Dear friends,
You are invited to attend a working meeting of the Coalition to Stop Deportations at 7pm on Monday 27 March. The venue is Committee Room 2 at Camden Town Hall, Judd Street, which has kindly been booked by Camden Unison in line with its policy of support for asylum seekers, refugees and migrant workers.
There has been a report (see recent NCADC posting) that Tony McNulty, the Minister for Immigration, has just announced that it is "unlikely" that Britain will carry out more forced removals to Iraq. We welcome this news, but we can't rely on such vague statements, and in any case many people, probably several hundred people, who have been refused asylum and made destitute, have been herded on to so-called "voluntary" flights to Erbil /Hawler run by IOM. We need to keep pushing the coalition's demands:
… Stop deportations to Iraq
… Grant protection to all Iraqi asylum seekers and recognise them as victims of war.
… Allow them the right to work or to receive a decent level of benefit
… Immediately release the remaining few Iraqi asylum seekers held in detention
so that more people are not either forcibly deported or feel that they have no alternative but to go back on the IOM flights.
Proposed Agenda
1. Report and discussion on present situation:
returns via IOM
problems faced by asylum seekers here
problems in Kurdistan
2. Reports and discussion on current activities:
Statement
Website
Petition
Local reports
Letters for MPs
Report on meeting with Amnesty
3. Future plans:
Delegation to meet Home Office
Hold conference, hopefully on Sat 29 April, to elect steering committee and build the campaign
Any other ideas
We hope you can come along - if you can't but have any news to report or campaigning ideas to feed in, please email us beforehand. Thanks for your support, to Dashty Jamal (International Federation of Iraqi Refugees) 07734-704742.Email: d.jamal@ntlworld.com or Sarah Parker sarahp107@hotmail.com
Monday, March 20
Friday, March 17
Iraq Union Solidarity leaflet for 18 March anti-war demonstration in London
On: the Tehran busworkers' struggle; why the demonstration has no speakers from the Iraqi workers' movement; the USLAW DVD; EDM on Decree 875; Iraqi unions' new joint committee. Download pdf here.
Wednesday, March 15
Iraqi unions launch united struggle
People's Weekly World Newspaper, 01/26/06
Author: Susan Webb
Iraq’s labor movement has formed a united permanent coordinating committee to “make its positions known” to the Iraqi government, and to challenge the dictates of international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Six union federations, including two Kurdish labor organizations, issued a joint statement, Jan. 16, stressing “the importance of complete sovereignty for Iraq over its petroleum and natural resources” to “develop them in a way that assures a complete reconstruction of the country” and to “provide a decent living standard for Iraqis.”
Just recently, complying with IMF/World Bank demands, the transitional government tripled the price of fuel, sparking street demonstrations and other protests throughout Iraq. Moves have also been made to privatize the country’s significant public sector, part of transnational-corporate-friendly “structural adjustment” measures demanded by the international agencies.
Responding to these moves, Iraq’s labor unions called for retraction of the oil price increase and “rejection of the reduction of spending on social services, especially the elimination of government support for the food distribution system or the reduction of the number of items covered.”
The global institutions must “stop imposing structural adjustment conditions for loans,” and must agree to “provide funding for public services and state-owned enterprises without demanding their privatization,” the unions declared. They called for cancellation of debts owed by Iraq that “resulted from the policies of the former [Saddam Hussein] regime,” and demanded that the international financial institutions “engage in dialogue, discussion and negotiations with the trade union federations regarding their policies in Iraq.”
The joint statement noted that “the Iraqi economy has been severely affected by decades of sanctions, wars and occupation” and that “the wars and occupation have caused a dramatic decrease in the living and social standards of Iraqis and especially of workers.”
The unions called for adoption of “a new labor law and a pension and social security law that assure workers’ rights and are in conformity with international labor standards and human rights conventions.”
Iraq Federation of Trade Unions spokesperson Abdullah Muhsin told the World the unified labor coordinating committee was formed “as a response to anti-union order no. 875 issued by the government of Prime Minister al Jafaari.”
Decree 875, announced last summer, revoked previous agreements permitting trade unions to function without government interference. Under the new decree, the government authorized itself to seize control of all trade union monies and prevent the unions from dispensing any funds.
“The notorious Decree 875” was issued “to try to prevent this united, democratic national trade union center emerging in Iraq, and we will not let him succeed,” IFTU President Rasem AlAwady told a British trade union conference last fall.
The IFTU, the largest of the country’s labor federations, was a key player in helping form the unified labor committee, Muhsin said. The IFTU has merged with other smaller federations to form the new General Federation of Iraqi Workers, which is now preparing to hold its first national conference.
The Jan. 16 statement was signed by the General Federation of Iraqi Workers, Oil Unions Federation in Iraq/Basra, Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq, Kurdistan General Workers Syndicate Union/Erbil, and Iraqi Kurdistan Workers Syndicate Union.
suewebb@pww.org
Author: Susan Webb
Iraq’s labor movement has formed a united permanent coordinating committee to “make its positions known” to the Iraqi government, and to challenge the dictates of international financial institutions like the World Bank and International Monetary Fund.
Six union federations, including two Kurdish labor organizations, issued a joint statement, Jan. 16, stressing “the importance of complete sovereignty for Iraq over its petroleum and natural resources” to “develop them in a way that assures a complete reconstruction of the country” and to “provide a decent living standard for Iraqis.”
Just recently, complying with IMF/World Bank demands, the transitional government tripled the price of fuel, sparking street demonstrations and other protests throughout Iraq. Moves have also been made to privatize the country’s significant public sector, part of transnational-corporate-friendly “structural adjustment” measures demanded by the international agencies.
Responding to these moves, Iraq’s labor unions called for retraction of the oil price increase and “rejection of the reduction of spending on social services, especially the elimination of government support for the food distribution system or the reduction of the number of items covered.”
