From amc at HK.Super.NET Sat Jan 4 03:11:24 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:11:24 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 284] Strike Urgent Report #1 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970103181124.0072fe58@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host max3-113.hk.super.net [202.64.19.113] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:08:47 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #1 > >Strike Urgent Report #1 > - edited in December. 30, 1996, 01:00 > >Fourth Day of General Strike > >ON THE SPOT > >A Battle Cry of Protest against anti-worker labor laws overspread! >- 25,000 workers from throughout the country gathered in central Seoul > >The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) held the great rally at >Yoido Plaza in central >Seoul on Dec. 29 drew some 25,000 workers from throughout the country. The >participants >shouted the withdrawal of president and demanded the repeal of a new labor >law would make >their job insecure. >President Kwon Yong-gil of KCTU said that "President Kim Young-sam should >apologize to 12 >million workers. Unless the unilaterally railroaded labor laws and Natinal >Security Planning >Agency Act are not repealed, the second stage of General Strike will be >launched right after the >New Year's holiday." In this rally, the first speaker of industrial >Federations, President Dan >Byung-ho of Democratic Metal Trade Union Federation, spoke that "Workers are >forced to >choose whether to go down their knees completely or to stand to fight", and >"This rally is not just >for protest against anti-workers laws, but against president Kim Young-sam's >government" with >a lot of worker's applause. >The workers after the rally marched to the ruling New Korea Party(NKP) >headquaters, protesting >to the passage of labor laws. > >FOURTH DAY OF GENERAL STRIKE > >The unions in Strike are 735 >The workers in Strike are 379,000 > >On the FOURTH day of General Strike, 29 Dec. 96, as Pusan Subway Union got >into the strike >and Korea Telecom(KT) Union warned its strike starton 31 Dec, General Strike >in South Korea >extends to Public Sector's Unions. >In Accordance with KCTU, by that day 182 affiliated unions(223,000 member >workers) went on >the General Strike. In addition to that, 553 member unions of the Federation >of Korea Trade >Unions(FKTU), 156,000 workers also take part in the Strike. Totally, 735 >trade unions, 379,000 >workers be on strike. >Financial Unions and hospital unions will resume their strikes afterthe >holiday, and 4 major >broadcasting unions including KBS, MBC will go on the strikes on Jan 6 1997. >Subway Unions >will decide the day going on the strike through member workers' voting on 30 >Jan. 96. > >SOLIDARITY AND SUPPORT > >Nationwide >Other social groups are supporting the 4 day-lasting strike. Board for >justice and peace of Seoul >Catholic parish pointed out that the labor act is "not passed to proper >procedure" and amended >act will "deprive the workers of the job security." Lawyer association for >democracy will take >sitdown strike on Dec.30. >101 persons including professors, social movement leaders and Mr.Baek, >ex-presidential cadidate >issued a statement in order to warn the retreatment. They are afraid that >the civil government is >now "going back to authoritarian regime," and confirmed that "the result of >general strike will be >wholely on the government itself." > >International >OECD Trade Union Advisory Committee (TUAC) accused South Korea Labor Laws! > >IN CYBERSPACE NOW > >Now, many online people keep expressing their protest against unilateral >railroading passage of >anti-workers labor law, and the solidarity and support to workers' General >Strike. They also are >condemning the ruling New Korea Party(NKP) and the President. >The opinions of online people are posted in freespeech board, conference >room, or bulletin board >of progressive online groups with the header of [Support to Strike("Paubjiji")]. >In all three major commercial online services, about 1000-3000 articles >supporting to Strike are >posted from right after the passage of the bills. >Also, in each online service, the conference on this issue are being held. > > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > > > From amc at HK.Super.NET Sat Jan 4 03:11:57 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:11:57 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 285] Strike Urgent Report #2 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970103181157.00735084@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host max3-113.hk.super.net [202.64.19.113] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:08:34 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #2 > >Strike Urgent Report #2 >- edited in December. 31, 1996, 01:00 > >Fifth Day of General Strike > >ON THE SPOT >The Escalating Second Stage of the General Strike Declared! >- Without the repeal of anti-workers labor laws, the scale of the strike >will be extented. > The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) demanded the complete >repeal of the > railroaded amendments, the apology of the President, and resignation of >the cabinet of PM Lee > Soo-sung and New Korea Party Chairman Lee Hong-koo. President Kwon >Yong-kil of KCTU at > the Press Conference, said that "unless this demand is accepted, the >General Strike will be > extented to all the industries including public sectors as broadcasting >and professional sectors, and > it will be a nationwide struggle toward the resignation of the President. > "... Without the acceptance of this demand, the second stage will begin >right after the New > Year's holiday season.... On 3 Jan, Metal workers headed by Automaker >Unions' Federation are > going to resume the strike...., and from 6 Jan., Hyundai Group >Federation, Chemical Unions' > Federation, Clerical and Professional Unions', Construction Workers' >will join to the strike. And > on 7 Jan., Public sector workers such as Broadcation Workers, Hopital >Workers, Subway Workers > will take part in the General Strike. Through this gradual enlargement >of the strike, all the > industrial workers will join us....." >Korea Telecom(KT) Labor Unions Assembly Blocked by Riot Police! > Korea Telecom Labor Union had held an assembly for member's voting on >the Strike > participation, but, employees blocked the affiliated offices with the >force of riot police. According > to the union, the company directed the blockup of union's assembly. An >union official said that > "particularly, employees are trying to make the assembly dissipated by >the blockup of union's > office, the punishment to voting-participants, and the removal of the >meeting notification." > They said that KT Union would go on the strike protesting not only >against anti-workers labor > laws, but against the illegal action of employees, if they did not >cease the action. > The previous KT union leader Yoo Duk-sang arrested has performed fast >sitdown struggle > protesting the illegal passage of anti-workers labor laws. > > >Solidarity and Support >Dec. 30 > Lawyers Association for Democracy get into sitdown strike today at >noon. This gathering which > 50 of its members took part in will continue until the first day of new >year. LAD made a stress > on the illegality of the procedure. That was so "out of sense that the >amendment is not valid." > > >In Cyberspace Now >Black Ribbon Campaign now in Progress! > Blue, white, this turn is black. This campaign was initiated by >Alliance of Progressive Network > Groups(APNG) consisted of progressive Telecommunication organizations, >protesting against the > railroading passage of anti-workers labor law and National Security >Planning Agency act. Many > online groups in BBS are expressing their support for General Strike by >putting black ribbons on > their front pages or homepages. In this black ribbon, the expression of >"Funeral of Democracy" > is also included. > ( right : black ribbon on the web > below : black ribbon on the BBS) > > ] P > q q > q q > q q > q q q q > q q q q > q q q > q q q q > q q q q q > q q q q > q q q q q > q q q q > q q q q q > q q q q > > >Online Signature-seeking Campaign against anti-workers acts. > A lot of online people have been giving their opinions against new acts >of their own accord. > But as these opinions have gotten scattered everywhere, >Telecommunication Task Groups for > General Strike(TTGS) requests "A Million Netizens Signature-seeking >Campaign against > anti-workers amendments". Through this, We are trying to simplify the >route to participate in this > campaign. so in every major commercial online service, a particular >bulletin board is designated > for the signature. > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > > From amc at HK.Super.NET Sat Jan 4 03:12:33 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:12:33 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 286] Strike Urgent Report #3 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970103181233.007399a8@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host max3-113.hk.super.net [202.64.19.113] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:08:58 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #3 > >Strike Urgent Report #3 >- edited in January. 1, 1997, at 01:00 >Sixth Day of General Strike > > > >ON THE SPOT >Temporary Ease, But That's just beginning! > Though the General Strike has eased for holiday, a lot of workerswarns >the resume of the > strikes. The Korean Confederation of TradeUnions(KCTU) declared the >temporary ease from 31 > Dec. 96, has the plan to execute the second stage of the strikes, which >make thisGeneral Strike > widespread. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions(FKTU) also announced >to resume the > escalating second stage strikeafter the holiday. > Many individual unions and federations has decided to go on the strikes >in succession. > Metropolitan railway Trade Union determinedto execute the temporary >strike during 44hrs from 4 > Jan. KoreanFederation of Construction Trade Unions(KFCTU) determined >totake part in the strikes > from 09:00, 6 Jan. > Korean Federation of Press Unions(KFPU) also will go into the >strikefrom 7 Jan. All the > newspaper and broadcasting unions will jointo this action at the same >day. The Federation also > will enforcethe monitoring to the press in order to prevent slanted >news reports on this issue. >12 workers Protesting in Chungnamdae Arrested! > 12 workers visiting to Chungnamdae(the President's resort) >protestingfor the repeal of anti-workers > labor laws were arrested by riot policeon 31 Dec. 96. > KCTU Choongbuk Regional HQ. had kept to try to interview with the >pres.Kim Yong-sam who > would visit there and deliver a note of protest to him.So, the person >named 'Mr. choi' of the > Blue House was contacted, butthe person who really appeared is not him, >but the chief of a > police station. > At last the interview was dispelled, therefore the workers went to >Chungnamdae to deliver their > note of protest. Riot police blockedand arrested all of them. By this >time, only one worker is > released,and the other still in arrest. > > >Solidarity and Support > Strike just here? NO! All over World > >In Cyberspace Now >Online Movements Jumping on the Right Track! > Black ribbon campaign and A million netizens signature-seekingcampaign >against anti-workers > amendments prevails on the computernetworks. This campaign provides the >way for netizens to > expresstheir rage in public. Until now, about 500 people participated >inthe signature campaign, > and 20 online groups got into the blackribbon campaign or posted the >phrase protesting against > anti-workersacts on the front page. During the New Year holiday the >workers are waiting for > second-stage strike after the holiday, the onlinestruggle is going to >be heated day by day. > >How to take part in the online movements from abroad > 1. put your name, signature, and opinion on General Strike Homepage. > 2. Catch up on the change of situations. > 3. post any information on the strikes to any related newsgroup or >bulletin board. > 4. Link this homepage (http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike) on your >individual and/or union homepage. > 5. Rush to the Blue House homepage (http://www.bluehouse.go.kr) > > and Leave your message of > protest to the President. > 6. Send your letters or fax to Kim Youngsam, President of South Korea. > To: > Mr Kim, Youngsam, > President of the Republic of Korea, The Blue House (ChungWaDae), > 1 SejongRo JonrgoKu, SEOUL 110050, Republic of Korea > FAX # : +82-2-770-0253 > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > > From amc at HK.Super.NET Sat Jan 4 03:23:54 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:23:54 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 287] (No Subject in original) Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970103182354.0074b44c@is2.hk.super.net> >From: amc >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #4 > >>X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host max3-113.hk.super.net [202.64.19.113] didn't use HELO protocol >>X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >>Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 02:08:36 +0800 >>To: amc@HK.Super.NET >>From: misun >>Subject: Strike Urgent Report #4 >> - edited in January. 2, 1997 at 01:00 >> Seventh Day of General Strike >> >> >> ON THE SPOT Celebrating The New Year With The Workers' Struggle! >> Hundreds of striking workers, citizens and college students on Friday rallied at Myongdong Roman Catholic Cathedral in downtown Seoul, where Kwon Yong-kil, >> President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) and other KCTU leaders have been staging a sit-down protest in a freezing winter weather for the past week. Finishing the party, hundreds of people had an attempt to marching to "Bosingak-jong(a Korean traditional bell)" tolling ceremony that is held anually at the last midnight of every year. The riot police attempted to restrain the angry workers with even tear gases. But some 2,000 people succeeded to break them through. And they performed propaganda campaign to the citizen in the ceremony about their justness of the strike. This campaign was also showed through TV live of the ceremony. >> KCTU ready for the Next Stage of the Strikes! On the first day of this year, KCTU held a meeting to prepare for the General Strikes after the holidays. In the meeting, participants discussed about the present situations and the plans resuming the strikes. The participants agreed to link this General Strikes to annual wage struggle without a break, by holding nation-wide mass rallies and initiating a million leading peoples' signature-seeking drive. KCTU will have the press conference to make clear their struggle plan in the afternoon of Jan. Support and Solidarity Nationwide A lot of social groups and organizations have expressed their support and solidarity to the General Strikes in succession. Lawyer Association for Democracy had staged a sit-down protest for last 3 days, and they are preparing for the official statement of lawyers supporting to the strikes. National Association of Clergyman for Justice will open a daily prayer meeting in Christian Hall in Seoul. it will continue to 8 Jan. Besides, other christian groups will join to the meeting. Artists' Groups plans to announce supporting statement on about 6 Jan. >> >> In Cyberspace Now Cyber-battle Against the Ruling Party Network! The ruling New Korea Party(NKP) computer network called 'shinhanguktel' was spoiled by the sabotage of netizens protesting against the unilaterally railroaded a labor bill through the parliament. After the passage, a lot of people named their ids such as "killys, son-of-bitch("gaesaeggi")", posted lots of articles denouncing directly the President, Kim Young-sam. >> At last, the Sysop of the network dared to strike them out on the ground that "it may be made in violation of public morals and custom, or cause to defame other's reputation". It is said that 'Officially' just 24 ids and some articles were removed, but it is confirmed that in fact more ids and about 350 articles(out of total 688 articles) were done by the sysop. There is one more ridiculous thing. The network announced on last Nov. 29 that the 2002nd applicant would be presented a gift, celebrating 2002 World Cup. >> So it even posted the notice that the gift would go to the id of "Ssibalnom(another namecalling)". But, now it becomes also one of the ids that violate so called public morals. After that, the notice on gift-winner was disappeared in furtively. >> Current Report on Online Movements! >> by 22:00, Jan. 1, 42 online groups have taken part in black ribbon campaign, and 743 persons >> shown their wills against anti-workers labor bills through Signature-seeking Campaign. During >> 24hrs, the number of online groups participating this campaign was increased by 22, and that of >> persons making the signature by 300. Also, many people helps TTGS voluntarily in many ways. >> >> >> >> >> From amc at HK.Super.NET Sat Jan 4 20:15:34 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 19:15:34 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 288] Strike Urgent Report #5 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970104111534.00740c58@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host max3-80.hk.super.net [202.64.19.80] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Sat, 04 Jan 1997 19:13:51 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #5 > >========================================== >Strike Urgent Report #5 (22:00, Jan 2. 97) >========================================== > >----------------------------------------------------- >It rained in the morning, then the wind blew severely. >In the afternoon, the snow fell so thick and fast >that the tent for sit-down almost seemed to be blown >away. Here is only one stove, so it is bitterly cold. >..... May the snowstorm cease soon. >a day of suffering, workers' life with hardship..... >May all of them be over forever..... > >-- On 1 Jan. 97, in a sit-down demonstration of the > Chunbuk Regional Headquarter, KCTU. >----------------------------------------------------- > > >On The Spot >----------- > >+ KCTU's press conference held on the second stage struggle! >------------------------------------------------------------ > >"We'll step up our struggle by stages until the government >nullifies the bad labor law which rammed through parliament >in a deceptive manner," KCTU President Kwon Young-kil said >at the news conference on 2 Jan. > >In this conference, KCTU demanded to the goverment and the >ruling party that all the persons being responsibility >for this illegal passage of the laws resign immediately. >Also it assisted that the unilaterally railroaded labor bills >be withdrawn and newly amended. To make it happen, KCTU >would organize the nation-wide signature-seeking campaign >for the judgement to the ruling party and democratic revision >of labor laws. it announced that this struggle would be >kept until the President election scheduled in December. > >KCTU urged the opposite parties to strong mass struggle, and >proposed joint strikes to the Federation of Korean Trade >Unions(FKTU), the other umbrellar union in South Korea. > > >+ KCTU Press Statement on the second stage strikes. >--------------------------------------------------- > >The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) cannot hold >back our great rage on the fact that the government announced >publicly the unilaterally railroaded anti-workers labor laws >by the Official Gazette on 31 Dec. 96. against our expectation. >So, unless the government nullifies the anti-workers labor laws >and initiates the immediate revision, WE will step up our >General Strike to more powerful second stage, which will start >from the morning of 3 Jan. as already scheduled. > >1. KCTU rejects the anti-workers labor laws that has passed >through parliament without regard to democratic procedure >and the 12 million workers right of live. WE strongly demand >that all the persons responsible for the illegal passage >such as Chairman of the ruling New Korea Party(NKP), Lee >Hong-koo and Prime Minister Lee Soo-sung and so on. We also >urge the goverment to nullify the labor laws and amend >it immediately. > >2. Unless this demands is fulfilled by 08:00, 3 Jan., the >metal workers headed by Automaker Unions' Federation like >Hyundai, Daewoo are going to resume the strikes. Then, >if situation doen't change, from 6 Jan. Metal workers, >Hyundai Group Federation, Chemical Unions' Federation >as well as about 200 Clerical, Professional, Construction >Unions altogether will join to the General Strike. >The public sector unions as the broadcasting, newspaper >and hospital will take part in the strikes from 7 Jan. > >3. At the same time, KCTU's members will keep holding protest >rallies at the NKP's district party chapters. KCTU will >initiate the "nationwide signature-seeking drive for the >judgement to the NKP and democratic revision" by 11 Jan. >Through the solidarity with all the democratic social groups, >WE will struggle aganist President Kim Young-sam and the >ruling party. > >4. Finally, KTCU urges the opposite parties to step toward >the struggle beyond legal actions against anti-worker labor >laws. Also, We hope the Federation of Korean Trade Unions >(FKTU) to join our struggle advocating the workers' and >all the nation's right of live without hesitation. > > > January 2. 1997. > > > The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) > > >Support and Solidarity >---------------------- > >+ Nationwide >------------ > >More and more social groups are joining to the struggle >against the anti-worker labor laws. >The social groups consisted of those who has played a >leading role for the 1987 Democratic Struggle plans to >hold the youth rallies denouncing the railroading in >front of National Assembly and NKP's Headquarter at 12 >o'clock on 3 Jan. > > >In Cyberspace NOW! >------------------ > >+ English Homepage Service just opened! >--------------------------------------- > >The homepage of The General Strike in South Korea serviced >only in Korean, began to provide English service from 2 Jan. >This page was made out by the Telecommunication Task Group >for the General Strike(TTGS) and a lot of online volunteers. > >TTGS will keep maintaining and updating the page and >initiate an English newsletter service sooner or later >, so that all the people not familiar with the Korean >language can understand the situation in South Korea and >show their support. > >+ Black ribbon and Signature Drive >---------------------------------- > >Until now, total 53 online groups post the black ribbon >meaning the death of democracy in South Korea. and 859 join >to the signature-seeking campaign through online. > >The statistics shows that the number of groups have >increased by 18 and that of signature participants have >gone on increasing by 116, in comparison with the last >figure of yesterday. > > > > > > > > > From amrc at HK.Super.NET Mon Jan 6 17:44:07 1997 From: amrc at HK.Super.NET (AMRC) Date: Mon, 6 Jan 1997 16:44:07 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 289] appeal solidarity action for Korean workers. Message-ID: <199701060844.QAA25233@hk.super.net> >Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 15:29:46 >To: apwsl, maxine@reddfish.co.nz >From: AMRC >Subject: appeal solidarity action for Korean workers. > >>Date: Mon, 06 Jan 1997 15:29:03 >> >>From: AMRC >>Subject: appeal solidarity action for Korean workers. >>Cc: International Labor Rights >> >>KCTU: The escalating Second Stage of the General Strike declared on 6 January at 8:00 am >> >> On 6 January, 1996, the President of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU), Kwon Young-gil called on the metal workers' unions, auto workers' unions, construction workers' unions, the Hyundai Federation of Trade Unions, professional workers' unions and white collar workers' unions to take part in the general strike - a total of 160 affiliated unions with 200,000 members of KCTU. Today workers who are going on strike demanded the repeal of the anti- worker labour laws, National Security Planning Agency Act, an apology from the President, Kim Young-sam, and the resignations of the cabinet of Prime Minister Lee Soo-sung and New Korea Party Chairman Lee Hong -koo. >> Tomorrow the general strike will be extended to all the industral and public sectors as major broadcasting trade unions (KBS, MBC, EBS, CBS), hospital unions, and white collar workers' unions which have are total of 2,300,000 members in 210 affiliated unions of KCTU. >> However, it is expected that the Korean government will reject the workers' demands and suppress the movement. For example, 50 union leaders face arrest and 20 leaders of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) received summons' today. Yesterday prosecutors warned that they could arrest about 50 top trade union leaders including the president of KCTU. In spite of this warning, workers will not give up their demands and the general strike will continue. >> The president of KCTU, Kwon Young-gil said that, "Our protest strikes will continue until President Kim Young-sam accepts our demands and he should apologize to 12 million workers. Unless the unilaterally railroadthe general strike will enter into the third stage of the General Strike soon." >> >>How can we support the genuine workers' strike in achieving victory ? >> >>Protest to the Korean government: >> >>1) KCTU hopes that workers or any supporters overseas organise protest rallies in front of Korean embassies in their countries. >> >>2) Send protest letters to the Kim Young-sam government. >>Fax no: 822- 855-1913 >> >>Encourage workers in their struggle to act bravely and fight for their lives! >> >>* Most of the workers involved in the general strike action gave up their year-end annual bonus and salary for the cause of workers' rights. It is a very difficult time for them and their families. We appeal to all concerned groups and supporters to make donations to the strikers of KCTU so that they may continue the strike. Every little bit will help! >> >>Please send donations to the strikers to: >>To: Kim In Soog (KCTU). >>Korean (Foreign) Exchange Bank >>account number : 141-05-1003-7 >>If you send a donation to KCTU, please inform Yoon Young-mo at the International Department