>Date: Sat, 29 Jan 2000 09:58:19 +0100 >From: Ole Fjord Larsen <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >URGENT APPEAL: FREE TOGOLESE TRADE UNION LEADERS! > >********** > >OWC CAMPAIGN NEWS - distributed by the Open World Conference in >Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights, c/o S.F. Labor >Council, 1188 Franklin St., #203, San Francisco, CA 94109. >To UNSUSCRIBE from this list, send a message to <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or ><[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Phone: (415) 641-8616 Fax: (415) 440-9297. >Visit out website at: http://www.geocities.com/owc_2000 . >(Please excuse duplicate postings, and please feel free to re-post.) >___________________________________________ > > January 28, 2000 > >Dear Sisters and Brothers: > >We received earlier today a fax from the National Federation of >Independent Unions of Togo (UNSIT) informing us that UNSIT General >Secretary Tetevi Norbert Gbkpi-Benissan and Pierre Allaga-Kodegui, >general secretary of the Togolese Teachers Federation (FETREN), were >arrested in their homes at the crack of dawn this morning by armed >agents of the Judicial Police (DPJ). > >Brother Gbikpi-Benissan is one of the coordinators of the >International Tribunal on Africa, which will take place in Los >Angeles on February 5-6. In addition, he was slated to present the >report from this Tribunal to the Open World Conference in Defense of >Trade Union Independence and Democratic Rights, which will be held in >San Francisco on February 11-14. > >The fax from UNSIT Deputy-General Secretary Pierre Vissiou Senouvo >calls on all working people to send protest faxes to the president >and prime minister of Togo demanding the immediate release of these >two detained trade union leaders. > >The UNSIT faxed packet includes a letter of protest signed by Bill >Jordan, general secretary of the 125-million-member International >Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), urging the release of >brothers Gbikpi-Bennisan and Allaga-Kodegui. [See Bill Jordan's >letter below. The original letter, which was addressed to Togolese >President Eyadema, was in French. The translation into English is by >the OWC staff.] > >The two detained trade unionists are charged, on the basis of >fabricated evidence, with spearheading "an international plot against >the Togolese state, institutions and people" - an extremely serious >charge in Togo. > >WHAT ARE THE FACTS: > >The UNSIT appeal explains the reasons for these detentions: > >Beginning last October, the secondary school teachers in Togo -- all >of them members of FETREN, a union affiliated with UNSIT -- went out >on strike to protest the government's refusal to pay them four months >of back wages. The union also raised a series of additional demands >concerning the teachers' increasingly precarious conditions of work. > >On December 7, 1999, a high school student was arrested at a peaceful >demonstration organized by the student associations in support of the >striking teachers. The student was later assassinated by armed goons >after she was released from police custody. > >The following day, a major peaceful demonstration in downtown Lome, >the country's capital, drew tens of thousands of protesters who were >angered by the assassination of the high school student and the >refusal of the government to meet the legitimate demands of the >striking teachers. The support by the UNSIT and FETREN for the >peaceful protest incurred the wrath of the authorities -- hence the >charge of staging a "plot" against the state. > >It is no coincidence, moreover, that the arrest of these two trade >unionists comes three days before the opening of a trial initiated by >the UNSIT and FETREN against the Togolese authorities for their >involvement in the assassination of the high school student and their >campaign of defamation against the teachers and their unions. > >WHAT YOU CAN DO: > >The letter from UNSIT Deputy General Secretary Senouvo urges all >supporters of trade union and democratic rights to send letters of >protest to Togo's president and prime minister. > >The faxes should be sent to: > >Mr. Etienne Gnassingbe Eyadema >President of Togo >Lome, Togo >Fax: 011-228-21-1898 or 21-3204 > >and/or > >Mr. Eugene Koffi Adoboli >Prime Minister of Togo >Lome, Togo >Fax: 011-228-21-3753 or 21-2040 > >Please send copies of your faxed letters to OWC, c/o San Francisco >Labor Council at Fax No. (415) 440-9297. > >We would like to thank all of you in advance for your attention to >this urgent matter. > >In Solidarity, > >Alan Benjamin, >on behalf of the Organizing Committee >of the Open World Conference > > >********** > >ATTACHMENT: LETTER FROM ICFTU GENERAL SECRETARY BILL JORDAN > >___________________ >ICFTU _ CISL - IBFG - CIOSL >Brussels, Belgium >___________________ > >January 28, 2000 > >Mister Etienne