BOOK Review: Hadi Never Died
By JOHN FOSTER
Hadi Saleh, Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions International Secretary
Hadi Never Died: Hadi Saleh and the Iraqi Trade Unions
by Abdullah Muhsin and Alan Johnson
(TUC, £10)
HADI Saleh was the International Secretary of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions. He visited Britain as part of a trade union delegation last year.
A month later, he was dead, murdered in his home by former members of Saddam Hussein's secret police.
Thirty years previously, Hadi had also faced death for trade union activities. Then, it was at the hands of a Ba'athist regime installed with US and British backing - replacing a somewhat more socially progressive government which had threatened Western oil interests.
Over the intervening period, Hadi had spent years on death row, gained release as a result of a Soviet-brokered amnesty, resumed his trade union activities, was forced into exile and returned to help rebuild the Iraqi trade union movement in 2003.
Hadi's story, now published by the TUC, is typical of that of many other Iraqi trade unionists.
Many thousands died under the previous regime. Hundreds have been killed since - often leaders targeted because of their positions.
It is also a story typical of the challenges that have faced the Iraqi trade union movement. Both Iraq and Iran have old working classes - created as the region became the focus of oil production by the imperialist powers, particularly by Britain after 1920.
Growing up among the workers in the oil fields, railways and docks, the trade unions formed the class base for secular, socialist and anti-imperialist politics.
In both countries, they met savage repression from reactionary political structures sustained for their own ends by Britain and later the US.
Under occupation, trade unions also faced harassment and arrest by the US forces.
Since August 2005, they have had to operate under Decree 8750, which gives the government power over all their financial resources.
Hadi Never Died is, therefore, a very timely reminder of the duties of the British trade union movement.
Britain is the key ally of the US, which is still intent on using its occupation of Iraq to privatise its oil resources - something which the Iraqi trade unions have so far helped prevent.
It is the country's continuing occupation by forces identified with the most brutal imperialist aggression in Iraq and elsewhere that has provided the context for the acts of terror against the trade union movement and the civilian population generally.
Hadi, like other left and progressive Iraqis, had opposed the US-British invasion of 2003 and warned of the likely consequences.
For the British left, the continuing struggle of the Iraqi trade unions gives added urgency to the recent call from Iraq progressive forces, including the Iraqi Communist Party, for the creation of the conditions for this occupation to end in line with the demand from the Arab League conference last year for an immediate timetable for withdrawal.
From Morning Star
JOHN FOSTER
Statement by the TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber to Iraqi Solidarity meeting
The Trades Union Congress, which represents people at work in Great Britain, expresses its solidarity with the working people of Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan, and especially with their free, independent and democratic trade unions. The main victims of terrorism and violence are ordinary people, wherever they are, and we have expressed our outrage at and sympathy with the victims of terrorism in Iraq, and our concern that so much terrorism is focused on people at work and their trade union representatives. We were particularly grateful that one of the earliest messages of support the TUC received when London was attacked on 7 July last year was from the Iraqi trade union movement, proving that while terrorism knows no boundaries, neither does trade union solidarity - it is a basic trade union principle that an injury to one is an injury to all. We support the struggle of trade unions in Iraq and Iraqi Kurdistan for peace, democracy and economic and social justice, and call on the Government of Iraq to recognise the positive role that unions can play in that struggle by repealing anti-trade union laws and establishing a labour law in full compliance with the standards of the ILO.
Invitation
You are cordially invited to participate in the Solidarity week with the Iraqi People.
