Open
World Conference of Workers
In Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights
"I hope I Shall Soon Be Free"
Message to the June 16 ILC Conference in Geneva from Jailed
Romanian Mineworker Miron Cozma
[Note: The following message from Miron Cozma was read by
Tiberiu Gheorghe Cozma, Miron Cozma's brother, to all the delegates
attending the June 16th ILC Conference in Geneva in Defense of ILO
Conventions and Trade Union Independence.]
I would like to begin this message with thanks to all of you for the
international campaign you have launched for justice for me. The messages
I received show that solidarity between workers the world over exists and
that those who are the world leaders have to take this into account. The
actions organised by activists and supporters of the International Liaison
Committee of Workers and Peoples in Brazil, Germany, Mexico, Spain,
Algeria, France, Pakistan , India and many other countries have comforted
my hopes that I will be soon able to freely participate with you in the
international struggle for workers' rights.
The conference to which you are participating in Geneva on the occasion of
the ILO yearly assembly, in favour of the defence of ILO norms and
conventions, is quite important in my eyes. In the nineties I participated
to the ILO assembly as a delegate. I always tried to defend wage earners'
rights even if some of my colleagues at that time exerted contrary
pressures, in the name of the integration of Romania inside the European
Union and accused me among other things of being the "agent of those
in power."
These former colleagues are now part of political apparatuses which are
totally subordinated to the international financial institutions such as
the IMF and the European Union, while I am in the place you know.
Victor Ciorbea, who was at a time the leader of the most important
Romanian confederation, became Prime minister in 1996, and he then
organised the worst attacks against the mining industry in our country.
Miron Mitrea, former trade union leader, in charge of a confederation, is
now minister of Transports, and railway workers could tell you many things
about his destructive action.
History has shown in facts who was on the side of workers and who was on
the side of Mafiosi people controlled by foreign powers.
Dear friends, I am sorry to be unable to be near you otherwise than in
thoughts, and I wish you total success in your action.
Miron Cozma
Bucharest, June 12th, 2002