Sun, 9 Jan 2005
A letter of support from the Irish Congress Trade Unions (ICTU)
On behalf of the ICTU [Irish Congress of Trade Unions] Unemployed Centre in Main Street, Tallaght, South Dublin County, Ireland, we have learned with shock and outrage of the cowardly murder of the International Secretary of IFTU, Hadi Saleh at his home on 4 January, 2004.
We express our sincere sympathy to his wife and to all his family and comrades. His long struggle for democracy, decency and workers rights will not be forgotten, and will be one of the solid foundations for the new free democratic Iraq.
The importance of the work of Hadi and his colleagues is shown by the vicious attacks on them by the new nazis. The words of Dolores Ibarrui in Spain during the struggle from 1936 against the original nazis are still relevant - "no pasaran" - they shall not pass.
However long the present struggle by workers and all democrats in Iraq against the terror and tyranny which murdered Hadi, and however high the price they have to pay, there can be no doubt about who is right, or about who will finally win.
We salute the heroic memory of Hadi Saleh and all the other martyrs for freedom and democracy in Iraq, and we pledge our full support to their stand for justice, solidarity and freedom, and our deepest sympathy to their families and friends in their long honourable struggle on behalf of all workers and democrats.
Tom Carew,
Chair.