> Subject: WHC: APPEAL FOR ASIAN CONFERENCE > Date: Tue, 24 Feb 98 08:03:02 -0000 > From: Alan Benjamin <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > NOTE: The Continuations Committee of the Western Hemisphere > Workersą Conference Against NAFTA and Privatizations > received this łAppeal for an Asian Conference˛ from > Brother Tafazzul Hussain, President of the National > Workers Federation of Bangladesh (BJSF), with the > request that we forward it to all the participants at > the San Francisco conference and to the U.S. trade union > movement as a whole. Brother Hussain, as you will recall, > was one of the speakers at the conference's Saturday, > Nov. 15 plenary session. > > > APPEAL FOR AN ASIAN CONFERENCE IN DEFENSE > OF WORKERSą AND DEMOCRATIC RIGHTS: > (DACCA, BANGLADESH -- MAY 26-27, 1998) > > Dear Friends of all the Countries of Asia: > > We are sending you this letter from Bangladesh on > behalf of a group of trade union leaders, leaders of > peasant organizations, professionals, and political > activists known for their unrelenting struggle in > defense of workers' and democratic rights who are > calling at the end of May 1998 a convention to form a > political organization devoted to the defense of > workers, peasants, professionals and youth of > Bangladesh, to the struggle for democracy and the > defense of the sovereign rights of the people of > Bangladesh. > > We propose to take the opportunity of that > Convention to organize an: > > ASIAN CONFERENCE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF > THE LABOR AND DEMOCRATIC MOVEMENTS ALL > OVER ASIA > > This initiative is taking place in the midst of an > unprecedented onslaught of multinationals and > international financial institutions against all the > people of Asia. > > "THE PEOPLE MUST PAY!" > > The crisis which started in Asia in the form of a > financial crisis with the domino-like downfall of the > currencies is now returning forcefully to its starting > point as a destructive social crisis. > > In the name of globalization people must pay for the > bankruptcy engendered by the main financial powers. > > Officially, the evaluation of the immediate > consequences in terms of job losses forecast for 1998 > is as follows: > > Thailand: 2 million > Korea: 3 million > Indonesia: 9 million > China: 11 to 15 million > > A country like ours is sometimes presented as > escaping from this disaster because it is less > integrated into the world economy. What is the truth? > > More than ever before, under the conditions of the > general crisis, the IMF and World Bank are proceeding to > implement the so-called "structural adjustment plans" > that are leading to the total destruction of the jute > industry, which was the life-line of the Bangladesh > economy: 50% of the people, directly or indirectly > dependent on that industry. > > The privatization of the textile industry, fertilizers, > mineral resources, power-generation and public > services, industry and railways has resulted in > hundreds of thousands of lay-offs in a country where > 50% of the active population is unemployed without any > social benefits. > > Bangladesh is being carved up by the oil giants of the > world. For instance, in the region of Sylhet, the > American multinational Occidental was drilling oil > when an explosion set off a forest fire (in June 1996) > which is still burning. > > In fact, one fifth of the territory of Bangladesh is cut > off. > > The company refused to take any responsibility for the > losses and simply withdrew from the area. > > Isn't this fact a crystal clear expression of the way > multinationals and international speculators treat our > country: They walk in, devastate and leave the disaster > behind them, the people are supposed to pay so that the > multinationals and the speculators recover their losses. > > In accordance with the needs of multinationals and > world financial institutions, Bangladesh is being > dismembered: regional agreements are set up between > Bangladesh and states of India -- such as Assam, > Tripura, and West Bengal -- without going through the > federal government of India. > > Bridges on our highways have been leased to American > companies who look after the toll, which means that all > Bangladesh traffic is taxed for the benefit of foreign > companies. > > THIS IS NOT OUR FATE ALONE > > This is not the fate of Bangladesh alone. Of course, > when one speaks of the forest fires in Bangladesh, one > is reminded of the catastrophe which took place in > Indonesia. But beyond those examples, it is a fact that > hot money was poured into our countries, not to help in > the development, but to yield fast profits on the basis > of a speculative boom increasing the shares of > international swindlers which feed upon the labor and > misery of our peoples, upon over-exploitation, the > spreading of special economic zones where the > country's laws do not apply any more, where trade > union rights are curtailed or suppressed. > > We all know that was the basis of the so-called Asian > prosperity. > > THE FUTURE THEY ARE PREPARING FOR ALL OUR > PEOPLES > > Even before the crisis broke out, the situation was > greatly aggravated for hundreds of millions of people. > The gap between the 20% richest countries and the > poorest 20% was 1 to 30 in the 1960s and between the > 20% wealthiest countries of the globe and the 20% > poorest. In 1996, it reached 1 to 60. This march to the > abyss took place through destructive adjustment plans, > the unrestricted reign of "free-trade," deregulation and > privatization -- which fits into the framework of APEC > of which more and more the conditionalities apply to > all countries, including those which are not part of the > APEC. > > In spite of this, a country like India is fingered > because of the important part played in its economy