[R-G] Pakistan labor organization indorse resolution in support of workers in Pakistan

[aaron at istop.com]

Hey Dave, I thought you might be interested in this and that maybe PSAC could
indorse this and you could pass it off to other unions. I also encourage
others who get this to pass it of to there union locals and labor councils.
The situation in Pakistan has nothing to do with stopping extremism and
everything to do with crushing a rising and increasingly militant working
class who have found their courage after years of structural adjustment
programs which includes the Washington consensus model of privatization,
deregulation and union busting. Weaved into this neoliberal, fascistic
approach by Musaraf are the ideas of Leo Strauss or what is known as
straussianism, an ideology that says the people are to stupid to goevern
themselves and need leaders and if the leaders need to lie, cheat and steal
that is O.K because the truths of society are too much for the common worker
to comprehend. This ideology asserts that inorder to keep people(the workers)
in line, because we, by are very genetic weakness as workers, are violent, the
ruling class needs to create an enemy to galvanize nationalistic patriotism.
This is excactly what is happening in Pakistan; as the working class is being
beaten down, the extremists in places like Northern Waziristan are given free
rage to rule the areas with a perverted understanding of Islamic law and train
more fighters that will eventually go to Afganistan to fight the occupiers.
This fits well into the foriegn policy of the occupying Countries Who need an
enemy to fight to justify fleecing the public of their own countries and
continuing the occupation of Afganistan for years to come. The working class
of Pakistan needs our solidarity and support. An injury to one is an injury to
all.
  Aaron Doncaster    


Noting that, Pakistan has entered into a new period of crisis with the
imposition of "Rule by decree" by the Musharraf dictatorship,

And that, thousands have been arrested after the removal of basic democratic
freedoms,

And that, US and allied governments continue their hypocritical support of the
Musharraf dictatorship, including up to $10-billion in military "aid,"

And that, the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC), launched by the
Punjab Labour Federation, the United Labour Federation, the Progressive
Workers' Alliance, the National Railway Workers Union and the National Union
of Postal Employees, among others, is a broad-based campaign organizing
against the restriction of democratic freedoms and for the following demands:

    1) Defence of our trade unions from the physical attacks of the employers.
Defend our right to organise!

    2) Stop the privatisation and plunder of state industries.

    3) For a minimum wage for all.

    4) The abolition of child labour.

    5) The abolition of anti trade union laws.

    6) The abolition of draconian fundamentalist laws against women. Equal
rights for women. 

This body calls for:

    1) The immediate lifting of "Rule by decree" in Pakistan

    2) An end to political and military support for the Musharraf
dictatorship, no tax-payers money to arm dictators

    3) The immediate release of all political prisoners, including the
following PTUDC activists:

    Chaudhary Munir Ahmed, president of the Kasur District Bar Association
(Lawyers' Association) and PTUDC;
    Aitzaz Ahsan, Member National Assembly and President of the Supreme Court
Bar Association (Lawyers' Association);

    Ahsan Bhoon, President Lahore High Court Bar Association (Lawyers'
Association);

    Liaqat Sahi, General Secretary (CBA) State Bank of Pakistan and PTUDC;

    Farid Awan, Famous labour leader of Karachi and PTUDC

    Irshad Shar, Executive Member Malir District Bar Association (Karachi) and
the Office Bearer of People's Lawyers Forum ( Lawyers' wing of the PPP) and PTUDC.

This body resolves to:

    4) Support the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign in the form of
solidarity letters and/or financial contributions

    5) Write a letter of protest to be sent to the Pakistani government and
Embassy, and encourage others to do likewise

    6) Forward this resolution on to affiliated and allied bodies