Gnassingbe Eyadema >President of the Republic of Togo >Lomo, Togo >Fax: 228-221-897/213-204 > >Dear Mister President, > >Re: Arrest of Trade Union Leaders > >I am writing this letter on behalf of the International Confederation >of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), which represents 125 million unionised >workers worldwide, including Togo. > >This morning we were informed that Tetevi Norbert Gbkpi-Benissan, >General Secretary of one of our two affiliated trade union >organisations in Togo, UNSIT, and Pierre Allaga-Kodegui, General >Secretary of the Teachers Federation, FETREN, were arrested. > >The ICFTU has followed closely since last October the strike led by >the UNSIT, FETREN and college and high school students to demand >payment of back wages, numerous other union demands and changes >regarding the Togolese educational system as a whole. We firmly >condemn the police and army violence used against peaceful gatherings >of trade unions and students, the arrest of students, and the ban on >the student assemblies. > >We urge you to immediately free these two trade union leaders. We are >very concerned about their personal safety, particularly in the >aftermath of the assassination on August 29, 1998, of Brother Liman >Doumongue, who was the UNSIT Deputy-General Secretary and General >Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Workers Union. > >Further, we call upon you to respect international norms regarding >Human Rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and >association contained in Togolese legislation. We call upon you to >pay all back wages to the teachers and to open a dialogue with the >trade union and student organisations regarding their legitimate >demands. > >Finally, let me inform you that I am writing a letter today to ILO >General Director Juan Somavia urging him to join our effort to free >both of our trade union brothers in Togo. > >signed/ >BILL JORDAN >General Secretary >ICFTU > > >cc: Juan Sornavia, ILO, Geneva >Sir Kwassi Klutso, Prime Minister >Sir Sizing Akawilou Walla, State, Safety and Decentralization Secretary >UNSIT, Lome >FETREN, Lome >Education International (EI), Brussels >ICFTU-ORAF, Nairobi >Republic of Togo Embassy, Brussels > >URGENT APPEAL: FREE TOGOLESE TRADE UNION LEADERS! > > >********** > > >OWC CAMPAIGN NEWS - distributed by the Open World Conference in > >Defense of Trade Union Independence & Democratic Rights, c/o S.F. >Labor > >Council, 1188 Franklin St., #203, San Francisco, CA 94109. > >To UNSUSCRIBE from this list, send a message to <<[EMAIL PROTECTED]> or > ><<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>. Phone: (415) 641-8616 Fax: (415) 440-9297. > >Visit out website at: http://www.geocities.com/owc_2000 . > >(Please excuse duplicate postings, and please feel free to re-post.) > >___________________________________________ > > > <fontfamily><param>New_York</param>January 28, 2000 > > >Dear Sisters and Brothers: > > >We received earlier today a fax from the National Federation of >Independent Unions of Togo (UNSIT) informing us that UNSIT General >Secretary Tetevi Norbert Gbkpi-Benissan and Pierre Allaga-Kodegui, >general secretary of the Togolese Teachers Federation (FETREN), were >arrested in their homes at the crack of dawn this morning by armed >agents of the Judicial Police (DPJ). > > >Brother Gbikpi-Benissan is one of the coordinators of the International >Tribunal on Africa, which will take place in Los Angeles on February >5-6. In addition, he was slated to present the report from this >Tribunal to the Open World Conference in Defense of Trade Union >Independence and Democratic Rights, which will be held in San Francisco >on February 11-14. > > >The fax from UNSIT Deputy-General Secretary Pierre Vissiou Senouvo >calls on all working people to send protest faxes to the president and >prime minister of Togo demanding the immediate release of these two >detained trade union leaders. > > >The UNSIT faxed packet includes a letter of protest signed by Bill >Jordan, general secretary of the 125-million-member International >Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), urging the release of >brothers Gbikpi-Bennisan and Allaga-Kodegui. [See Bill Jordan's letter >below. The original letter, which was addressed to Togolese President >Eyadema, was in French. The translation into English is by the OWC >staff.] > > >The two detained trade unionists are charged, on the basis of >fabricated evidence, with spearheading "an international plot against >the Togolese state, institutions and people" - an extremely serious >charge in Togo. > > >WHAT ARE THE FACTS: > > >The UNSIT appeal explains the reasons for these detentions: > > >Beginning last October, the secondary school teachers in Togo -- all of >them members of FETREN, a union affiliated with UNSIT -- went out on >strike to protest the government's refusal to pay