasile not be respected and had the sentences against the mineworkers leaders pushed through in January 1999. The prosecutors, military and police pushed through the sentences. Ionel Ciontu, Miron Cozma, Constantin Cretan, Vasile Lupu, and myself were condemned for political reasons. We are political prisoners. Question: You were rather close to Ionel Ciontu, who died at the beginning of the yearŠ Lois: Yes, we were jailmates and even cellmates. I think his death could have been avoided. They made several errors concerning the state of his health and I think these errors could have been avoided if he had been treated outside of prison. I cannot specify who is responsible for his death, but I think you can say that he was killed by prison. Question: Have two years in prison changed you, Lois: Who wouldn't be changed? In a maximum-security prison like Barcea Mare, you are condemned with men sentenced for serious crimes like murder, rape, etc., men that society has marginalized, possibly forever. Life alongside these men makes you see things differently. You better appreciate life and freedom. Question: How have your friends outside helped you? Lois: From a material standpoint, the colleagues of the League of Mineworkers Unions and, abroad, the ILC have helped. Unfortunately, many of those in the country have not made a big effort to convince the authorities of our innocence, the exception being the Meridian Confederation, which protested on several occasions in our defense. Our union brothers abroad have been more supportive. Unions in France, Germany, Spain, Turkey, Algeria, Mexico, and Brazil have addressed several protests to the President of Romania. On their insistence, a medical commission came to Romania to examine us and our health, in order for the situation with our comrade Ionel to not be repeated. I would like to thank them all for their support. Question: Your sentence expires in 2010. Do you hope to be released beforehand? Lois: I understand that, following the complaint registered by the Meridian confederation, the ILO, which is part of the UN, demanded the government reexamine the situation. Up until now, the government has not done this. It is true from a legal standpoint that there is not much that can be done. Only Parliament and the president have the necessary powers. Both can free us. Hopefully if the international campaign in our defense continues, the authorities will change their opinions. ----- Contribute to the Workers Solidarity Fund! The Fund was constituted a workers' conference in Berlin in February 2006. It is administered by Henning Frey, unionist, Germany; Jacques Girod, unionist, France; Jacim Milunovic, unionist, Serbia; Yannick Sybelin, syndicaliste, France; Dominique Vincenot, ILC. Three payments of 500 Euros to each family have already been made. To contribute: In France, you can send your checks (CMO) to Fonds de solidarité (Roumanie), c/o Entente internationale, 87, rue du Faubourg Saint-Denis, 75 010 Paris. In other countries, you can make a contribution by bank transfer: Please inform the ILC of your contribution by writing to eit.ilc@fr.oleane.com (or via fax, + 33 1 48 01 88 36) if you would like a receipt or if you would like to regularly receive the informational bulletin. **********************
February 2-3, 2008, Paris "No to the new European treaty!" The proposal to have next February a European workers' conference was launched last September by the initiators of the appeal, "No to the new European treaty." The purpose is to bring together, on the basis of an investigation done in each country concerning the policies of the European Union, labor activists of all tendencies who fight in their countries against the offensive to impose on the people a "new" European treaty that takes up and worsens the European "Constitution" that was rejected two years ago by the workers and peoples. The European Workers' Conference will take place in Paris on February 2 and 3, 2008. A bulletin is published each month through the form of a special issue
of the ILC International Newsletter. The first issue has already appeared.
This issue can be received by subscribing to the ILC International Newsletter
or writing to entente-europeenne-des- **********************
"We demand a referendum. We want to vote - and we want to vote
NO!" In my opinion, it's a big con. They already wanted to fool us with
the so-called European Constitution. That "Constitution" was
directed against the workers and peoples. That's why the French and
Dutch peoples clearly rejected it by referendum. In Denmark, the government
at the time panicked and cancelled the referendum that was planned for
5 October 2005. They were scared of another repudiation, because here
in Denmark we have a long tradition of voting "no" to the
European Union, its treaties and directives. So today they are telling
us that this Lisbon treaty is "new"? But actually it reproduces
point-by-point the European "Constitution" that was in fact
repudiated. It's more of the same, in the pure tradition of all the
European treaties. In Denmark, we have seen what the European Union means by democracy.
Danish members of parliament from all parties pass laws in Parliament.
