International

The Free Workers' Union (FAU) in Berlin have been banned, Solidarity with the FAU

Jason Cortez — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:30:46 +0000

As of yesterday, December 11, 2009, FAU Berlin (FAU-B) has essentially
been banned as a union. The decision was made by the Berlin Regional
Court (Landgericht Berlin) without a hearing. FAU-B was not even
informed that the Neue Babylon GmbH – which is involved in a labor
dispute with FAU-B – had started legal proceedings against them. The
court’s decision goes beyond merely taking away FAU-B’s rights as a
union within the Babylon cinema. From this point on they are no longer
allowed to call themselves a union!

Background

FAU-B and its group within the Babylon cinema have been fighting for
a labor contract since the beginning of June 2009. Although the Babylon
cinema is government funded, pay has been miserable and workers rights
have been ignored. A large portion of the cinema’s staff is organized
within FAU-B. This is the first significant labor dispute of the
relatively small FAU-B. It has caused an uproar not only in Berlin, but
in all of Germany. Anarcho-syndicalists in a labor dispute, an
effective boycott that was prominent in the media, extensive and
innovative demands, and the involvement of the workers themselves
(which is rare in Germany) have made an impression on the public. When
the pressure was at its height and the bosses could no longer avoid
entering negotiations, not only did politicians intervene but ver.di (a
big union in Germany, part of the umbrella organization of mainstream
unions, DGB) took up negotiations with the bosses even though they had
almost no members among the cinema’s staff and no mandate from them.
The workers, who were obviously flabbergasted, were excluded from
negotiations.

Apparently a deal was made between ver.di, politicians, and bosses
to get rid of FAU-B and calm things down at the cinema. But the staff
and FAU refused to be silenced. Neue Babylon GmBH reacted by flexing
some legal muscle and ver.di by attempting to damage FAU’s image.
Firstly, the boycott – one of FAU-B’s main forms of pressure – was
banned, and doubt was cast on FAU-B’s ability to negotiate contracts
(in Germany this is a prerequisite for being able to legally take
collective action). At the same time, other court cases were brought
against FAU-B relating to freedom of expression. But FAU-B did not back
down. This led to the latest court decision, which basically bans FAU
as a union.

The situation in Germany

FAU Berlin has long said that this labor dispute – as small as it
may be – is not only about better working conditions but also about the
freedom to organize. There has been little tradition of militant
unionism or syndicalism in Germany since 1933. The umbrella
organization DGB has a practical monopoly (corporatism), which is
backed up by case law. This makes it very hard for alternative unions
to grow. Self-organization and decentralization within unions in
Germany are not encouraged and do not enjoy legal protection.

FAU-B’s modest collective action has demonstrated that an
alternative union is possible in Germany. Big unions and politicians,
apparently afraid that this form of organization will spread like
wildfire, are displeased by this development. This is the context in
which FAU-B’s union work has been banned. The court’s decision implies
that it is not possible to establish a legally recognized union in
Germany because – paradoxically – you have to be a legally recognized
union in order to become one. A union taking collective action without
being an officially recognized union can expect stiff legal
consequences. On two occasions FAU-B has been threatened with fines of
250,000 euros or jail sentences. FAU-B is not allowed to work legally
as a union anywhere. German anarcho-syndicalists thus see themselves
banned once again after being prohibited in 1914 and 1933.

The court’s decision is especially scandalous because it was
rubber-stamped via summary proceedings without any hearing – FAU-B was
not allowed to state its case. This is possibly to do with the fact
that anyone in Germany can legally call themselves a union and that the
judicial authorities wanted to act unilaterally. Germany has passed
some ILO conventions, but they have little meaning here because big
unions cooperate closely with the bosses and dictate what a union has
to be like. Syndicalists enjoyed more rights under the Kaiser in the
19th century and in the 1920s. The situation in Germany is reminiscent
of Turkey, for example, where unions are often banned.