by > the state sector. The wages of the workers in that > sector are regarded as too high for the needs of > competitiveness. Today, India -- where the stock- > exchange experienced an abrupt downfall and where the > national currency is today at its lowest level in > relation to the dollar -- is threatened by increasing > pressures to accelerate the opening of its economy; > that is, to give a free hand to globalization and > destruction of the national economy -- and to hasten on > the road of privatization and deregulation. Through that > process, the very unity of the Indian federation is at > stake: International financial institutions, and private > investors now negotiate with regional states, ignoring > the federal states of India. > > China is heading the same way through the > implementation of the drastic conditions placed on its > affiliation to the World Trade Organization (WTO). > Experts talk about the need, in the coming years, to get > rid of 25 million to 30 million jobs in the sector of > state enterprises -- which amount to breaking up the > most concentrated sectors of the Chinese working > class. > > THE WORKERS FIGHT BACK > > Isn't this the future prepared by imperialism and its > agencies for all Asia? > > In Asia, the years which preceded the current crisis > witnessed the worsening of the exploitation of the > workers and of the plundering of our countries, but they > were also marked by the resistance of the workers and > of the peoples, by the struggle for the building and the > reinforcement of independent trade unions: > > In India, the huge mobilizations against privatization > and dismantling of the public services prevented the > full implementation of plans which would have meant > millions of supplementary unemployed. In Taiwan, in > Indonesia, workers began building their own > organizations in spite of repressive laws. > > In China, there has been a steady increase of strikes > and demonstrations against the consequences of the so- > called reforms. > > In our country, in Bangladesh, the action of the > independent trade unions has obliged the government to > retreat on the way of privatization in spite of the > instructions delivered by the IMF and the World Bank. > > In Korea, workers began organizing their unions, > fighting for their demands and imposing wage > increases. At this stage, the Korean government > attempted to impose a new labor law, increasing > deregulation and flexibility in a county where already > half of the employees were on part-time or casual jobs, > a law to facilitate lay-offs. The answer on the part of > the labor movement was a general strike: the > government had to retreat. That anti-worker law was > one of the reasons for the electoral defeat of the > Korean government in the last elections. > > But those elections took place when the financial and > economic crisis was already in full swing and the IMF > at the doorstep. > > In contradiction with the sovereign rights of Korea > and the right of their citizens to choose freely, the IMF > summoned the three main candidates and required from > them a pledge that they would abide by the IMF > conditionalities. The central condition for the bail-out, > that is for rescuing the speculators, banks and bosses, > was to hit the working class: lay-offs. > > The new government presented a law similar to the > one its leaders had fought whilst in opposition. At > first, when presented with that law, the KCTU opposed > it. We cannot condone massive lay-offs, said the trade- > union leaders. > > THERE IS NO COMMON GROUND > > The KCTU leaders asked for a discussion with the IMF. > They said to its Director General, Michel Camdessus, > "You require more flexibility, but the labor market in > Korea is one of the most flexible in the world: 45% of > temporary occupations. You talk about 'job for life' but > long-time contracts only cover 4.4% of the labor force. > Only 33% have any unemployment benefits, so we can't > accept free reign for massive lay-offs." > > But the answer was that the pre-condition of any > discussion was lay-offs, lay-offs, and more lay-offs. > > The IMF and the governments which submit to its > orders speak about the Mexican example. But what > happened in Mexico after its economy was put into the > straitjacket of a plan comparable to those being > imposed all over Asia? > > The peoples' standard of living went down by 50%. > > Indeed, there is no common ground between the > workers, the peasants, all those who toil and produce > the wealth of a nation and the world speculators and > their instrument, which is the IMF. What those > predators wish is indeed, to use the words of a KCTU > statement, to create a "barren land denuded of social > welfare, social justice, and solidarity." > > Between the most urgent and vital needs of our > people, and the aims of international speculators, > international financial institutions, and governments > submitted to them, there is no common ground. That is > why more than ever, we need our own organizations, we > need trade unions independent from those institutions > and from the government. > > WE NEED OUR OWN ORGANIZATIONS > > What is at stake for all of us, for all our countries is > the destruction of our means of survival, the > dismembering of our nations. > > After having boasted about a so-called Asian > "miracle" based on our common labor and suffering, they > want to organize increased suffering to recover the > losses of which we are in no way responsible. > > That is why their first aim is to attack trade union > organizations, to attempt to impose upon them a > corporation with the enemies of those who are > represented by the trade unions -- to destroy them. > > That is why we must unite to defend our rights, to > defend our organizations. That is the meaning of this > invitation. > > Today, what