The global institutions must “stop imposing structural adjustment conditions for loans,” and must agree to “provide funding for public services and state-owned enterprises without demanding their privatization,” the unions declared. They called for cancellation of debts owed by Iraq that “resulted from the policies of the former [Saddam Hussein] regime,” and demanded that the international financial institutions “engage in dialogue, discussion and negotiations with the trade union federations regarding their policies in Iraq.”
The joint statement noted that “the Iraqi economy has been severely affected by decades of sanctions, wars and occupation” and that “the wars and occupation have caused a dramatic decrease in the living and social standards of Iraqis and especially of workers.”
The unions called for adoption of “a new labor law and a pension and social security law that assure workers’ rights and are in conformity with international labor standards and human rights conventions.”
Iraq Federation of Trade Unions spokesperson Abdullah Muhsin told the World the unified labor coordinating committee was formed “as a response to anti-union order no. 875 issued by the government of Prime Minister al Jafaari.”
Decree 875, announced last summer, revoked previous agreements permitting trade unions to function without government interference. Under the new decree, the government authorized itself to seize control of all trade union monies and prevent the unions from dispensing any funds.
“The notorious Decree 875” was issued “to try to prevent this united, democratic national trade union center emerging in Iraq, and we will not let him succeed,” IFTU President Rasem AlAwady told a British trade union conference last fall.
The IFTU, the largest of the country’s labor federations, was a key player in helping form the unified labor committee, Muhsin said. The IFTU has merged with other smaller federations to form the new General Federation of Iraqi Workers, which is now preparing to hold its first national conference.
The Jan. 16 statement was signed by the General Federation of Iraqi Workers, Oil Unions Federation in Iraq/Basra, Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq, Kurdistan General Workers Syndicate Union/Erbil, and Iraqi Kurdistan Workers Syndicate Union.
suewebb@pww.org
Iraqi Women's League Conference
The 5th Conference of Iraqi Women’s League
(24-25 July 2005)
Held under the slogan: “A Peaceful and Democratic Iraq is the Guarantee for Women's Equality and Children's Happiness”
The 5th Conference of Iraqi Women’s League (IWL) was held in Baghdad during the period 24-25 July 2005, under the slogan: “A Peaceful and Democratic Iraq is Guarantee for Women’s Equality and Children's Happiness”. It was attended by 98 delegates. The opening session was given the name “Martyr Ayda Yassin”, in memory of the prominent leading figure of IWL who “disappeared” after being detained in 1980 by security forces of Saddam’s dictatorial regime.
The Conference endorsed a general report that dealt with major developments during the past decades and their impact on Iraqi society and the position of Iraqi women.
The report pointed out that the social and economic conditions in the country had deteriorated enormously as a result of the total and all-encompassing crisis of dictatorship during its reign of repression, as well as its internal and external wars. Iraqi women were in the forefront of victims of dictatorship, burdened with the consequences of catastrophic political decisions. They had to shoulder full responsibility for their families as a result of the loss of sons or husbands, whether in terror campaigns of physical liquidation or during the three wars waged by the ousted regime. Women had also the job of caring for war victims who were left disabled. They also became targets for political detention, humiliation, rape and various kinds of torture in prisons, and often ending up in mass graves.
As a result of poor economic conditions and rampant poverty, women were forced to take up difficult and dangerous jobs, under extremely complex conditions. They came to face directly the manifestation of social corruption, as well as systematic corruption practised by the regime’s leading figures and stooges. All these factors led to the fragmentation of families. The regime encouraged the revival of outdated customs and traditions that humiliate women and degrade their dignity. ,This in turn was used as a justification for the oppression and injustice against women, within family relations or in marriage, both as mothers and divorced women. Legislations and laws were enacted that debased the human dignity of women and reinforced their women’s position as an underclass.
The report drew attention to the “Faith Campaign” personally launched by the dictator Saddam Hussein, that deprived women of the rights that they had won over previous decades with their own struggle and supported by democratic and progressive forces in Iraqi society. The dictatorship’s policy during its final years meant that women were trapped at home, isolated from fields of work and general activity.
The report added that the above-mentioned conditions, that were described only briefly, did not end with the shameful downfall of dictatorship in April 2003. Our Iraqi people and social forces aspiring for social change, including the Iraqi Women’s League (IWL), are therefore determined to fight to tackle the legacy of dictatorship. Accordingly, the IWL strives to lay the proper foundations for a civilized society, based on democracy in economic, social and cultural fields. This vision shapes its understanding of social change, progress, women’s rights and their fundamental rights.
The report dealt with the position of Iraqi women after the war and the fall of dictatorship, with new political and social manifestations emerging with subsequent effects on all Iraqis, especially Iraqi women. Iraq now witnesses a new situation:, getting rid of dictatorship but falling under occupation. Refusal by the occupying forces to hand back political power and national sovereignty, as well as the responsibility for security, to the Iraqis, and the destruction of principal structures of the Iraqi state, has led to the deterioration of the security situation. Gangs of organised criminals, along with extremist reactionary forces and remnants of the dictatorial regime, are waging bloody terror against the Iraqi people under the pretext of resisting the occupation. Iraqi women have become an easier target for these gangs. In addition to arbitrary car bombings and explosions, women have been kidnapped, held as hostages. In addition, women have suffered from murder, barbaric slaughtering and rape.
Meanwhile, the forces of political Islam in the southern and central areas of the country have exploited the social atmosphere resulting from decades of dictatorship’s rule, and its so-called “Faith Campaign”, to put forward their political alternative, with practical measures to implement their concept for the “Islamization of society”. This is achieved through imposing constraints on public and personal freedoms of individuals, especially with regard to women’s personal and civil freedoms. In this context, a psychological atmosphere has been promoted to impose changes on Iraqi women in a coercive manner, , for example imposing the wearing of Hijab in some areas. The attempt to abolish the Personal Status Law (in late 2003) signalled the intention to reverse women’s civil status. It has to be pointed out that the existing Personal Status Law was actually based on various denominations of Islamic law, and the alternative meant a return to sectarian jurisprudence in the field of personal status.