The court’s decision can possibly be overturned. But FAU-B remains
realistic: everything is possible. Political cronyism is rife and the
powers that be will make further attempts to block the growth of
alternative unions.

Consequences

The consequences of the court’s decision are wide-ranging and will
be catastrophic unless the decision is overturned. An outright ban of
FAU-B as a union would have had a similar effect. The decision
regarding FAU-B is essentially applicable to FAU in Germany as a whole.
As it sets precedence, it will automatically affect the entire union
movement and the rights of workers. Whatever form an alternative union
in Germany might have, this precedent will render it powerless in
future. This case is a novelty in the sphere of German union-busting.
This decision allows the bosses to negotiate with the union of their
choice and to define what a union is. Workers’ self-organization –
whether in the Babylon cinema or elsewhere – has been blocked, and the
institutionalized muzzling of the working class has been intensified.
The lack of solidarity shown by ver.di through their intervention is
partly to blame for this. The court decision may even be in their
direct interest since ver.di has already written that they see FAU-B as
competition that they have to take action against.

Solidarity!

The battle for union freedom in Germany has now begun. Every little
bit of solidarity is needed. Bring this scandal to light, protest in
front of German institutions, and demand that the decision be
overturned and that FAU be given full rights as a union!

Please help us if you can. Your own ideas are welcome, but here are some suggestions:
• protest in front of German diplomatic missions (embassies, consulates) or other institutions representing
the German state;
• send protest letters to German embassies in your country (and a copy to the management of the Babylon
Mitte cinema);
• send protest faxes to the Berlin court responsible.

You will find the relevant information at http://www.fau.org/verbot
as soon as we can put it online. It includes a list of German
diplomatic mission, pointers to other relevant institutions, templates
for protest letters, and the necessary contact data. More details also here http://libcom.org/forums/news/solidarity-fau-berlin-16122009

Free the Belgrade Six

Jason Cortez — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:27:12 +0000

Statement the Serbian Anarcho-syndicalist group ASI presented to the
International Workers Association Congress in 2009 on the states
attempts to fit up six anarchists.

Report on circumstances which led to arrest of Belgrade anarchists and International terrorism charges

In the night between 24th and 25th of August 2009, some time after
3am, two Molotov cocktails were thrown on Greek embassy in Belgrade.
Act ended with a damaged window and minor damage to façade, the fire
didn`t spread to the interior of the building and small fire that was
started was quickly extinguished. No one was hurt in this `attack`
because there were no people at the embassy at that time and on the
following morning all embassy services started working on schedule.
Greek embassy officials stated that the damage was insignificant –
`Embassy is working without any problems. We`re issuing visas and we`re
working with citizens as usual`. Serbian ministry of interior (MUP)
immediately contacted embassy officials to make sure that everything is
in order, and condemned the attack. During afternoon 25th of August,
until then unknown anarchist group `Black Ilja`(Crni Ilija) took over
the responsibility for the attack and sent the following announcement
to the media: "Our comrade Todoris Iliopulos, who was arrested during
the popular uprising in Greece during December 2008, is at hunger
strike for already 46 days demanding to be released. While trying to
set an example to anyone who will dare to fight for freedom, Greek
state is leading a fabricated process against comrade Todoris. Belgrade
anarchists have decided to join comrades in Greece, and the whole world
in actions of solidarity with Todoris, by demanding his release. That
is why the members of our group attacked the Greek embassy in Belgrade
with Molotov cocktails during the last night. We will continue with our
activities until comrade Iliopulus is released! Fredom for Todoris! "

Anarchist group "Black Ilija" (Crni Ilija)

Todoris Iliopulos was arrested on December 22nd 2008 during the
unrest in Athens, which started after a 15 year Alexandros
Grigoropoulos was shot and killed by a police officer in Excharheia
district on December 15th. He was held in Koridlao prison from the time
of arrest until August 28th, when he was let out on conditiona release.
He is accused of two criminal acts (attack on police with Molotov
cocktails) and few offences. All the time during his stay in prison,
Iliopulos claimed that the charges against him were based on statements
of police officers. He started his hunger strike on July the 10th this
year, when his health and life were in danger after more than 40 days
of hunger strike, a call was made on a number of anarchist webportals,
on “Action for liberation of Iliopulos” and other activities such as
propaganda, info-actions, meetings, discussions – with a goal of
immediate release of Todoris. These actions were scheduled to start on
August 24th at 8pm.

