A Call for a Week of
Action in Support of Irans Labour Movement
November 24-30, 2007
The recent extended wave of oppression against the well-known activists of workers' organizations in Iran and other social movements is not a new incident but a routine practice of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRI). This wave of repression nevertheless exhibits particular characteristics, including the radicalization and development of class-based labour protests, advancing social movements within the specific socio-economic context and pressures from both within the country and internationally. These conditions have jeopardized the entirety of Islamic Republic of Iran. Social and economic crises are rapidly escalating. It is a proven fact that the promises of the capitalist regime of Iran are false and that this regime has brought nothing but the continuous oppression of working people. This regime has caused ever-increasing poverty and misery for working class.
In an international context, the threat of military action and the economic
sanctions imposed by the warmongering, US-led capitalist states pose a serious
threat to the people of Iran, especially the poor and the deprived masses. At
the same time, these threats have been used by IRI to severely suppress and
silent the workers' movement and all other social struggles. The IRI uses the
existing crisis against the people of Iran to its advantage. It deceitfully
acts as if the pressures from the imperialist countries are the cause of
protests inside Iran, and attempts to depict the protesters as the agents of
'foreigners'. That is why false accusations such as "acting against national
security" have been declared against activists and detainees throughout
the last few months.
The capitalist regime of the Islamic Republic of Iran combines fear mongering
and intimidation with arrests and imprisonment to crush all the collective
struggles for independent organizations of workers, women, students, teachers,
writers and oppressed ethnic communities, as well as the struggles of other
social and legal rights' advocates. The regime is determined to stop the
development of grassroots organizations and to impose on the Iranian people a
feeling of hopelessness.
Given such a context, we, the activists of Iranian workers'
movement abroad, wish not only to expose the inhuman and reactionary nature of the
Islamic Republic of Iran, but also to strongly condemn any war, militarist
policy or economic sanctions imposed by the capitalist states of the world,
which would have catastrophic consequences for the workers and the
disadvantaged people of Iran. We further emphasize that the claims made by the
capitalist and the imperialist states that they intend to support progressive
movements such as the Iranian labour movement are totally false and that we
will strive to expose their true intentions.
We condemn the assassination of Majid Hamidi. We condemn the
arrest of the labour activists of the Haft Tapeh Sugar Cane Company and all charges
against them, as well as the arrests of Sanandaj workers and all other
incarcerated students, women, teachers, writers and ethnic minorities. We
demand the unconditional release of Mahmoud Salehi, Mansour Osanloo, Ebrahim
Madadi and the immediate release of incarcerated workers of the Haft Tapeh
Sugar Cane Company. We demand annulment of all jail time and the lash sentences
against workers in Kurdistan and an end to the harassment and legal persecution
of workers' activists. We call for equal rights for all migrant workers in Iran, including workers from Afghanistan. We believe refugee workers should be legally accepted in
all countries.
We believe that solidarity with the imprisoned workers and the struggle to free all political prisoners who are jailed because they have been striving towards workers' liberation is an ongoing responsibility of all genuine defenders of progressive social movements around the world.
We encourage all labour and trade union activists as we all as all labour,
socialist and progressive organizations and parties around the world to
participate actively in a week of action in solidarity with the Iranian
workers' movement, especially with the workers behind bars. We will be
organizing various actions and solidarity nights and contacting other
organizations and parties to arrange information desks and to get media
attention in cities and countries where we live in order to get our message
heard.
A Week of Action in Support of Workers in Iran
November 24-30, 2007
Long Live Workers' International Solidarity!
Participating organizations in the week of action include:
1- Committee of Solidarity with the Iranian
Workers - Australia
2- Committee in Support of Workers in Iran Toronto, Canada
3- Association of Solidarity with the Iranian Workers Norway
4- A Group of Progressive Workers in Exile Switzerland
5- Committee of Socialist Solidarity with Iranian Workers France
6- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers Köln, Germany
7- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers Frankfurt and
Suburb, Germany
8- Association of Solidarity with Iranian Workers Hanover, Germany
9- Committee of Solidarity with Iranian Workers Hamburg, Germany
10- Solidarity Group with the Labour Movement-Berlin-Germany
11- Iranian and Swedish Workers' Solidarity Committee
12- The solidarity center with Iranian workers, Guttenberg ,Sweden
13- International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran
Translated and distributed by:
Committee in Support of Workers in Iran Toronto, Canada
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran- Canada Branch
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