Iraqi women have managed to participate in political life during the past two years, though in a limited way. A number of women participated in the Governing Council, the Interim and Transitional Governments, and the National Assembly. The Iraqi State’s Administrative Law (the interim constitution) stipulated that the percentage of women in the elected National Assembly must be no less than 25%. Democratic women’s organisations played an active role in defeating Decree 137, issued by the Governing Council (in late 2003), that was effectively aimed at abolishing the Personal Status Law. An Iraqi Women Network was also set up, encompassing more than 50 women organisations.
During the past two years, the Iraqi Women’s League (IWL) participated in a host of activities concerned with women’s rights. IWL activists led the first women’s demonstration in Baghdad after the fall of dictatorship. The League initially faced the task of rebuilding its organisations in most Iraqi cities under the above-mentioned complex conditions. But this task faced a lot of obstacles as a result of the prevailing security and political conditions, thus hindering its fulfilment to the level desired by IWL. Further consideration of the current situation and work is needed, developing plans to utilize the potential of IWL.
The essence of IWL’s work, throughout its long history of struggle over more than half a century, lies in connecting between its fight for the freedom and sovereignty of the homeland and the struggle for women rights and children’s happiness. This is based on its awareness that women’s liberation can only be achieved with the liberation of the society. It is not an organisation that exists outside the context of the Iraqi society’s history and its political, social and economic contradictions. IWL also believes that the liberation of women is not an elitist type of work, or one that is part of charitable or humanitarian activity. IWL’s work and struggle is aimed for women’s rights and freedoms that are achieved as part and parcel of the struggle for social change, progress and democracy.
The report also presented IWL’s understanding of civil society organisations, as a means for public benefit rather than personal benefit or for the purpose of hegemony by political parties that are in power or outside it. Struggle must be waged against the latter tendencies, and against anything that leads to marginalizing IWL’s role and conception of civil society organisations.
Civil society is not an alternative to struggle for social change and progress; rather it is one of its manifestations. Overlooking this fact, or not acting in accordance with it, in spite of being real advocates of civil society as part of our developmental and enlightened project, will harm the future of civil society and nullify its real functions. This is why IWL’s work in the field of civil society organisations needs to be connected with our struggle to deepen and consolidate democracy.
Work Among Women Masses
The experience of IWL’s work throughout its long history has highlighted the fact that it becomes an effective mass force in society, and achieves gains for Iraqi women, when it is engaged in daily mass work, actively involved in residential areas and women’s gatherings, raising daily demands, helping to tackle social problems in urban areas, promoting health awareness, opening centres for eradicating illiteracy, and through raising the level of awareness of women in the countryside.
IWL activists had never been tied down to office work … IWL will not emulate some women fronts and organisations that want to gain a foothold through spending money or grants among women with the aim of buying off people. The secret of IWL’s success lies in developing close, strong and steady relations with the mass of women.
The need for the existence of IWL lies in undertaking this leading role, fearless of giving sacrifice, as it had often done throughout its history. Furthermore, unless the forces of political Islam can be countered by mass democratic struggle, any constitutional and political gains that have been made may be stripped of their democratic content.
The report drew attention to the concept of women’s rights on national and international levels, and the need to defend these rights. IWL will follow developments in women’s movements internationally, interact with them, and participate in formulating the principal guidelines concerning women rights on international level. Undertaking this task successfully requires an in-depth study of our society, drawing programs on the basis of existing facts, and relying on figures and statistics.
The report stressed the need for rejuvenating IWL’s methods of work, by discarding spontaneity, and acting in a spirit of solidarity as women fighting for a cause. This requires conveying accumulated experience, and helping young cadres to assume their role in IWL’s leadership, with the consent and support of women masses. It is essential to emphasize the issue of expanding democracy in daily work, involving as many members as possible in decision making, displaying transparency and a critical spirit, and empowering IWL organisations in the provinces and towns.
A spirit of initiative, collective work and approaching the masses on the basis of properly considered programmes, can help to achieve a qualitative change in IWL’s work.
Immediate Tasks
The report concluded by calling for the need to act as follows:
- Providing security and peace in our homeland should be one of the principal tasks for IWL.
- Struggle to end the occupation and achieve full restoration of national sovereignty, and to eliminate the legacy of dictatorship, especially in the fields that concern women’s rights and their fundamental freedoms.
- Empowering women and ensuring their full participation, equally, in all aspects of society’s life, including participation in the decision making process and holding positions in government, are fundamental issues for achieving equality, development and peace. Possible alliances must therefore be developed to achieve this objective, and to increase the present minimum 25% quota for women participation in the National Assembly to 40%. It also requires ensuring active participation of women in drafting the constitution, and that includes Iraq’s endorsement of all international covenants and agreements that guarantee women’s rights.
- Eliminating poverty through reliance on economic growth, social development, environment protection and providing social security require the involvement of women in economic and social development, achieving equal opportunities, and equal and full participation of women and men. All forms of pressure must therefore be exercised on the authorities, now and in future, so that this orientation is implemented in government policies. It must not be considered a minor demand.
- The battle of democratic freedoms, the battle of enlightenment, rationalism and the culture of tolerance and accepting the ‘Other’, and strengthening dialogue, is a principal battle for IWL. This is so because women’s rights and their principal freedoms are very closely connected to achieving these objectives. The IWL has to work for the unity in action of the women’s movement on the basis of diversity, pluralism and respect for the cultural specificities of the constituent components of Iraqi people, through developing forms of coordination and joint action, while stressing the need for maintaining IWL’s independence in its decisions and general policies. The IWL believes that its main field of work in this respect lies among women masses, to win more gains for women and guarantee, in practice, the rights and freedom stipulated in the constitution and relevant legislations.