of KCTU by fax or e-mail. Fax number : 001-822-765-2011 >>E-mail : kctuint@chollian.dacom.co.kr >> > From amrc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 7 13:40:17 1997 From: amrc at HK.Super.NET (AMRC) Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 12:40:17 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 290] Call for Solidarity Action for Korean Workers General Strike Message-ID: <199701070440.MAA13160@hk.super.net> >Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 00:08:36 +0900 >From: KCTU-International >Organization: KCTU >To: info@kimsoft.com >CC: labor-list@labor.org.au, dpalmer@netcomuk.co.uk, chrisbailey@gn.apc.org, > learn@phil.gn.apc.org, cshan@law.harvard.edu, mlawrence@vicnet.net.au, > marty@lclark.edu, awl@gn.apc.org, Maxine@ReddFish.Co.NZ, > Mickey Spiegel at Human Rights Watch , > owengran@netcomuk.co.uk, kcc@igc.org, jgreaney@ozemail.com.au, > psi@geo2.poptel.org.uk, ricrest@adcn.on.ca, > rlambert@kroner.ecel.uwa.edu.au, syndikalisten@sac.se, > inisoc@luznet.es, belanger@cupe.ca, hilaryd@labornet.org, > 100317.1547@CompuServe.COM, tuac@oecd.org, em@HUMnet.UCLA.EDU, > "van Ommen, Dutch Amnesty International" <101565.2120@CompuServe.COM>, > wftu@login.cz, sscipe1@icarus.cc.uic.edu, pspd@soback.kornet.nm.kr, > krc@comuni.com.au, rvdb@nedernet.nl, ats@etext.org, amrc@HK.Super.NET, > ASI_IN1@HRW.ORG, cmcvey@amnesty.org, Compte.TUAC@oecd.org, > cosatu@polity.org.za, bangumzi@cosatu.org.za, > "DAGA, HONG KONG" , MD1504@mclink.it, > 113392@student.fbk.eur.nl, educint@infoboard.be, > ejbaker@fas.harvard.edu, fauzi@idn.toolnet.org, fauzi-a@indo.net.id, > aprofiet@singnet.com.sg, hqinfo@fiet.org, jayfree@chollian.dacom.co.kr, > iz@fnv.nl, harrieli@dds.nl, columbandc@igc.org, > feskor@chollian.dacom.co.kr >Subject: Call for Solidarity Action for Korean Workers General Strike > > KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS > > >Mr Bill Jordan Mr John Evans >General Secretary General Secretary >International Confederation Trade Union Advisory Committee >of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) to OECD (TUAC-OECD) > > >Dear Brothers, > >Warmest greetings to melt all the snow and cold of this extraordinary winter. > >I would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the solidarity your >organisation has extended so far in support of our effort to bring about a genuine >reform of the labour in compliance with the ILO international labour standards. > >The general strike of Korean workers, led by the KCTU and FKTU, in defense >of the trade union and labour rights and the welfare of workers, now already >in its twelfth day since December 26, has already succeeded great deal as >indicated by the failure of the government to react immediately with a harsh >crackdown. > >I write at a time when the government has began to take steps to come down >on the striking workers and unions with harsh crackdown and arrest. >This is clearly seen in the summons issued by the public prosecutors to some >40 union leaders including 8 KCTU officers. > >If there ever were an opportunity for international solidarity to have a real >impact and influence on a situation, I believe, this is the most appropriate time. > >We would like to request ICFTU and TUAC to organise a special joint mission - > involving the key representatives of the two international bodies, ITSs, >and key ICFTU-affiliated national centres -- to come to Korea to investigate >the new anti-worker, anti-union labour law in solidarity with Korean workers. >Such a mission will have a very important effect of delaying the "eventual" >government crackdown and arrest of large number of union leaders that is >already in motion. > >We would also like to request ICFTU to call on all its affiliates to issue protest >letters to the Korean government to be hand delivered directly by the >representatives to the Korean embassies and/or hold public rallies/pickets >(of whatever size) outside the Korea diplomatic missions. We believe the impact >of such a solidarity action can be maximised if it is held on the same day. So >we suggest that this may be done on January 10, 1997, as much as possible. >This will magnify the international outcry against the undemocratic action of >the Korean government which is already well reflected in the international >media coverage, adding greater pressure on the Korean government. > >The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will, we assure you, will maintain >our struggle until the government makes an official commitment to reopen the >parliamentary discussions involving the trade union representatives for >a re-amendment of the labour law. This is the minimum demand we have >set forward against the new labour law which was passed in an undemocratic >manner and which contains various pernicious clauses that are aimed to set back >the clock on both the working conditions and trade union rights. > >We do not hesitate to acknowledge that the length and intensity of our struggle >would not have been possible with the strength of international solidarity and >vigilance, not only during the period of current strike, but through out the course >of drawn out debate for the entire year of 1996. > >The resilience by Korean workers and the international trade union movement till >the last moment will, we believe, bring about unimagined results that will usher >in an entirely new setting for trade union activities in Korea. > >We much appreciation, we look forward to you affirmative response. > >In solidarity, > > > >(signed) >Kwon Young-kil >President >Korean Confederation of Trade Unions > > > > > > > >(I take liberty in serving carbon copies of this letter to the following >brothers and sisters.) > >c. c.: Presidents, General Secretaries, and International Directors/Secretaries > >DGB, FNV, CGT-FO, CFDT, TUC, LO-Sweden, TCO-Sweden , LO-Norway, >LO-Denmark, CISL, CGIL, JTUC-Rengo, ACTU, AFL-CIO, NZTUC, CUT-Brazil, CLC; >IMF, IUF, FIET, ITF, PSI, EI, IFBWW, ICEM. > KOREAN CONFEDERATION OF TRADE UNIONS > > >Mr Bill Jordan Mr John Evans >General Secretary General Secretary >International Confederation Trade Union Advisory Committee >of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) to OECD (TUAC-OECD) > > >Dear Brothers, > >Warmest greetings to melt all the snow and cold of this extraordinary winter. > >I would like to express our sincerest appreciation for the solidarity your >organisation has extended so far in support of our effort to bring about a genuine >reform of the labour in compliance with the ILO international labour standards. > >The general strike of Korean workers, led by the KCTU and FKTU, in defense >of the trade union and labour rights and the welfare of workers, now already >in its twelfth day since December 26, has already succeeded great deal as >indicated by the failure of the government to react immediately with a harsh >crackdown. > >I write at a time when the government has began to take steps to come down >on the striking workers and unions with harsh crackdown and arrest. >This is clearly seen in the summons issued by the public prosecutors to some >40 union leaders including 8 KCTU officers. > >If there ever were an opportunity for international solidarity to have a real >impact and influence on a situation, I believe, this is the most appropriate time. > >We would like to request ICFTU and TUAC to organise a special joint mission - > involving the key representatives of the two international bodies, ITSs, >and key ICFTU-affiliated national centres -- to come to Korea to investigate >the new anti-worker, anti-union labour law in solidarity with Korean workers. >Such a mission will have a very important effect of delaying the "eventual" >government crackdown and arrest of large number of union leaders that is >already in motion. > >We would also like to request ICFTU to call on all its affiliates to issue protest >letters to the Korean government to be hand delivered directly by the >representatives to the Korean embassies and/or hold public rallies/pickets >(of whatever size) outside the Korea diplomatic missions. We believe the impact >of such a solidarity action can be maximised if it is held on the same day. So >we suggest that this may be done on January 10, 1997, as much as possible. >This will magnify the international outcry against the undemocratic action of >the Korean government which is already well reflected in the international >media coverage, adding greater pressure on the Korean government. > >The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions will, we assure you, will maintain >our struggle until the government makes an official commitment to reopen the >parliamentary discussions involving the trade union representatives for >a re-amendment of the labour law. This is the minimum demand we have >set forward against the new labour law which was passed in an undemocratic >manner and which contains various pernicious clauses that are aimed to set back >the clock on both the working conditions and trade union rights. > >We do not hesitate to acknowledge that the length and intensity of our struggle >would not have been possible with the strength of international solidarity and >vigilance, not only during the period of current strike, but through out the course >of drawn out debate for the entire year of 1996. > >The resilience by Korean workers and the international trade union movement till >the last moment will, we believe, bring about unimagined results that will usher >in an entirely new setting for trade union activities in Korea. > >We much appreciation, we look forward to you affirmative response. > >In solidarity, > > > >(signed) >Kwon Young-kil >President >Korean Confederation of Trade Unions > > > > > > > >(I take liberty in serving carbon copies of this letter to the following >brothers and sisters.) > >c. c.: Presidents, General Secretaries, and International Directors/Secretaries > >DGB, FNV, CGT-FO, CFDT, TUC, LO-Sweden, TCO-Sweden , LO-Norway, >LO-Denmark, CISL, CGIL, JTUC-Rengo, ACTU, AFL-CIO, NZTUC, CUT-Brazil, CLC; >IMF, IUF, FIET, ITF, PSI, EI, IFBWW, ICEM. > From amrc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 7 21:16:14 1997 From: amrc at HK.Super.NET (AMRC) Date: Tue, 7 Jan 1997 20:16:14 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 291] Korean workers struggle Message-ID: <199701071216.UAA10592@hk.super.net> >From: AMRC >Subject: Korean workers struggle > >Hpong Kong > >Solidarity Statement in Support of the Struggle of Korean Workers > >In a secret sitting of the National Assembly on December 26, the Government of Kim Young-sam, passed amendments to the Trade Union Act, Labour Standards Act, Labour Dispute Adjustment Act, the Education Act and the Special Act for the Promotion of Teachers, and the National Security Planning Agency Act. This took place in the absence of any opposition party members of the National Assembly and was done against the popular will of the Korean people. > >The amendments to six labour-related laws constitute an attack on the fundamental rights of Korean workers. These changes include: > >* Greater powers for employers to freely dismiss workers >* Greater powers for employers to force workers to undertake unpaid overtime >* The unlimited right of employers to replace striking workers >* Prohibition of payment of wages for the period of industrial disputes >* The denial of the right to continued union membership of dismissed workers >* A continued ban on trade union pluralism >* Banning wage payments to union officers >* Banning the political activities of trade unions >* New restrictions on the right to collective action and collective bargaining >* Continued bans on teachers' right to organise and bans on industrial action by bank workers, telecommunications workers, hospitals and other public services >* The legalisation of illegal "manpower agencies" which further repress workers' rights > >Under these 'reforms' workers' rights to organise and bargain collectively is being further restricted, and the right to strike and freedom of association is being denied. The result is the destruction of the rights and job security of all workers, and the criminalisation of the activities of trade unions and all forms of collective action. > >In a further attack on democracy and the human rights of the Korean people, the National Security Planning Agency Act was revised to give the Agency greater powers. The Agency now has greater powers of investigation, arrest and questioning thereby violating the fundamental rights of all Korean citizens and destroying their right to privacy and personal freedom. The Agency also has greater powers of surveillance of political and social movement organisations. >The National Security Planning Agency (NSPA) was created to repress the pro-democratic forces during the era of military dictatorship. Now we see its revival to once again attack people's movements. > >We are protesting against the Korean Government to demand: > >1. The repeal of the anti-worker labour laws and the National Security Planning Agency Act. >2. An apology from the President, Kim Young-sam to the Korean people and the resignations of the cabinet of Prime Minister Lee Soo-sung and New Korea Party Chairman Lee Hong-koo. >3. The repeal of the summons issued against trade union leaders and an end to threats of arrest. >4. That those arrested during the demonstrations be released without being charged. >5. Full legal recognition of KCTU and the right to union pluralism and freedom of association. >6. The revision of the National Security Planning Agency Act to limit its power and protect the rights and freedom > of the Korean people. > From mritchie at iatp.org Tue Jan 7 22:09:17 1997 From: mritchie at iatp.org (Mark Ritchie) Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 07:09:17 -0600 Subject: [asia-apec 292] Re: Korean workers struggle Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970107070917.006d885c@iatp.org> How about and international boycott of Korean made goods until these are repealed. At 08:16 PM 1/7/97 +0800, you wrote: > >>From: AMRC >>Subject: Korean workers struggle >> >>Hpong Kong >> >>Solidarity Statement in Support of the Struggle of Korean Workers >> >>In a secret sitting of the National Assembly on December 26, the Government >of Kim Young-sam, passed amendments to the Trade Union Act, Labour Standards >Act, Labour Dispute Adjustment Act, the Education Act and the Special Act >for the Promotion of Teachers, and the National Security Planning Agency >Act. This took place in the absence of any opposition party members of the >National Assembly and was done against the popular will of the Korean people. >> >>The amendments to six labour-related laws constitute an attack on the >fundamental rights of Korean workers. These changes include: >> >>* Greater powers for employers to freely dismiss workers >>* Greater powers for employers to force workers to undertake unpaid overtime >>* The unlimited right of employers to replace striking workers >>* Prohibition of payment of wages for the period of industrial disputes >>* The denial of the right to continued union membership of dismissed workers >>* A continued ban on trade union pluralism >>* Banning wage payments to union officers >>* Banning the political activities of trade unions >>* New restrictions on the right to collective action and collective bargaining >>* Continued bans on teachers' right to organise and bans on industrial >action by bank workers, telecommunications workers, hospitals and other >public services >>* The legalisation of illegal "manpower agencies" which further repress >workers' rights >> >>Under these 'reforms' workers' rights to organise and bargain collectively >is being further restricted, and the right to strike and freedom of >association is being denied. The result is the destruction of the rights and >job security of all workers, and the criminalisation of the activities of >trade unions and all forms of collective action. >> >>In a further attack on democracy and the human rights of the Korean people, >the National Security Planning Agency Act was revised to give the Agency >greater powers. The Agency now has greater powers of investigation, arrest >and questioning thereby violating the fundamental rights of all Korean >citizens and destroying their right to privacy and personal freedom. The >Agency also has greater powers of surveillance of political and social >movement organisations. >>The National Security Planning Agency (NSPA) was created to repress the >pro-democratic forces during the era of military dictatorship. Now we see >its revival to once again attack people's movements. >> >>We are protesting against the Korean Government to demand: >> >>1. The repeal of the anti-worker labour laws and the National Security >Planning Agency Act. >>2. An apology from the President, Kim Young-sam to the Korean people and >the resignations of the cabinet of Prime Minister Lee Soo-sung and New Korea >Party Chairman Lee Hong-koo. >>3. The repeal of the summons issued against trade union leaders and an end >to threats of arrest. >>4. That those arrested during the demonstrations be released without being >charged. >>5. Full legal recognition of KCTU and the right to union pluralism and >freedom of association. >>6. The revision of the National Security Planning Agency Act to limit its >power and protect the rights and freedom >> of the Korean people. >> > > NOTE OUR NEW ADDRESS Mark Ritchie, President Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy 2105 First Avenue South Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 55404-2505 Phone-Direct (01)-612-870-3400 Phone-General (01)-612-870-0453 Fax (01)-612-870-4846 mritchie@iatp.org URL: http://www.iatp.org/iatp From amc at HK.Super.NET Wed Jan 8 00:38:00 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 23:38:00 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 293] Strike Urgent Report #6, #7 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970107153800.006a4980@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host max7-169.hk.super.net [202.64.23.169] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 23:36:20 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #6, #7 > > Strike Urgent Report #6 > - edited in January. 4, 1997, at 01:00 > First day of the General Strike in THE SECOND WAVE > >Successfully resumed the second wave of the strike!! > Labor unions resumed their second strikes yesterday, threatening to >intensify their labor actions > beginning next week to nullify the nation's new labor laws. > The Korea Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU) said that some 90,000 >workers went on strike > at 46 businesses nationwide. Those workers on strike included some >6,500 at Ssangyong Motor > Co. and some 4,500 at Mando Machinery, the nation's largest auto parts >maker. > Confederation chairman Kwon Yong-gil told a news conference at >Myongdong Cathedral in Seoul > that the nation will face escalating strikes next week. Another 230,000 >workers would walk out > from their 200-odd businesses nationwide next Monday and other public >sector workers on the > next day, Kwon said. > The KCTU is expected to expand the strike into all the industry >following the second strike plan > if President Kim's government doesn't repeal the labor law. > The Hundae Group Trade Union Federation, the Korean Federation of >Chemicalworkers Industry, > that of the Clerical workers, and the Construction workers Industry >etc, will start on January 6th, > and the public secter such as the broadcasting, the hospital and the >Subway Workers Union will > co-participate in the strike on 7th. >A Willful Distortion by labor Ministry > The Labor Ministry said, however, the real number of striking workers >yesterday was smaller > than the figure given by the confederation. The Labor Ministry lereased >regular press report on > January 3, radically downsizing the strength of the strike. > The Labor Ministry reported that only 31 unions and 22,000 workers took >part in the second > strike. For exemple, the Labor Ministry report claimed that only 1,500 >members of DaeWoo > Motors Unions took part in the strike. However, the KCTU found that the >figure was only those > who took part in the public rally and campagne the union conducted >after having completed the > unions strike meeting at the factory. In fact, some 3,500 workers >attended the strike meeting; and > among them, apart from those who returned home or on the factory picket >line, 1,500 members > went out into the downtown areas to conduct street campaignes. >Futhermore, more than 80% of > the members who were scheduled the work on the night shift had already >made resolution to > boycott the work. > Meanwhile, the prosecution said it will crack down on the illegal labor >actions as soon as strikes > expand to public sectors like subways or hospitals. The prosecution >started screening the list of > key union leaders before arresting them on charges of masterminding >illegal strikes, aprosecution > offitial said. > > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > >============================================================================ >================================== > > Strike Urgent Report #7 > - edited on January. 6, 1997, at 23:00 > Third day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE > >The Second stage of the Strike Spread like Wildfire!! > Today, January 6, 97, some 150 unions, totaling 190,863, including >Hyundai Group Trade > Federation, the Federation of Automobile Workers Unions, the Korean >Federation of Metal > Workers Industry, which have continued the Strike since the end of the >year, dashed into the > second wave of the strike. > The strike covers the Korean Federation of Professional and Technician >Union, and the > participation of the Clerical Workers is expected to increase. > On January 7, with the start of 9,000 workers at the four broadcating >company including KBS, > MBC, EBS, CBS, Hospital Workers Union and the other clerical unions >will join the ranks of > the striking workers planning the general strike to extend step by step. >Make the Strike turn to the Nationwide Struggle!! > The Federation of Korean Trade Unions(FKTU) decided to join the >Nationwide Committee for > Democratic Labor-management relation and Social Reform(the Nationwide >Committe below) last > Saturday, January 4. This decision seems to be made by establishing on >December 31. The > solidarity struggle with various democratic social groups as one of the >4 basic priciple of the > second-phase struggle. > The joining of FKTU in the Nationwide Committee has very important >meaning in the fact that > KCTU and FKTU, the both axis for workers organizations will participate >in the same rank. That > is, announcing statements by both organizations, holding news >conferences jointly and joint rallies > will be an opportunity to the Gerenal Struggle more effectively. > > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > > From ipd at phil.gn.apc.org Wed Jan 8 10:12:35 1997 From: ipd at phil.gn.apc.org (ipd) Date: Tue, 07 Jan 1997 17:12:35 -0800 Subject: [asia-apec 294] Message: Joel Rocamora Message-ID: January 7,1997 Dear Fiona, Karin, other denizens of Amsterdam Center, By now, you should have gotten Hanneke's e-mail message that I cannot make it to the PB meeting. I wanted to communicate directly because in Filipino culture its not nice to get a message like this only indirectly. I asked Hanneke to do it because we have just moved offices and our computers were connected only today. Our new office is much bigger, more professional looking, but of course, our address is not as high class as 20 Paulus Potterstraat. I really wanted to come, had hoped that Hanneke's and my Christmas holiday would get rid of my cough. But I still have it and then I heard that Holland has 15 degrees below zero weather, and I talked to my doctor and he said: DO NOT GO! Sorry. If you send me questions, things to read, work to do, I promise to do it and immediately get back by e-mail. I know that TNI is in a crossroads (we seem to be perpetually in one) so apart from TNI Asia work, I promise to help in whatever way I can. IPD's new address is: 45 Matimtiman Street, Teachers Village, Quezon City; telephones: 926-2893, and tel/fax 921-8049. We will get more phones in a few weeks, we'll let you know. Our e-mail address is still the same. We are arranging a more direct internet connection, but it will take some time. Have a productive meeting. Let me know what happens. joel r From norbert at forum.org.kh Wed Jan 8 21:30:00 1997 From: norbert at forum.org.kh (Norbert Klein) Date: Wed, 08 Jan 1997 21:30:00 Subject: [asia-apec 295] Re: Message: Joel Rocamora Message-ID: <258@f1.forum.org.kh> Dear Friends, Would you please abstain from sending personal mail to this mailing list? It is extremely expensive to receive this list in Cambodia, but we want to keep it - if it is not used for other purposes. Thanks. norbert@forum.org.kh, Phnom Penh/CAMBODIA >January 7,1997 > >Dear Fiona, Karin, other denizens of Amsterdam Center, > > By now, you should have gotten Hanneke's e-mail message that I [snip] From a.kwa at auckland.ac.nz Thu Jan 9 13:05:05 1997 From: a.kwa at auckland.ac.nz (Aileen Kwa) Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 17:05:05 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 296] FOCUS-on-APEC No.9 Part I Message-ID: <199701090405.RAA25005@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Thu Jan 9 13:23:42 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 17:23:42 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 297] FOCUS-on-APEC No.9 Part IV Message-ID: <199701090423.RAA26019@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> Non-Transparent Process One of the most striking features of the WTO process at the SMC was the lack of transparency even for delegates themselves. The Secretariat and host of the SMC seemed to use their privileged position in favour of the US, EU and other more powerful trading economies. The main negotiations took place in informal group meetings between about 30 countries out of the total 127 members. This group was chosen by the Chairperson, Yeo Cheow Tong and the Director General Renato Ruggerio. There had been no prior consensus about how the composition of the group had been arrived at. This left many delegates of the developing countries unaware of where the critical negotiations were talking place and what the latest developments were. Given that