Sure, sure, but around 80 percent of Danish law is directly dictated
by the European Union. The MPs just agree to everything without discussion
and sign on the dotted line. Where is the democracy in that, where is
the sovereignty of the Danish people? That's why we demand a referendum
and why we are waging a campaign along the line approved by our national
conference: "We want to vote - and we want to vote NO!" There is huge pressure, and things are going from bad to worse for trade unions in Denmark. Even the President of the Danish Confederation of Trade Unions (LO) who in the past - as far as I'm concerned - didn't keep the necessary distance from the European Union, is now threatening to reconsider everything if they lay a hand on the trade unions. We'll see about that. I get the impression that there is the same kind of situation elsewhere. The main problem is the European directives. For example, in the name of "free movement of labor" within the EU, they want to break up our gains and our collective agreements. We are not against workers coming here from other countries, but the collective agreements and wages negotiated here in Denmark must be applied strictly. And that must also be strictly monitored. It won't be the government or the bosses who will do that, quite the opposite. It is up to the trade unions, which organize almost 90 percent of workers in our country, to impose monitoring factory-by-factory, site-by-site. Question: So the People's Movement Against the EU is waging a campaign
for a referendum against the "new treaty". Can you tell us
about your activities? As far as we're concerned, it is very clear: we need an exchange between trade unionists throughout the whole of Europe, and not just within the European Union. Europe is not the European Union. We need to discuss together: how can we build the unity needed to fight against the European Union and the "new treaty"? In my opinion, we need to get rid of the European Union. We need to win back sovereignty and freedom for all of the peoples of Europe. Freed from the European Union, the peoples of Europe can organize a fraternal collaboration. The European Union is a yoke on the neck of the peoples, anti-democratic, anti-people, anti-worker. Contrary to what some people tell us, the European Union can't be redesigned or reformed. We will be at the Paris Conference because we think that the labor movement must play a central role in that battle for democracy and for the peoples' sovereignty. *********************************
A Communiqué by the Workers Party: The national convention has called for the founding of a working class party On November 24 and 25, 2007, 236 delegates, 14 observers, and 43 guests, mandated by 8,026 workers, youth, and activists met in the national convention in Saint-Ouen, organized by the provisional committee for a workers party. Let us recall that this committee was built in response to the call issued by Gerard Schivardi and Daniel Gluckstein on April 10. This was a "historic event," as one speaker noted. This sentiment was shared by all the participants, from different backgrounds and political traditions. After a long discussion, the delegates decided to convoke a founding congress of a independent working class party in May-June 2008. To prepare for this is the task "first of all, of the 8,026 people who mandated the convention, those who are worried about the path our country is heading down, those who are looking for a way out on the terrain of the class struggle, and those mayors and elected officials loyal to democracy and the Republic." "A historic event": 8,026 workers and youth decided to organize together a new party. The discussion on the manifesto to be submitted to the discussion of the congress in 2008 was very rich. Numerous speakers, in the commissions and the plenary, demonstrated that the framework of workers' democracy allows for all points of view to be expressed. This will be a class struggle party, fighting for the unity of the workers and their organizations, a party that regroups the exploited and oppressed against the exploiters and oppressors. This will be an internationalist party. The convention supports the initiative taken by the militants of the 18 countries of Europe for a break with the European Union, who are organizing an European Conference on February 2 and 3, 2008 and who have launched an appeal "For the respect of the No vote of May 29, 2005 to say No to the Lisbon treaty." The convention decided to call for the founding congress in May-June 2008. ----- Decisions of the national convention: Š After having discussed, amended, and adopted a draft manifesto, the convention: - Decides to call for a founding congress of a independent working class party in May-June 2008; - Decides to submit its manifesto as a document open to discussion; ------ Excerpts from the "Resolution on the implementation of the decisions of the convention" The convention: - Calls for the creation of slates in the municipal elections, through
all forms, that raise the issues of the people, contrary to the demands
of the European Union, and that raise the need to defend the communes
and the public services; - Invites all the committees to organize a large signature campaign
and initiatives they find useful (demonstration, delegations, public