Media pressure – Preparation for a farce called “Terrorism”

The president of Serbia, Boris Tadi?, has condemned the incident and
in a conversation with Greek ambassador in Serbia, Dimostenis Stodis,
threatened that the state will take all necessary steps to find and
adequately punish the offenders, which announced the political process
which will e held against six Begrade anarchists. The leading media in
Serbia, have, by the order of state, started focusing their reporting
towards making ideal circumstances neutralization and elimination of
leftist groups as well as critical thinking in general. There were
speculations of internationally coordinated terrorist actions via
anarchist web-portals, after which the preparation meetig for Balkan
Anarchistic Book Fair, which was held at the beginning of July of this
year, was mentioned in the context of preparation for attack on Greek
embassy, and finally a `source close with the investigation` has stated
in the media that the case can be characterized as a terrorist attack,
but at the moment no one can say that with certainty. `Good informed
defense analysts` have also insinuated that the Serbian anarchists
committed this act in order to be noticed by (demonized by the media)
Greek anarchists ad by that get logistic and economic support from
them. Zoran Dragisic, Assistant Professor of Faculty of safety and one
of the founders of the new Social Democratic Party of Serbia,
considered how it was an organized attack and that certain ideological
and political intentions stand behind it: "Our security services should
seriously address this group. Another problem is that the Embassy of a
proven friendly country was attacked. All these left-wing and rightwing
groups that resort to violence must be neutralized. Security services
need to monitor all suspicious groups and then arrest those who
committed violence. If the state can not stop them, it would be a sign
that these groups are stronger than the state. We would then have to
pay them taxes, not the state. It cannot be a question of whether the
state can do this, it must! Anarchist as well as profascits groups are
a serious threat to public order. From the security point of view,
their ideological differences are irrelevant as long as they violate
the law. It is necessary to urgently implement the arrest, court
processing and impose harsh penalties, and the activities of the
organization, must be under constant supervision, which is the work of
BIA (safety and inteligence agency). "Dragiši? also pointed out that
such activities can evolve into terrorism, and shouldn`t be
underestimated. Božidar Spasi? (former head of UDBA) considers that the
aim of this action was a atraction of attention of Greek anarchists:
"Such an attack could not be done without a good preparation and
monitoring of the Embassy, where the security and the building itself
was monitored for at least ten days, where someone was sitting in the
surrounding cafes and all carefully recorded. It is a worrying factis
that there was no reaction from embassy security during the attack on
the building, but also a cooperation between Greek and Serbian police
in providing information about the anarchists in their countrie." He
adds that: "the anarchists in Greece have gotten so strong that in
addition to wing, they also have an economic one that deals with the
abductions of Greek tycoons, businessman and attacks banks, and thus
acquire a huge amounts money used to finance the attacks. Because of
that they are classified in rank with the most dangerous terrorist
organizations like ETA and IRA." Until `Black Ilija` case, anarchists
in Serbia haven`t been known to the public by the violent and radical
actions. Activities os Serbian anarchists were known to the general
public are sharing leaflets in front of faculties adn factorise,
spraying graffities, publishing, and organizing cultural events and
discussions, as well as participation in the workers' and student
protests.