enough of them voiced complaints, the issue of the need for greater transparency was addressed in the final press conference delivered by the WTO Secretariat. Both Ruggerio and Yeo explained that in wanting to maintain a certain level of efficiency, they had chosen a group that was representative of a diversity of interests. They acknowledged that the transparency process had to be improved in the future but without compromising on efficiency. When asked how they envisaged doing this, however, they said that it was yet to be decided. It is alarming that an important issue such as the equal participation of a member-driven organisation is not even given time and space for reflection at the SMC, highlighting again, the power imbalance at work at the conference. Human Resource Imbalance The other major factor that is the reason for the huge power imbalance in the WTO process is the stark difference in human resource capacity between the countries. The US, for example, sent over 100 delegates to the WTO, while most of the developing countries had about 6 or fewer representatives. Similarly, on a day-to-day basis, many of the developed countries have a team of 12-14 persons working solely on the WTO in Geneva. This does not include the huge numbers that will be working on WTO issues in their capital cities. In contrast, of the 29 LLDCs, only 10 of them have a permanent office in Geneva. And most of them only 1 or 2 persons in their office covering the work of all the international bodies based there. Therefore, while the rules based system is being expounded as one of the best features of the multilateral trading organisation which will benefit the developing countries, the poorest of these unfortunately do not possess the resources needed to make full use of the system, nor the technical expertise required. The WTO Secretariat is currently offering courses to trade officials of developing countries in order to upskill the bureaucrats on the technicalities of trade. Developed countries too are offering some amount of technical assistance. The help offered, however, is but a drop in the ocean in comparison to the need. In the meantime, decisions which have a huge impact on the lives of millions in these countries continue to be made for these countries within the WTO. The WTO: Towards a Resolution of the World Crises or an Impending Disaster? The aim of completely liberalising trade in the many areas covered by the WTO, or Ôfree tradeÕ, is often made out to be the best solution to many of the problems countries are facing today. In the past, however, we have seen different economic theories coming into vogue and going out of fashion again, as solutions do not seem to be forthcoming. Likewise with the current trend. Although free trade is often made out to be the necessary path to tread by its proponents, it remains an economic theory. The world is its laboratory. In fact, the exact formula, the chemicals and their quantities used in this particular laboratory test are arbitrary, and are largely decided, as the experiment progresses, by the most powerful economies. The chemicals prescribed are those which these rich economies have in abundance. The poorer countries find that they have to pay a very high price in order to partake in this experiment. Take for example the issues and areas in the WTO where most work is being carried out. The developed countries have been dragging their feet in the liberalisation of areas that would most hurt their economies. Developing countries had consented to having the Multifibre Agreement (MFA) in the early 1970s because they had been promised that market restrictions in textiles and clothing in the developed exporting countries will be reduced after an interim adjustment period. However, the MFA was instead renewed every 4-5 years for the next two decades with no sign of liberalisation. This situation changed only with the completion of the Uruguay Round. Even then, there has hardly been any progress in liberalisation in this area. Likewise, although the removal of direct subsidies to farmers in the EU and US would mean fairer trade in agriculture and would stop the destruction of the agricultural sector in many developing countries, progress here is also slow. Since it would impinge on the interests of the US and EU, there is little political will to hasten the liberalisation processes. In contrast, almost total liberalisation in new areas such as IT and telecommunications are being implemented within a short period of time. Here, liberalisation is put on the fast track with the reasoning that it is beneficial for everyone. What sectors and issues should be made a part of the global Ôfree tradeÕ agenda therefore really depends on which countries hold more clout in the trading regime and hence are poised to have their wishes implemented. At the same time, the reigning ideology propagated is that the particular path set out is the only possible and best path to take. Furthermore, no one really knows what the exact benefits of this Ôfree tradeÕ experiment will be for the poorer countries. The benefits of the complete implementation of the Uruguay Round had been estimated at $500 billion at the end of 1994. The WTO economists have found that this was too liberal an estimate and has brought the figure down to the range of $300 billion. According to most accounts, the actual effects by many of the poorest countries, a large number of these are in Africa, will in fact be negative. In response to this, Richard Blackwell, the chief economist of the WTO at the SMC said that this was because these studies had focused mainly on the lack of market access African countries had in terms of world trade. In contrast, WTO estimates positive gains by these countries because they factored in the gains of small economies by having a rules based trade organisation with a dispute settlement system. Despite the optimism about the benefits of such a structure, to date, none of the LLDCs have yet to bring a dispute to the WTO Secretariat. The country that is using the system most frequently is still the US. So while the effects of what is being implemented now, especially on the majority of poorer countries have not been thoroughly looked into, the work of the organisation charges ahead. Its effects changing the lives of millions worldwide. The Secretariat is also proud of the fact that there are a string of countries knocking at the door of the organisation wanting to become members. This is used as justification of the good and desirable work of the body. In reality though, poorer countries have little choice in the matter. They either get themselves registered as a member of the laboratory experiment, or get totally isolated. Many only begin to realise the implication of GATT / WTO decisions after these have been agreed to. A continuation of the way the WTO currently functions will lead the world head-long towards a catastrophic end, especially if domination by certain countries remains the status quo without any regard for the needs of the poorer economies. Ultimately, such as system will essentially mean the rich countries institutionalising and justifying, through a supposedly rules and consensus-based global organisation, their colonisation over the rest of the worldÕs resources. If the WTO is to truly work in the interest of all its members, it must change its bullying tactics. As a global body, the excuse that it works in a non-transparent manner for greater efficiency is a flimsy one, and greatly threatens the credibility of the organisation. In order to be an organisation which governs multilateral trade and one which aims to work for the benefit of all its members, it has to be cognisant of the fact that a power imbalance exists in the organisation and the current process employed only reinforces this imbalance. It must therefore hold as top priority, the righting of such an imbalance. This would mean keeping in focus, the needs of its diverse members, especially the majority developing countries. There should not therefore be a dichotomy drawn between trade and development. It is commonly assumed that the WTO should engage in trade issues and leave the development concerns of its members to other international agencies. The reality, however, is that while the WTO does not concern itself very much with the development needs of its poorer members, it certainly is extremely concerned with those of its richer members. Hence, its preoccupation with IT; the introduction of services and intellectual property rights into the GATT, the WTOÕs predecessor; as well as attempts to bring in such issues as the liberalisation of investment under its auspices. These are obviously areas that would benefit the richer countries given their particular stage of economic and industrial development. Since the patterns of trade will impact positively or negatively on all countries in myriad ways and also affect the development concerns of countries, these development needs must be kept at the forefront. For example, the WTO must make it its concern that there are 800 million suffering from chronic hunger amongst its member countries. The fact that there are 1.3 billion who occupy the ranks of extreme poverty - a fifth of the worldÕs population, and that this poverty is a feminised phenomena should also be a concern. Furthermore, it must also keep in view the fact that the crisis of today is an ecological one. Since these are the conditions many WTO members are grappling with, the organisation can only claim to meet the needs of its members if it continually evaluates its policy impact on these realities and allows itself to be an enabling factor in the resolution of these crises. In this process, it must ensure that it gives countries the sovereignty and right to choose the path of development that meets their needs. There is no blanket solution for all economies. Countries must not be arm twisted into liberalisation. Trade liberalisation can be enabling, but how much and in which areas must be decided upon on a country-by-country basis and with great discretion. *Aileen Kwa is a research associate of Focus on the Global South. She is also currently pursuing her Phd in Development Studies at the University of Auckland. ______________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENTS Will TodayÕs Asia-Pacific End up like Europe in 1914? This is one of the concerns that has prompted the Peace Research Institute of TokyoÕs International Christian University, Focus on the Global South of Chulalongkorn UniversityÕs Social Research Institute in Bangkok, and BerkeleyÕs Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development to sponsor a conference on ALTERNATIVE SECURITY SYSTEMS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, March 27-30, 1997. In the aftermath of the November 1996 APEC Summit, the Asia- Pacific region may look relatively placid, but it is actually a thinderbox of territorial disputes, resource conflicts, antagonisms inherited from the Cold War, and a variety of internal struggles with external impacts. With the end of the Cold War, hopes were high that conditions of lasting peace would be created in the region. However, prosperity, instead of spinning off peace, has sparked an arms race, and, despite some tentative initiatives, a multilateral system to preserve the peace is nowhere in sight. Instead, what passes for a regional security system is a volatile informal system with three legs: continuing US unilateralism, balance-of-power diplomacy, and arms races. There is, indeed, a resemblance between fin-de-siecle Asia-Pacific region and late 19th century Europe, which was entrapped in what Henry Kissinger called Ôthe balance-of-power doomsday machine.Õ NGOÕs and peopleÕs organisations took the lead in opposing the nuclearization of the Pacific during the Cold War. In the post-Cold War era, however, aside from the nuclear question, security issues have not had as much prominence among NGO concerns as environment and development issues. Indeed, the much-vaunted Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) is largely a governmental initiative, and there is little genuine NGO participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum. Yet civil society throughout the world has been full of rich explorations into new concepts of security, such as real security or comprehensive security. There is also an increasing recognition by citizensÕ groups that multilateral security systems are not enough, and lasting peace can only be achieved via people-centred security systems rather than state-centric ones. This conference seeks to bring the security question to the top of the agenda of civil society in the Asia-Pacific. Activists and academic experts, citizens and selected representatives of governments and multilateral organisations from various parts of the region will come together for a close look at the points of tension and conflict in the region and discuss ways to create the new institutions of peace and security that are so necessary if the region is to avoid the fate of Europe of 1914. For more information, please get in touch with: Alternative Security Conference Secretariat Focus on the Global South Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute Phyathai Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: 662 218 7363 Fax: 662 255 9976 Email: focus@ksc9.th.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Book Launched at Manila PeopleÕs Forum on APEC Now Available! ÔAPEC: Four Adjectives in Search of a NounÕ is an exciting 311 page volume containing - An APEC Primer - Profiles of 18 economies and leaders - Original confidential ÔIndividual Action PlansÕ for liberalisation submitted by each country Limited number of copies are available at US$50 only. This amount covers air mail / shipping expenses. To obtain a copy, please send your money order / bank draft to Focus on the Global South c/o CUSRI, Wisit Prachuabmoh Building Chulalongkorn University Bangkok 10330 Thailand --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Watch Out for the Next Issue of Focus-on-APEC! The coming issue of FOCUS-on-APEC will consist of all the presentations and available transcripts of discussions at the Manila People's Forum. ______________________________________________________ FOCUS-on-APEC is produced by Focus on the Global South (FOCUS). Edited by Aileen Kwa. Contact information: c/o CUSRI, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 Thailand. Tel: (66 2) 218 7363/7364/7365, Fax: (66 2) 255 9976, E-Mail: focus@ksc9.th.com, Website: http://www.nautilus.org/focusweb From amc at HK.Super.NET Fri Jan 10 03:35:41 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 02:35:41 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 298] Strike Urgent Report #8 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970109183541.006ac798@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host [202.84.234.150] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 02:34:21 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #8 > >Strike Urgent Report #8 > - edited on January. 7, 1997, at 23:00 > Forth day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE > >The "Necktie Unit" stands together again! > The 'necktie unit' which took the considerable role in the June >Struggle in 1987, began > to join the ranks of the striking workers. > The 27 security corporation unions and 2 insurance companies of >the workplaces > affiliated with the Clerical Workers went into the partial strike, >and other workplaces linked up the > strike in the form of 'extraordinary executive meeting' or 'a sitdown >strike of union executives'. > They took part in the general meeting wearing the black ribbon >marked "funeral of >democracy" > and exclaimed "the nullification of the bad law" > Of 110 union-affiliated Korean Federation of Professional and >Technician Unions >containing 110 > unions, 62 unions began on the partial strike. > And unionized workers of public broadcasters including MBC, KBS, EBS, >CBS started >on the > general strike at 5 this morning, January 7. The four major >broadcasting unions held >"the > national broadcast workers meeting" at the 'democratic plaza' in the >Korea Broadcasting >System at > 4 o'clock this afternoon. Broadcasting workers' strikes will also >be joined by some >20,000 > unionized workers at 40-odd hospitals across the nation. > On the other hand, the union of Seoul Metropolitan Subway Corp. had >gone on strike >but > suspended it by union leaders in consideration of the inconveniences >to citizen in cold >weather. > But in relation with the policy to cope with the strike legally by >government, KTCU >warned the > unions of Subway and Korea Telecom reserving the strike temporarily >would rush into >overall > strike if the government exercises of public power by arresting union >leaders. >{{ >}}Prosecution Summons 10 KCTU Leaders; struggle for defence is needed! > The prosection launched a crackdown on union leaders yesterday as the >Seoul District > Prosecuters's Office issued summons for 10 leaders of the militant >Korean Confederation >of Trade > Unions, including KCTU chairman Kwon Young-kil, who have spread >nationwide strikes >since > late December. > Prosecuters also issued summons for about 40 other union leaders in >Ulsan, Changwon >and some > other industrial cities. In the Summons, prosecuters ordered the union >leaders to submit > themselves for questioning before respective local prosecution offices >by 10 a.m. today. > Prosecuters warned that they will obtain arrest warrants from the >court to arrest the >union leaders > if they reject summons. The prosecution's action came as tens of >thousands of workers >started a > fresh round of nationwide strikes over a new labor law which the >Assembly Dec.26. > In fact, there dispose the police forces near the Mungdong >Cathedral strengthening >inspections, > and it is a dominant analysis that the oppressive and unexpected >bearing showed by the >police in > the recent rally is a use for seizing the chance of largescale >crack down. As the >countermeasure > against this, it is necessary for the defense party made up of >labors, students and >citizens to > organize immediately. > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > > From amc at HK.Super.NET Fri Jan 10 03:36:03 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 02:36:03 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 299] Strike Urgent Report #9 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970109183603.006b9a8c@is2.hk.super.net> >X-Authentication-Warning: is1.hk.super.net: Host [202.84.234.150] didn't use HELO protocol >X-Sender: misun@is1.hk.super.net >Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 02:34:29 +0800 >To: amc@HK.Super.NET >From: misun >Subject: Strike Urgent Report #9 > > Strike Urgent Report #9 > - edited on January. 10, 1997, at 01:00 > Seventh day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE > >The General Strike in Fevered Spirit! > The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) had it that a >total of 212,196 >workers from > 176 unions affiliated to KCTU went on strike as of 3 p.m., January 7. > With the Federation of Hyundai Group Trade Unions, The Federation >of Automobile >Workers > Unions and the Korean Federation of Metal Workers Unions continuing >the strike since >last > December 26, the unions of manufacturing industry and the Korean >Federation of >Professional > and Technicians Unions participating in, the Clerical Workers and >Construction Workers >on 6th, > lining up with, and the unions of the 4 major broadcating companies >and the national >coalitio of > medical insurance unions rushing into it on 7th, the General Strike is >in fevered spirit. > And the Clerical Workers Unions, the Korean Council of Hospital >Unions, and >Construction > Workers Unions are scheduled to expand the strike struggle in full >breadth making day >10th a > starting point, and for it, member unions are resolving strike by >means of genenal >meetings. > On January 7, the KCTU held a mass rally with over 5,000 attendance >including union >members, > students and a lot of citizens, and called for the nullification of >the new labor law and >the > National Security Planning Agency Act. The attendance demanded >through a struggle >resolution > that "not nullifying the evil laws, the government intend to take legal >steps to arrest the >KCTU > leaders," and made clear that "we'll fight by means of the General >Strike struggle to the >day the > laws are nullified" > After that rally, the participants did publicity campaign with >distributing pamphlets to >citizens > across the city. >Chungwadae got angry, urged the swift, strong coutermeasure! > Immediaely afer the New Year press conference of President Kim, >Young-sam at >Chungwadae > (the Blue house) on January 7, the KCTU had a press conference and made >clear that if >the > government doen not retract the revised Labor law, it will face strikes >in public sectors >including > the subways and the communications. Kwon Young-gil, Chairman of the >KCTU said >that "unless > the government repeals the new labor law by midnight Tuesday, we will >stage at the >strongest > ever strikes." > That afternoon, a joint statement, Ministers of Justice, Home Affairs >and Labor Affairs >requested > striking workers to stop the workouts, adding that if the 'illegal' >strikes continue, they >will > immediately take resolute action for the purpose of keeping >peace industry and >protecting legal > order. > The prosecution, which had threatened to arrest Kwon and other union >leaders, backed >down and > delayed the action judging that the nationwide strikes seemed to have >simmered down. > But, this moderate policy which the 3 related minister and >prosecution on 8th, doesn't >last long. > On the same day, Chungwadae put it that the strike should stop >with immediately. >Chungwadae > got angry at the decision of expanding the General Strike though >it requested the >concession of > labor and management both. This thought seemed to send to the prosecution. > Right after the prosecution heard this view of Chungwadae, they >decided to issue the >arrets > warrants on 9th. so the day 9 seems to be a turning point. the KCTU >confirmed again >the > public sectors unions will workout on 15th, when the government appeal >to police power >and the > government decided on its hard policy issue the warrants for >arresting the KCTU >leaders. >62 professors of law studies demanded the nullification of labor laws! > On January 8, 62 professors of 36 universities all around the country >who major in law >studies, > urged that the government nullify the newly-amended labor laws and >National Security >Planning > Agency Act passed without regard to legal procedure, and withdraw the >plan to take >legal action > against the strike workers. > Insisting that the illeagal passage of December 26, violated the >Act of National >Assembly, they > said that "the new laws were lacking in the smallest legitimacy as a >law, in addtion to >the > defect of procedure. They pointed out that "the workers' >exercising the right of >collective action > against deterioration of working conditions had a good reason, >according to the >Constitution and > international labor custom". This is not also opposed to >International Labor >Organization(ILO)'s > principle that the strike protesting against the government social >and economic policies >is not > subjected to a criminal prosecution." > They argued that the government take back a legal action plan against >the leaders of >the strikes > and try to make an amicable and peaceful settlement on this situation. > > > Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) > Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day > Phone : +82-2-855-1913 > E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org > Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike > > > From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 07:50:31 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:50:31 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 300] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part I Message-ID: <199701092250.LAA25196@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> FOCUS-on-APEC ______________________________________________________ A regular bulletin produced by Focus on the Global South (FOCUS) Bangkok, Thailand Number 9, December 1996 / January 1997 FOCUS was designated the NGO Information/Monitoring Center on APEC (Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum) by the participants of the 1995 NGO Forum on APEC in Kyoto, Japan. It was out of this commitment that FOCUS-on-APEC was created. FOCUS-on-APEC carries APEC-related news, the latest items of interest and concern, and informed and critical analysis from a progressive perspective -- with a broad geographical concentration on East Asia and the Western and South Pacific. FOCUS-on-APEC is where you can learn about other people's APEC-related work and they can learn about yours. Please send us your APEC-related information (by e-mail, fax or snail-mail!) -- including news items, research papers, opinion pieces and information on grassroots activities happening in your respective country. Your contributions will be incorporated into the bulletins. We welcome your comments and suggestions! ------------------------------------------------ CONTENTS: ------------------------------------------------ - REGIONAL ANALYSIS - The Big Chill in Singapore - APEC and WTO: The Washington Connection - Ceasefire in Singapore - REGIONAL ROUNDUP - The Manila People's Forum: An Exciting, Exhilarating Process - Declaration: Manila PeopleÕs Forum on APEC - The WTO Singapore Ministerial Conference: The Beginning of the End? - ANNOUNCEMENTS - Conference: Alternative Security Systems in the Asia Pacific Region - Book Launched at Manila PeopleÕs Forum on APEC Now Available! - Watch Out for the Next Issue of Focus-on-APEC! ______________________________________________________ REGIONAL ANALYSIS The Big Chill in Singapore by Walden Bello* It was an historic meeting, alright, but not for the reason often cited by the trade epresentatives of Northern countries: that the World Trade Organization's recently concluded First Ministerial Meeting in Singapore represented a milestone in the consolidation of a "fair, equitable and more open rule-based system" of global trade. As a representative of one of the relatively few public interest NGOs present at