(24-25 July 2005)
Held under the slogan: “A Peaceful and Democratic Iraq is the Guarantee for Women's Equality and Children's Happiness”
The 5th Conference of Iraqi Women’s League (IWL) was held in Baghdad during the period 24-25 July 2005, under the slogan: “A Peaceful and Democratic Iraq is Guarantee for Women’s Equality and Children's Happiness”. It was attended by 98 delegates. The opening session was given the name “Martyr Ayda Yassin”, in memory of the prominent leading figure of IWL who “disappeared” after being detained in 1980 by security forces of Saddam’s dictatorial regime.
The Conference endorsed a general report that dealt with major developments during the past decades and their impact on Iraqi society and the position of Iraqi women.
The report pointed out that the social and economic conditions in the country had deteriorated enormously as a result of the total and all-encompassing crisis of dictatorship during its reign of repression, as well as its internal and external wars. Iraqi women were in the forefront of victims of dictatorship, burdened with the consequences of catastrophic political decisions. They had to shoulder full responsibility for their families as a result of the loss of sons or husbands, whether in terror campaigns of physical liquidation or during the three wars waged by the ousted regime. Women had also the job of caring for war victims who were left disabled. They also became targets for political detention, humiliation, rape and various kinds of torture in prisons, and often ending up in mass graves.
As a result of poor economic conditions and rampant poverty, women were forced to take up difficult and dangerous jobs, under extremely complex conditions. They came to face directly the manifestation of social corruption, as well as systematic corruption practised by the regime’s leading figures and stooges. All these factors led to the fragmentation of families. The regime encouraged the revival of outdated customs and traditions that humiliate women and degrade their dignity. ,This in turn was used as a justification for the oppression and injustice against women, within family relations or in marriage, both as mothers and divorced women. Legislations and laws were enacted that debased the human dignity of women and reinforced their women’s position as an underclass.
The report drew attention to the “Faith Campaign” personally launched by the dictator Saddam Hussein, that deprived women of the rights that they had won over previous decades with their own struggle and supported by democratic and progressive forces in Iraqi society. The dictatorship’s policy during its final years meant that women were trapped at home, isolated from fields of work and general activity.
The report added that the above-mentioned conditions, that were described only briefly, did not end with the shameful downfall of dictatorship in April 2003. Our Iraqi people and social forces aspiring for social change, including the Iraqi Women’s League (IWL), are therefore determined to fight to tackle the legacy of dictatorship. Accordingly, the IWL strives to lay the proper foundations for a civilized society, based on democracy in economic, social and cultural fields. This vision shapes its understanding of social change, progress, women’s rights and their fundamental rights.
The report dealt with the position of Iraqi women after the war and the fall of dictatorship, with new political and social manifestations emerging with subsequent effects on all Iraqis, especially Iraqi women. Iraq now witnesses a new situation:, getting rid of dictatorship but falling under occupation. Refusal by the occupying forces to hand back political power and national sovereignty, as well as the responsibility for security, to the Iraqis, and the destruction of principal structures of the Iraqi state, has led to the deterioration of the security situation. Gangs of organised criminals, along with extremist reactionary forces and remnants of the dictatorial regime, are waging bloody terror against the Iraqi people under the pretext of resisting the occupation. Iraqi women have become an easier target for these gangs. In addition to arbitrary car bombings and explosions, women have been kidnapped, held as hostages. In addition, women have suffered from murder, barbaric slaughtering and rape.
Meanwhile, the forces of political Islam in the southern and central areas of the country have exploited the social atmosphere resulting from decades of dictatorship’s rule, and its so-called “Faith Campaign”, to put forward their political alternative, with practical measures to implement their concept for the “Islamization of society”. This is achieved through imposing constraints on public and personal freedoms of individuals, especially with regard to women’s personal and civil freedoms. In this context, a psychological atmosphere has been promoted to impose changes on Iraqi women in a coercive manner, , for example imposing the wearing of Hijab in some areas. The attempt to abolish the Personal Status Law (in late 2003) signalled the intention to reverse women’s civil status. It has to be pointed out that the existing Personal Status Law was actually based on various denominations of Islamic law, and the alternative meant a return to sectarian jurisprudence in the field of personal status.
Iraqi women have managed to participate in political life during the past two years, though in a limited way. A number of women participated in the Governing Council, the Interim and Transitional Governments, and the National Assembly. The Iraqi State’s Administrative Law (the interim constitution) stipulated that the percentage of women in the elected National Assembly must be no less than 25%. Democratic women’s organisations played an active role in defeating Decree 137, issued by the Governing Council (in late 2003), that was effectively aimed at abolishing the Personal Status Law. An Iraqi Women Network was also set up, encompassing more than 50 women organisations.
During the past two years, the Iraqi Women’s League (IWL) participated in a host of activities concerned with women’s rights. IWL activists led the first women’s demonstration in Baghdad after the fall of dictatorship. The League initially faced the task of rebuilding its organisations in most Iraqi cities under the above-mentioned complex conditions. But this task faced a lot of obstacles as a result of the prevailing security and political conditions, thus hindering its fulfilment to the level desired by IWL. Further consideration of the current situation and work is needed, developing plans to utilize the potential of IWL.
The essence of IWL’s work, throughout its long history of struggle over more than half a century, lies in connecting between its fight for the freedom and sovereignty of the homeland and the struggle for women rights and children’s happiness. This is based on its awareness that women’s liberation can only be achieved with the liberation of the society. It is not an organisation that exists outside the context of the Iraqi society’s history and its political, social and economic contradictions. IWL also believes that the liberation of women is not an elitist type of work, or one that is part of charitable or humanitarian activity. IWL’s work and struggle is aimed for women’s rights and freedoms that are achieved as part and parcel of the struggle for social change, progress and democracy.
