Statement by the activists of Workers Left Unity Iran to
International anti imperialist, anti war forces
You might be aware that
ICFTU &TUAC -OECD has issued a joint call for demonstrations
in solidarity with striking Tehran bus drivers on February 15th.
However the fact that this call has coincided with recent efforts by the USA
and European countries to refer Iran to the Security Council of the United
Nations and lingering accusations about the origins of some trade union
organizations has created doubts and suspicions amongst anti war, anti
capitalist activists regarding intentions behind this call.
Although
we anti imperialist, anti war activists who defend the Iranian working class
understand such sentiments, as forces totally opposed to sanctions, limited
military strikes or war against Iran we feel the need to assert a number of
points regarding our country:
The
economic policies of Iran's Islamic rulers, in over two and half decades in
power have constantly been in pursuit of the interests of world capital. During
the rule of successive presidents each with 8 years of government and under
deceptive slogans such as 'period of reconstruction’, 'reform' ... the
political economy of the Iranian state has been marked by a faithful obedience
to neo liberal economic strategy in accordance with the policies of the IMF,
the World Bank and in pursuit of a place in the World Trade Organisation, all
this within the framework of a plundering corrupt system.
Following
the presidency of Khatami, which lasted 8 years, and the abysmal defeat of
claims of reform, the country is facing an all-encompassing crisis. Not only
promises of improving the living conditions of the majority have failed to
materialize, the gap between the rich and the poor is widening, unemployment is
rising daily, ministries and public sector offices are riddled with corruption,
factory closures happen daily, any protest is brutally suppressed, poverty,
hunger, prostitution, child labour, homelessness are on the increase. In short
social problems have reached a disastrous phase.
In the
last three months of 2005 alone, the Iranian press has reported over 2000
workers protests. In most cases the workers were protesting at lack of job
security, temporary contracts, factory closures, non payment of wages...To all
this one should add the fact that Iranian workers are deprived of the right to
strike, the right to set up their independent workers organisations, the right
to gather in meetings.
According
to the Iranian press the World Bank is predicting that over the next 5 years
the rate of unemployment in Iran will increase even further. And given the fact that the current average
age in Iran is 12 years old, the rate of unemployment will reach 23 percent by
the year 2010. Of course the real
unemployment figure is much higher and with the coming to power of a new
president, many even in low ranking government posts, university jobs.
have been sacked to be replaced by
elements loyal to the new administration. All this has created a level of
instability.
It is
within such an economic political framework that on the 22nd of
January 2006, 1200 workers from Vahed Bus Company Tehran were arrested and
taken to the notorious Evin prison for going on strike, many workers remain in
prison and those who have been released have been told they cannot return to
work. 17,000workers in this company have been involved in a long struggle to
establish a syndicate independent of the state imposed labour organisations and
as a result of these struggles the president of the syndicate and many members
of the elected executive board of the workers organisations have been attacked
in the past by security forces, by
members of the Islamic council
and many are currently held in prison .
That is
why a united struggle in defense of these arrested workers showing
International solidarity with them and calling for their immediate and
unconditional release is so important. Of course ICFTU has issued a
statement calling for worldwide solidarity
with these workers on the 15th of Feb and it is unclear how many
trade union activists will support this call and try and raise awareness of such struggles amongst rank and
file. workers. However there is no doubt in our mind that today the demands of
Iranian workers and those of Vahed Bus workers are gaining some attention and
there are expressions of genuine support for Iranian workers. At a time when war mongers are creating a
highly tense period any protest gathering outside the Embassies of the Islamic
Republic ( places we Iranians consider as dens of spies of the regime ) must take an unequivocal position against
the military aggression proposed by the US and the European countries but also
in support of workers struggles in Iran .
This is
the challenge we face. and that is why we declare: Imposition of sanctions by
the United Nations Security Council or
any military action however limited will return Iran to the dark period of the
reactionary war between Iran Iraq when the state and private sector use the
excused of sanctions for unprecedented plunder of workers, accumulating
astronomic fortunes while the security forces gained an opportunity to suppress any dissent with the charge of 'treason at a time of war' . (During that
war the Iranian regime used the excuse
of war for arresting and executing tens of thousands of socialists and
communists)
We
activists of the anti war, anti
capitalist movement , supporters of the working class movement in Iran condemn
any military action or economic sanction imposed by the UN and whilst condemning war monger
imperialists reaffirm that the destiny
of the Iranian working class is inseparable from the interests of their
fellow workers in Afghanistan, Iraq or any other country in the periphery. Any support or solidarity with Iranian
workers is meaningless unless it is accompanied by condemnation of imperialist
policies, attempts by world capitalism to dominate and occupy various
countries. Of course, as Iranians we also condemn recent foreign policy
gestures of the Iranian regime, which has put our country in such a perilous
position.
While
welcoming and cooperating with solidarity actions called by International
workers organisations and trade
unionists we once more reiterate our opposition to sanctions, military
strikes... and the 15th of Feb 2006 we will say:
We
support the struggles of Tehran Bus
Workers, their right to set up independent workers organisations and we call for the immediate and
unconditional release of Mansour Ossanlou and all other arrested workers.
We are
defenders of class struggle in Iran, we are against war , against the pillage
imposed by world capitalism , and we are part of the International movement seeking another world.
Long
live the Independent struggles of the Iranian working class
Victory
to the struggles of imprisoned workers in Iran
Long
Live International solidarity
etehadchap@yahoo.co.uk
http://www.etehadchap.org