the WTO Ministerial, the Singapore experience left me with two very strong impressions: 1) Despite the new name, the WTO pretty much functions like the old General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT). Who determines which issues are vital and sets the agenda is largely the so-called "Quad" group, made up of the United States, European Union, Japan, and Canada. Consensus is said to be the operative decision-making norm for this 127-member institution, which is absurd on the face of it. In fact, in such a large body, what consensus means is principally consensus among the Quad, whose members then apply a variety of mechanisms to get the less powerful countries to agree to positions arrived at by the Quad. As US trade expert C. Fred Bergsten candidly puts it, the WTO "does not work by voting. It works by consensus arrangement which, to tell the tuth, ismanaged by four--the Quad: the United States, Japan, European Unon, and Canada. These countries ghave to agree if any majorsteps are going to be made, that is true. But no votes." The last time a formal vote was taken in GATT was in 1959, and the WTO is not likely to break this tradition. Singapore was a a striking example of Quad power to set the agenda. Most of the 127 member-country that came to Singapore expected that issues having to do with the implementation of the 27,000-page GATT Uruguay Round Accord would dominate the agenda. Many of the least developed countries wanted to focus on such issues as problems encountered in meeting their commitments to the Round, the slow pace in the reduction of domestic support and export subsidies in agriculture in the European Union and the United States, and the absence of significant reductions in quotas on textile exports from the developing countries imposed by Europe and the United States. Instead, Northern priorities overwhelmingly dominated the five- day meeting. For the most part, negotiations centered on an Information Technology Agreement (ITA) and so-the so-called "new issues"--"core labor standards," investment, and competition policy--dominated the five-day meeting. Acting US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky set the tone in her speech the very first day when she said that concluding an ITA was the US' top priority for the meeting. In the view of Third World country delegates, this hardly came as a surprise since the US accounts for 50 per cent of the global IT market and would stand to reap a large part of the gains from a worldwide zero-tariff agreement. Barshefsky at her last press conference also gave an insight into the dynamics of the meeting when she admitted that "the core labor standards issue dominated the last three days of the meeting." This was a case of a mainly domestic agenda overrunning global priorities, since the intent was to pacify a domestic constituencies that were fearful that free trade was leading to job losses in the US. And in all cases, the North got what it wanted. Massive lobbying produced an ITA endorsed by IT giants US, EU, and Japan, and 25 other countries. Despite some wording concessions to the South, the North was able to mention the issue of observance of "core labor standards"--feared by many in the South as a a future rationale for disguised protectionism--pretty high up in the Ministerial Declaration, as item no. 4. In addition to establishing working groups to study transparency in government procurement (codewords for corrupt practices in Third World country procurement policies) and competition policy, the Declaration also agreed to set up a working group "to examine the relationship between trade and investment." To many developing countries and newly industrializing countries, this was a significant step towards making investment, in addition to trade, an area of WTO authority. In contrast, the so-called "Plan of Action" for the Least Developed Countries" that was trumpeted by the WTO bureaucracy as a signal effort to address the problems of the poor countries failed to mention any concrete offer from any of the developed countries of tariff-free access for least-developed-country products. 2) The WTO Ministerial Conference is an extremely non- transparent body. NGO's complained about their ability to monitor the decision- making process. So did many official delegates, particularly from developing countries, for whom participation was a real problem. Like the old GATT, formal plenaries in the Ministerial were devoted to speech-making, while the real decision-making was reserved for informal meetings of country delegations that were handpicked on a far from transparent basis. In these informal sessions, realpolitik and confusion reigned. As an NGO bulletin noted, "Most discussions took place in informally convened meetings and the meetings of Heads of Delegations (HOD) became a sounding chamber to measure the degree of resistance to positions agreed behind closed doors. One NGO even reported that some delegates relied on NGO contacts to keep them up to speed on what was happening and where. One delegate said the seats of power at the negotiations were also exclusively found in informal negotiations." Reacting to complaints about transparency and democracy, the Chairman of the Conference, Singapore's Yeo Cheow Tong, stated that the invitations to informal consultations had been issued on the basis of "region," "size," and "development status." What he failed to mention was who did the choosing. The WTO Ministerial Meeting could have been an opportunity for the North to respond to the stresses and strains visited on the South by the process of trade and broader economic liberalization, of which the WTO is now the key agent. Instead, the dominant Quad countries chose to approach the organization in the traditional way of making it an instrument to blatantly push a global trading agenda that would principally benefit them. For most of the Southern delegates, the Singapore experience underlined what they had suspected all along: that the WTO was no different from their old nemesis, International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank. In this connection, the speech that probably made the lasting impression on Third World delegates was not WTO Director General Renato Ruggiero's "vision speech" in which he talked about free trade resulting in "a phone in every village" but that of Michel Camdessus, the IMF's Managing Director. "With the globalization of the world economy," Camdessus told the delegates, "trade has become more complex, and trade liberalization, more challenging. We are fortunate to have the forum and machinery established under the WTO to help move the process forward. "The IMF, for its part," he continued, "will join in this task through its surveillance and support of members' adjustment and reform efforts. I am pleased to note that our joint efforts can now proceed in the legal framework of the Cooperation Agreement that the Director General, Mr, Ruggiero, and I will sign here in Singapore. In addition, I understand that the World Bank's Executive Board has approved the WTO/World Bank Cooperation Agreement. "Thus," he concluded, "the stage is set for the WTO, the Fund, and the World Bank to work together toward the implementation of our complementary objectives. I have no doubt that our Member countries will encourage our efforts and play their full part in helping achieve these fundamental objectives fot the common good of mankind." A vision of world economic governance was being layed out, and to most delegates from the South, it was a chilling one. *Dr. Walden Bello is co-director of Focus on the Global South, a program of Chulalongkorn University's Social Research Institute, and a professor of sociology and public administration at the University of the Philippines. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 07:51:51 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:51:51 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 301] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part 2 Message-ID: <199701092251.LAA25451@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> APEC and WTO: The Washington Connection by Walden Bello The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) and the World Trade Organization (WTO) are said to be complementary mechanisms to achieve a liberal world trade regime that will benefit most of the world's population. After the November APEC Summit in Manila and the first WTO Ministerial Conference in Singapore held early in December, people are becoming impatient with such "ideological" statements. Indeed, the lesson that many observers have drawn from the two meetings is how the two trade organizations can be manipulated to serve as complementary mechanisms to advance the interests mainly of their more powerful members. For them, the recent Information Technology Agreement (ITA) forged in Singapore is a powerful example of how the main link between APEC and WTO at this point is not the achievement of universal prosperity via free trade but hardline US trade diplomacy. For some years now, the US has been trying to gain an agreement to liberalize trade in information technology and telecommunications. The reason is not hard to find: with superior technology in both product areas, US corporations are confident that with the elimination of trade barriers, they can extend their control of the international market beyond the 50 per cent they now have. Washington has been candid about its goals. As US Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky has stated, "Today, the United States accounts for nearly 50 per cent of all telecom revenue worldwide. We cannot , and we will not, settle for a situation where we are unable to operate in the other half of the world's markets." In Washington's view, the main stumbling block has been the European Union, which has been extremely hesitant to lower its tariffs on US information products for fear this could drive European IT producers out of business. Before Singapore, negotiations with Europe were getting nowhere. This led to tremendous exasperation among Washington's trade diplomats, among them APEC Ambassador John Wolf, who warned in public that "Either the Europeans liberalize or they die." As part of their strategy of breaking the deadlock with Europe, Wolf and the Washington trade team, around the middle of 1996, placed the achievement of an information technology agreement on the agenda of the forthcoming APEC Summit in Manila, to the surprise and consternation of many of Washington's Asian trading partners. As in the case with Europe, there were a lot of hesitations among the APEC governments and business groups, many of whom feared that Washington's zero tariff proposal would wipe out their plans of building up information technology industries through tariff protection. There was also resentment at being manipulated as bargaining chips in a high-stakes trade duel with Europe. These feelings ensured that by the conclusion of the APEC Senior Ministers' Meeting on November 23, the most Washington could get was a draft declaration that supported the liberalization of the IT sector but in very general terms. What happened next is well described by Martin Walker of ÔThe GuardianÕ: "At breakfast with President Ramos of the Philippines, [US President] Clinton reviewed the tentative agreement...and said: 'This unacceptable--we have to do better.' Ramos then rewrote the communique, and Clinton and his staff spent the rest of the day lobbying the other Asian leaders to achieve the far more ambition Information Technology Agreement." After 16 hours straight engaging in what APEC guru C. Fred Bergsten described as "the most intensive diplomacy I have ever seen," Clinton, with the assistance of Ramos, got what he wanted: an APEC Manila Declaration that called for "the conclusion of an information technology agreement by the WTO Ministerial Conference that would substantially eliminate tariffs by the year 2000..." Thus, Washington had "momentum" coming into Singapore two weeks later. Charlene Barshefsy declared in her speech at the WTO's opening plenary on Dec. 9 that, as far as Washington was concerned, achieving an ITA was at the top of the ministerial meeting's agenda. Many delegates, especially those from the developing countries, reacted apprehensively since they had expected the meeting to focus on discussing and proposing solutions to problems encountered in implementing the ambitious 27,000-page GATT Uruguay Round Accord ratified two years ago. Such concerns were brushed aside, as Barshefsky focused the energies of the WTO's biggest powers, the US and the European Union, on the achievement of an IT pact. In the end, Washington got what it wanted: an agreement among 28 countries accounting for over 85 per cent of world trade in IT products to reduce tariffs to zero by the year 2000. In these negotiations, the US employed the "APEC mandate" to good effect. As Barshefsky noted in her final press conference, "Without the support of APEC for such an agreement, there was no way this agreement would have come out of Singapore." What the US trade representative failed to mention was that only nine of the 18 APEC countries that signed the Manila Declaration also signed on to the Singapore ITA Accord, the most significant exceptions being the Philippines, Thailand, Malaysia, and Chile. This fact was, however, drowned by the impressive show of trade diplomacy, whereby armed with the APEC Summit declaration on zero tariffs on IT, Washington could bring Europe to the table and focus the first WTO ministerial meeting on achieving something that would push principally US interests. Many of Washington's APEC partners are still shaking their heads at the display of economic might and consummate trade diplomacy that enabled the Americans, in the space of three weeks, to use the "APEC consensus" to achieve an IT agreement at the WTO that Barshefsky admitted, quite openly, "would bring substantial benefits to the United States." Let them be warned: it is not likely to be the last time that Washington will use the APEC-WTO nexus with such devastating effectiveness. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Ceasefire in Singapore by Walden Bello What a difference two weeks and two locales make! Two weeks earlier, in Manila, spokespeople of the Philippine government and representatives of the Manila People's Forum on APEC like myself had been slugging it out on television shows. Now, here we were in Singapore in mid-December, in the midst of the World Trade Organization (WTO), sharing notes, ideas, and, yes laughter. Unusual perhaps but understandable, for common interest had pushed Philippine NGO's and the Philippine government to positions close to one another's. Indeed, in Singapore we were working on the same side: the side of the South. During APEC, the Philippine government behaved as the champion of indiscriminate trade liberalization. In contrast, in Singapore, from Dec. 9-13, the Philippines took the position of ASEAN and of the South more generally, which was to oppose new liberalization initiatives in the WTO. Away from the close embrace of Washington at APEC, Philippine government representatives in Singapore expressed a more critical view of the US and the North's trade policies. In fact, in his speech before the plenary on Dec. 10, Secretary of Trade and Industry Cesar Bautista sounded very much like an aggrieved Third World spokesperson: o Some northern countries (read United States), Bautista claimed, were not living up to the GATT Agricultural Accord because they were turning export subsidies outlawed by the agreement into domestic support subsidies. o They were not living up to the Textiles Accord because they were deliberately postponing lifting quotas on items of commercial relevance to Third World countries until the latter stages of the 10- year phaseout period. o Echoing widespread Southern sentiment that a clause on observing "core labor standards" could become a mechanism of disguised protectionism by the North, the secretary warned that labor issues should remain the province of the International Labor Organization (ILO) rather than the World Trade Organization. Perhaps the most notable divergence from its behavior at APEC was the Philippines' joining APEC members Malaysia, Thailand, and Chile in not signing on to the Information Technology Agreement (ITA) negotiated in the corridors of the Singapore International Convention Center by the US, European Union, and 26 other countries. This was surprising since President Fidel Ramos had only two weeks' earlier served in Manila as Bill Clinton's willing little helper in pressuring other APEC member- countries to sign on to a Declaration explicitly targetting zero tariffs in information technology by the year 2000. In meetings with Philippine NGOs at the Oriental Hotel, Bautista told us the reason for the Philippines' interesting turnaound: only the Philippine Congress had the authority to declare zero tariffs for any category of imports. This was a very pleasant revelation, indeed, for during the APEC debate, we in the Manila People's Forum had lambasted the government's "Individual Action Plan" for committing liberalization initiatives, like the repeal of the Retail Trade Nationalization Act, that had not yet received congressional approval. During these consultations--which included old adversaries like Ambassador J. Antonio ("Ton") Buencamino and Assistant Secretary of Trade and Industry Edsel Custodio, one the one side, and old allies like UP Professor Oscar Zamora and MODE's Jocelyn Cajuiat and Aurora Regalado on the other--disaffection over other US and North-led initiatives bubbled up: The European-led push to have a WTO-sponsored agreement on investment was a dangerous one that had to be stopped. Here the Philippine officials said that, like the other ASEAN countries, their position was to specify in the Ministerial Declaration that any studies of investment had to be carried out by UNCTAD (United Nations Conference on Trade and Development) and not the WTO, and that such studies should not be interpreted as giving the green light to negotiations for a investment treaty. o Similarly, the North's--and particularly, the United States'-- insistence that government procurement policies should be liberalized and brought more fully under WTO surveillance was resented by the Philippine officials, whose position was to welcome transparency in procurement processes but to insist that any agreement must respect "national policy" (read preferential treatment for local firms). >From all indications, the Philippine delegation contributed its share to expressing Southern concerns during the informal meetings where the key decisions were made during the WTO meeting, though it fell to Malaysia's colorful Trade Minister Rafidah Asiz to serve as the standard bearer of the South. Why the difference in the Philippine government's behavior in APEC and the WTO ministerial meeting? There were several reasons, in my view. First, unlike in APEC, the Philippines came to Singapore with its positions synchronized with ASEAN, which continues to be dominated by trade officials skeptical of doctrinal liberalization and suspicious that global free trade arrangements mainly benefit the North. Second, the stakes in the North-South struggle were clearly much greater at the more institutionalized GATT-WTO than in APEC, the direction of whose evolution is still uncertain. The WTO, Philippine negotiators have realized, is a real organization with teeth, where agreements have really grave consequences. During a bilateral meeting with the US in Singapore, for instance, the Philippine delegation had first hand experience in how the big powers can use the WTO process to turn the screws on smaller countries: US Department of Agriculture officials demanded that the Philippines import the originally submitted minimum access volume of 49,000 metric tons for frozen pork despite Secretary of Agriculture Salvador Escudero's best efforts to explain that this figure had been erroneously calculated and should have been only 15,000 metric tons.. Finally, few of the free trade ideologues (read economists) that dominate the discussion of trade policy in Manila were present in Singapore. The members of the Philippine delegation were the nuts-and-bolts negotiators who have experienced the realpolitik rather than speculated on the theory of world trade. As Secretary Bautista revealingly noted during his plenary speech, his assessment of global trade developments was influenced by his not being an economist but being a chemical engineer by training. Singapore will probably be remembered as one of those rare instances when Philippine NGOs and the Philippine goverment came to a meeting with non-antagonistic positions. Unfortunately, this broad congruence of views is not likely to be maintained in Manila, where trade discussions in policy circles tends to be dominated by the hardline free trade ideologues and economists who drown out the more cautioous views of the negotiators and technicians. It was thus with some regret that I greeted the end of the Singapore meetings. As I told Edsel Custodio, "It's interesting how we can communicate and share positions outside the Philippines. Once we get back home, banatan na naman." (ItÕs back to slogging it out). ______________________________________________________ From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 07:53:29 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:53:29 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 302] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part 3 Message-ID: <199701092253.LAA25511@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> REGIONAL ROUNDUP The Manila People's Forum: An Exciting, Exhilarating Process by Aileen Kwa* After almost a year of preparations, the Manila People's Forum on APEC (MPFA) was held Nov. 21-23 at the Manila Mid-Town Hotel. Over 500 people attended the meeting, about 250 of whom were foreign delegates from about 28 countries. The conference was preceded by four "pre-summit" meetings on labor, environment, governance, and social and economic issues. The MPFA was the climax of a highly exciting drama that began long before the third week of November. The key acts in this drama included: o The leaking to the press in early September by MPFA of the highly confidential "Individual Action Plans" detailing the economic liberalization measures that the 18 member governments of APEC were promising to implement, although these had not been approved by their citizens or parliamentary bodies. Australia and the US criticized the Philippine government for the leak, and President Fidel Ramos, in turn, blamed Dr. Walden Bello, chairperson of the MPFA's International Convenors' Committee and co-director of Focus, whom he characterized as a "person well known for his extremist views." o The Philippine government's banning in mid-October of Jose Ramos-Horta, special representative of the East Timor independence movement and Nobel Prize winner, who had been invited to be a guest speaker at the MPFA. The Philippine government's move was obviously taken to please President Suharto of Indonesia, and in the ensuring controversy, the MPFA was able to claim the moral high ground with its position that economic issues could not be divorced from the progress of human and democratic rights in the Asia-Pacific region. o The national debate on APEC and trade liberalization, which raged in the print media and in television from mid-November on. MPFA representatives appeared in television talk shows to argue the case against free trade. However, an MPFA challenge to Philippine, US, and APEC officials to hold a formal public debate was not taken up. o The "great debate" on whether or not "to engage APEC" that took place on the second day of the conference, where four speakers--Jane Kelsey of New Zealand, Lyuba Zarsky of the United States, and Horacio Morales, Jr. and Nicky Perlas of the Philippines --eloquently and passionately argued for their respective positions. o The "People's Caravan" from Manila to Subic Bay, site of the APEC leaders' summit. Most of the members of the MPFA caravan were not able to reach Subic owing to a government blockade of the roads leading to the free port. However, an advance party that included Sara Larrain of Chile and Lori Wallach of the United States was able to penetrate the screen and deliver the MPFA's "Manila Declaration" and "Manila Action Agenda" to a cabinet-level Philippine government team at the gates of Subic. The MPFA was a very successful effort, judged from its goal of providing a platform where NGO's and people's organizations could discuss problems ignored or denied by the official APEC process and present their ideas on an alternative framework for peoples' cooperation across the Asia-Pacific region. More than in previous APEC summits, the coverage of the parallel conference by the media was much more extensive in Manila. At first, this was due to the Ramos-Horta affair, but the press soon moved to cover the substantive issues of trade and investment liberalization. Coverage by CNN, National Public Radio (US), and other international media allowed the MPFA to state its case before an international audience, while in the Philippines local media devoted considerable attention to the MPFA's analysis of the likely impact of trade liberalization in the Philippines. The MPFA critique, widely aired in the press, in fact placed the host government on the defensive since the latter had done very little work to justify the merits of trade liberalization to the Filipino people but relied instead on an advertising campaign with slick images but little substance. The one drawback of the parallel conference was that it was unable to draw all of the Philippines' diverse NGO and political community under one roof. Three other parallel conferences were held, though the MPFA was by far the largest, most diverse, and most international in participation. There was another distinguishing characteristic of the MPFA, in contrast to the other conferences, and this was its focus on regional, Asia-Pacific issues rather than on national, Philippine-specific issues. Even where Philippine issues were discussed, there was always an effort to place them in a regional context. To both the local and international press, it appeared that the MPFA had the most complex or nuanced position towards APEC. As International Convenors' Committee Chairperson Bello put it in his speech at the opening session on Nov. 21: "A nuanced position is inevitable given the diversity of groups represented at the MPFA. In the public discussions leading up to this meeting, what I have stated--and this is a personal interpretation--is that the MPFA is not necessarily against APEC. What unites all the diverse forces within the MPFA is opposition to the US-led effort to turn APEC into a free trade area. "Were APEC simply to remain a loose consultative body for technical economic cooperation, some members of the MPFA would probably be able to live with it. It is, however, a different question when we talk about turning APEC into a mechanism for true regional cooperation. "Here most MPFA members feel that APEC has several built-in disadvantages: o APEC has much too narrow a focus on trade, specifically on "freeing trade." o APEC is a club limited to business and government elites, and is, in fact, even more backward than the World Bank and the World Trade Organization, which have established mechanisms to consult, at least form-wise, non-governmental organizations; o Decisionmaking in APEC is non-transparent and non-democratic, with this being justified by the APEC bureaucrats on the "principle" that APEC is an association of economies--the implication here being that economic decisions, such as decisions to lilberalize trade, are not matters of democratic consultation. "For these reasons, to achieve genuine regional cooperation, we must look elsewhere." *Aileen Kwa is a research associate of Focus on the Global South. She is also currently pursuing her Phd in Development Studies at the University of Auckland. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 07:54:43 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:54:43 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 303] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part 4 Message-ID: <199701092254.LAA25569@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> Declaration: Manila PeopleÕs Forum on APEC November 21-24, 1996 Reaffirming the historic Kyoto Declaration of November, 1995, we have gathered in Manila as representatives of people's movements, women's movements, trade unions, non-governmental and religious organizations from 22 nations of Asia, Pacific, the Americas and Europe. In five Pre- Forums we have studied and developed plans of action related to gender equality, labour and migrant rights, people's rights and democratization, environment and ecology, and economic and social development. In each of these events we prepared recommendations for action and further research related to APEC. While we recognize the importance of trade and rules to govern trade, we are here to oppose the kind of trade represented by the APEC process of global economic integration in service to a corporate agenda at the expense of the human rights, dignity and well-being of the peoples of this region. We are also here to learn from each other and to strengthen our linkages and solidarity with organizations and movements throughout the APEC region. APEC '96 has been portrayed by the host government as having injected a "social face" into the process by the inclusion of elements of civil society in preparation for this week's meetings. However, the real face of APEC has been deftly revealed by the refusal of the host Philippine government to allow Nobel Peace Prize winner Jose Ramos Horta and other foreign delegates entry into the Philippines to participate in this forum, as well as the repression of any form of protest for the duration of the APEC meetings. It has also been painfully demonstrated by the demolition of urban poor homes and the forced removal of hundreds of thousands of poor people from Manila so that the corporate and political elites attending APEC will not be disturbed by seeing them. Hiding the poor will not erase poverty. Nor will refusing entry to a Nobel Peace laureate bring peace and justice to the people of East Timor. These acts only amplify the demands and strengthen the resistance of the people of this region against the wholesale surrender of their sovereignty, their cultural integrity and the economic well-being to the APEC agenda. The people are not "human resources" to be minded, exploited and depleted. The people are the wealth and the future of our nations, whose well- being defines development and whose participation makes it possible. Political leaders, following the lead of transnational corporations like mice following a trail of spilled grain, are pursuing an illusion of a borderless world in which riches would flow without impediment into their national cofferes or the accounts of their corporate allies. We call on them to abandon that fantasy, and wake up to the reality that our legacy, our dignity, our culture and our natural world are being drained away instead into the offshore accounts of global robber barons. We call instead on all the governments participating in the APEC "summit" to fulfill the democratic mandate to secure justice, preserve the dignity and advance the economic, social and cultural well-being of all the people, and protect the natural heritage for our children's children. In particular, we recommend to the governments of APEC, NGOs and people's organizations the following considerations and principles for action: GENDER AND ECONOMIC LIBERALIZATION In every country, women and the poorest of the poor. Women carry the brunt of free trade policies which have had a devastating impact on women's rights. The loss of livelihoods and decreasing control over resources are increasing women's inequality. We reject economic and social systems which create and perpetuate the exploitation of women's bodies, and call on governments to make the eradication of women's poverty a priority. Further, the unpaid labour of women should be measured and included in satellite accounts parallel to national accounts as agreed to at the Fourth World Conference on Women at Beijing in 1995. ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT In a global economy dominated by transnational corporations with their operation in almost every country, the theoretical underpinning of free trade is no longer tenable. Yet, free trade is still dominant in APEC's development policy. Genuine development must be centred on the needs of people and nature, and deliver real social and economic justice. However, the kind of globalization being pushed by big business and neo-liberal governments and institutions is creating an economic and financial framework that widens povery throughout the APEC region. In both developed and underdeveloped countries, poverty continues to deepen both in character and magnitude. No longer do most people of developed countries enjoy the economic and social benefits of their countries' affluence. Worse, structural adjustment, which is integral to APEC agenda, dictates severe cuts to social infrastructure, leaving poor people more vulnerable and intensifying social stratification and disintegration. APEC governments are instituting economic, financial and social policies and programmes that are biased against sustainable and self-sufficient production in favour of rapid industrialization for export markets. The net effect is further dispossession of indigenous peoples, heightened rural poverty and aggravated exploitation of newly urbanized industrial workers. Women suffer most from these changes, ending up as cheap labour, overseas migrant workers or prostitutes at the mercy of international traffickers. Children too are not spared. Child labour and child prosititution are becoming rampant in many APEC nations. The violation of the rights of the child, including the right to education and security of person, are also common in many APEC nations. We call upon all governments, NGOs and people's organizations and civil society to defend and promote the child's best interests, as provided for in the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. HUMAN AND PEOPLES' RIGHTS We reaffirm the universality, interrelatedness and interdependence of human rights as the highest priority of states. The rights of the majority of our populations continue to be violated. We are already living with the negative impacts of economic liberalization. In the face of overt human rights violations spawned by the accelerated economic liberalization policies of Asia-Pacific and Latin American governments, we call on the peoples of the region to assert and defend their rights, including the right to basic food security and livelihood; to independent economic, social, political and environmental policies and programmes, to self- determination to manage, protect, develop and defend ancestral domains of indigenous peoples; to gender equality; and to the rule of law in respect for human rights. We demand the end of state-supported violence in the name of economic and financial liberalization, and the incorporation of respect for human and peoples' rights in the negotiation of trade and economic agreements. We demand the unconditional release of all political prisoners. GOVERNANCE AND THE ROLE OF THE STATE Since its inception, APEC has deliberately conducted its agenda in an antidemocratic manner without transparency, accountability, or popular participation. This is symptomatic of the underlying neo- liberal model, which seeks to transfer power from states to markets. The resulting lack of democracy is manifested in all levels of the policies and practices of APEC -- subsuming states to the directives of business advisory bodies, corporations and international financial institutions. Among APEC states are some of the most authoritarian governments in the world. More and more governments, due to pressure from their neighbours or on their own volition, are undertaking anti-democratic practices. What is urgently needed now is a strategy to mobilize democratic forces against the arbitrary powers of state, corporations and policy bureaucracies and their economic institutions, including APEC. Governments must put in place rules and mechanisms to regulate and monitor the conduct of TNCs, particularly with respect to their ecologically damaging practices and their obligations to their employees with respect to laws regulating wages, benefits, health and safety and other labour standards. We demand a highly inclusive level of political participation in the selection of leaders and policies so that no major social group is excluded. We demand a level of civil and political liberties -- freedom of expression, freedom of the press, freedom to form organizations -- sufficient to ensure the integrity of governance and meaningful participation. We further demand support for the democractic values associated with community and social justice which lend substance to a genuine concern with social and economic rights. LABOUR AND MIGRANT RIGHTS Global market pressures reinforce and magnify state repression of workers, or undermine the ability of some governments to protect labour standards. Globalization also undermines the security of employment, the right to a living wage, and the ability to organize and bargain collectively. The resulting pressure on workers to survive leads to the "informalization" of the workforce. Informalization is turning workers, in both the formal and informal sectors, into an even cheaper, more docile, exploited and un-unionized labour force, and impacts particularly on women. It forces families to resort to sending their children to work, and some women to engage in prostitution to survive. Globalization intensifies migration, and also has a particularly negative impact on women. The exploitative system of migrant labour recruitment, often operating outside state regulation, must be addressed by governments. Special attention must be given to the rampant and brutal abuses associated with the feminization of migration, and the violation of the human rights of both documented and undocumented migrant workers. Governments must respect, improve and enforce national labour laws, which are consistent with internationally recognized basic labour rights, and refrain from involving military or police in labour disputes to intimidate workers, or as corporate scabs. We insist that each government develop and maintain workplace health and safety laws and that failure to provide, or continually lowering, workplace safety standards no longer be used to entice or retain investment. We demand the repeal of anti-migrant laws and policies in both sending and receiving countries. These measures must include the regularization of all undocumented workers. Governments should advance the welfare and protection of migrant workers by ratifying the UN Convention for the Protection of the Rights of all Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families, and through bilateral agreements with receiving countries. ECOLOGY AND ENVIRONMENT The experience of Chile and Taiwan demonstrates that liberalized trade and investment will further accelerate environmental degradation. Exploitation of natural resources for export resulting in deforestation, depletion of fish stocks, destruction of coral reefs and mangrove forests, desertification and loss of control by communities and indigenous peoples over their ancestral doman (land, air, water, skills and knowledge) are what we have already witnessed. Continuing to rely on non-renewable, polluting energy sources to fuel the demands of industrialization causes irreversible damage to ecosystems and human health, and robs future generations of a resource base for their survival. The dumping of toxic waste, export of hazardous materials, and migration of dirty technology to developing countries leads to environmental catastrophe, with terrible consequences for human health. To prevent thse devastating effects, we bind ourselves to the principles of ecologically and sustainable social development that is people-oriented and environment based, protects biodiversity, and places a premium on preserving women's livelihoods, people's participation, and improved quality of life. We reject any slogan of "sustainable development" which fails to include these elements. We call for the support and strengthening of people's movements, especially farmers and fisherfolks, who are resisting injustice and encroachment to their lands and livelihoods by transnational corporations and so-called development programmes. ONWARD TO VANCOUVER We are confident that the struggles of people throughout Asia, Pacific and the Americas to expose the false promises of APEC have succeeded in challenging the narrow interests that are driving this process. We have grown in numbers and understanding, in mobilization and strength during the past three years of popular activity. We have established an ambitious programme of research and mobilization to prepare for the next phase of our work in developing liveable and sustainable alternatives to market-driven globalization based on the principles of democracy, equality and social justice. We will meet next year in Vancouver to continue this effort. During the next year, our work will focus on the role of the state, the environment, and an alternative economic agenda. Action proposals from the Pre-Forums and the People's Forum are appended to provide guidance for this work. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 07:57:43 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:57:43 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 304] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part 5 Message-ID: <199701092257.LAA25804@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> The WTO Singapore Ministerial Conference: The Beginning of the End? by Aileen Kwa* Friday 13th, December 1996: The first WTO Ministerial Conference in Singapore concluded with loud applause, with delegates tapping each other on the back for a job well done. The celebratory atmosphere continued that night when delegates gathered on Sentosa island which had been closed to the public. The concert that was staged in the backdrop of SentosaÕs well- known musical fountain began in style and grandeur with an item entitled ÔThunderÕ, where about 10 separate groups of drummers from different continents showed off their distinctive drum rhythms and strains. This culminated in the different groups playing in unison. The effect was nothing short of spectacular. No doubt, everyone caught the message the choreographers had intended - the unity and spectacle in all that diversity of cultures. However, coupled with the fact that it was Friday the 13th, the irony was glaring. How much of traditional culture is likely to survive when intensely competitive world trade, dominated by the interests of one or two of the largest economies is the order of the day? The process of negotiations and the issues dealt with at the WTO Singapore Ministerial Conference (SMC) was indicative of the injustice and inequalities that were being institutionalised within the trade body. This is the same institution that was originally conceived of to regulate world trade in order to ensure greater equality between trading partners irrespective of economic prowess. It is therefore a member-based organisation which works on the principle of consensus as well as a set of rules and a dispute settlement system. The supposed level playing field, however, is sadly far from what happens in reality. This was both at the SMC as well as in the day-to-day functioning of the WTO in Geneva. Developing countries, especially the LLDCs (lower-income developing countries) many of which are from the Carribean, Africa, and the Pacific, are totally powerless and voiceless and are unable to effectively put forth their views such that the issues they want discussed would be tabled and dealt with in any substantial manner. At the SMC for instance, the agenda was almost wholly US and EU led. This was in large part also because of the undemocratic and non-transparent process used in negotiations, as well as the cross sectoral bargaining which characterises WTO negotiations. Hence instead of the meeting taking stock of the implementation of the Uruguay Round, as was originally conceived, the Information Technology Agreement (ITA), telecommunications deal as well as new issues such as investment, government procurement, labour standards and competition policy high jacked the weekÕs agenda. How was this possible when all members are theoretically equal within the body and four-fifths of its members are developing countries? The Unheard Voices of the Developing Countries While the main negotiations at the SMC were taking place, presentations at the plenary were being delivered by member countries throughout the week. Many developing countries delivered speeches which pointedly expressed their hopes, views and reservations about the work of the WTO. Indeed, as the week wore on, and as it became increasingly clear that the weekÕs agenda would be almost solely concerned with US / EU interests, the plenary speeches by the developing countries became more and more succinct and direct in commenting on their unfulfilled expectations of the meeting. These plenary speeches were important as it became the only public fora developing countries had to put on record how they wanted the obviously northern-led WTO to best serve their interests. Some of the points made in these speeches are illustrated below. The sharp contrast between the interests of these countries as well as what became the agenda of the week is striking. The Continued Restrictions by Developed Countries on Textiles and Clothing Of particular interest was the fact that many countries wanted more substantive discussion on the ATC (Agreement on Textiles and Clothing) and the dismantling of restrictions by the developed countries in this sector. Thailand and India for instance called for further integration of textiles into the rules of the WTO. Portugal pointed out that some members had not met their commitments in this area and Pakistan noted that rather than liberalisation, there was even a trend towards further restrictions in this area. Indonesia, too, expressed the proliferation of safeguard actions by certain developed countries. Honduras expressed concern that the agreement on textiles and clothing has not been strictly implemented and said that the Textile Monitoring Body should be impartial and transparent. Kenya said it saw no immediate benefit accruing to developing countries if the textile products they export are integrated only in the final phases of the transition period, as indeed seems to be the case thus far. In their attempts to make their voices heard, the International Textiles and Clothing Bureau (ITCB), an association of textile exporting countries held a press conference mid-way through the week voicing their disappointment at the slow and reluctant implementation of the Agreement on Textiles and Clothing (ATC) by the US and EU. Concern was expressed in four main areas. Firstly, no progress has been made in the first two-year phase of the ATC to liberalise restricted products despite the promise to ensure integration of up to 16% of products. The second phase of the ATC is to commence on January 1 1998. It is expected that the EU will liberalise only 3.6% of imports and the US less than 1.3%. This is far lower than the 17 % integration that was agreed upon in the second phase. Given the slow progress made, the ITCB noted that full integration of textiles into the GATT by the agreed upon target of 2005 may not be reached. A second concern is the abuse of transitional safeguards by the US. The ATC has stipulated that safeguards should be used sparingly. However, the first 6 months of the ATC saw the US applying 24 safeguards to 14 countries. In several cases, these safeguards were found to be unwarranted and were later withdrawn. The EU has not used transitional safeguards but has imposed restrictions by way of anti-dumping actions. In mid 1996, the US introduced their own Rules of Origin, that is, rules identifying where textiles or garments come from. Under these rules, the emphasis is not on where value is added but where substantive transformation takes place. Developing countries are very concerned as these changes will adversely affect their economies. The developing countries of the ITCB also called on the Textile Monitoring Body (TMB), the quasi-judiciary body which implements the ATC, to be more transparent and to ensure that justification is provided when decisions are made. According to the ITCB, the text on textiles in the Ministerial Declaration of the SMC does not adequately cover concerns of the developing countries. The text is deliberately vague. It states that there should be ÔprogressiveÕ inclusion of restricted textile products, hence ignoring the concrete targets set out in the ATC. As textiles and clothing represent a substantial portion of the economy of many developing countries, the ITCB noted that the interests of developing countries remained sidelined despite the rhetoric of free trade and liberalisation within the WTO. On Continued Restrictions in Agriculture Argentina spoke up on the lack of progress in the area of agricultural liberalisation, stating that the issues had been blocked by some who want to subsidise production so that progress to date has been extremely unsatisfactory. Brazil too, urged all members to comply with their commitments on agriculture. The Philippines called for the Committee on Agriculture to devote more attention to compliance with domestic support and export subsidy commitments. And both the Philippines and Nicaragua expressed concern about the application of sanitary measures which is impairing market access. Sri Lanka voiced the need for careful monitoring of the impact of the agriculture agreement on net food- importing countries, with Paraguay also calling for immediate initiation of preparations for negotiations on agriculture. Honduras too expressed concern that the agricultural sector is not fully integrated into the multilateral trading system and that sanitary and technical restrictions are applied. India also stated that the adverse effects of the TRIPs agreement on developing countries should be addressed. Turkey also supported the initiation of negotiations called for in the TRIPS agreement as early as possible. Other Issues Raised by the Developing Countries Some of the other issues developing countries, particularly the LLDCs expressed, were concern over the new issues being introduced at the Ministerial Conference. Many said that existing issues were already too much of a burden to cope with and that new issues would not serve their interests. Yet others spoke of the exclusion they faced as small economies in the negotiations despite supposedly being equal members of the organisation. The lack of resources and the critical need for technical assistance, but assistance that will serve the interests of the receiving country was also expressed. Many of the smaller economies, such as the SADC (Southern African Development Community), Fiji, Mauritius and the Solomon Islands stated that preferential trading arrangements for developing countries should be extended beyond the year 2000. This would provide the developing countries the breathing space needed to adapt their economies to the competitive trading environment. Kenya made the point that the composition of the WTO Secretariat should be more representative of the geographical composition of WTO members. On the third day of the SMC, Sri Lanka stated that it is imprudent to overload the WTO with issues that fall under the mandate of other international organisations. Botswana urged the acceleration of Uruguay Round commitments to cut tariffs, particularly those applied to products of importance to developing countries. By the fourth and last day of the plenary speeches, developing countries, increasingly put out by the weekÕs proceedings became more pointed in their statements: Many developing countries stated their reservations about the new issues that the developed countries were pushing for. Papua New Guinea, for example, commented that it had strong reservations regarding a WTO investment agreement as it would push them into the vicious spiral of aid dependency. Malawi, too, voiced that attempts to harmonise investment policies would impede membersÕ ability to achieve national priorities in their development strategies. Several small economies, such as St Kitts and Nevis also voiced the concern that they lacked the institutional capacity and resources to undertake the additional commitment a competition policy in the WTO would involve. As an observer, China pertinently noted that a few major players were dominating the multilateral decision-making process and exerting pressure on others to introduce issues irrelevant to trade. Numerous other countries were recommending that the WTO avoid overloading its agenda with matters belonging to other multilateral institutions. Mozambique, for example, stated that the LLDCs were overwhelmed with implementation of the Marrakesh agreement and rather than rushing into new issues, would prefer that ÔgradualismÕ is required. Cuba, too, had earlier in the week voiced concern that developing countries had not yet managed to assimilate the Uruguay Round provisions, and that the minimum provisions for assistance have not been adopted. Dominica issued a strong statement that due to the lack of resources, many developing countries were unable to actively participate in the Uruguay Round and therefore accepted a text negotiated by others. These countries are now grappling with the implications of their commitments and tangible benefits have been difficult to identify. St Lucia noted that a number of countries that are small or dependent on a single commodity for exports have enormous difficulties competing in the global economy and require special attention. The Maldives asked what the WTO has to offer if a single-product exporter has problems. They stated that if the WTO is to remain relevant, it has to create opportunities for the LLDCs. Dominica also stated that the present dispute settlement system was unfavourable in regards to the participation of small and institutionally weak members. As illustrated above, there are numerous issues which developing countries would have liked to see tackled. Instead few of these were dealt with at the SMC. In the end, a hastily put together carrot stick offered to the LLDCs was a plan of action the SMC came out with agreeing to help the LLDCs improve their capacity to respond to opportunities of the trading system and to offer these countries favourable market access conditions for LLDCsÕ products. As Sir Leon Brittan, the Vice-President of the EU Commission revealing stated in a press statement issued on the last day of the SMC, ÔThis was almost a forgotten issueÕ. Given the reluctance of the developed countries to liberalise in the areas that will most help these countries - textiles and agriculture - it remains to be seen how effective this plan of action will really be. From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 07:59:37 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 11:59:37 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 305] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part 6 Message-ID: <199701092259.LAA25942@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> The US / EU Agenda for the WTO SMC In contrast to the interests of the developing countries, the US was strongly pushing for the ITA and telecommunications deal to be completed and the EU, the inclusion of the investment issue in the WTO. The advantage and the apparent necessity to all countries to liberalise in these areas was highlighted by both Brittan and the US Trade Representative, Charlene Barshefsky. At a press conference given by the EU, Brittan commented on the issue of telecommunications, stating that ÔSome countries say that they cannot afford to open up. I would say that they cannot afford not to open up their telecommunications. This is a catalytic industry. Opening up the telecommunications market will have a positive effect for not just the telecommunications industry but the market as a whole. With the increased use of high technology, opening up the telecommunications market to foreigners does not mean being swallowed up, but increasing diversity.