The report also presented IWL’s understanding of civil society organisations, as a means for public benefit rather than personal benefit or for the purpose of hegemony by political parties that are in power or outside it. Struggle must be waged against the latter tendencies, and against anything that leads to marginalizing IWL’s role and conception of civil society organisations.
Civil society is not an alternative to struggle for social change and progress; rather it is one of its manifestations. Overlooking this fact, or not acting in accordance with it, in spite of being real advocates of civil society as part of our developmental and enlightened project, will harm the future of civil society and nullify its real functions. This is why IWL’s work in the field of civil society organisations needs to be connected with our struggle to deepen and consolidate democracy.
Work Among Women Masses
The experience of IWL’s work throughout its long history has highlighted the fact that it becomes an effective mass force in society, and achieves gains for Iraqi women, when it is engaged in daily mass work, actively involved in residential areas and women’s gatherings, raising daily demands, helping to tackle social problems in urban areas, promoting health awareness, opening centres for eradicating illiteracy, and through raising the level of awareness of women in the countryside.
IWL activists had never been tied down to office work … IWL will not emulate some women fronts and organisations that want to gain a foothold through spending money or grants among women with the aim of buying off people. The secret of IWL’s success lies in developing close, strong and steady relations with the mass of women.
The need for the existence of IWL lies in undertaking this leading role, fearless of giving sacrifice, as it had often done throughout its history. Furthermore, unless the forces of political Islam can be countered by mass democratic struggle, any constitutional and political gains that have been made may be stripped of their democratic content.
The report drew attention to the concept of women’s rights on national and international levels, and the need to defend these rights. IWL will follow developments in women’s movements internationally, interact with them, and participate in formulating the principal guidelines concerning women rights on international level. Undertaking this task successfully requires an in-depth study of our society, drawing programs on the basis of existing facts, and relying on figures and statistics.
The report stressed the need for rejuvenating IWL’s methods of work, by discarding spontaneity, and acting in a spirit of solidarity as women fighting for a cause. This requires conveying accumulated experience, and helping young cadres to assume their role in IWL’s leadership, with the consent and support of women masses. It is essential to emphasize the issue of expanding democracy in daily work, involving as many members as possible in decision making, displaying transparency and a critical spirit, and empowering IWL organisations in the provinces and towns.
A spirit of initiative, collective work and approaching the masses on the basis of properly considered programmes, can help to achieve a qualitative change in IWL’s work.
Immediate Tasks
The report concluded by calling for the need to act as follows:
- Providing security and peace in our homeland should be one of the principal tasks for IWL.
- Struggle to end the occupation and achieve full restoration of national sovereignty, and to eliminate the legacy of dictatorship, especially in the fields that concern women’s rights and their fundamental freedoms.
- Empowering women and ensuring their full participation, equally, in all aspects of society’s life, including participation in the decision making process and holding positions in government, are fundamental issues for achieving equality, development and peace. Possible alliances must therefore be developed to achieve this objective, and to increase the present minimum 25% quota for women participation in the National Assembly to 40%. It also requires ensuring active participation of women in drafting the constitution, and that includes Iraq’s endorsement of all international covenants and agreements that guarantee women’s rights.
- Eliminating poverty through reliance on economic growth, social development, environment protection and providing social security require the involvement of women in economic and social development, achieving equal opportunities, and equal and full participation of women and men. All forms of pressure must therefore be exercised on the authorities, now and in future, so that this orientation is implemented in government policies. It must not be considered a minor demand.
- The battle of democratic freedoms, the battle of enlightenment, rationalism and the culture of tolerance and accepting the ‘Other’, and strengthening dialogue, is a principal battle for IWL. This is so because women’s rights and their principal freedoms are very closely connected to achieving these objectives. The IWL has to work for the unity in action of the women’s movement on the basis of diversity, pluralism and respect for the cultural specificities of the constituent components of Iraqi people, through developing forms of coordination and joint action, while stressing the need for maintaining IWL’s independence in its decisions and general policies. The IWL believes that its main field of work in this respect lies among women masses, to win more gains for women and guarantee, in practice, the rights and freedom stipulated in the constitution and relevant legislations.
TUC Women's Conference: Iraqi & Kurdish Women Speak Out
Nazanin T. Ali, Head of Women in the Kurdistan Workers’ Union, was a conference guest speaker.
She brought solidarity greetings, and talked of the struggle to improve workers’ conditions and women’s rights. She described the women’s contribution to the Kurdish national liberation movement, giving examples of women activists. She also reported on years of repression by the Turkish and Iraqi states.
Over the last 15 years, there has been some self-rule in Southern Kurdistan, with the election of a Kurdish National Authority.
Kurdish parties are participating in the Iraqi elections and in the government. Iraqi Kurdistan has recently elected a President.
Nazanin explained that Kurdish women do face serious social problems. But she had a great deal of confidence in the constitution, laws, and the Kurdish nationalist movement, to deliver equality.
She was followed by Violet A Essa Qalaab, President of the Oil Gas Union in Basra, who told us that …
Before the wars, women in Iraq had better rights than in most Islamic countries, achieved by years of struggle. But Saddam Hussein deprived Iraqi women of education and equality. The economic crisis hit women hard, forcing them to make lots of sacrifices – “Iraqi women became a commodity to be bought and sold”, and qualified doctors and engineers were forced to take low-skilled, low-paid jobs.
In the post-war situation, things are not much better – there is poverty, disease, and lack of security. Women are vulnerable and in fear of random attacks; some are even lived in abandoned and derelict buildings. “The new government has forgotten the suffering of women”.
