A representative of the British Fire Brigades Union, Brian Joyce, together with the IFTU General Secretary and Woda Jasib an executive member of the IFTU met a wide range of political parties, politicians, trade unions and ministers of the Kurdish regional governments in Dohuk as well as very many ordinary workers.
The message they gave from across the political spectrum was very clear: Iraqi Kurds clearly dismiss the so-called resistance as criminals, saboteurs and religious fundamentalists.
The delegation received the same political message in the regional capital, Irbil, from the leaders of six unions, which organize 48,000 members between them. Brian visited three fire stations and identified crucial needs such as a better means of communications for when they go out on a "shout" and adequate protective clothing instead of their present cotton clothing. Brian has promised that the FBU will send another container of fire-fighting equipment within the next few weeks.
The delegation went to Suleimaniya where we met the Minister of Humanitarian Aid and Co-operation, local fire fighters and trade unionists. At a union meeting organized by the Suleimaniya trades union federation we met more female than male members. Unions have been able to build up their organization in the safe havens created in 1991 after the uprising by the Iraqi people both in Iraqi Kurdistan and across 14 provinces of Iraq.
But even after 14 years they lack the most basic resources such as email, computers and the like. The two union federations are linked to either the PUK or the KDP but they are genuinely independent and are working to merge. We talked about the chaos and crisis in the rest of Iraq and whether it would stop the elections planned for January. Our Kurdish comrades were very clear that nothing should stop the elections.
The IFTU president of Kirkuk Nuzad, who has twice escaped assassinations attempts and receives daily death threats, said he wants the foreign troops to leave but as a part of the political and diplomatic process sanctioned by the UN resolution 1546, which allows the institutions of democracy to take hold and protect the security of civilians after the troops are withdrawn.
The vice president of Mosul IFTU said that the media focuses on allegations that Mosul is home to the so-called resistance but he disagreed with this assessment arguing that: 80% of Mosul is free, all of the area on the east bank of the Tigris is safe and just two areas on the west bank are dangerous. He said that these two areas are extremely poor with no sanitation and very poor housing as well as high unemployment levels which are being used by extremists, who exploit these conditions to recruit to their cause.
In any case, he argued, Saddam’s Ba'athist machine that was built up over 35 years, including its accumulated reserves of millions of dollars that can buy fighters, and cannot be dismantled overnight.
All the trade unionists we spoke to expressed the view that the remnants of the dictatorship can only be overcome by the exercise of the power of the people expressed through building and consolidating the institutions of democracy, free press, freedom of assembly, an accountable government and independent judiciary. They believe that this process is under way and is need of support and solidarity.
They are skeptical about the genuineness of the so-called resistance, believing it to be imported from other foreign countries, which have an interest in destabilizing Iraq, and in introducing their politics of Jihad against the US into Iraq. This is why they are so keen to hold elections, so that Iraqis can take control of their own destiny.
All parties in Iraqi Kurdistan are already campaigning – cars with loudspeakers can be seen on the streets. Supporting the right of the Iraqis to vote, according to the agreed UN process, is the key issue for the trade unionists that we met in Iraqi Kurdistan.
No comments:
Post a Comment