Arrest, investigation, and international terrorism

Members anarchosyndicalist initiative (ASI) Sanja Dojki?, Ratibor
Trivunac, Tadej Kurepa and Ivan Vulovic, were on the 3rd of September
detained in the police station suspected of having committed a criminal
act of causing a general danger, where they remanded in custody for 48
hours. The police brutally carried out arrests, coming the in
apartments without a warrant and ill-treating family members of our
comrades. The next day, 4th of September, Nikola mItrovi? was also
arrested, who is not a member anarchosyndicalist intitative, and the
police announced wanted Ivan Savi?, who also isn’t a member of ASI, and
twas at the time on summer vacation. The investigating judge has, in a
request for an investigation, classified the foregoing offenses as
international terrorism (punishable by 3-15 years inprisonment) and a
custody for all the arrested for a period of a month. Detained comrades
were entitled to get in contact with lawyers and the right to a visit
from close family members once in fifteen days. All other visits,
communication with the public, and mutual communication among the
arrested comrades were banned. The decision of the prosecution to start
investigation with assumption the it is crime of international
terrorism, it grew, until then unknown anarchist, a group of "Black
Ilija" in the line of world-known terrorist organizations like
al-Qaida, the IRA or the ETA . Immediately after the release of
qualification, the media have published polic photos of the arresteded,
with the titles that pronounce them guilty in advance. Special
Prosecution spokesman Tomo Zori? said that "investigations is to show
whether it is terrorism or an act of causing a general danger. What is
not debatable is that they will certainly be accused of a crime. "
After the publication of qualifications, Zoran Dragisic spoke again who
said that "we should bear in mind that anarchists have a sort of its
own International. However, the extent to which there is a connection
between those who threw our Molotov cocktails at the Greek Embassy and
the Greek anarchists, they advertise in their statement that they did
that because of the situation in Greece, and this relationship is based
on it. However, the real question is whether this relationship really
exists and whether the attack on the embassy was inspired by the
international anarchist movement." Vladimir Todori? from legal revue
said that "throwing cocktails for political reasons at the Embassy of
Greece which was officially exteritorial, meet some of the conditions
for qualification of international terrorism", while in the other hand,
lawyer Dragoljub Todorovi?, counsel of one of the suspects, said that
in this case the consequences are missing, and that the embassy
remained whole, and that the work was done at night with the apparent
intention for no victims to be made. Lawyer dr Radonja Dubljevi? also
representative of one of the six suspects, said that in connection with
this case in there is some illogicality. "The first is that in the
pre-trial proceedings, which led by the police, treated crime as
causing general danger, which is designed for a prison sentence of up
to five years, to the proceedings before the court there was a big
turnaround, crime was treated as an international terrorism for which
the prison sentence of three to 15 years. One must ask the question
what happened in that short time interval, from the police to court. "
Dubijevi? added that the prosecutor failed to take into account that
the notion of terrorism has founded its own scientific definition and
as a political and legal institutions defined, and that as such can not
be made with a device such as a Molotov cocktail, or in this case,
device that was thrown at the embassy of Greece. It is interesting that
in the case of two Molotov cocktails thrown the Greek Embassy rated as
a more difficult crime than burning the American Embassy, February
2008. in Belgrade, when one person lost his life in a fire inside the
Embassy. In the burning of the American Embassy one person was accused
of a crime causing general danger, for which the Criminal Code
envisages punishment of one to six years imprisonment, while in the
case of international terrorism punishment is three to fifteen years.
This crime is one of the most difficult and is in the group with
genocide and war crimes. The definition of terrorism is the
premeditated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to
instillation of fear with the intention of coercion and intimidation of
government and society to achieve goals that are generally political
religious or ideological. Key elements of terrorism are a threat,
violence, force, fear, political effect and purpose; psychological
effect, a random selection of targets and victims, deliberately planned
and systematically organized actions, a way of fighting against the
legal act - from which it can be concluded that terrorism is an ilegal
act of violence directed against a specific country with the intent to
cause fear or collective damages, to achieve a political goal. The four
main elements of terrorism are:

1. The objectives of the activities are usually always political,
whether it is a regime shift, shift the person in power, secession of
certain territory or parts.
2. The use of violence or threat of use of violence
3. The victims are usually innocent citizens
4. Lack of direct links between terrorists and victims, ie. attack is
not directed towards the victim or victims individually, but the
terrorist act would send a message to wider community.