The Oil and Gas Union campaigns for a Labour Code to adhere to ILO standards. It also demands women’s access to health, education and decent pensions. It opposes privatisation, supports public ownership, and wants Iraq to be free of foreign troops.
Finally, Violet pleaded with delegates to support Iraqi workers’ fight against the anti-union Decree 8750.
As well as the women addressing the full conference, there was a fringe meeting, addressed by representatives of the Iraqi Kurdistan Journalists Union, and the Printing Union.
Additionally, I and a few other delegates asked questions of the Women’s Committee in order to get more information about the TUC Iraq Committee and solidarity campaigning.
Pauline Bradley, of Iraq Union Solidairty, was at TUC Women’s Conference, representing Haringey Trades Union Council. Here is the excerpt from her report about the Iraqi and Kurdish women …
For the last year, the TUC, IWF and others have been organising for the delegation to come to the UK. Due to the fears of the immigration service, the women could only come for a week; so it was a jam packed week for Nazanin T Ali of the Kurdistan Workers Union, Huda S.Rafiq from the Iraqi Kurdistan Journalists Union, Violet E Essa Qalaab, President of the Oil and Gas Union Basrah, and Hasnaa A Abdulsatar from the Printing Union.
Nazanin T Ali talked of how her husband and family had been killed under Saddam Hussein, and how this has happened to many Kurdish women. She and Huda S. Rafiq talked of honour killings in Kurdish areas, how these cultural traditions are engrained and how women’s bodies are often seen floating in rivers; even though the Kurdish parliament has banned honour killing. Girls are generally just educated to primary level, and due to the lack of money and security, families send their children to work when they’re young.
Violet talked of how oil must be kept in the public sector but how the equipment is outdated and how new technology is needed, which is in the west. Her union works with global unions like ICEM, they still need training in trade unionism, health and safety, negotiation skills etc. They’re all campaigning for a labour code to over turn Saddam Hussein’s labour code, which is still law. They asked for our support in getting rid of decree 8750, which was issued in August and could severely quash the Iraqi trade unions.
They spoke in the main conference and in a fringe meeting. Some attendees wanted to focus on the media fuelled conflict between Sunni’s and Shia’s. The Iraqi women talked of how they don’t see themselves in these categories, how they regret the bombing of mosques and how those who carry out such atrocities are “the enemies of Iraq.”
She brought solidarity greetings, and talked of the struggle to improve workers’ conditions and women’s rights. She described the women’s contribution to the Kurdish national liberation movement, giving examples of women activists. She also reported on years of repression by the Turkish and Iraqi states.
Over the last 15 years, there has been some self-rule in Southern Kurdistan, with the election of a Kurdish National Authority.
Kurdish parties are participating in the Iraqi elections and in the government. Iraqi Kurdistan has recently elected a President.
Nazanin explained that Kurdish women do face serious social problems. But she had a great deal of confidence in the constitution, laws, and the Kurdish nationalist movement, to deliver equality.
She was followed by Violet A Essa Qalaab, President of the Oil Gas Union in Basra, who told us that …
Before the wars, women in Iraq had better rights than in most Islamic countries, achieved by years of struggle. But Saddam Hussein deprived Iraqi women of education and equality. The economic crisis hit women hard, forcing them to make lots of sacrifices – “Iraqi women became a commodity to be bought and sold”, and qualified doctors and engineers were forced to take low-skilled, low-paid jobs.
In the post-war situation, things are not much better – there is poverty, disease, and lack of security. Women are vulnerable and in fear of random attacks; some are even lived in abandoned and derelict buildings. “The new government has forgotten the suffering of women”.
The Oil and Gas Union campaigns for a Labour Code to adhere to ILO standards. It also demands women’s access to health, education and decent pensions. It opposes privatisation, supports public ownership, and wants Iraq to be free of foreign troops.
Finally, Violet pleaded with delegates to support Iraqi workers’ fight against the anti-union Decree 8750.
As well as the women addressing the full conference, there was a fringe meeting, addressed by representatives of the Iraqi Kurdistan Journalists Union, and the Printing Union.
Additionally, I and a few other delegates asked questions of the Women’s Committee in order to get more information about the TUC Iraq Committee and solidarity campaigning.
Pauline Bradley, of Iraq Union Solidairty, was at TUC Women’s Conference, representing Haringey Trades Union Council. Here is the excerpt from her report about the Iraqi and Kurdish women …
For the last year, the TUC, IWF and others have been organising for the delegation to come to the UK. Due to the fears of the immigration service, the women could only come for a week; so it was a jam packed week for Nazanin T Ali of the Kurdistan Workers Union, Huda S.Rafiq from the Iraqi Kurdistan Journalists Union, Violet E Essa Qalaab, President of the Oil and Gas Union Basrah, and Hasnaa A Abdulsatar from the Printing Union.
Nazanin T Ali talked of how her husband and family had been killed under Saddam Hussein, and how this has happened to many Kurdish women. She and Huda S. Rafiq talked of honour killings in Kurdish areas, how these cultural traditions are engrained and how women’s bodies are often seen floating in rivers; even though the Kurdish parliament has banned honour killing. Girls are generally just educated to primary level, and due to the lack of money and security, families send their children to work when they’re young.
Violet talked of how oil must be kept in the public sector but how the equipment is outdated and how new technology is needed, which is in the west. Her union works with global unions like ICEM, they still need training in trade unionism, health and safety, negotiation skills etc. They’re all campaigning for a labour code to over turn Saddam Hussein’s labour code, which is still law. They asked for our support in getting rid of decree 8750, which was issued in August and could severely quash the Iraqi trade unions.
They spoke in the main conference and in a fringe meeting. Some attendees wanted to focus on the media fuelled conflict between Sunni’s and Shia’s. The Iraqi women talked of how they don’t see themselves in these categories, how they regret the bombing of mosques and how those who carry out such atrocities are “the enemies of Iraq.”