Õ Similarly, Barshefsky noted that ÔThe telecommunication investment is atypical of inward investment in many countries. It is usually larger than other investments and is long-term in nature. That is, it is a permanent investment and therefore can generate jobs and growth. This is the difference from other types of investments which may be exploitative. It is neither an export or import. It takes the cooperation of 2 countries and will expand trade globally. It is like a handshake. The issue is not a north versus south issue. Both types of economies can benefit equally. This is what is unusual about growth in this industry.Õ She cited Chile as an example of a success story. Once the infrastructure had been built, there was a very significant increase in traffic in their telecommunication lines. Barshefsky added that the US information economy represents 1/6 of its total economy. Worldwide, the information economy represents 1/16 of the total world economy. The difference, she told the press, between 1/6 and 1/16 is job growth. Similarly, the Information Technology Agreement, said Barshefsky, Ôcan be likened to the cars and trucks on the road. Telecommunications are like building the roads. We are not talking about anyone having an advantage in exports or importsÕ. She further adds that developing countries do see the advantage of opening up their markets as it will lead to decreased prices. ÔCurrently, more money is being spent on telecommunications than on oil. People are therefore paying too much all over the world for telecommunications. We want to lower the market price but need open markets in order to do so.Õ Despite their rather convincing comments on mutual benefit, it is clear that the largest gains will go to the US. The ITA is a political and economic victory for the Clinton administration. The US accounts for 50% of the IT market. 1.8 million jobs in the US are IT-related and US IT exports amounted to $90 billion in 1995. With the greater market access to US IT products this agreement brings, employment in this industry will certainly increase. The other economies which will benefit are several of the East Asian and Southeast Asian countries which are also manufacturers of IT products. The majority of countries, many of these are low-income economies will more likely be disadvantaged. No South Asian, Latin American or African country is part of the 28 countries which have signed on the ITA. However, lower cost IT products will be made available to them, given the Most Favoured Nation (MFN) status. This could be beneficial to them in the development of their industries. However, it will also stop the growth of any local IT industry from being developed, should they wish to do so in the future. At the same time, the increasing need for IT products will force these countries to increase their IT imports, leading to a greater problem with their balance of payments as well as a largely US / Japan monopolisation of the market. Even though they are not signatories to the ITA, it would become increasingly difficult for them to continue protecting their markets. Likewise, the EU had been pushing for investment to be brought into the WTO. This was openly supported by the WTO Secretariat even before the SMC, despite the fact that many developing countries had stated their strong stand against such a move. Brittan in his comments to the press at the SMC said that he hoped Ôdeveloping countries will understand that there should be discussion in the WTO on investment. There is currently a shortage of investments. Investments are flowing to countries with an open environment. We need to find an agreement within the WTO on investments such that it meets the concerns of all. In the end a study on the issue was agreed upon but one which would not automatically lead to negotiations being carried out within the WTO. The other issues raised by the developed countries, and which were heatedly debated, were labour rights, competition policy and government procurement. These issues which took up the rest of the time at the SMC led to the matters important to the developing countries being largely sidestepped. Developing Countries Powerless in a System based on Bargaining and Reciprocity Despite being the majority within the WTO, the developing countries were unable to significantly tailor the agenda of the week to suit their needs. They loose out because as small economies, they have no clout in a system that works on cross sectoral bargaining and reciprocity. Essentially, the poorer countries are not in a position to combat pressures put on them by the major trading nations if they are dependent on these nations in one way or another. For instance, the US could promise to ease up slightly on their textiles restrictions should India agree to a study on investments within the WTO. Since IndiaÕs economy is fairly heavily dependent on textiles and clothing, they may feel pressured to agree to such an arrangement. Alternatively, an African country such as Burundi which is in the throes of civil war may be promised much needed technical assistance should they agree to liberalising in the telecommunications sector. As Das of the Third World Network writes, this principle of reciprocity Ôis appropriate among countries at almost similar levels of economic development; but it does not work well when there are wide economic disparities among the participants. The principle of reciprocity implies that you get more, if you give more. If you are not capable of giving, you do not get anything. In this process, disparities have grown over time between the rich countries that can give and the poor countries that do not have the capacity to giveÕ (Bhagirath Lal Das 1996, Third World Network WTO Ministerial Conference Briefings No. 1, ÔKeep WTO on TrackÕ). Lack of Coordination between the Developing Countries To further compound the situation, there is very little cooperation and consensus between the developing countries on the various contentious issues. While this is understandable given the vast diversity in the economies of the developing world and their corresponding differences in interests, their lack of cooperation is a great loss to the group as a whole. Contrary to this, the developed countries are much more strategic. At the SMC as well as during the normal run of events at the WTO Geneva headquarters, meetings are frequently held amongst the QUAD (quadrilateral countries). These included the US, the EU representing 15 countries, Japan and Canada. The developing countries, however, do not organise themselves into groupings and in the end, find themselves being largely reactive to what was going on, rather than proactive in negotiations. Non-Transparent Process One of the most striking features of the WTO process at the SMC was the lack of transparency even for delegates themselves. The Secretariat and host of the SMC seemed to use their privileged position in favour of the US, EU and other more powerful trading economies. The main negotiations took place in informal group meetings between about 30 countries out of the total 127 members. This group was chosen by the Chairperson, Yeo Cheow Tong and the Director General Renato Ruggerio. There had been no prior consensus about how the composition of the group had been arrived at. This left many delegates of the developing countries unaware of where the critical negotiations were talking place and what the latest developments were. Given that enough of them voiced complaints, the issue of the need for greater transparency was addressed in the final press conference delivered by the WTO Secretariat. Both Ruggerio and Yeo explained that in wanting to maintain a certain level of efficiency, they had chosen a group that was representative of a diversity of interests. They acknowledged that the transparency process had to be improved in the future but without compromising on efficiency. When asked how they envisaged doing this, however, they said that it was yet to be decided. It is alarming that an important issue such as the equal participation of a member-driven organisation is not even given time and space for reflection at the SMC, highlighting again, the power imbalance at work at the conference. Human Resource Imbalance The other major factor that is the reason for the huge power imbalance in the WTO process is the stark difference in human resource capacity between the countries. The US, for example, sent over 100 delegates to the WTO, while most of the developing countries had about 6 or fewer representatives. Similarly, on a day-to-day basis, many of the developed countries have a team of 12-14 persons working solely on the WTO in Geneva. This does not include the huge numbers that will be working on WTO issues in their capital cities. In contrast, of the 29 LLDCs, only 10 of them have a permanent office in Geneva. And most of them only 1 or 2 persons in their office covering the work of all the international bodies based there. Therefore, while the rules based system is being expounded as one of the best features of the multilateral trading organisation which will benefit the developing countries, the poorest of these unfortunately do not possess the resources needed to make full use of the system, nor the technical expertise required. The WTO Secretariat is currently offering courses to trade officials of developing countries in order to upskill the bureaucrats on the technicalities of trade. Developed countries too are offering some amount of technical assistance. The help offered, however, is but a drop in the ocean in comparison to the need. In the meantime, decisions which have a huge impact on the lives of millions in these countries continue to be made for these countries within the WTO. From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 08:00:45 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 12:00:45 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 306] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part 7 Message-ID: <199701092300.MAA26035@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> The WTO: Towards a Resolution of the World Crises or an Impending Disaster? The aim of completely liberalising trade in the many areas covered by the WTO, or Ôfree tradeÕ, is often made out to be the best solution to many of the problems countries are facing today. In the past, however, we have seen different economic theories coming into vogue and going out of fashion again, as solutions do not seem to be forthcoming. Likewise with the current trend. Although free trade is often made out to be the necessary path to tread by its proponents, it remains an economic theory. The world is its laboratory. In fact, the exact formula, the chemicals and their quantities used in this particular laboratory test are arbitrary, and are largely decided, as the experiment progresses, by the most powerful economies. The chemicals prescribed are those which these rich economies have in abundance. The poorer countries find that they have to pay a very high price in order to partake in this experiment. Take for example the issues and areas in the WTO where most work is being carried out. The developed countries have been dragging their feet in the liberalisation of areas that would most hurt their economies. Developing countries had consented to having the Multifibre Agreement (MFA) in the early 1970s because they had been promised that market restrictions in textiles and clothing in the developed exporting countries will be reduced after an interim adjustment period. However, the MFA was instead renewed every 4-5 years for the next two decades with no sign of liberalisation. This situation changed only with the completion of the Uruguay Round. Even then, there has hardly been any progress in liberalisation in this area. Likewise, although the removal of direct subsidies to farmers in the EU and US would mean fairer trade in agriculture and would stop the destruction of the agricultural sector in many developing countries, progress here is also slow. Since it would impinge on the interests of the US and EU, there is little political will to hasten the liberalisation processes. In contrast, almost total liberalisation in new areas such as IT and telecommunications are being implemented within a short period of time. Here, liberalisation is put on the fast track with the reasoning that it is beneficial for everyone. What sectors and issues should be made a part of the global Ôfree tradeÕ agenda therefore really depends on which countries hold more clout in the trading regime and hence are poised to have their wishes implemented. At the same time, the reigning ideology propagated is that the particular path set out is the only possible and best path to take. Furthermore, no one really knows what the exact benefits of this Ôfree tradeÕ experiment will be for the poorer countries. The benefits of the complete implementation of the Uruguay Round had been estimated at $500 billion at the end of 1994. The WTO economists have found that this was too liberal an estimate and has brought the figure down to the range of $300 billion. According to most accounts, the actual effects by many of the poorest countries, a large number of these are in Africa, will in fact be negative. In response to this, Richard Blackwell, the chief economist of the WTO at the SMC said that this was because these studies had focused mainly on the lack of market access African countries had in terms of world trade. In contrast, WTO estimates positive gains by these countries because they factored in the gains of small economies by having a rules based trade organisation with a dispute settlement system. Despite the optimism about the benefits of such a structure, to date, none of the LLDCs have yet to bring a dispute to the WTO Secretariat. The country that is using the system most frequently is still the US. So while the effects of what is being implemented now, especially on the majority of poorer countries have not been thoroughly looked into, the work of the organisation charges ahead. Its effects changing the lives of millions worldwide. The Secretariat is also proud of the fact that there are a string of countries knocking at the door of the organisation wanting to become members. This is used as justification of the good and desirable work of the body. In reality though, poorer countries have little choice in the matter. They either get themselves registered as a member of the laboratory experiment, or get totally isolated. Many only begin to realise the implication of GATT / WTO decisions after these have been agreed to. A continuation of the way the WTO currently functions will lead the world head-long towards a catastrophic end, especially if domination by certain countries remains the status quo without any regard for the needs of the poorer economies. Ultimately, such as system will essentially mean the rich countries institutionalising and justifying, through a supposedly rules and consensus-based global organisation, their colonisation over the rest of the worldÕs resources. If the WTO is to truly work in the interest of all its members, it must change its bullying tactics. As a global body, the excuse that it works in a non-transparent manner for greater efficiency is a flimsy one, and greatly threatens the credibility of the organisation. In order to be an organisation which governs multilateral trade and one which aims to work for the benefit of all its members, it has to be cognisant of the fact that a power imbalance exists in the organisation and the current process employed only reinforces this imbalance. It must therefore hold as top priority, the righting of such an imbalance. This would mean keeping in focus, the needs of its diverse members, especially the majority developing countries. There should not therefore be a dichotomy drawn between trade and development. It is commonly assumed that the WTO should engage in trade issues and leave the development concerns of its members to other international agencies. The reality, however, is that while the WTO does not concern itself very much with the development needs of its poorer members, it certainly is extremely concerned with those of its richer members. Hence, its preoccupation with IT; the introduction of services and intellectual property rights into the GATT, the WTOÕs predecessor; as well as attempts to bring in such issues as the liberalisation of investment under its auspices. These are obviously areas that would benefit the richer countries given their particular stage of economic and industrial development. Since the patterns of trade will impact positively or negatively on all countries in myriad ways and also affect the development concerns of countries, these development needs must be kept at the forefront. For example, the WTO must make it its concern that there are 800 million suffering from chronic hunger amongst its member countries. The fact that there are 1.3 billion who occupy the ranks of extreme poverty - a fifth of the worldÕs population, and that this poverty is a feminised phenomena should also be a concern. Furthermore, it must also keep in view the fact that the crisis of today is an ecological one. Since these are the conditions many WTO members are grappling with, the organisation can only claim to meet the needs of its members if it continually evaluates its policy impact on these realities and allows itself to be an enabling factor in the resolution of these crises. In this process, it must ensure that it gives countries the sovereignty and right to choose the path of development that meets their needs. There is no blanket solution for all economies. Countries must not be arm twisted into liberalisation. Trade liberalisation can be enabling, but how much and in which areas must be decided upon on a country-by-country basis and with great discretion. *Aileen Kwa is a research associate of Focus on the Global South. She is also currently pursuing her Phd in Development Studies at the University of Auckland. ______________________________________________________ From g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz Fri Jan 10 08:02:19 1997 From: g.salazar at auckland.ac.nz (gonzalo) Date: Fri, 10 Jan 1997 12:02:19 +1300 (NDT) Subject: [asia-apec 307] FOCUS-on-APEC#9 Part8 Message-ID: <199701092302.MAA26080@ccu1.auckland.ac.nz> ANNOUNCEMENTS Will TodayÕs Asia-Pacific End up like Europe in 1914? This is one of the concerns that has prompted the Peace Research Institute of TokyoÕs International Christian University, Focus on the Global South of Chulalongkorn UniversityÕs Social Research Institute in Bangkok, and BerkeleyÕs Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development to sponsor a conference on ALTERNATIVE SECURITY SYSTEMS IN THE ASIA PACIFIC REGION at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, March 27-30, 1997. In the aftermath of the November 1996 APEC Summit, the Asia- Pacific region may look relatively placid, but it is actually a thinderbox of territorial disputes, resource conflicts, antagonisms inherited from the Cold War, and a variety of internal struggles with external impacts. With the end of the Cold War, hopes were high that conditions of lasting peace would be created in the region. However, prosperity, instead of spinning off peace, has sparked an arms race, and, despite some tentative initiatives, a multilateral system to preserve the peace is nowhere in sight. Instead, what passes for a regional security system is a volatile informal system with three legs: continuing US unilateralism, balance-of-power diplomacy, and arms races. There is, indeed, a resemblance between fin-de-siecle Asia-Pacific region and late 19th century Europe, which was entrapped in what Henry Kissinger called Ôthe balance-of-power doomsday machine.Õ NGOÕs and peopleÕs organisations took the lead in opposing the nuclearization of the Pacific during the Cold War. In the post-Cold War era, however, aside from the nuclear question, security issues have not had as much prominence among NGO concerns as environment and development issues. Indeed, the much-vaunted Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapons Free Zone (SEANWFZ) is largely a governmental initiative, and there is little genuine NGO participation in the ASEAN Regional Forum. Yet civil society throughout the world has been full of rich explorations into new concepts of security, such as real security or comprehensive security. There is also an increasing recognition by citizensÕ groups that multilateral security systems are not enough, and lasting peace can only be achieved via people-centred security systems rather than state-centric ones. This conference seeks to bring the security question to the top of the agenda of civil society in the Asia-Pacific. Activists and academic experts, citizens and selected representatives of governments and multilateral organisations from various parts of the region will come together for a close look at the points of tension and conflict in the region and discuss ways to create the new institutions of peace and security that are so necessary if the region is to avoid the fate of Europe of 1914. For more information, please get in touch with: Alternative Security Conference Secretariat Focus on the Global South Chulalongkorn University Social Research Institute Phyathai Road, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Tel: 662 218 7363 Fax: 662 255 9976 Email: focus@ksc9.th.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Book Launched at Manila PeopleÕs Forum on APEC Now Available! ÔAPEC: Four Adjectives in Search of a NounÕ is an exciting 311 page volume containing · An APEC Primer · Profiles of 18 economies and leaders · Original confidential ÔIndividual Action PlansÕ for liberalisation submitted by each country Limited number of copies are available at US$50 only. This amount covers air mail / shipping expenses. To obtain a copy, please send your money order / bank draft to Focus on the Global South c/o CUSRI, Wisit Prachuabmoh Building Chulalongkorn University Bangkok 10330 Thailand --------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Watch Out for the Next Issue of Focus-on-APEC! The coming issue of FOCUS-on-APEC will consist of all the presentations and available transcripts of discussions at the Manila People's Forum. ______________________________________________________ FOCUS-on-APEC is produced by Focus on the Global South (FOCUS). Edited by Aileen Kwa. Contact information: c/o CUSRI, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330 Thailand. Tel: (66 2) 218 7363/7364/7365, Fax: (66 2) 255 9976, E-Mail: focus@ksc9.th.com, Website: http://www.nautilus.org/focusweb From alarm at pw.net Sat Jan 11 16:40:01 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 15:40:01 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 308] KCTU Update No. 10 Message-ID: <32D743D1.27F9@pw.net> Strike Urgent Report #10 edited on January. 