Author: garykent

See this article in Progress Magazine in which the author says: as George Galloway seeks to unseat another Labour MP, voters must be reminded of his rancid ideology and poor parliamentary record

Joint President Dave Anderson MP and Director Gary Kent met a delegation from the Dawa party at the House of Commons on 18th October, at the request of the Dawa party. The Dawa party was represented by MP Haider Al-Abadi, Chairman of the Iraqi Council of Representatives’s Economic Reconstruction Committee with his colleagues Munther Abadai and Montathar Najem. Abdullah Muhsin, international representative of the General Federation of Iraqi Workers was unable to attend the meeting due to transport delays and sent his apologies. The discussion initially centred around the continuing restrictions on Iraqi trade unions and the freezing of assets … Continue reading LFIQ meeting with representatives of the Iraqi Dawa Party

LFIQ Vice-President Harry Barnes pens a passionate appeal for support for Iraqi trade unions. The General Federation of Iraqi Workers and the Kurdish Federation of Workers (from Iraqi Kurdistan) have met with the Deputy Prime Minister of Iraq to press for the repeal of Iraq’s Anti-Trade Union Legislation. Still in operation (and use) is Law 150 passed by Saddam Hussein in 1987 banning the operation of Trade Unions in the public sector of the economy, which covers some 80% of those who manage to have jobs. Decree 8750 adopted in August 2005 by the transitional Government is also still in … Continue reading Appeal for support for Iraqi labour movement

Harry Barnes wonders if Ayatollah Sistani can succeed in his efforts to overcome Shia-Sunni differences and examines the Mecca Document which has emerged from the Organisation of the Islamic Conference which represents all 57 Islamic nations.

LFIQ Vice-President Harry Barnes remembers not being allowed to buy Das Kapital in Basra in the mid 50s and links to a story about which he says: The Baghdad booksellers love of books as shown in the video, shows just why Iraq can still have a future.

The International Trade Union Confederation has just published its first Annual Survey of Violations of Trade Union Rights covering 138 countries, which shows an alarming rise in the number of people killed as a result of their trade union activities, from 115 in 2005 to 144 in 2006. On Iraq, it says: In addition to the many trade unionists who fell victim to untargeted violence, at least two trade union leaders were assassinated on account of their union activities and there were countless other violations of trade union rights. The authorities increased their interference. After taking control of trade union … Continue reading Survey of union rights in Iraq and worldwide

Details of high-level private talks to find a settlement in Iraq Press release Monday 3 September Leading representatives of Iraqi political parties and others linked to a range of groups close to the conflict completed four days of discussions in Finland Participants committed themselves to work towards a robust framework for a lasting settlement. Those present agreed to a set of recommendations to start negotiations to reach national reconciliation. These recommendations are contained in the attached Helsinki Agreement. The principles of inclusivity, power-sharing and a commitment to removing the use of violence as a means of resolving political differences were … Continue reading To the Finland Station?

17.30, Wednesday 12th September, Brighton Conference Centre Solidarity with Iraqi Workers Speakers: Gary Kent, Director, Labour Friends of Iraq; Abdullah Muhsin, International representative, General Federation of Iraqi Workers; Sue Rogers, Chair TUC Iraqi Solidarity Committee/NASUWT; Norma Stephenson, Unison President; Councillor Mushtaq Laharie, Chairman, Third World Solidarity Chair: Dave Anderson, MP Venue: Meeting Room 1, Brighton Centre Refreshments provided. Open to all TUC delegates and visitors

LFIQ Director Gary Kent argues in Progress that with or without foreign troops, a surge of solidarity with the unions and others in Iraq is needed. No time to crow We should all be reaching out to Iraqi trade unionists and democrats 31 August 2007 Why is sympathy for and solidarity with Iraqi democrats so muted? Al Qaeda followers in Iraq recently carried out their second worst atrocity after 9/11 by blowing hundreds of ordinary Yazidi Kurds to smithereens. Where were the vigils and the round-robin letters that would have been organised over, for example, the loss of hundreds of … Continue reading Surge of solidarity needed

Iraqi Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari has forecast catastrophic consequences if London and Washington decide prematurely to withdraw their troops from Iraq: a bloodbath as the country breaks up, neighbours sucked into a regional conflict, an oil crisis and a new terrorist haven far deadlier than Afghanistan.