“A week against terrorism, sectarianism, corruption, militia groups and for national reconciliation, The creation of united, pluralist, federal and democratic Iraq”
Programme
1- Seminar at the House of Common
Thursday 7th September 2006 (9-12 pm)
Address:
Attlee Suite, Portcullis House, House of Commons, London SW 1A 0AA
Nearest tube:
Westminster: District, Circle and Jubilee lines
2- Cultural festival
Sunday 10-9-2006 (7-10 pm)
Address:
Primier Travel Inn, Second floor, Garden Suite, 255 King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 9LU
Nearest tube:
Hammersmith (Piccadilly Line) - Then Buses: 27, 391, 267, 190, H91
Or Ravenscourt Park - District Line
The Committee of Solidarity week with the people of Iraq - U.K
2-9-2006
Patriotic union of Kurdistan, Kurdistan Democratic Party, Iraqi Communist Party, The Communist Party of Kurdistan, General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW), Faylee Kurds Organization, Democratic Patriotic Alliance, Iraqi Patriotic List, Iraqi Community Association, The Movement Coordinating Democratic Trends, Committee to Support Democracy in Iraq, Union of Iraqi Writers and Journalists, Mandaean Association, Assyrian Democratic Movement, League of Iraqi Academics, Iraqi Women League, Communist Partisan League, Democratic Union of Youth and Students in Iraq, Centre of Halabja against Anfalization and Genocide of the Kurds (CHAK)
A Week of Solidarity with Iraq of Iraq
A number of key Iraqi political parties and civil society organisations are holding a week of solidarity with people of Iraq and need your support.
A week of Solidarity with the Iraqi People against terrorism, political sectarianism, administrative and financial corruption, and to support the disbanding of civilian militias, national reconciliation and the unity of Iraqi people in order to build a united, pluralist, federal and democratic Iraq.
Activities
Participating in a seminar in British parliament on Thursday 7 September
9-11am
Attlee Room
Portcullis House
House of Commons
London SW1A 0AA
Cultural festival
on Sunday 10-9-2006
between 7-10pm
The Address:
Primer Travel Inn
Second floor
255 King Street
London W6 9LU
Solidarity with Iraqi people is a humane duty to avoid terrorism crimes and sectarian conflict
To supporters of freedom and human rights
To the United Nations, World Governments and Humanitarian Organizations
Iraqi people have suffered for more than three years amid bitter life, accidental killings committed by terrorist groups, organized gangs, and remnants of the defeated dictatorial regime, in addition to the horrible conditions of health, municipality, security, educational services, and the collapse of post, transport, water and electricity nets, amid the worsening of administrative duties and the huge spread of corruption. What is making things worse and more dangerous is the political nature of the sectarian conflict, the spread of killings based on identity, and the imposing migration on hundreds of thousands of families, just on the basis of sectarian and religious backgrounds, something that has never been a problem to the Iraqi people who have been living in harmony with various nationalities, religions and sects.
It is worth mentioning that Kurdistan region is enjoying security and stability.
There is no doubt that if this situation continues or worsens it will lead not only to the destruction of Iraq’s national harmony but also to the disintegration of Iraq’s national unity, and may push Iraq into an unprecedented catastrophe that would threaten neighbouring countries and the whole region with security chaos and instability. It would also threaten the whole world by the spreading of violence far worse than what is happening now. We believe that such a scenario is becoming much clearer to all who are following the situation in Iraq now as well as to all governments and various sections of the public. We should point here to the direct interference of Iran and Turkey and the urgency of stopping their bombardment of Kurdistan border villages.
We, members of the Iraqi community, are looking forward to a quicker build up of Iraqi military and security forces so there would not be a necessity for the existence of foreign troops in our country. Thus we appeal to you to double your efforts of solidarity with our people, to continue the fight against terrorism and sectarianism, and to support political forces, organizations and social sections who are facing terrorist crimes and disintegration, in holding firmly the unity of the people and their right to choose their future.
Along the road, the road of mobilizing solidarity with our people, we, groups of political, cultural and social organizations, in addition to academics and political personalities in the U.K have decided to hold a solidarity week with our people, in coordination with a solidarity campaign in a number of European countries and the U.S.A. We hope that you will support us.
The Committee of Solidarity week with the people of Iraq - U.K
2-9-2006
- Patriotic Union of Kurdistan
- Kurdistan Democratic Party
- Iraqi Communist Party
- The Communist Party of Kurdistan
- General Federation of Iraqi Workers (GFIW)
- Faylee Kurds Organization
- Democratic Patriotic Alliance
- Iraqi Patriotic List
- Iraqi Community Association
- The Movement Coordinating Democratic Trends
- Committee to Support Democracy in Iraq
- Union of Iraqi Writers and Journalists
- Mandaean Association
- Assyrian Democratic Movement
- League of Iraqi Academics
- Iraqi Women League
- Communist Partisan League
- Democratic Union of Youth and Students in Iraq
- Centre of Halabja against Anfalization and Genocide of the Kurds (CHAK)