Iraqi Oil Workers See U.S. Troops As Occupiers, Not Liberators

[Itsthetruth]

Iraqis tell of unions' plight
OIL WORKERS FIGHT FOR IMPROVEMENTS
By Becky Bartindale

Mercury News
June 20, 2005

Two leaders from one of Iraq's most powerful labor unions visited San Jose on Sunday as part of a national tour to publicize the plight of working people in occupied Iraq. The top leaders of the General Union of Oil Employees, which was banned along with other independent unions by Saddam Hussein, called for Iraqi self-determination and an end to the U.S. occupation.

``The American administration claims it is bringing democracy and freedom and human rights to Iraq,'' said Hassan Juma'a Awad Al Asade, chief of the union's executive branch. ``This is the third year of occupation and we see no improvement in our situation.''
While most Iraqis were happy to see Saddam go, he said through an interpreter, they have come to see U.S. forces as occupiers, not liberators.

He and Fleh Abbood Umara, general secretary of the oil workers' union, are part of a six-member delegation of Iraqi trade unionists who are traveling to more than 20 cities in the United States. Last week, the group met with members of Congress to discuss support for greater involvement of Iraqi unions in rebuilding Iraq. Both Juma'a Awad Al Asade and Fleh Abbood Umara are longtime oil workers who were imprisoned for human rights and union activities by Saddam's government.

The Iraqis spoke out strongly against U.S. efforts to privatize all Iraqi businesses except for the oil industry. Among other things, workers fear privatization would drive high unemployment even higher.
``Privatization is a kind word but the substance of it is to transfer public property to private property,'' said Juma'a Awad Al Asade. ``People with wealth and capital will go up, and the rest of the classes will go down and there will be elimination of the middle class.''

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/11938606.htm

[LynnTheDem]

1. So they're with the other 97% of Iraqis who view the US as occupiers.

Poll: Only 2% of Iraqis View the US as Liberators, 97% as Occupiers

http://www.independent-media.tv/item.cfm?fmedia_id=7752&fcategory_desc=Under%20Reported

[Terran1212]

2. I saw two iraqi union leaders speak about the Occupation

Saturday at the Black Radical Congress 2005.

One of them said that the US "uprooted the society" in Iraq, and that "the occupation is keeping society from progressing." He believes the United States should and must "end the occupation now."

He was the president of the FWCUI, and the union leader was the north american represenative. Both opponents of Saddam, so no one can play the "He's on Saddam's payroll!" card.

[Itsthetruth]

3. How Was The Response?

I saw the announcement at the Black Radical Congress 2005 website.

How many attended their talk and what kind of a response did they get?