Iraqi Communist Party statement on the occasion of International Workers' Day
May Day Greetings to the Workers of Iraq
and the World
Every year, for more than a century, workers in various parts of the world, of all races, nationalities and affiliations, have celebrated the 1st of May as an internationalist occasion for work and struggle, and a symbol of liberation from the yoke of exploitation and oppression and all forms of economic, political and social slavery that violate the most basic human rights of equality and justice.
The workers and toilers of the world have continued to look at May Day as an occasion for renewed determination to continue the glorious internationalist march for more political and economic gains and successes, and social guarantees for the poor, toilers and working people, leading to socialism. The glow of the 1st of May is associated with great mass events and celebrations, giving impetus to many political, economic, social and national battles and victories.
Iraqi workers and toilers are celebrating May Day this year, along with other progressive forces of our people, with mounting feelings of resentment and concern for the general situation in the country in the aftermath of recent elections. The dominant political forces and blocs have dashed their hopes once again. Instead of speeding up the formation of a broad coalition government that adopts a national democratic programme, rejecting sectarian quotas and monopoly of political power, ensuring security and stability, reviving national economy and providing services, as these blocs had promised during their election campaigns, they began to fight amongst themselves over sharing political power, driven by narrow political, partisan and sectarian ambitions and interests that have nothing to do with the people's basic concerns.
The working masses have the right to ask bitterly what have the ongoing political deliberations and meetings, taking place between the winning blocs, got to do with their own legitimate demands for improving the difficult living conditions, raising wages, and the enactment of a new labour law that guarantees the freedom and independence of trade union work, and the freedom of legitimate trade union activity in state sector institutions similar to private sector institutions? While the country is enduring the consequences of the tedious process of setting up a new government, the masses of Iraqi men and women who braved terrorism and dangers when they went to the polls, want the top priority to be addressing the concerns of millions of the unemployed, mostly young people, the 7 million citizens who are living below the poverty line, the 5 million orphans and the hundreds of thousands of widows. They are also demanding that the dominant blocs disclose their plans for operating the idle factories and establishing new ones, legislating a new labour law and a comprehensive social security law, and dealing firmly with all forms of financial and administrative corruption.
The Iraqi Communist Party, while congratulating the working class on its international day, expresses its full solidarity with its demands and its General Federation of Iraqi Workers, especially its legitimate demands for the abolition of Law No. 150 (1987), that converted public sector workers to government employees, and for annulling Decree No. 8750 (2005), that froze the funds of trade unions and professional associations, and thus paralyzed their work and activity. Furthermore, the Party reiterates its strong backing and support for the national campaign recently launched by the General Federation of Iraqi Workers to legislate a new labour law.
In the present critical conditions, the Iraqi Communist Party shares with the masses of people their concern about the intensifying conflict among the dominant political forces that is taking place in an atmosphere of internal divisions and external interference, with possible grave consequences. The party calls upon all political forces to put the interests of the country above any other consideration and before any other interests. Reciprocated concessions should be made to speed up the formation of a national unity government, away from the sectarian and ethnic quota system, in order to end the anxious and confused situation that prevails in the country.
The First of May will remain a guiding beacon along the path to building a promising future for mankind.
Greetings to our workers and their heroic struggles on their International Day
The Central Committee of the Iraqi Communist Party
28 April 2010
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Iraqi CP Website: http://www.iraqicp.com/