meetings) Š ----- A Manifesto discussed The draft manifesto submitted to all the committees was the product of numerous amendments. In the commission, on Saturday night, 50 delegates discussed this document word by word. The next day, in the plenary, more than 20 delegates, each with their own viewpoints, again proposed amendments. The convention adopted this draft manifesto as a document open for discussion, a basis for discussion in the framework of the preparation of the founding congress. ----- Paris, June 2008: Founding congress of the independent working class party: "Call for unity to respect the May 29,2005 vote to say No to the Lisbon treaty" Following the European summit of October 18 and 19, the Sarkozy-Fillon government aims to adopt extremely quickly through Parliament the new Lisbon treaty, which essentially maintains the European Constitution that was rejected by the French people on May 29, 2005. To all the workers and youth: We do not want: - The extension of the retirement age; All these measures have as their source the decisions of the European Union, which the Lisbon treaty aims to worsen. Who can accept that the European Constitution, rejected two years ago, be repeated in the new Lisbon treaty? With this treaty, they want to: - Strengthen the supranational powers of the European Commission, the
ECB, and the other European institutions, to impose the destruction
of all the democratic and social gains; This is a double denial of democracy, imposing the treaty rejected by the French people and denying the right to have the people express itself through a referendum. If they respected democracy, the MPs and Senators would refuse to vote on the Lisbon treaty through Parliament. Democracy demands a referendum to allow the people to again say No. Those of us that met on November 24 and 25 in the National Convention for a Independent Working Class Party, we launch an appeal around this perspective. Our initiative is not opposed to any other similar initiative. For our part, we are partisans of a break with the European Union and for the exit from the institutions of the European Union, whose straightjacket prohibits any national sovereignty or any defense of the social and democratic conquests. We call on the workers, youth, activists, elected officials, and unionists to massively sign the unity appeal. FOR THE RESPECT OF THE NO VOTE OF MAY 29, 2005 TO SAY NO TO THE LISBON TREATY." ***********************
Washington and the right-wing opposition want to dislocate the country On November 24, after months of right opposition sabotage and unsuccessful attempts at conciliation by the majority party, the MAS, with the opposition parties, the president of Bolivia, Evo Morales, had the new constitution adopted. This text was voted on by 147 MPs out of 255, with the opposition having decided to boycott the Assembly. It will be submitted to a referendum after each of its articles are adopted separately. The opposition parties, representatives of the oligarchies and imperialism, immediately organized violent demonstrations, particularly in front of the Constituent Assembly, which have already resulted in four deaths and dozens of wounded. The right wing parties have for months tried to destabilize the elected government and push for the secession of the regions they dominate (the "half moon", the four richest regions in oil, gas, and agricultural land, headed by Santa Cruz). They declared the new constitution illegal and called for "civil disobedience." The civic committee of Santa Cruz, following those of the other regions, called for a "civil strike" on Wednesday, November 28. They also announced they would immediately and unilaterally declare their autonomy if these autonomies were not codified into the Constitution and if the capital, which is currently La Paz, in the mining high plains, was not transferred to Sucre. According to the Bolivian press, the strike of November 28 was heeded in the regional capitals, but less so in the rest of the provinces. According to La Jornada (November 30, 2007), "in numerous departments, there were many threats, particularly in Santa Cruz, where the Union Juvenil Crucenista (a fascist organization- ILC) committed many violent acts to impose the strike." For their part, the peasants organization that support Morales organized a march, which left from the Oruro region and arrived in La Paz on November 28, after having been joined by thousands of demonstrators and the workers' organizations to demand the immediate passage of the law on "renta dignidad" (a social benefit to all citizens, financed by the profits of the oil and gas, a measure that the oligarchy of course rejects). The peasants threatened to occupy the big land holdings if the opposition attempts a coup d'etat. Today, a huge responsibility weighs on the Central Obrera Boliviana, the only representative organization of the working class today in Bolivia. How are we supposed to understand the silence of its leadership? How is one supposed to understand, in this conflict where the fate of not only the working class but the whole nation is at stake, that the COB criticizes equally imperialism and the oligarchy opposition and the government elected by the people? With all the workers, peoples, and youth organizations of the department of Santa Cruz, the COD (the departmental section of the COB) declared itself "in a state of emergency and permanent mobilization to defend until victory all the historic demands." It calls for "the unity of the Bolivian people to fight for the rights of the vast majority." In this context, La Chispa (the sympathizing section of the IVth International in Bolivia) launched a national appeal, which we are reprinting below.
