[Marxism] COSATU urge Africa leaders to deny entry of arms vessel

[glparramatta <glparramatta@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

COSATU urge Africa leaders to deny entry of a Chinese vessel
April 21, 2008 10:05 AM
The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) on Monday called on 
all African governments and port authorities to deny entry of a Chinese 
vessel carrying weapons for Zimbabwe government into their land and ports.
The Chinese ship, An Yue Jiang, was turned away from South Africa waters 
and is now heading to Angola in hopes of docking there after a Durban 
High court refused to allow the weapons to be transported across South 
Africa.
Speaking at a press conference held in Johannesburg cosatu National 
Spokesperson Patrick Craven said the labour union has started lobbing 
for regional governments and international support for African Transport 
Workers (ATW) in both the maritime and road freight industries boycott 
to transporting or unloading the vessel carrying deadly weapons destined 
for the illegitimate government of Zimbabwe.
“This is just the beginning of the campaign; the fight is however not 
yet over, as the ship heads in the direction of Angola. COSATU is doing 
everything possible to alert African transport workers in both the 
maritime and road freight industries not to allow the vessel to dock nor 
to handle or transport its cargo”, Craven said
He added: “COSATU calls on all African governments and port authorities 
not to allow entry of the vessel into any of its ports”.
It is said three million rounds of AK-47 ammunition, 1,500 
rocket-propelled grenades and more than 3,000 mortar rounds and mortar 
tubes are among the cargo on the Chinese ship.
Craven said the labour body Africa governments and international trade 
union movement should know the danger to the workers of Zimbabwe if the 
cargo is allowed to be unloaded and delivered to President Robert 
Mugabe's forces.
Cosatu reiterated that Africa could not be seen to be facilitating the 
flow of weapons to Zimbabwe which is in the grip of a tense electoral 
dispute.
COSATU, part of South Africa’s ruling tripartite led by President Thabo 
Mbeki’s ANC party and the South African Communist Party, has taken a 
tough stance against President Robert Mugabe’s government and openly 
contradicted Mbeki’s government which favours engagement with the Harare 
administration.
The union has often led demonstrations at the Zimbabwean embassy in 
South Africa to protest against Mugabe’s controversial rule while its 
top leaders have been barred from entering Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe, also battling its worst ever economic recession marked by the 
world’s highest inflation of more than 160 00 percent, was plunged 
deeper into political crisis after the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission 
(ZEC) withheld results of the March 29 presidential election that 
President Mugabe is believed to have lost.
Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) party leader Morgan 
Tsvangirai claims he won hands down without a need for second round 
run-off against Mugabe.
However, ruling ZANU PF party say Tsvangirai won with less than 50 
percent of the vote, warranting a rerun of the ballot.

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