Reactions of the public and the introduction of repression

On Sunday, 6th of September a protest was organized in solidarity
with arrested comrades in front of the Philosophy Faculty in Belgrade.
The protest was attended by about 40 anarchists and friends of those
arrested, carrying a banner: IT WILL NOT PASS! Protesting against very
hard qualifications imposed by the prosecution, and abuse of laws by
the state to justify the use of repressive measures. In the
proclamation read at the protest it was pointed out that :

"at the moment when the rights and
freedoms in Serbia are seriously constrict by enactment amending the
Criminal Code and Law on Public Information, the initiation of
proceedings for an act of international terrorism against the six
arrested, indicates the intention of certain state structures that
increasing the degree of repression and abuse of legal provisions
gradually discourage any political criticism of its actions. Therefore,
we express solidarity with the arrested, demand that the meaningless
charges against them be raised and seek their release."

Calling from a special antiterrorist unit base in Batajnica,
Interior Minister Ivica Da?i? said this is protest as purposeless and
said that the police has evidence, but that the police is ready to
admit that a mistake has been made if it is proven otherwise. For 11th
September, a group of Belgrade University professors and public figures
concerned with the announcement that against the six suspects for
Molotov cocktail attack on the embassy of Greece in Serbia to be
indicted that are they charged for an act of international terrorism,
sent an open letter to the public. This group also said burning example
of the U.S. Embassy during a protest after the declaration of
independence, 21 February 2008, where the work with much greater
consequences than seen much milder case of the Embassy of Greece where
the effects were insignificant. The group alleges that the U.S. Embassy
in Serbia was burned and that is substantially damaged by fire, while
one of the attackers lost his life.

"The only participant in this
attack which is found on the accused bench was charged with serious
offenses against the enforcement of general safety. In contrast, the
authorities breaking a window at the empty building of the Embassy of
Greece, with two lighted bottles that have not led to a fire
characterized as an act of international terrorism, as the work of the
Serbian Criminal Code is in the list of the most serious crimes such as
genocide, war crimes and conducting an aggressive war."

The signatories pointed that hey’re afraid that the paradoxical
positioning of different law enforcement bodies under the two cases of
politically conditioned parts of the current government efforts to
improve the rating of the nationalist oriented part of the electorate.
"It has a stimulating effect on the strengthening of the right
extremist and chauvinist tendencies in our society, such as those that
largely without major legal consequences, in early 2008 participated in
the aforementioned burning of embassies in Belgrade" The international
reaction to the arrest and accusing the Belgrade anarchists of
International terrorism were more intense and frequent.

List of international solidarity actions in chronological order:

07.09 Poland, Warsaw - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
07.09 Slovakia, Bratislava - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
08.09Portugal, Lisbon - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
09.09Hrvatska, Zadar - Collecting donations on the street
09.09 Austria, Vienna - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
10:09 Slovenia, Ljubljana – graffiti sprayin the Embassy Serbia
11:09 Australia, Melbourne - a letter of protest Serbian Consulate
11:09 Austria Vienna - the second protest of solidarity
11:09 UK, London - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
14:09 Croatia, Zagreb - Protest of solidarity, protest letter to embassy
15:09 Russia, Moscow - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
15:09 Ukraine, Kiev - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
16:09 Greece, Athens / Thessaloniki - Protest in front of the embassy / consulate
Serbia
18:09 Netherlands, Hague - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
18:09 Bulgaria, Sofia - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
18:09 Germany, Berlin - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
19:09 Greece, Komotini - solidarity protest at the central square
25.09 Macedonia, Skopje - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
25/09 Germany, Frankfurt - Protest in front of the Consulate
28.09 United Kingdom, London - second protest
29/09 Hungary, Budapest - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia
01.10 Switzerland, Bern
02.10 and 03.10 of Spain, Madrid - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia and
protest in the town square
04.10 Russia, St Petersburg - Protest downtown
08.10 Italy, Trieste – graffiti spraying Serbian Consulate
17:10 France, Paris - protest on the square Bobur, occupation of the Serbian Cultural Center
19:10 Germany, Frankfurt - protest at Book Fair
22:10 Turkey, Ankara - Protest in front of the Embassy of Serbia

The desire of government to criminalize ASI as an organization and
prohibit it at the end, became apparent when, on September 15th, during
a wave of creating atmosphere of fear, in some media an obviously false
news appeared, how Anarcho-syndicalist Initiative will use "pride
parade" to attack the police in the streets of Belgrade and avenge the
arrested comrades.

Events that followed, the Serbian government will use to open the introduction of state repression.

Since the "Pride parade" was scheduled for September the 20th,
tensions in the Serbian public scene grew since the spring, but have
reached the culmination on18th of September evening, when a French
citizen Brice Taton was brutally beate. He was kept in hospital for
treatment, in critical condition, and the same night was, due to
severity of his injuries, subjected to a series of surgical procedures.
State Public Prosecutor's Office, "shocked" by violence, has condemned
attacks on French tourists and announced that he will seek the
strictest prison punishment. The "Pride parade" the following day, 19th
of September, however, is prohibited with the explanation that the
police and security services are unable to guarantee the safety of
parade participants, and officials have stated that the State
capitulated before the violence and profascist groups. The same day,
police banned the holding of meetings in downtown Belgrade, under the
pretext that it could lead to violent acts. Farce directed by the
state, called the struggle against violence, was continued by the
arrests of members of nationalist organizations "1389" and members of
the clericalfascist organization "Obraz", due to the occurrence of
unauthorized gathering. Interior Minister Ivica Da?i? said that "the
state will decisively deal with everyone who is threatening with
violence and that public meetings cannot be held in downtown Belgrade,
where there is a threat of endangering life and property. The police
will, as much as it is in its power, prevent all kinds of attacks, and
will be repressive to extremist groups that threaten the various
parties, organizations and movements. " Officials of the police are
once again emphasized that "and in the future" in the center of
Belgrade, for security reasons will not be allowed holding of public
meetings. "Police has on the 20th of September arrested 37 activists of
rightwing organizations for violating ban on gatherings in public
places, and four of them were detained in prison for up to 30 days.
Ministry of Justice on 22nd of September launched an initiative to ban
any organization whose members propagate violence and carry out
criminal acts. And then President of Serbia Boris Tadi? announces that
"all extremists, left or right, will be prosecuted before our courts."
In Article 55 Serbian the Constitution states that the Constitutional
Court may prohibit the association which is aimed at violent overthrow
of constitutional order, violation of guaranteed human or minority
rights, inciting racial, national or religious hatred.

Indictment for international terrorism

Investigation ended after two months, on 3rd of November, prosecutor
and the Belgrade District Court and the Trial Chamber by a unanimous
decision filed for international terrorism against six anarchists from
Belgrade, and extended their detention for another month on Article 42
paragraph 1 point 3 CPC (when punishable penalty for a crime is more
than 10 years, the accused has no right to defend himself with
freedom), while the indictment says that there is fear that the offense
will be repeated because the defendants are members, and supporters of
ASI.

More articles here http://libcom.org/tags/belgrade-6

Victory at IKEA

Jason Cortez — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:15:23 +0000

.The IKEA
store in the city of Brescia sacked 7 store employees in September
2008 refusing to renew their contract with them. The company believed
that employees should pay for the crisis. These people had worked at
IKEA for many years, working up to 200 hours per month for as little
as 1000 Euros. So the workers decided to protest against this
sacking and engaged in picketing at the IKEA store. They
have were an established group of workers Senzatemponedenaro
and were willing to fight a stubborn struggle. They also joined the
USI, the Italian section of the International Workers Association.
They conducted continous weekend pickets at IKEA with many people n
deciding to boycott the store.