them four months of >back wages. The union also raised a series of additional demands >concerning the teachers' increasingly precarious conditions of work. > > >On December 7, 1999, a high school student was arrested at a peaceful >demonstration organized by the student associations in support of the >striking teachers. The student was later assassinated by armed goons >after she was released from police custody. > > >The following day, a major peaceful demonstration in downtown Lome, the >country's capital, drew tens of thousands of protesters who were >angered by the assassination of the high school student and the refusal >of the government to meet the legitimate demands of the striking >teachers. The support by the UNSIT and FETREN for the peaceful protest >incurred the wrath of the authorities -- hence the charge of staging a >"plot" against the state. > > >It is no coincidence, moreover, that the arrest of these two trade >unionists comes three days before the opening of a trial initiated by >the UNSIT and FETREN against the Togolese authorities for their >involvement in the assassination of the high school student and their >campaign of defamation against the teachers and their unions. > > >WHAT YOU CAN DO: > > >The letter from UNSIT Deputy General Secretary Senouvo urges all >supporters of trade union and democratic rights to send letters of >protest to Togo's president and prime minister. > > >The faxes should be sent to: > > >Mr. Etienne Gnassingbe Eyadema > >President of Togo > >Lome, Togo > >Fax: 011-228-21-1898 or 21-3204 > > >and/or > > >Mr. Eugene Koffi Adoboli > >Prime Minister of Togo > >Lome, Togo > >Fax: 011-228-21-3753 or 21-2040 > > >Please send copies of your faxed letters to OWC, c/o San Francisco >Labor Council at Fax No. (415) 440-9297. > > >We would like to thank all of you in advance for your attention to this >urgent matter. > > >In Solidarity, > > >Alan Benjamin, > >on behalf of the Organizing Committee > >of the Open World Conference > > > >********** > > >ATTACHMENT: LETTER FROM ICFTU GENERAL SECRETARY BILL JORDAN > > >___________________ > >ICFTU _ CISL - IBFG - CIOSL > >Brussels, Belgium > >___________________ > > >January 28, 2000 > > >Mister Etienne Gnassingbe Eyadema > >President of the Republic of Togo > >Lomo, Togo > >Fax: 228-221-897/213-204 > > >Dear Mister President, > > >Re: Arrest of Trade Union Leaders > > >I am writing this letter on behalf of the International Confederation >of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU), which represents 125 million unionised >workers worldwide, including Togo. > > >This morning we were informed that Tetevi Norbert Gbkpi-Benissan, >General Secretary of one of our two affiliated trade union >organisations in Togo, UNSIT, and Pierre Allaga-Kodegui, General >Secretary of the Teachers Federation, FETREN, were arrested. > > >The ICFTU has followed closely since last October the strike led by the >UNSIT, FETREN and college and high school students to demand payment of >back wages, numerous other union demands and changes regarding the >Togolese educational system as a whole. We firmly condemn the police >and army violence used against peaceful gatherings of trade unions and >students, the arrest of students, and the ban on the student >assemblies. > > >We urge you to immediately free these two trade union leaders. We are >very concerned about their personal safety, particularly in the >aftermath of the assassination on August 29, 1998, of Brother Liman >Doumongue, who was the UNSIT Deputy-General Secretary and General >Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Workers Union. > > >Further, we call upon you to respect international norms regarding >Human Rights, including the rights of freedom of speech and association >contained in Togolese legislation. We call upon you to pay all back >wages to the teachers and to open a dialogue with the trade union and >student organisations regarding their legitimate demands. > > >Finally, let me inform you that I am writing a letter today to ILO >General Director Juan Somavia urging him to join our effort to free >both of our trade union brothers in Togo. > > >signed/ > >BILL JORDAN > >General Secretary > >ICFTU > > > >cc: Juan Sornavia, ILO, Geneva > >Sir Kwassi Klutso, Prime Minister > >Sir Sizing Akawilou Walla, State, Safety and Decentralization >Secretary > >UNSIT, Lome > >FETREN, Lome > >Education International (EI), Brussels > >ICFTU-ORAF, Nairobi > >Republic of Togo Embassy, Brussels ></fontfamily> > > __________________________________ KOMINFORM P.O. Box 66 00841 Helsinki - Finland +358-40-7177941, fax +358-9-7591081 e-mail [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.kominf.pp.fi ___________________________________ [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe messages mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] ___________________________________