is being prepared in the guise of > overcoming the consequences of the crisis is to give > everywhere full power to the multinationals. > > We well know here in Asia what the domination of the > multinationals means. We all know that if the laws and > rules which up to a certain extent limit their greed > were cancelled their violent rush for profit would spell > out unprecedented disaster. > Do we need to recall the Bhopal tragedy, the fire in > Kader (Thailand), where more than a hundred young > female workers lost their lives; do we need to recall > the more recent disaster of Bangladesh and of > Indonesia? > > Today, steps are being taken to go further, to put an > end to national sovereignty, to disintegrate the existing > nations in the name of the needs of speculation, > exploitation and plunder. > > ALL POWER TO THE MULTINATIONALS AND THE > SPECULATORS > > A treaty called the Multilateral Agreement on > Investment (MAI) is being secretly negotiated between > the 29 OECD countries, sponsored by the World Trade > Organization. > > According to WTO Director General Renato Ruggiero, > who is directly in charge of the negotiations, the aim is > to "write a constitution of a single global economy." Its > goal is to ensure that foreign investments can be used > as the investor decides, without any regulations or > national laws restricting his right to do so. According > to the MAI draft, "each contracting party shall accord to > investors or another contracting party and to their > investments treatment no less favorable than the > treatment it accords to its own investors" whether the > investor is national or foreign. > > This is a threat not only for Asia, but for all the > people, all the workers of the world. > > THE PEOPLE OF ASIA ARE NOT ALONE > > In their struggle, the peoples of Asia are not alone. > They have allies. In San Francisco, on November 14-16, > 1997, hundreds of delegates from the labor movement > in North and in South America met together and decided > to fight together from the Northern tip of Canada to the > Southern extremity of the continent against the anti- > working class consequences of NAFTA -- the free trade > treaty similar to APEC which is imposed against them. > > In Berlin, on January 31- February 1, working class > delegates from more than 20 countries of Europe > decided a common stand against the so-called European > Union and "Euro" currency in the name of which millions > of jobs are being slashed and deregulation generalized. > > On February 28, a similar conference will take place > in Abidjan (Cote D'Ivoire/Ivory Coast) in the heart of > the African continent, where the world destructive > policies of the World Trade Organization, the IMF, and > other forces in the hands of world imperialism have had > the worst results, sowing wars and disasters all over. > > It is an international fight because people and > workers all over the world have the same interests > because they have the same enemies. Today, when > imperialism is devastating Asia, the destruction of the > International Labor Organization is planned. Why? > Because the onslaught upon the workers' rights requires > the eradication of the international norms fixed by the > ILO, that is why the International Liaison Committee > for a Workers' International (ILC), which supports the > international initiative we have listed above and which > also supports the preparation of the Asian conference, > is organizing in Geneva -- in June 1998 -- a forum of > trade unionists from all over the world to uphold the > defense of the norms and conventions of the ILO as part > of the universal defense of workers' rights. > > IT IS TIME TO DEBATE AND TO ORGANIZE FOR > OUR COMMON CAUSE > > It is for all those reasons that we have the honor to > invite you to meet in Dacca, Bangladesh on May 26-27, > so we can all together exchange our experiences, > discuss the ways and means of a common fightback. > > We, the undersigned, trade union leaders, and activists > from Bangladesh do not intend to fix here the precise > agenda of such a conference. > > All of you know what it is about. To save our jobs, to > save our right to organize, to save the sovereign and > democratic rights of our peoples. If you endorse this > appeal, please give us your opinion on the points you > will wish to see in the final agenda. > > € AGAINST THE ONSLAUGHT UPON OUR RIGHTS AND > ORGANIZATIONS > > € AGAINST THE IMPERIALIST PLUNDER OF OUR > COUNTRIES > > € AGAINST THE DISLOCATION OF OUR COUNTRIES FOR > THE NEEDS OF IMPERIALISM; AGAINST THE ATTEMPTS TO > OPPOSE ONE TO THE OTHER, UNDER ETHNIC, LINGUISTIC > OR RELIGIOUS PRETEXTS, PEOPLES WHICH HAVE COMMON > INTERESTS AND A COMMON ENEMY: THE EXPLOITING > IMPERIALISM. > > € AGAINST THE MAI, AGAINST PRIVATIZATION AND > DEREGULATION WHICH ORGANIZE THE RUIN OF OUR > PEOPLES AND UNDERMINE THE EXISTENCE OF OUR > NATIONS' SOVEREIGNTY. > > > Initial endorsers: > > 1. Tafazzul Hussain, President BJSF > 2. Iqbal Majumder, General Secretary BJSF > 3. Mr. Abul Bashar, President JSF > 4. Mr Abdullah Saskar, President SSF > 5. Adv. A. Salam, Advocate Supreme Court Bangladesh > 6. Mr Nurul Isalam, President BBS > 7. Mr Subal Sarkar, Secretary BBS > 8. Dr Ahmed Rafique, Writer > 9. Kabir Ahmed, Political Activist > 10. F.H. Ripon, Youth Organization > > Please contact and send your confirmation to: > > Tafazzul Hussain, President Bangladesh Jaityo Sramik > Federation > 15.A. Purana Paltan (3rd Floor) Dhaka - 1000 - > Bangladesh > Tel: (8802) 9559093 - Fax/phone ((8802) 832358 > email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Copy to : International Liaison Committee for a > Workers' International > 87, rue du Fg St Denis 75010 Paris France - > Tel: (33 1) 48 01 88 28 - Fax: (33 1) 48 01 88 36 e > mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > 7 > > > >
