Labour MPs Harry Barnes, Tony Lloyd, John Mann, Mike Gapes, Clive Betts, Bill Tynan and Chris Mole have today tabled this Commons motion deploring attacks on trade unionists in Iraq. The numbers of supporters will grow in the next week or so.
That this House condemns the recent brutal torture and murder of Hadi Saleh, International Secretary of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), by Saddam loyalists in the so-called Iraqi resistance; further condemns the torture and murder of four IFTU members when their train was attacked by mortar fire between Mosul and Baghdad, the kidnap of two train drivers, Salah Mehdi Taher and Salih Chiyehchan Harbi and the severe beating of five rail workers, Abd’ al-Emir Abd’al-Malik, Mustapha Kamel Mehdi, Amer Shamaan Amer, Ali Abd’ al-Radh and Basil Abd’ Ouwd, who have been left in a life-threatening condition, the mortar and rocket-propelled grenade attack on the headquarters of the Transport and Communication Workers’ Union, and two failed assassination attempts on Nozad Ismail, the President of the IFTU in Kirkuk; expresses its support and admiration for the rail workers of Basra, members of the IFTU, who condemn the “criminals, terrorists and brigands’ who are murdering trade unionists in Iraq and who have been taking strike action against the terrorists since the beginning of the year, demanding adequate security protection on all land transport and the safe return of their kidnapped colleagues; and pledges full support to the TUC Aid Iraq Appeal raising money for Iraqi trade unionists to rebuild a free and independent trade union movement, and strengthen civil society in Iraq.