A Delegation of Federation of Worker Councils and Unions in Iraq Attends Amman Conference Regarding the International Monetary Fund (IMF) Policy
In the name of “the Future of reconstructing Iraq and the role of IMF” a conference was held in January 15-16, 2006 in Amman, Jordan and attended by a number of Iraqi trade unions.
This conference was organized by Solidarity Centre and the International Federation of Free Trade Unions, among the attendances:
Cama Lam: in charge of Asia office of International Federation of Free Trade Unions
Nitham Kahoosh: Coordinator of Amman office of International Federation of Free Trade Unions
Peter Pacfise: International Federation of Free Trade Unions office manager in Washington
Ralf Arial: coordinator of Iraqi workers project
Rick Hall: Solidarity Centre (Iraq project manager)
Mohammed Kathem, Shera Algata, and Shawna Bader (Iraq project supervisors)
The meeting subject “reconstructing and developing Iraq: to meet the Iraqi workers demands” this subject was discussed for two days. Despite the differences in views among the Iraqi unions, the general stand was to reject the privatization and IMF conditions.
Joint statement was issued and went public in both English and Arabic languages signed by four Iraqi unions. For the first time ever the unions agreed upon forming a permanent committee to coordinate work among the unions.
Federation of worker councils and unions in Iraq
January 28, 2006
This conference was organized by Solidarity Centre and the International Federation of Free Trade Unions, among the attendances:
Cama Lam: in charge of Asia office of International Federation of Free Trade Unions
Nitham Kahoosh: Coordinator of Amman office of International Federation of Free Trade Unions
Peter Pacfise: International Federation of Free Trade Unions office manager in Washington
Ralf Arial: coordinator of Iraqi workers project
Rick Hall: Solidarity Centre (Iraq project manager)
Mohammed Kathem, Shera Algata, and Shawna Bader (Iraq project supervisors)
The meeting subject “reconstructing and developing Iraq: to meet the Iraqi workers demands” this subject was discussed for two days. Despite the differences in views among the Iraqi unions, the general stand was to reject the privatization and IMF conditions.
Joint statement was issued and went public in both English and Arabic languages signed by four Iraqi unions. For the first time ever the unions agreed upon forming a permanent committee to coordinate work among the unions.
Federation of worker councils and unions in Iraq
January 28, 2006
Thursday, March 9
Update on LFIQ web site: contribution to International Women's Day
Dear Friend
The web site below contains details of a highly successful briefing meeting
held last night with a visiting delegation of Iraqi trade unionists.
One of them said: "Iraq is the only home we have and, God willing,
extremists will be worn out by our resilience. But we cannot do it by
ourselves alone and we need the support of the UN and the
international community."
I hope that you find it useful.
It's at www.labourfriendsofiraq.org.uk
Best Wishes
Gary Kent
for LFIQ
The web site below contains details of a highly successful briefing meeting
held last night with a visiting delegation of Iraqi trade unionists.
One of them said: "Iraq is the only home we have and, God willing,
extremists will be worn out by our resilience. But we cannot do it by
ourselves alone and we need the support of the UN and the
international community."
I hope that you find it useful.
It's at www.labourfriendsofiraq.org.uk
Best Wishes
Gary Kent
for LFIQ
Monday, March 6
Early Day Motion condemns Decree 8750
To see whether your MP has signed this Early Day Motion, click here.
Early Day Motion
EDM 1689
Printable EDM.. Signatures
IRAQI TRADE UNIONS27.02.2006
Anderson, David
That this House supports the independent and democratic Iraqi trade union movement, mainly centred around the newly merged Iraqi Workers' Federation (IWF) and the Kurdish trade unions, which play an important role in the re-building of Iraq's devastated national economy and consolidating the current political process in order to create a democratic, united and federal state after years of repression and hardship at the hands of the deposed dictatorship of Saddam Hussein; is, therefore, deeply disturbed that on 8th August 2005 the Iraqi Council of Ministers issued decree 8750 which declared that union finances would be taken over by the government and that a new law on trade unionism would be developed by the government, without mentioning freedom of association, which is a basic human right and one of the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), or the involvement of the Iraqi trade union movement; is further disturbed at recent reports that the Iraqi government has replaced the leadership of the independent engineers' union with its own appointeees in a prima facie breach of freedom of association; welcomes the decision of Iraqi professional organisations to create jointly with the IWF an umbrella organisation to oppose decree 8750; further congratulates the TUC for initiating global protests against decree 8750 and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions for supporting the IWF's complaint formally requesting that the ILO intervene directly with the Iraqi government; and supports the IWF and others in all available democratic means to stop this undemocratic practice against Iraqi workers.
Signatures( 18)
Status
Anderson, David
Ruddock, Joan
Havard, Dai
Marris, Rob
Hodgson, Sharon
Bottomley, Peter
Spink, Bob
Howarth, George
McCarthy-Fry, Sarah
Jones, Lynne
Lepper, David
Caton, Martin
Dismore, Andrew
Dobbin, Jim
Durkan, Mark
Gibson, Ian
Hancock, Mike
Moon, Madeleine
Early Day Motion
EDM 1689
Printable EDM.. Signatures
IRAQI TRADE UNIONS27.02.2006
Anderson, David
That this House supports the independent and democratic Iraqi trade union movement, mainly centred around the newly merged Iraqi Workers' Federation (IWF) and the Kurdish trade unions, which play an important role in the re-building of Iraq's devastated national economy and consolidating the current political process in order to create a democratic, united and federal state after years of repression and hardship at the hands of the deposed dictatorship of Saddam Hussein; is, therefore, deeply disturbed that on 8th August 2005 the Iraqi Council of Ministers issued decree 8750 which declared that union finances would be taken over by the government and that a new law on trade unionism would be developed by the government, without mentioning freedom of association, which is a basic human right and one of the fundamental conventions of the International Labour Organisation (ILO), or the involvement of the Iraqi trade union movement; is further disturbed at recent reports that the Iraqi government has replaced the leadership of the independent engineers' union with its own appointeees in a prima facie breach of freedom of association; welcomes the decision of Iraqi professional organisations to create jointly with the IWF an umbrella organisation to oppose decree 8750; further congratulates the TUC for initiating global protests against decree 8750 and the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions for supporting the IWF's complaint formally requesting that the ILO intervene directly with the Iraqi government; and supports the IWF and others in all available democratic means to stop this undemocratic practice against Iraqi workers.
