Reply #1: Swiss union GBI condems the arrest of Iraqi labor leaders [View All]

[IndianaGreen]

I wonder how many Americans have even a clue as to the brutality of US occupation of Iraq. Here is a letter to Paul Bremer complaining about US troops arresting labor leaders for daring to picket.

Zurich,11th september 2003

Swiss union GBI condems the arrest of Iraqi labor leaders and requests
the full respectation of ILO conventions and democratic rights in Iraq

Dear Mr.Brenner

As the Swiss biggest union,we condemn the illegal arresting of 54 Iraqi leaders and members of the Union of the Unemployed of Iraq (UUWI)on August 2 in Baghdad,who were peacefully exercising their democratic right to demonstrate for better conditions in Iraq.

We are informed,that the unionists were only released after the intervention of representatives ot the United Nations,even though they were neither armed nor in any other way violating the law, but
were only engaged in a peaceful 5-day sit-in protest of the treatment of unemployed Iraqi workers by occupations forces in Iraq.

We demand of the U.S.and other occupation forces to fully respect and honor the ILO conventions on labor rights including the right to organize and to protest treatment and conditions.

Especially after having launched this war in the name of democracy and welfare for the Iraqi people, we request the U.S.and any other occupation forces,not only to respect fully the democratic rights and all the rights guaranteed by the ILO Conventions,but also to enhance the living standard of Iraqi citizens,employed and unemployed, and to meet that country ’s humanitarian needs immediately.

http://www.wpiraq.org/english/gbi230903.pdf