From IFTU

The Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions reported further attacks on its members on the railway line between Basra and Nasiriyyah and on union offices in Baghdad.

An IFTU statement published in the Morning Star newspaper (Tuesday 4th January 2005) said: 'These criminal acts designed to intimidate workers and trade unionists follow a well-established pattern of targeted campaigns of assassination and terror which have been waged by those loyal to the former fascist-type, dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein against individual IFTU activists and ordinary workers in recent months. 'In particular, there have been two attempts on the life of Nuzad Ismaiel, president of the IFTU in the Kirkuk region.'

'In the first incident, on December 25, a freight train travelling from Basra to An-Nasiriyyah was attacked.' [for a detailed map of the Iraqi Railway Network from the United Nations Joint Logistics Center go to ]

'Two train drivers were kidnapped and the other five workers on the train were severely beaten and left in a life-threatening condition.'

'The IFTU also reported that the Transport and Communication Workers Union headquarters had been badly damaged in a bombardment with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars on the night of December 26-27.'

News Release: DATE: Thursday, 30 December 2004 SUBJECT: IFTU CONDEMNS WAVE OF TERROR AGAINST IRAQI WORKERS.

The Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) denounced yesterday further attacks on its members on the railway line between Basra and an-Nasiriyyah and on union premises in Baghdad. These criminal acts designed to intimidate workers and trade unionists follow a well-established pattern of targeted campaigns of assassination and terror which have been waged by those loyal to the former fascist-type, dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein against individual IFTU activists and ordinary workers in recent months.

In particular, as a recent report from a joint delegation of the IFTU and the British Fire Brigades Union (FBU) highlighted, there have been two attempts on the life of Mr. Nuzad Ismaiel, President of the IFTU in the Kirkuk Region.

In the first incident on 25 December 2004, a freight train travelling from Basra to An-Nasiriyyah was subjected to a terrorist attack, which led to the kidnapping of two train drivers (Salah Mehdi Taher and Salih Chiyehchan Harbi); the other five workers on the train were severely beaten and left in a life-threatening condition.

The IFTU Executive has demanded that the Iraqi Interim Government; the immediate release of the two kidnapped railway workers and proper compensation for all workers who are victims of cowardly terrorist attacks in the course of their working duties. [See full text of IFTU Executive Committee statement dated 29 December 2004, below.]

In a separate incident the IFTU reported: 'On the night of the 26/27 December 2004 the headquarters of the Transport & Communication Workers Union was subjected to a cowardly and violent attack by terrorists when they shelled the building with rocket-propelled grenades and mortars which caused a large hole in the wall of the building and a crater in the ground. Luckily there were no fatal casualties.'

In December 2003, the same union building was attacked by US occupation military forces and 8 leading members of the IFTU's Transport & Communication Workers' Union (including its President, Mr. Turki al-Lehaby) were arrested and subsequently released unharmed following a worldwide appeal from labour movement bodies. The union offices were sealed for 7 months by the US forces who told the IFTU: 'You have no right to organise workers while under military occupation.'

The building was subsequently re-opened by a decision of the first Congress of the Transport & Communication Workers‚ Union after the fall of the dictatorial regime of Saddam Hussein in June 2004. The building has been used as the temporary headquarters of the IFTU from May 2003 until December 2003 and currently acts as important organising premises for the Transport & Communication Workers' Union and other IFTU-affiliated trade unions.

The IFTU Executive Committee condemned the attack on the trade union offices, declaring: 'Disgrace and shame on the terrorists! Glory to the Iraqi working class!' and resolved to ensure that the offices continue to be used to organise Iraqi workers.

- Statement ends -

IFTU Executive Statement – 29 December 2004

'On 25 December 2004, a freight train travelling from Basra to An-Nasiriyyah was subjected to a terrorist attack, which led to the kidnapping of the two train drivers, their names are; Salah Mehdi Taher and Salih Chiyehchan Harbi. The other five workers on the train were severely beaten and left in a life-threatening condition, their names are, Abd’ al-Emir Abd’al-Malik, Mustapha Kamel Mehdi, Amer Shamaan Amer, Ali Abd’al-Radh and Basil Abd’ Ouwd.'

'These continuing terrorist attacks by extremists and criminal gangs indicate that workers are their prime targets. In October 2004 four railway workers were arbitrarily murdered (whilst working their train between Mosul and Baghdad), as previously several drivers of oil and gas tankers have been kidnapped and murdered across many provinces of Iraq and as many factories have been destroyed or had their production paralysed as a result of these terrorist acts.'

'Our working people are paying with their blood and lives for participating in the re-building of their country to end the foreign occupation.'

'The responsibility of protecting the public infrastructure (the transportation of goods and oil) falls on the state, but the state also has the responsibility to protect the lives of workers as they carry out their jobs.'

'The lives of our workers are not cheap and therefore we demand that the government and its responsible agencies do the following;

1. obtain the immediate release of the two kidnapped railway workers and ensure their safe return to their families and their jobs;

2. provide sufficient protection to working people to carry out their jobs (without threat to life);

3. implement permanent security measures on all land-based transportation (railways and road freight transport);

4. award proper compensation for all workers who are victims of cowardly terrorist attacks in the course of their working duties.

'The IFTU stands shoulder to shoulder with our working people and supports their demands and their legitimate rights (under the conventions of the International Labour Organisation to work in safety free from terror). Therefore, we are calling on all responsible agencies to implement forthwith proper procedures to prevent acts such as the above against Iraqi people who by working to rebuild their country are taking a stand against terrorism and the perpetrators of terrorism. We call on the Iraqi Interim Government and its agencies to bring to justice those criminals and terrorists who carry out attacks on working people.'

'Glory to the martyrs of the working class!'

'Long live the Iraqi working class!'

Executive Committee of the IFTU, 29 December 2004