AUT: Fw: Iranian unemployed workers defy ban on demonstration

["rc-am" <rcollins@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "etehad chap" <echap@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <web@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, 22 December 1999 3:19
Subject: Iranian unemployed workers defy ban on demonstration


Iranian Workers ignore Ministry of Interior ban on demonstrations !

According to our information thousands of Iranian workers defied the ban
imposed by the ministry of Interior of the anti worker regime of the
Islamic
Republic in Iran and gathered in protest against unprecedented levels of
unemployment outside  the offices of social services in Tehran, Ghom and
many
other cities. On Saturday 18th of December the ministry of Interior issued
a
statement, forbidding any gathering by unemployed workers outside the
offices of
Social services in Tehran and elsewhere .The ministry of Interior's
statement in
response to a call for demonstrations by the Supreme Islamic Labour council
stressed that  any gathering would be deemed "forbidden and illegal". This
ban
and the ultimatum  against workers are the only responses of the regime to
a
growing protest by Iran's millions of unemployed who receive no benefit, no
insurance .
The capitalist government in Iran is facing a major economic crisis, many
factories have been privatised leading to mass unemployment , every month
tens
of thousands of workers join the already swollen ranks of the unemployed.
Iran's
private , commercial sector leads a parasitic existence, exploiting
millions of
workers to the limit while depriving them of the most basic rights.
Passing  anti worker legislation against Iranian and foreign workers ,
banning
demonstrations and gatherings , forbidding strikes and the right to
organise are
all used  to maintain the supreme rule of Islam . As far as the various
factions of this capitalist Islamic regime in Iran are concerned, such
methods
have to be used to suppress legal , social demands of the workers. It is in
this
respect that Khatami's government, in the form of its ministry of Interior
issues  ban on the gathering of unemployed workers and declares their
protests
"lacking any legal aspect".
One should ask is it legal to make so many workers unemployed, to suppress
their
protests, to ban their gatherings and demonstrations, to deprive them of
the
right to strike and organise as it has been the case in Iran for over 20
years?!
 While condemning any ban on workers protests  we call for the intervention
of
Trade Unions, International workers organisations to defend the right of
Iranian
workers to demand their wages, to defend their jobs and to help save jobs.
We
call on syndicates, trade unions, workers parties and organisations to send
a
message condemning the Iranian government's ban on workers demonstrations ,
to
send a copy of such condemnations to the International Labour Organisation
and
to strengthen international solidarity with struggles of labour against
capital
in Iran. By supporting the struggles of the Iranians working class we call
on
the nation-wide protests against the regime by students, women,
intellectuals to
defend the workers and join in their just struggle .
With solidarity, unified tactics let us confront the ban imposed on
demonstrations of the unemployed in Iran.

Co-ordinating Committee of Workers Left Unity - Iran    20/12/99

email: web@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
http://www.etehadchap.com     Fax : 46 31 139897 or 44 141 330 4316




     --- from list aut-op-sy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ---