Recently we published a statement of the “The Iranian workers are not alone” campaign. As a result of this we have started receiving signatures of trade union leaders, shop stewards and activists from several different countries. We have been passing these to the Iranian promoters of the campaign.
The campaign has attracted a lot of attention inside and outside Iran. This comes at a time of increased repression inside Iran, and the Iranian workers need all the help they can get.
The significant thing about this protest campaign is that it has, for the first time, brought together in a united front various Iranian left and workers’ organisations around the basic questions of workers’ rights in Iran.
However, it is also unfortunate that some elements – who present themselves as being on the left – have been working to weaken the campaign. A certain Ali Khoramabadi (koramabadi@yahoo.com) has been sending an email to all the addresses he could find of people who might support this campaign, spreading the lie that the promoters of this campaign are reactionaries who have never supported the working class in Iran. On that basis he has called on those who have put their names to the campaign to withdraw their support.
We would like to reiterate that the “The Iranian workers are not alone” campaign is bona fide, broad-based and non-sectarian. Its basic demands are such that any genuine socialist or trade unionist – or if it comes to that any genuine democrat – would support.
How could anyone who has the interest of the Iranian workers at heart oppose a campaign that calls for: the recognition of the workers’ right to strike, to set up their own independent workers’ organisations, the right to free speech, the right to assembly; an end to all intimidation and attacks on workers, including physical attacks, imprisonment, torture and execution of workers and toilers in the Kurdish areas and unconditional release of all political prisoners?
We do not know who is really behind this slanderous attack, but they are clearly worried by the spread of the campaign.
We call on all our readers and supporters to step up the campaign. The fact that it is being attacked is a sign that it is having an effect inside Iran. Let us make sure that the campaign is strengthened and that a clear message is sent to the workers in Iran, that the workers of the world are with them!
See also: The Iranian workers are not alone! (September 20, 2005)