On December 17, the labour
court ruled to reinstate Belmadani
Azzedine with all the other employees, back to work. He also
will receive compensation. Unionists from the USI are confident that
everyone who wants to get reinstated will be.

Background info here http://tinyurl.com/usi-v-ikea
(Solidarity with sacked IKEA workers)

Solidarity with sacked IKEA workers

bren — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:33:14 +0000

Solidarity with sacked IKEA workers in Brescia, Italy.

On 1st September, whilst workers were being transferred between one work agency to another, 7 workers were sacked, even though they had been assured they would be absorbed into the new agency.

These general service workers had been working at IKEA for several years, had been lowly paid at €5 per hour and working up to 200 hours per month and had been working in unsafe working conditions in the underground car park with no exhaust fans. Workers even had to purchase their own safety clothing.

It is obvious that IKEA had no respect for the workers health and preferred to ignore health and safety rules in order to maximise profit. With decreasing sales, IKEA chose to downsize their workforce and weaken the work conditions of the workers, with restaurant and bar staff within the complex now having to perform the duties of the sacked carpark workers.

The 7 sacked workers are now picketing the Brescia IKEA store every Saturday and Sunday until they are reinstated.

Sustain the struggle of the workers of Brescia’s IKEA

Sabotage IKEA who refuse their own responsibility
No more exploitation
Solidarity with the workers fired by IKEA

from the Unione Sindacale Italiana (USI) Commercial workers section.

Solidarity Letter for Patricia Troncoso

bren — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:48:39 +0000

Patricia Troncoso is a Mapuche comrade on hunger strike and her health is in a critical situation. Above you will find a call for Solidarity (English and Spanish) with the Mapuche prisoners on hunger strike in Chile and their struggle. Plesase sing the letter and send it to your contacts and a Carbon Copy to: Jaime Huenún at champurria@gmail.com

Background Information
Chile: Mapuche hunger strike continues

On 23rd January, 2008 five Mapuche rights activists were in the 103rd day of a hunger strike at the Temuco and Angol prison in Chile's Region IX. Each of the hunger strikers—Mapuches Jaime Marileo Saravia, Juan Millalen Milla, Hector Llaitul Carrillanca and Jose Huenchunao and non-Mapuche Patricia Troncoso Roble—has lost more than 25 kilos. Patricia Troncoso is seriously ill, the last week end five doctors visited her and agreed to move her to a Santiago hospital, also they denounced that she has been keep chained to her bed, despite she is extremely weak. The five prisoners have been on hunger strike since Oct. 10 to demand the release of more than 20 indigenous Mapuche activists they consider political prisoners; an end to the militarization of the traditional Mapuche territories; and an end to repression against Mapuche activists.

On Nov. 21, agents from the militarized Carabineros police attacked a peaceful march in Santiago in support of the Mapuche prisoners on hunger strike. Police arrested 17 women, 15 men and two minors. The same day, Nov. 21, six other Mapuche activists—five of them women--began an open-ended hunger strike at the cathedral in the community of Canete, in Arauco province, Region VII, in support of the five prisoners. On Nov. 28, retired judge Juan Guzman met with Interior Minister Belisario Velasco to seek the government's urgent intervention on behalf of the five Mapuche prisoners, who are serving harsh sentences under an "anti-terrorism" law passed under the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet Ugarte (1973-1990). (PiensaChile.com, Nov. 29; Communique from Canete Hunger Strikers, Nov. 28; Programa Radial Mapuche Wixage Anai, Nov. 22; all via Red Solidaria por los Derechos Humanos-REDH)

On Nov. 7 Chilean authorities suddenly moved prisoners José Huenchunao and Patricia Troncoso Robles to the hospital in Angol in Region IX, apparently because of the effects of a 28-day hunger strike. Along with three other prisoners—José Millalen, Jaime Marileo and Hector Llaitul—Huenchunao and Troncoso started an open-ended hunger strike on Oct. 10 to demand the release of more than 20 indigenous Mapuche activists they consider political prisoners; an end to the militarization of the traditional Mapuche territories; and an end to repression.

