Author: garykent

Read this report from Human Rights Watch on terrorist war crimes in Iraq.

To Vote for the Constitution and Strengthen its Civil – Democratic Elements The National Assembly has, at last, adopted the version of the draft constitution to be presented to our people in a public referendum on 15th October 2005. By endorsing this draft, our people will fulfil an important requirement of the on-going political process in the country. It will be a significant development in the direction of consolidating democracy and its institutions and completing the transitional phase. Furthermore, it will be a big step towards restoring security, stability and normality, in order to launch the process of reconstruction, revive … Continue reading Communist Party says yes to the draft constitution

Solidarity with Grassroots Iraq: equality, labour rights and new thinking on foreign policy Labour Friends of Iraq, Unison, the Iraqi Community Association and Demos fringe meeting at the 2005 Labour Party conference This meeting is an opportunity to hear from those who are struggling to help rebuild an independent labour movement and civil society in Iraq and to hear from a key organisation of Iraqis in Britain. Chair: Dave Anderson MP Dave was previously the President of Unison and is the newly elected Labour MP for Blaydon as well as Joint President of LFIQ. Abdullah Muhsin Abdullah is the International … Continue reading Our fringe meeting at Labour Party Conference in Brighton on 28 September

Alex Gordon, an RMT activist, examines developments in the Iraqi trade union movement There have been dramatic new developments within the Iraqi labour movement, which has grown enormously in confidence and strength since the fall of Saddam Hussein in April 2003. Keith Sonnet, Deputy General Secretary of Unison, which actively organises practical solidarity action with the Iraqi movement, told last week’s TUC that “Iraqi unions are getting their act together.” The Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU) has since its foundation conference on 16 May 2003 insisted on the need to refound the Iraqi trade unions movement, not on an … Continue reading Iraqi unions getting their act together

See Seixon for a full transcript of the Galloway-Hitchens debate. Hat Tip: Harry’s Place

This harrowing report from Amnesty International details abuses by human rights by armed groups in Iraq saying amongst other things that Many of these killings by armed groups, in Amnesty Internationals view, constitute war crimes or crimes against humanity. As such, there is an obligation on both the Iraqi government and the international community at large to ensure that the perpetrators of these crimes are identified and brought to justice. There can be no excuse for such abuses; international humanitarian law clearly distinguishes certain acts as crimes irrespective of the causes of a conflict or the grounds on which the … Continue reading In cold blood: abuses by armed groups

Guy Ryder General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions, 14 September 2005 told the TUC that Iraqi workers who paid again today a tragic price need our solidarity to build free trade unions in the aftermath of a war opposed unanimously by all ICFTU affiliates and to secure decent labour legislation.

The Guardian leader examines the arguments over the withdrawal of troops from Iraq and says that It is true that an immediate pullout might please the very many people, in Britain and elsewhere, who so adamantly opposed the war in the first place and would like to be vindicated by a implicit admission of failure. But it is hard to argue with the proposition that a precipitate withdrawal would make a bad situation even worse, in that the Iraqi security forces would find it harder to tackle an increasingly sophisticated and brutal insurgency. It is entirely right to be angry … Continue reading No easy answers in Iraq

The IFTU web site carries a report of the fringe meeting at the TUC where President of the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions (IFTU), Raseen Alawadi was well received on the day when extremists slaughtered Iraqi workers desperate for work.

Over at drinksoakedtrotsforwar there is a reasonable summary of the long-awaited debate between Christopher Hitchens and George Galloway in New York.