Signatures( 18)
Status
Anderson, David
Ruddock, Joan
Havard, Dai
Marris, Rob
Hodgson, Sharon
Bottomley, Peter
Spink, Bob
Howarth, George
McCarthy-Fry, Sarah
Jones, Lynne
Lepper, David
Caton, Martin
Dismore, Andrew
Dobbin, Jim
Durkan, Mark
Gibson, Ian
Hancock, Mike
Moon, Madeleine
Wednesday, March 1
Housing is one of the workers essential rights the government must provide
The workers of different sectors continued to demanding peace of land so they can build their own houses, it is an obligation of the government towards the workers in the public sectors of which the former regime couldn’t neglect.
The sky high increase of rent has created a serious issue for the workers and must be addressed by the current authorities. A very considerable number of families live in one bedroom apartment or rent very expensive places that take the biggest portion of their pay cheque forcing them to look for another job or to send their children to work to survive.
The privatization project that has being adopted to meet with the International Monetary Fund conditions and executed, threatens millions of workers to lose their jobs which in turn mean the impossibility of being housed in the long run. We have being witnessing lately how privatization is being carried out while the government keep postponing and procrastinating this serious issue following the increase of fuel prices and eliminating some of the ration components in preparation of canceling it entirely which obviously means disastrous implications to millions of people relying on it.
The Federation of worker councils and unions has announced its stand clearly against all anti workers policies. Also organized many events to protest these acts and demanded in all local and international conferences and meetings to adopt policies in favor of the workers’ interests.
The Federation of worker councils and unions in Iraq calls on the workers all across the country to join this movement and expand it to include all sectors. Accomplishing this goal is contingent upon our unity and organizing our ranks. We call upon all labor unions and humanitarian organizations to stand by the Iraqi workers in their ordeal.
Long live workers’ unity
Federation of worker councils and unions in Iraq
January 27, 2006
The sky high increase of rent has created a serious issue for the workers and must be addressed by the current authorities. A very considerable number of families live in one bedroom apartment or rent very expensive places that take the biggest portion of their pay cheque forcing them to look for another job or to send their children to work to survive.
The privatization project that has being adopted to meet with the International Monetary Fund conditions and executed, threatens millions of workers to lose their jobs which in turn mean the impossibility of being housed in the long run. We have being witnessing lately how privatization is being carried out while the government keep postponing and procrastinating this serious issue following the increase of fuel prices and eliminating some of the ration components in preparation of canceling it entirely which obviously means disastrous implications to millions of people relying on it.
The Federation of worker councils and unions has announced its stand clearly against all anti workers policies. Also organized many events to protest these acts and demanded in all local and international conferences and meetings to adopt policies in favor of the workers’ interests.
The Federation of worker councils and unions in Iraq calls on the workers all across the country to join this movement and expand it to include all sectors. Accomplishing this goal is contingent upon our unity and organizing our ranks. We call upon all labor unions and humanitarian organizations to stand by the Iraqi workers in their ordeal.
Long live workers’ unity
Federation of worker councils and unions in Iraq
January 27, 2006
Demonstration of the workers councils of Mechanic Industries
In Sunday 12-2-006 the council of the workers of the general mechanic company, has organized demonstration inside the building of the Ministry of Industry, calling for their rights that have claimed recently and repeatedly.
Also they had raised signs that carried their slogans which focused on:-
The living conditions, the services in the residential complex of the workers and to re- operate the factories of the company. Also they called the ministry to pay their arrear payment benefits.
With chanting their slogans, continuation of demands. The local media has covered the demonstration and interviewed the organizer of the gathering from the ( FWCUI) and the labor activists.
The workers and the ministry had agreed to negotiate. The delegation of the workers Composed of Niema Secretary of ( FWCUI) and Abbas Kadhem, the activist in the worker council of the mechanic company and Muhamed Khalil
The delegation delivered Memorandum encompasses the demands of the workers, in the time the workers proclaimed their intention to hold another larger demonstration.
Also the leadership of the Federation of workers councils and unions in Iraq issued an appeal to the workers of all sectors to join this movement and to hold demonstrations and protest against the recently policy of the authorities.
Federation of workers councils and unions in Iraq
Also they had raised signs that carried their slogans which focused on:-
The living conditions, the services in the residential complex of the workers and to re- operate the factories of the company. Also they called the ministry to pay their arrear payment benefits.
With chanting their slogans, continuation of demands. The local media has covered the demonstration and interviewed the organizer of the gathering from the ( FWCUI) and the labor activists.
The workers and the ministry had agreed to negotiate. The delegation of the workers Composed of Niema Secretary of ( FWCUI) and Abbas Kadhem, the activist in the worker council of the mechanic company and Muhamed Khalil
The delegation delivered Memorandum encompasses the demands of the workers, in the time the workers proclaimed their intention to hold another larger demonstration.
Also the leadership of the Federation of workers councils and unions in Iraq issued an appeal to the workers of all sectors to join this movement and to hold demonstrations and protest against the recently policy of the authorities.
Federation of workers councils and unions in Iraq
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