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Ukraine Social Forum
Submitted on 16 May, 2008 - 11:50
Social Forums
Author: Karen Johnson
I attended the first ever Social Forum in Kiev, Ukraine. Called by a
coalition of Ukrainian independent trade unions and left wing groups for
1 and 2 May 2008 it included speakers from trade unions, and the
anti-fascist movement, and special guest Dashty Jamal, an Iraqi trade
unionist and refugee rights campaigner.
The Forum started with a demonstration and march from Kriesthatyk to
counter the state Stalinist-influenced May Day trade union march. 100
independent campaigners from Ukrainian anarchist and social movement
organisations most notably antifa, a leading anti-fascist group. Dashty
Jamal addressed the demonstators, speaking of the im****tance of making
links between Iraqi and Ukrainian workers.
The Forum started that afternoon. The first session discussed the role
of trade unions and was opened by Ivan Franko, leader of the Independent
Ukrainian Trade Union. Ivan spoke of the difficulties of organising and
recruiting Ukrainian workers. With taxes running high in the Ukraine,
many workers are left owing the state money if they declare their
earnings. Many Ukrainians are forced to work in lowly paid insecure jobs
to avoid declaring their income. Ukrainian workers fear joining trade
unions calling for better wages and better working conditions for fear
of being replaced.
Dashty Jamal spoke of the political problems facing trade unions and
socialists in Iraq. The final session of the day addressed gender and
womens rights in the Ukraine.
The second day of the conference was opened by an Antifa activist. The
speaker spoke about being targeted by far right organisations. Six
Antifa activists had been killed over the last year. Dashty Jamal spoke
about the racism experienced by Iraqi refugees from individuals and
European countries such as the UK, Germany and Sweden. These countries
had persecuted Iraqi asylum-seekers, denying them sup****t and not
allowing them to work in an attempt to make Iraqi asylum seekers lives
so difficult they have no option to return to Iraq, despite the dangers.
The UK and Germany have forcibly returned Iraqi asylum seekers who have
refused to return voluntarily.
--
Dan Clore
My collected fiction: _The Unspeakable and Others_
http://tinyurl.com/2gcoqt
Lord We˙rdgliffe & Necronomicon Page:
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News & Views for Anarchists & Activists:
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Skipper: Professor, will you tell these people who is
in charge on this island?
Professor: Why, no one.
Skipper: No one?
Thurston Howell III: No one? Good heavens, this is anarchy!
-- _Gilligan's Island_, episode #6, "President Gilligan"
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