As of Nov. 8 the authorities hadn't released information on Huenchunao and Troncoso's condition. Huenchunao, a Mapuche, suffers from chronic gastritis and has lost about 12 kilograms. Troncoso, a non-Mapuche supporter, may have been weakened by three previous hunger strikes. She carried out a fast of about 30 days in 2005 and then a 63-day strike, along with three other prisoners, from Mar. 13 to May 14 in 2006. The four prisoners resumed the strike for one week in May 2006 but suspended the action when legislators agreed to consider a bill allowing conditional release for the prisoners—a bill the Senate ended up voting down in September 2006.

The Mapuche prisoners charge that they are not treated impartially by the judicial system as they try to fight against privatization and other neoliberal policies in their traditional territories. The government of Socialist president Michelle Bachelet is pursuing economic policies inherited from the 1973-1990 dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet, according to hunger striker Hector Llaitul, who called for solidarity actions. There have been protests in Chile, and on Oct. 26 activists demonstrated at the Chilean embassies in Geneva and London.

Support Letter

Faced with the decision of “Freedom or death” taken by the Mapuche political prisoners and the silence of the Chilean Authorities

We (professionals, intellectuals and artists – Mapuche and not Mapuche) are signing this letter in order to call on people, organisations and institutions respectful of the right to life, to give their support to the Mapuche political prisoners who are on hunger strike to protest against the unfair sentence imposed by the justice tribunals. Further, we demand from the political and judicial authorities of the country, the immediate revision and annulment of the trial that sentenced them to 10 years and a day in prison. These proceedings had shameful irregularities, such as the use of anonymous witnesses and the payment of 20 million pesos for their testimonies. Patricia Troncoso, Juan Marileo, Jaime Marileo, Juan Carlos Huenulao and their families, who are Mapuche peasants living in indigenous communities corralled by forestry companies and private landed estates, have seen their most basic human rights smashed. They have been suffering prosecution, torture, unlawful entry into their homes and humiliation by the police special forces and the ruling judicial system.

The antiterrorist law, a legacy of the military dictatorship, was applied to the Mapuche in an especially cruel way during the last governments of the Concentracion (the governing political party). A consequence of this situation is the disproportional use of force by the police against children, women and elderly Mapuches. These acts have been widely reported by the media and denounced by Professor Rodolfo Stavenhagen, UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights and the Fundamental Freedoms of Indigenous peoples.

We believe that a democratic government must protect the rights of those who have suffered discrimination, violence, the reduction of their land and the negation of their culture and way of living for more than a century.
Thus, we demand consistency with the board for intercultural dialogue promoted by the same Concentracion Governments, such as the one called “New Treatment and Historical Truth”, an instance related to respect, tolerance and recognition of the indigenous people and their aspirations. We consider that the State through its Organs – its tribunals and the executive particularly – must abide by the international agreements regarding the rights of these people and not criminalise their fair and lawful demands, and fully respect their human rights.
Finally, we believe, that only through real recognition and respect of the ethnic diversity of Chile, will the country be able to go forward in fully recognising the native people of the country.

Patricia's Hunger Strike continues

bren — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 22:43:11 +0000

Patricia Troncoso continues her hunger strike as she did not receive any written agreement from the Chilean Government. The news of the end of her hunger strike were spread by the Catholic Church and the reformist media creating confusion trough public opinion, Mapuche communities and organisations. The situation was very tense yesterday in Chile as the comrade continues isolated was quite difficult to find out what was happening and as the reports of military police repression to the Mapuche communities in the South of Chile were received in Santiago yesterday evening. So, Patricia continues on hunger strike and the Mapuche organisation are calling population and international organisations to continue supporting their struggle for freedom and justice.

We hope that the Chilean government will have a sensitive response to the demands of Patricia and she will save her life, otherwise it will be a outrageous Crime of State.