Excerpts from the declaration of La Chispa Bolivia is living through a crucial moment in its history. The oligarchies, agents of imperialism, after having provoked the conflicts in Sucre by manipulating the theme of the transfer of the capital (from Sucre to La Paz), have now announced their decision to organize "civil disobedience" and not recognize the decisions taken by the majority of members of the Constituent Assembly (147 out of 255, that is, 57%) at the session on November 24 at the Military Academy in Sucre. In the words of Costas, the mayor of Santa Cruz, they have decided to accelerate the implementation of their autonomous status -- in other words, they have decided to attempt to split Bolivia in order to maintain their privileges as the lackeys of imperialism. The moment demands the widest unity of all sectors of the people to confront our common our enemy: the right wing and, behind this, imperialism. The workers, the peasants, the youth, the native peoples of all departments and regions of the country want a united and sovereign Bolivia! In the face of the separatist, pro-imperialist reaction, we must all join together to fight back! The Bolivian Workers Federation (COB), the backbone organization of
the working class, has the responsibility to call on all those who raise
the banner of the Agenda of October, the government itself, the MAS,
and all the organizations of the people, neighbors, peasants, native
peoples, to jointly form a UNITED FRONT IN DEFENSE OF THE UNITY OF THE
NATION AND THE OCTOBER AGENDA. The lessons must be learned from recent events! Now these forces, through their spokespersons -- Tuto Quiroga, Manfred Reyes Villa, Marincovick, etc. -- say that Evo Morales wants to impose a fascist dictatorship! Making agreements with these people, like the MAS has been doing, only served to strengthen its separatist drive, which aims to hand over part of our Bolivia to imperialism. The Constituent Assembly must continue to meet and must take decisions by absolute majority, which is a basic rule of democracy! In order for the people to mobilize today against the attacks of the right wing, a Sovereign Constituent Assembly must adopt concrete measures that correspond to the Agenda of October: - 100% nationalization of the oil, gas, and mines!
Defeating the offensive of the oligarchy is not only the condition for continuing the struggle for the Agenda of October; it is also the condition for continuing the upward movement in the struggle of our peoples throughout the continent and the world! **********************
For democracy and social justice: The fight of the Democratic Workers Party For several months, Bangladesh has been living under de facto "martial law." On the eve of the general elections scheduled for 2008; an "intermediary" government has taken all power, under the pretext it will prepare for the elections. The activities of the political parties have been suspended and all meetings and gatherings prohibited. The political parties can only have internal activities and give press conferences. Here below we are reproducing excerpts from the text of a press conference given by the Democratic Workers Party, an organization that participates in the activities of the ILC. It has been 36 years we are independent but still the country didn't reach its main goal for which 100000 people gave their lives in 1971. Since the independence who ever came to power has changed the constitution to keep their power, which off course bring only misery to the people. The characteristics of parliament and parliamentarian has been destroyed several times. Actually the parliament is inactive. Terrorism, sectarianism and turmoil was an everyday practice and the nation has been forced to tolerate this condition. People of this country couldn't give their vote freely to elect their selected candidate, although it is written in the constitution that the people is the owner of this country and there mandate is most powerful. There are some problems in the constitution because it was written by a few people in 1972 and it has been changed many times since now. So far the constitution has given facility to those who have been plundering this country. So now it is a common demand of the people of this country that, they will elect there selected candidate who will be talking for them not for him self and all the elected candidates will organize a constituent assembly to write a new constitution which will only be for the people of this country. Today the DWP thinks that it is time to do something good for this country. The present government has taken initiative for reforms in politics and electoral system that is of course a general people's demand; but we are very much in doubt about the election and even if the election is done the conditions will be changed. At this moment we think the people will get back their suffrage and power if the present government takes the following steps: -- Hold a free and fair election to elect candidates who will organize a constituent assembly to write a new constitution that will only be for the people of this country. -- All foreign debts have to be cancelled. These loans were never useful for the country or the people. Only the local corrupt politicians and commission agents benefited. The people of the country have to be freed from these imposed loans. -- In the name of open market economy, all the productive sector of this country has been closed. Most of the Jute and textile mills have been closed in the name of privatization. All privatization must be stopped. All wealth belong to the people. -- All treaties subordinating Bangladesh must be abrogated. -- Corruption must be ended, for the health of the people. -- The majority of the people must have the democratic right to determine their future, elect their representatives, and have the right to recall them. The needs of the people can be satisfied by a democratic constitution. -- The Democratic Workers Party demands the immediate lifting on the ban on trade union work.
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Open World Conference of Workers