11, 1997, at 01:00 Eighth day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE Arrests of the 20 KCTU Leaders Sought After President Kim toughening his position on the ongoing labor strikes as senior government officials held a series of emergency meetings to find a solution to the weeks long walkout yesterday, prosecutors requested arrest warrants for 20 KCTU leaders. But the court issued writs of forcing summon which compelled the KCTU leaders to appear in court instead of arrest warrants. The court in charge of warrant-judging issued the writs and said "after interrogating the parties concerned we will decide whether or not warrants of arrest will be issued" adding that "if the KCTU leaders including Kwon Young-kil doesn't appear in court till 10 a.m. on 10th, we'll re-issue the writs or decide to issue the arrest warrants only on the basis of documents. But the KCTU clearified they will not accede to the demand to appear in court, asserting that "this general strike is the expression of the protest against the detrimental revision of labor law, which will make working conditions aggrevated. So there is no problem in legal aspects." Related with that, prosecutors and the police seized and searched the offices of the KCTU, the Korean Federation Automobile Workers Unions, the Korean Federation of Professional and Technicians Unions and the Korean Council of Hospital Unions with a seizure and search warrants issued by the court. International trade union delegation to visit Korea The Committee of labor-management affairs of OECD decided to hold the meeting for the purpose of discussing the recent state of affairs on labor law transition in Korea, so the affair of revising the labor law is to be discussed officially in international organization. They informed that they'll open the committee in Paris on January 22 and make a report for Cabinet meeting. Meanwhile, an international trade union delegation will arrive in Seoul on January 11 and will seek meetings with Korea's highest authorities in order to express the international trade union movement's concern over developments in the country following the adoption of new labour legislation. The delegation will be led by Takashi Izumi, general secretary of the ICFTU's Asian and Pacific regional organisation (ICFTU-APRO) and will include senior representatives of the Paris-based Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and of ICFTU-associated International Trade Secretariats (ITS, international industry trade union federations). Upon its arrival in Seoul, the delegation will first have talks with the leadership of the two ICFTU affiliates in the country: the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (KFTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU). The ICFTU and TUAC have closely followed the situation in Korea. On December 28, the ICFTU lodged a formal complaint against Korea at the ILO on the basis on the new labour legislation. The TUAC for its part has called on the OECD's Employmetn, Labour and Social Affairs Committee to meet as a matter of urgency to examine the Korean situation. Both the ICFTU and TUAC have already made representations in support of their demands to the Korean President Kim Young-sam. From alarm at pw.net Sat Jan 11 16:57:31 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 15:57:31 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 309] KCTU Report No. 10a Message-ID: <32D747EB.5D56@pw.net> Strike Urgent Report #10 edited on January. 11, 1997, at 09:00 Eighth day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE Alert: Korean police raids union headquarters Brussels, January 9 1997 (ICFTU OnLine): Several hundred South Korean riot police raided the headquarters of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) at 0030 am on Friday 10 Korean time, according to information reaching the ICFTU. Uniformed police showing search warrants seized documents, floppy discs as well as a banner from the Japanese trade union Rengo which had been given to the KCTU on the occasion of the Japanese trade union springtime offensive last year. The attack followed similar raids late on Thursday on the headquarters of several KCTU unions (Metalworkers, hospital workers and automobilie workers). The KCTU which is spearheading strikes to protest against new labour legislation called on Thursday for the biggest strike in the nation's history. The Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) has announced strike action on January 14 and 15. According to the latest information no arrest has taken place so far but Korean state prosecutors said they were seeking arrest warrants for 19 strike leaders including KCTU leader Kwon Young-kil. The ICFTU has called on ILO Director General Michel Hansenne to immediately intervene with the Korean authorities to prevent the arrest of trade union leaders and has decided to extend by three days the visit of its delegation to Korea which will arrive in Seoul on January 11 for talks with Korean trade unions as well as for meetings with the countries' highest authorities. ICFTU affiliates and International Trade Secretariats will be organising pickets in front of South Korean embassies in Europe's main capitals. A delegation from the ICFTU and its Belgian affiliate FGTB will picket the South Korean embassy in Brussels and the organisations' leaders will hand over a protest to the embassy representatives. ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan said international trade union pressure will be escalated in an attempt to press for the Korean authorities to repeal the anti-worker legislation and open dialogue with the Korean labour movement. For details contact: ICFTU Press at ++322 224 02 12 or Other OnLine news on Poptel Bulletin Board ICFTU-Online for geonet users and on the WWW at:http://www.icftu.org International Trade Union Protest outside South Korean Embassy Brussels, January 9 1997 (ICFTU OnLine): Bill Jordan, General Secretary of the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions and Mia De Vits, General Secretary of the Belgium national trade union centre, the FGTB, will lead a protest outside the South Korean embassy in Brussels (11.30 am 173 Chauss? de la Hulpe 1170 Brussels) about the treatment of workers in South Korea during protests following the adoption of new labour legislation. The two union leaders will hand in a letter to the Embassy asking President Kim Young-sam to repeal the new anti-labour legislation, to withdraw the arrest warrants issued for the seven trade union leaders, and instead to open dialogue with the labour movement. On December 28, the ICFTU lodged a formal complaint against South Korea at the ILO, on the basis of the new legislation. Today, following the news of the government intention to arrest the trade union leaders, the ICFTU has called on the ILO to intervene with the authorities to prevent these arrests, which it has described as a "clear violation of the international right to strike" This is one of a number of demonstrations and delegations which will be taking place throughout Europe by trade unions on January 10, following a call for action by the ICFTU. Unions in the Netherlands, Germany and Switzerland and the UK will be organising delegations and delivering letters. An international trade union delegation, led by Takashi Izumi, general secretary of the ICFTU's Asian and Pacific Regional Organisation (ICFTU/APRO) will be in South Korea from Saturday, January 11 - 16, to seek meetings with the South Korean authorities, and to have talks with the leadership of the FKTU, and the KCTU, the two South Korean union bodies, and ICFTU affiliates. For details contact ICFTU Press at ++322 224 02 12 or Other OnLine news on Poptel Bulletin Board ICFTU-Online for geonet users and on the WWW at:http://www.icftu.org International trade union delegation to visit Korea Brussels, January 8 1997 (ICFTU OnLine): An international trade union delegation will arrive in Seoul on January 11 and will seek meetings with Korea's highest authorities in order to express the international trade union movement's concern over developments in the country following the adoption of new labour legislation. The delegation will be led by Takashi Izumi, general secretary of the ICFTU's Asian and Pacific regional organisation (ICFTU-APRO) and will include senior representatives of the Paris-based Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and of ICFTU-associated International Trade Secretariats (ITS, international industry trade union federations). Upon its arrival in Seoul, the delegation will first have talks with the leadership of the two ICFTU affiliates in the country: the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU). The ICFTU and TUAC have closely followed the situation in Korea. On December 28, the ICFTU lodged a formal complaint against Korea at the ILO on the basis on the new labour legislation. The TUAC for its part has called on the OECD's Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Committee to meet as a matter of urgency to examine the Korean situation. Both the ICFTU and TUAC have maintained close contact with the Korean trade unions and have already made representations in support of their demands to the Korean President Kim Young-sam. ICFTU warns Korea against arrest of trade unionists Brussels, January 6 1997 (ICFTU OnLine): The Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) has warned Korea's President Kim Young-sam that arrest of trade union leaders would spark off a major international trade union campaign targeted on Korea's international diplomatic and economic links. The ICFTU fears that the summon orders issued by state prosecutors to leaders of the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions (KCTU) may be aimed at arresting them in order to stifle the strike movement which has erupted in Korea following the adoption by parliament of unfair legislation. The ICFTU which has denounced the new legislation in a formal complaint to the UN's International Labour Organisation (ILO) is now planning to send a delegation to the country in conjunction with the Paris-based Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (Tuac) and International Trade Secretariats (ITS). Both the ICFTU and Tuac consider the Korean legislation is a step backwards and is at variance with the solemn commitment by Korea to put its labour laws into conformity with ILO Conventions on freedom of association and the right to collective bargaining. "While continuing to deny workers' rights to join and form trade unions of their own choosing ib bith the public and private sectors and restricting trade union solidarity action, the law gives a freehand to Korean employers to dismiss workers and exploit them", says ICFTU General Secretary Bill Jordan. The ICFTU and Tuac which have expressed support for action taken by the KCTU and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (FKTU) have called on President Kim Young-sam to abrogate the law and open negotiations with representatives of the Korean labour movement. "We are now mobilising our national affiliates as well as International Trade Secretariats (ICFTU-associated international industry federations), in order to be able to respond swiftly to any move by the Korean government to resort to reprisals against Korean trade union and workers who are waging a legitimate fight." Mr Jordan said. More than 150,000 Korean workers have responded to the KCTU call for strike on Monday 6 and the confederation says industrial action could esacalate unless President Kim Young-sam announced a repeal of the new law at a news conference scheduled for Tuesday. The FKTU will be organising a mass rally on January 10 and has threatened to resume strike action by January 11 if trade union demands were not met. For details contact ICFTU Press at ++322 224 02 12 or ICFTU Trade Union Rights Department at ++322 2240201. Other OnLine news on Poptel Bulletin Board ICFTU-Online for geonet users and on the WWW at:http://www.icftu.org From alarm at pw.net Sat Jan 11 17:01:37 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Sat, 11 Jan 1997 16:01:37 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 310] KCTU Report No. 10 Message-ID: <32D748E1.6270@pw.net> Strike Urgent Report #10 edited on January. 11, 1997, at 01:00 Eighth day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE Arrests of the 20 KCTU Leaders Sought After President Kim toughening his position on the ongoing labor strikes as senior government officials held a series of emergency meetings to find a solution to the weeks long walkout yesterday, prosecutors requested arrest warrants for 20 KCTU leaders. But the court issued writs of forcing summon which compelled the KCTU leaders to appear in court instead of arrest warrants. The court in charge of warrant-judging issued the writs and said "after interrogating theparties concerned we will decide whether or not warrants of arrest will be issued" adding that "if the KCTU leaders including Kwon Young-kil doesn't appear in court till 10 a.m. on 10th, we'll re-issue the writs or decide to issue the arrest warrants only on the basis of documents. But the KCTU clearified they will not accede to the demand to appear in court, asserting that "this general strike is the expression of the protest against the detrimental revision of labor law, which will make working conditions aggrevated. So there is no problem in legal aspects." Related with that, prosecutors and the police seized and searched the offices of the KCTU, the Korean Federation Automobile Workers Unions, the Korean Federation of Professional and Technicians Unions and the Korean Council of Hospital Unions with a seizure and search warrants issued by the court. International trade union delegation to visit Korea The Committee of labor-management affairs of OECD decided to hold the meeting for the purpose of discussing the recent state of affairs on labor law transition in Korea, so the affair of revising the labor law is to be discussed officially in international organization. They informed that they'll open the committee in Paris on January 22 and make a report for Cabinet meeting. Meanwhile, an international trade union delegation will arrive in Seoul on January 11 and will seek meetings with Korea's highest authorities in order to express the international trade union movement's concern over developments in the country following the adoption of new labour legislation. The delegation will be led by Takashi Izumi, general secretary of the ICFTU's Asian and Pacific regional organisation (ICFTU-APRO) and will include senior representatives of the Paris-based Trade Union Advisory Committee to the OECD (TUAC) and of ICFTU-associated International Trade Secretariats (ITS, international industry trade union federations). Upon its arrival in Seoul, the delegation will first have talks with the leadership of the two ICFTU affiliates in the country: the Federation of Korean Trade Unions (KFTU) and the Korean Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU). The ICFTU and TUAC have closely followed the situation in Korea. On December 28, the ICFTU lodged a formal complaint against Korea at the ILO on the basis on the new labour legislation. The TUAC for its part has called on the OECD's Employmetn, Labour and Social Affairs Committee to meet as a matter of urgency to examine the Korean situation. Both the ICFTU and TUAC have already made representations in support of their demands to the Korean President Kim Young-sam. From alarm at pw.net Sun Jan 12 15:59:13 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 14:59:13 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 311] Mexican Workers (Urgent Appeal) Message-ID: <32D88BC1.1BC5@pw.net> Tabasco refuse collectors on hunger strike may die (January 7, 1997) Urgent solidarity needed Jorge Luis Alamilla Magana and Venancio Jimenez Martinez, the two Tabasco refuse collectors have now been on hunger strike in front of the National Human Rights Commission for 84 days. Five other workers have been on hunger strike for 44 days and one of them, Agustin Vicente Sanchez has decided to stop taking any liquids as well. "If what they want is someone to die before they give in to our demands, I voluntarily offer my life for the sake of all my comrades and their families". Their health is very bad. They can barely speak or open their eyes. They have lost notion of time and suffer cramps in different parts of their bodies. Accoridng to one of the doctors they have reached a point were damage to their health could be irreversible. They could suffer permanent brain damage. The workers have recieved solidarity from many different social, political, trade union and human rights organisations. The PRD (main opposition party) NEC decided to fully support the workers' cause and their two main leaders, Manuel Lopez Obrador and Cuauhtemoc Cardenas visit the strikers everyday. The PRD has demanded the president's direct intervention in the conflict to no reply from Ernesto Zedillo yet. The demands of the workers are: reinstatement of all 336 refuse collectors sacked in Villahermosa (Tabasco), payement of the wages for the days of work lost, withdrawal of the 46 arrest warrants against them. They have been offered 190 jobs on casual basis and redundancy payements for another 110 workers but they have refused this "offer" and made clear that they want their jobs back. Urgent solidarity action is needed. Please circulate this appeal as widely as possible Send faxes of protest demanding immediate solutions to: Secretaria de Gobernacion Licenciado Esteban Moctezuma Barragan Fax: 525 521 27 63 Letters of solidarity can be sent to: Broad Front of Democratic Struggle Calle Insurgentes n. 203 Fracc. Insurgentes Ciudad Industrial Villahermosa TABASCO, Mexico. or emailed through: National Trade Union Commission, Party of the Democratic Revolution a la atencion de los trabajadores de la limpia de Tabasco joseluisr@laneta.apc.org From alarm at pw.net Sun Jan 12 15:56:50 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 14:56:50 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 312] Mexican Workers May Die on Hunger Strike (Background) Message-ID: <32D88B32.78ED@pw.net> Tabasco refuse collectors in struggle for two years More than 500 refuse collectors from Tabasco, Mexico were in struggle for 8 months last year demanding, amongst other things, their reinstatement. In March last year they reached an agreement. But that agreement was broken by the authorites and now they are in struggle again. They walked for more than 40 days to Mexico city where some of them have initiated a hunger strike. They need all international solidarity they can get. Background On July 10, 1995, 552 refuse collectors from Villahermosa, state of Tabasco, Mexico were sacked by the council. The working conditions of these workers are extremely hard, working up to 16 hours a day without overtime payment, without medical insurance, and exposed to diseases and infections as they don't have proper clothing or protection. Many of them live in the neighbouring towns of Nacajuca, Zentla or Macuxpan. They spent two hours and 25 pesos to go to Villahermosa to work. All this for a wage of 215 pesos a fortnight. The lack of clothing or protection has produced cases of cholera, throat infections and even in 1994 the death of a worker, father of 4 children, who contracted AIDS while picking up rubbish from a hospital. The first struggle After being sacked on July 10, 1995 they started a long and heroic struggle which lasted 8 months. During these long 8 months they organised marches, sit-ins, hunger strikes and occupations. They even marched for 48 days from Villahermosa to the capital, Mexico City. Once in Mexico city they organised protests in front of the Parliament, the Senate, the Home Office, the High Court, the National Palace, hunger strikes, demonstrations, they were expelled form the Swedish embassy gardens by the riot police with the approval of Mr Jorge Chen from the Foreing Affairs Secretary, and of Mr. Bo. Henrikson, ambassador of Mr Christer Thaern, Secretary of the Embassy. Two workers went on hunger strike for 76 days in Villahermosa. They were heavily repressed by the police. Ten workers were arrested and later released on bail and 44 had arrest warrants issued against them. During this heroic struggle three workers died. Their names: Roberto Morales Hernandez, Domingo Arias Clemente and Clemente Arias Rodriguez. They left behind wives and children. This is how the workers described the conditions they had to face: "The refuse collectors in the state of Tabasco, just for defending our rights, have been beaten on 9 different occasions by the police using all its strength and brutality. Our families have had to suffer the devastating effects of two hurricanes which have destroyed our few belongings. Our wives, sons and daughters, mothers and families have suffered hunger, cold, lack of money to continue their studies, diseases and lack of minimum living conditions. All this as a result of having been unjustified sacked." Those directly responsible were Mr Roberto Madrazo Pintado and Mr Jesus Taracena Martinez, Governor and Council President in Tabasco. The agreement On March 24, 1996 after 8 months of struggle they reached an agreement. The deal was signed by the Secretaria de Gobernacion (Home Office), the Tabasco state government and the workers. All workers had to be reinstated, wages paid in full, the 44 arrest arrants to be suspended and compensation to be paid to the families of the workers who died during the struggle. The workers on their side agreed to suspend all demonstrations, sit-ins and hunger strikes. The agreement was signed under the supervision of the National Human Rights Commission (a government body) headed by Jorge Madrazo Cuellar. But after a short period of time it was clear to the workers that none of the conditions agreed were being implemented. The second struggle When the workers realised that they had been cheated they started the struggle again. For a second time they walked from Villahermosa to Mexico city with their families, that is those who still had families to march with. Martin Ramirez Herrera, 31 years old, who participated in the 76 days long hunger strike in 1995 explains that: "I left my 9 year old twin daughters in Villahermosa with their grandmother, as my wife left me at the time of the first mass redundancies". They have set up permanent protests (24 hours a day, 7 days a week) in front of the headquarters of the PRI (the ruling party), the Senate and the National Human Rights Commission. On Octobre, 14, 1995, two workers, Venancio Jimenez Amartinez and Jorge Luis Alamilla Magana went on hunger strike in front of the National Human Rights Commission. On November 25, five other workers joined them: Rodrigo Gonzalez Suarez, Agustin Vicente Sanchez, Adolfo Sanchez Balcazar, Antonio Mendez Hernandez and Jesus Jimenez Montero. On December 4, 1996, 18 workers took their clothes off in front of the Senate to "try and shame the authorities who have broken their commitments". At the same time the PRD senator Felix Salgado Macedonio raised the issue in the Senate. Some workers extracted blood from themselves and threw it on the Senate building. What can you do? These workers need as much solidarity as they can get. International pressure can play a crucial role. Actions need to be taken urgently. Sent faxes of protest demanding all agreements to be implemented immediately to: Secretaria de Gobernacion Licenciado Esteban Moctezuma Barragan Fax: 525 521 27 63 Letters of solidarity can be sent to: Broad Front of Democratic Struggle Calle Insurgentes n. 203 Fracc. Insurgentes Ciudad Industrial Villahermosa TABASCO, Mexico. or emailed through: National Trade Union Commission, Party of the Democratic Revolution a la atencion de los trabajadores de la limpia de Tabasco joseluisr@laneta.apc.org From david at wacc.gn.apc.org Thu Jan 9 20:56:15 1997 From: david at wacc.gn.apc.org (david@wacc.gn.apc.org) Date: Thu, 9 Jan 1997 11:56:15 +0000 (BST) Subject: [asia-apec 313] Change of my email address in your mailing list Message-ID: Dear friends, Please change my email address in your mailing list. My new address is as follows, effective immediately: david@wacc.gn.apc.org My old address is: wacc@gn.apc.org Please DO NOT send your mail to the OLD address. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and attention. Best seasonal greetings. David David Lin WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR CHRISTIAN COMMUNICATION 357 Kennington Lane, London, SE11 5QY, England Phone: 44 (171) 582 9139 FAX: 44 (171) 735 0340 E-mail: david@wacc.gn.apc.org Web Homepage: http://www.oneworld.org/wacc ------------------------------------------------------ From freezone at hookele.com Mon Jan 13 04:54:07 1997 From: freezone at hookele.com (freezone@hookele.com) Date: Sun, 12 Jan 1997 09:54:07 -1000 (HST) Subject: [asia-apec 314] Abolition 2000 & Indigenous Recognition Message-ID: P A C I F I C - I M P A C T Dear Sisters, Brothers and Collegues, (FREE CIRCULATION) You are invited into a discussion during the Abolition 2000 Conference in Tahiti January 20 - 28, 1997 (see press release below for discription). You will receive notice of reports only which will be uploaded to a web site you may access at your convenience (I will post the URL within a couple days). There will be a discussion group on-line and we will be facilitating your e-mail to and from the conference as requested. Beyond the agenda of Abolition 2000 is the question on the imparative need for Decolonization in the Pacific. These debates and discussions will be deep and we need our Indigenous global caucus to assist us. There has been a question of relevancy raised by some of the european and USA members of the Abolition 2000 which has been disturbing to us as Indigneous Peoples in preparation for this conference. Your thoughts, ideas and opinions will be utilized and appreciated especially by our Te Ao Maohi brothers and sisters whose lives are now at extreme and high risk. If you do not want to receive our reports please send a quick note immediately so that we can adjust the lists. Thank you. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HIGHLIGHTED request for solidarity from Indigenous Tahitian Youth for a Global Peace Vigil January 27th - 1 year commemoration of the ending of French Nuclear testing and in support of the total abolishment of nuclear weapons. ABOLITION 2000 MOVEMENT TO MEET IN TAHITI IN JANUARY 97 - INTERNATIONAL DAY OF ACTION FOR THE ABOLITION OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS CALLED FOR. >From January 20-28, 1997, Abolition 2000, an international network of over 680 citizen groups on six continents, will meet in the French- occupied islands of Tahiti and Moorea to assess the current state of the nuclear world and craft strategies for the abolition of nuclear weapons. Over 100 people from all over the world are expected to attend. The meeting will take place as a landmark study on the health effects of French nuclear testing in the area , which ended last year, is in preparation. The results of the study will be released later in 1997 and a briefing about the study will be presented at a concluding press conference on January 27th, exactly one year after the last French nuclear test. Hiti Tau, a regional NGO affiliated with the Pacific Island Association of NGOs (PIANGO), and the Pacific Program of the American Friends Service Committee (based in Hawaii), will host the meeting. This meeting place presents the network with unique possibilities as a way to continue the momentum generated by the international attention focussed on French nuclear testing activities over the last year. The study on the long term health effects of the French testing program has been conducted by the indigenous Maohi people of the five island groups of French-occupied Polynesia, with the help and financial assistance of the World Council of Churches, and several European support organizations. Meanwhile, the South Pacific Forum, the regional intergovernmental group, is cooperating with the International Atomic Energy Agency in a study that will make use of the French data (gathered over the course of the entire testing program) for the first time. Last year, the member countries of the SPF kicked France out of the Forum for resuming its nuclear testing program. This year, as a provision for allowing France back into the Forum, they required France to release its scientific data.The results of this study will also be available later in the year. To coincide with the meeting there will be a day of internationally coordinated actions on JANUARY 27, 1997 to oppose the resumption of nuclear testing by the United States and to call for the abolition of nuclear weapons. The U.S. has announced plans to conduct "subcritical" underground nuclear tests at the Nevada Test Site as part of a larger program to maintain and expand its nuclear weapons capabilities under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT). January 27 marks the 46th anniversary of the first U.S. nuclear test in Nevada, and the 1st anniversary of the last French nuclear test in the Pacific. Indigenous youth of French Polynesia (Tahiti) have called for a worldwide vigil on January 27 to support the movement to abolish all nuclear weapons. In the U.S., January 27 has been designated as a national call-in day to President Clinton. In Tahiti, the Abolition 2000 Global Network to Eliminate Nuclear Weapons will be concluding its international meeting. NGOs everywhere are being encouraged to: 1) call on their national leaders to oppose the U.S. subcritical tests, take nuclear forces off alert, and support negotiations on a treaty to eliminate nuclear weapons; 2) send messages of solidarity to those gathered in Tahiti; and 3) hold vigils in their own communities to support and publicize these objectives. Having brought about an end to the French nuclear testing programme and having campaigned to achieve a Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty the Abolition 2000 Global Network intends to finish the job by working to tackle the health and environmental effects of testing and to ensure that nuclear weapons are abolished for all time. Press Coordinator - Kekula P. Bray-Crawford: Tel 001 808 5733122 e-mail: kekula@aloha.net Conference Coordinator - Kilali Alailima: Tel 011 808 9881124 e-mail: kilali@igc.apc.org ENDS. From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 14 00:43:10 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 23:43:10 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 315] Strike Urgent Report #11 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970113154310.006ad41c@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #11 - edited on January. 12, 1997, at 01:00 Ninth day of the general strike in THE SECOND WAVE Who Threatens the Worker's Life? On about 4 p.m January 10, an employee of the auto company suffered a serious burn after setting himself ablaze in a street protest in the southern city of Ulsan. Chong Chae-sok, 33, reportedly, poured the flammable paint thinner over his body and shouted "Abolish the bad labor law!" before setting himself on fire. The auto worker was among some 20,000 Hyundai protesting workers who then clashed with teargas-spraying riot police on a march towards the Ulsan City Hall. On the afternoon of yesterday, January 11, an unidenfied man was struck by a stone which had been thrown by police in front of the Bank of Korea, the center of Seoul, and was in crisis of loss of eyesight. That afternoon, there was a large rally where over 30,000 people including labors, students and ordinary citizens took part and after the rally, they marched toward the Myongdong Cathedral. But the police tried to hold the march by force with tear gas, metal stick and stones, and under the collision between citizens and the police, that accident happened. The man is in process of being evacuated to a hospital. Korean Roman Catholic Officially Rejecting the Government Firm Confrontation Policy While arrest warrants were issued to the seven KCTU leaders who were going on a stay-in strike in the Myongdong Cathedral on 10th and hundreds of riot police were poised to enter the Cathedral, The Seoul parish of Roman Catholic Church expressed an announcement named "Our opinion on the situation related with Labor Law" confirmed by Cardinal Kim Soo-hwan, and then made it clear officially that they were against the firm confrontation policy by the government. They clearified in that announcement that the government is fundamentally responsible for the labor strikes, so if the goverment tries to solve the state by resorting to the logic of force, it will suffer the whole national stand. They also added, "the Kim's government must bear in mind that they will face with great resistance by religious men and the whole nation, if they fails to recall the fact that in the last time when the Korean Telecom Labor Union on a sit-down strike in the Cathedral was crack-downed by the raid of police force. Solidarity Eggs : Those Who Still Make Us Smile! The 4 broadcating unions where strikes were going on from January 7, held an assembly of "the day of censuring the ruling New Korea Party(NKP)" at the headquarters of the NKP in Yoido on January 10. The over 1,000 broadcating workers there showed 'volley of eggs'. They suddenly threw eggs prepared in the course of the event toward the building with slogans of the impeachment of the NKP. Meanwhile, a farmer had transmitted a truck of eggs to Korea Broadcating System(KBS) Labor Union with the encouragement of the walk-outs. He refused positively to have an interview, saying that "With the labors struggling in the severe cold of winter, I feel ashamed fo showing a face for that trifle." Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From adurbin at essential.org Tue Jan 14 09:18:20 1997 From: adurbin at essential.org (Andrea Durbin) Date: Mon, 13 Jan 1997 19:18:20 -0500 (EST) Subject: [asia-apec 316] Re: KCTU Report No. 10 In-Reply-To: <32D748E1.6270@pw.net> Message-ID: Please remove me from the list. Thanks Andrea Durbin, Friends of the Earth || Internet: adurbin@essential.org From fpmuga at pusit.admu.edu.ph Tue Jan 14 09:51:21 1997 From: fpmuga at pusit.admu.edu.ph (Muga . Felix P. II) Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 08:51:21 +0800 (GMT+0800) Subject: [asia-apec 317] (No Subject in original) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: Please remove me from the list. Thanks. Felix P. Muga II Department of Mathematics e-mail: fpmuga@admu.edu.ph Ateneo de Manila University FAX: (632) 924 4690 Katipunan Road, Loyola Heights PH: (632) 924 4601 ext. 2515,2516 Quezon City, 1108 Philippines mail: P.O. Box 154, Manila 0917 From yukihiro at jca.or.jp Tue Jan 14 10:24:43 1997 From: yukihiro at jca.or.jp (YASUDA Yukihiro) Date: Tue, 14 Jan 1997 10:24:43 +0900 (JST) Subject: [asia-apec 318] Mail address for administrative request Message-ID: <199701140124.KAA13157@SV1.jca.or.jp> All, If you hope to be removed your address, or if you hope to change mailing address, please send your request to: owner-asia-apec@jca.or.jp Don't send your request to 'asia-apec@jca.or.jp' to minimize mail traffic. Regards, yukihiro From alarm at pw.net Wed Jan 15 17:34:14 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Wed, 15 Jan 1997 16:34:14 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 319] RAID & SEIZURE (TENAGANITA) Message-ID: <32DC9686.5146@pw.net> PRESS STATEMENT 14 January 1996 RE: RAID AND SEIZURE OF DOCUMENTS FROM TENAGANITA Berita Harian, today carried in its front page an 'exclusive' on "ROC serbu Tenaganita". The article states that officials from the Registrar of Companies raided the office at about 2.00 p.m. on 13 Jan.1997, took several documents and questioned a number of the staff. We, in Tenaganita are indeed bewildered on this report as no such raid happened at our premises on Jan. 13, 1997. What shocks us further is that Benita Harian in its article revealed the source to be the Registrar of Companies (ROC) office. However, today at about 11:00 a.m. five officers from the Registrar of Companies came to our office at Lorong Bonus 6 stating that they had come on a routine inspection. Prior to coming to our office they had gone to our Auditors and Company secretary. The five officers, from the enforcement division of the Registrar of Companies looked at our books and supporting documents for the year 1996. They then seized the Main Cash Book for 1996 and 1997, Petty Cash Book for 1996/1997 and vouchers and supporting documents. They were at our office for about 3 hours. I asked them under what section of the Companies Act they were conducting the raid and seizure. They stated that they were conducting the raid under the powers given in Sec. 7B and 7C, and in particular Section 7C.3 of the Companies Act. This particular section is used when the Registrar of Companies has grounds to suspect that due to an offense a person may dispose off documents. When I asked wether any complaint was made against the company and by whom, what were the grounds of suspicion of any offense and the nature of the offense, the officers refused to comment. They stated very clearly that they have received orders from the Deputy Registrar 1 of the ROC for today's actions. I also requested for the company to have photocopies of all documents seized from me. I wanted to have copies as I did not want to have any misunderstanding over the documents in the future, but was refused. The above raid and seizure of documents by the Registrar of Companies smacks of nothing less than of harassment on us arising from our work as human rights monitors and defenders of the rights and concerns of the marginalised communities. For the ROC to release information to the press, prior to the raid today is pure mala fide. This current action, we think comes from political pressure. The ROC conducted a thorough investigation in the late 1995 on our accountability and found everything in order. In fact the Deputy Minister for Trade and Consumer Affairs had even stated that NGOs had not contravened the Act and that the ROC would continue to accept applications from such bodies to register as business ventures.(Sunday Mail, 3 Dec. 1995) Therefore, to raid and seize our documents related to our accounts for 1996 is indeed unnecessary. We are also concerned because all these documents are required for our 1996 auditing of accounts. This form of harassment on us and on other NGOs who have stood steadfast on fundamental rights and for justice is a ploy to divert the people's attention from fundamental issues of corruption, of political leaders being arrested or detained and failure to address key social issues affecting the people and the nation. (SGD) IRENE FERNANDEZ Director From mario_m at HK.Super.NET Thu Jan 16 16:10:46 1997 From: mario_m at HK.Super.NET (mario mapanao) Date: Thu, 16 Jan 1997 15:10:46 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 320] Chretien's visit spells economic disaster for Filipino people Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970116150427.135741a0@is1.hk.super.net> PRESS STATEMENT (on the state visit of Canadian PM Jean Chretien and Bayan's protest action Jan. 16) 15 January 1997 Ref.: Nathanael Santiago, Secretary-General, Bayan TelFax No. 721-1021 loc. 29; e-mail: bayan@mnl.sequel.net ---------------------------------------------- CHRETIEN'S VISIT SPELLS ECONOMIC DISASTER FOR FILIPINO PEOPLE The current state visit of Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien to the Philippines spells not "greater economic cooperation" but graver disaster to the Filipino people. It is also part of the imperialist countries' conspiracy to bring third-rate countries under their stronger economic hegemony. Chretien should let the truth out: his trade mission is nothing but an all-out effort by a junior imperialist partner to grab a share of the economic pie clinched in the Philippines last year by its senior imperialist mentors (the US, primarily) through huge business contracts such as information technology and airflight agreements. "Economic opportunities" in the Philippines are now for the imperialists' take under Ramos' structural adjustment programs liberalizing trade, investment and intellectual property rights all of which are being hastened by the imperialist globalization-driven Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). Canada will host the fifth APEC all-leaders' summit this coming November and the ground is being laid for the turnover of the role played by General Ramos as the faithful facilitator of the trade bloc's pro-imperialist agenda in the Subic summit. Like the neocolonial Philippines however Canada will hardly be a role model for the coming APEC summit as its membership under the North American Free Trade Area (Nafta) only brought unprecedented poverty and unemployment to the Canadian people. According to leading anti-Nafta advocates, the North American trade bloc led by the US, has wrecked Canada's world class social programs, slashed welfare, institutionalized the anti-worker labor only contracting system, deregulated environmental legislation, stripped natural resource protection programs and privatized the transport sector, among others. While more than 90% of Canada-US trade is now concentrated in the hands of just 200 corporations, unemployment stands at almost 20% and child poverty has increased by 51%. Bolstered by imperialist globalization and Ramos' pro-capitalist policies, Canada is careering to engaged in more extractive industries and BOT schemes in infrastructure and telecommunications in the Philippines. This junior imperialist country is actually amassing huge profits from destructive operations such as logging and mining, the disastrous impact of which was proven in last year's Marcopper mining tragedy in Marinduque. The mining tragedy, which displaced thousands of farmers economically and ecologically, fits into the pattern of exploitation and oppression of Filipinos wherever Canada -- for that matter, other imperialist globalization countries and their corporations -- reign. Tens of thousands of Filipino domestics in Canada, alongside thousands of other migrant compatriots, suffer enslavement, discrimination, poor pay and sexual abuse. The imprimatur given by Ramos in warmly welcoming Chretien's trade mission and in forging "economic cooperation" is a stamp of approval by a neocolonial puppet to the greater impoverishment and other economic hardships of the Filipino people under the hands of major and junior imperialist exploiters and oppressors. The Filipino people have no other course of action but to resist this renewed assault on their well-being. There is no other direction except towards opposing imperialist globalization in all arenas, in all countries. To dramatize this move, the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan will stage a picket against the presence of Team Canada led by Chretien, tomorrow, January 16, in front of the Manila Peninsula Hotel, Ayala Avenue, Makati, 11 a.m. Peoples of the Philippines and Canada: Junk APEC and Oppose Imperialist Globalization! Indemnify all victims of Marcopper tragedy! Out with Placer Dome and other Canadian mining firms in the Philippines! NATHANAEL SANTIAGO Secretary-General, Bayan From freezone-tahiti at hookele.com Sun Jan 19 06:11:45 1997 From: freezone-tahiti at hookele.com (Pacific Impact) Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 11:11:45 -1000 (HST) Subject: [asia-apec 321] Abolition 2000 '97 Conference WWW Message-ID: Aloha: Last week you received an invitation to join our discussions on the agenda of the Abolition 2000 Conference being held in Moorea January 20 -28. We have uploaded a web site to host this discussion and provide more information at: http://www.hookele.com/abolition2000 If you are unable to view the site please send your postings to our address and we'll upload your message to the discussion. Also send your letters of encouragement if you are inspired through this week through our journal postings and reports. On the web site there is also a daily journal where we'll be uploading stories, interviews, press statements, comments and images. For those on e-mail only - we'll be glad to send you postings, just let us know. WAYS TO PARTICIPATE ONLINE 1. Join the online discussion group at: http://hookele.com/abolition2000/abotalk 2. Please try and keep the discussion to the agenda topics and reports 3. Send E-mail support and comments on topic(s) to: freezone-tahiti@hookele.com 4. Send faxes of support and comments on topic(s) to: fax: +689 57 28 80 (this fax number may change once we're there and we'll post a note to that effect). 5. Become signatory to the Abolition Statement: http://hookele.com/abolition2000/abostatement.html 6. Become a signatory of support for the Hiti Tau - resolution/declaration which will be developed. (I'll provide more info on Hiti Tau, with ways you can help, after we're present in Moorea.) 7. Continue to return to the site each day to review discussions, list of needs and reports from Abolition 2000 and Hiti Tau 8. Distribute and activate your network on issues and resolutions you support TOPIC FOR DISCUSSION Decolonisation has been a hot topic/issue of discussion in preparation for this conference. The question raised in the earlier part of this month which was raised by European and USA abolition members was: "Why Discuss Decolonization?" Soon you will find a thread archived in the Conference Discussion Group with earlier comments by Abolition members and Pacific Indigenous Peoples. This discussion has been encouraged to continue for growth and clearer understanding of our Pacific Issues. AGENDA HITI TAU is our Te Ao Maohi (Indigenous Peoples of Tahiti) host and will open and close the conference and each day with appropriate protocol and prayers. Gabriel "Gaby" Tetiarahi is the head of Hiti Tau and will be holding a conference at the same time as this conference. Both conference participants will join together for meals and will interact on common agenda. MONDAY - JAN. 20: ARRIVAL & REGISTRATION TUESDAY - JAN. 21: PROTOCOL & SITE VISITS WEDNESDAY - JAN. 22: OPENING CEREMONY of RECONCILIATION FOR NUCLEAR TEST VICTIMS & PACIFIC NUCLEAR ISSUES THURSDAY - JAN. 23: LINKING REGIONAL AND INTERNATIONAL NUCLEAR ISSUES CAUCUS: (a) Regional; (b) Indigenous Peoples; (c) Youth - VISION - hopes and expectations for this conference - review of Abolition 2000 Statement (point by point evaluation of progress, problems, challenges) FRIDAY - JAN. 24: ABOLITION 2000 WORKING GROUPS * Introductory reports from Abolition 2000 working group conveners - identify additional working groups (goal of day: action plans from each working group) * Evening issue briefings (shipment of plutonium, ICJ opinion, lab testing, etc.; videos) SATURDAY - JAN. 25: BUILDING THE NETWORK - RESOLUTIONS & REPORTS SUNDAY - JAN. 26: UNSCHEDULED TIME AND CLOSING CEREMONY * Preparation for Monday press conference and Peace Vigil MONDAY - JAN. 27: PRESS CONFERENCE & PEACE VIGIL IN PAPEETE (world invited) PRESS CONFERENCE IN PAPEETE - announcement of the results of the first independent health study of Polynesian test site workers and the outcome of the Abolition 2000 meeting - public signing of solemn declaration to mark the end of nuclear testing and appeal for the abolition of nuclear weapons DIRECT ACTION - MARCH through Papeete with local youth, women's NGO(s) and church groups, trade unionists, etc. *Exhibition of anti-nuclear artwork in Papeete (tentative) TUESDAY, JAN. 28: SITE VISITS - FINAL NETWORK, STRATEGIC PLANNING - LOCAL NEEDS/FUTURE e n d --- "Background Information on conference coordination and organization" * The Abolition 2000 Interim Management Group (IMG), which manages the operation of the Network between meetings, will oversee the agenda and program. Its members will meet frequently to assess how the conference is going and make adjustments as needed. Judy Rubenstein has been retained by the IMG as a facilitator and "ombudsman" (a person who people with complaints can come to). * Simultaneous French/English translation will be provided during plenary sessions, and there will be rapporteurs for plenary sessions. We hope to produce daily reports, in French and English, for distribution to delegates. If possible, these daily reports will also be posted on the internet. * The Abolition 2000 conference will deal with information sharing, development of coordinated strategies, and administrative management of the Network over the next year. We anticipate that resolutions and proposals dealing with both substance and process will be put forward during the conference. Delegates are encouraged to present written proposals and resolutions to the IMG before the Saturday plenary session. * The Abolition 2000 Statement is the "glue" that holds the Abolition 2000 Network together. It represents a kind of "contract" among the nearly 700 non-governmental groups around the world who have signed it, and it is the starting point for our common work at this conference. * One day of the conference is devoted to working group meetings. Abolition 2000 currently has 10 working groups. Additional working groups can be formed based on participants' interests. Existing working groups are: 1) Nuclear Weapons Convention; 2)Non-Nuclear Security Model for Europe; 3) Chernobyl and Nuclear Power; 4) Media, Communication and Outreach; 5) CTBT and Beyond; 6) Fissile Materials; 7) Overcoming Nuclear Threats/Legal Issues; 8) Lobbying, Dialogue and Campaigning; 9) NPT PrepComs; and 10) Newsletter. ___________________________________ P A C I F I C I M P A C T P E A C E Kekula P. Bray-Crawford Ho`okele Hawai`i - HAWAIIANAVIGATION Co. 1135 Makawao Ave. No. 103-122 - Makawao, Maui 96768 Ka Pae `Aina o Hawai`i Loa Malama Ala a ka Manu ___________________________________ From mario_m at HK.Super.NET Mon Jan 20 11:53:39 1997 From: mario_m at HK.Super.NET (mario mapanao) Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 10:53:39 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 322] On Canadian PM Chretien's visit to the Philippines Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970120104717.1d17aa4e@is1.hk.super.net> Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 03:35:57 +0800 X-Sender: bayan@mnl.sequel.net (Unverified) To: asa@asiaonline.net From: bayan Subject: Newsclip on Canadian PM Chretien's visit X-Attachments: C:\ACS\EML\OUTJAN\KMU-JA16; Philippine Daily Inquirer - Jan.17, 1997 (Front page story) Chretien ends 3-day RP visit Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien left the country for Bangkok after a three day visit aimed at broadening economic and diplomatic relations. Prior to his departure, he was greeted by a picket of 20 (actually 50) leftist activists outside his hotel, protesting against an incident last March when tailings from a mine, partly owned by a Canadian firm, spilled into a river in Marinduque province. The protesters dispersed peacefully after a few minutes. On Tuesday, Chretien and President Ramos discussed cooperation in surveillance of coastal areas, energy, environmental protection, tourism and telecommunications. The two, witnessed the signing of an agreement to open direct air links between the two countries. Philippine and Canadian businessmen signed $505.58 million worth of agreements on Wednesday. All but one of Canada's 10 provincial premiers, a territorial leader and nearly 400 chief executives of Canadian companies accompanied Chretien on the visit. Romulo, who now chairs the Philippines Long Distance Telephone Co., said the just concluded visit had shown that the Philippines "has arrived." "In a sense, it says that we have arrived," Romulo said following a meeting between senior business and financial leaders and Chretien at the Manila Peninsula Hotel in Makati City. He said that in the past, the Philippine government would go to Canada to look for trade and investment opportunities but now, Canada was the one that came to its shores wanting to do business. Former President Corazon Aquino, who also met Chretien yesterday, said the Canadian Prime minister" really and honestly admires what the President Ramos has done for the country." Just a compliment Aquino said Chretien was merely complimenting Mr. Ramos when he said that the international community would be disappointed if he will not run again for office. "It was just a compliment and he would have done the same thing if I were on my last term in office'" she said. On Wednesday, Chretien stepped into a touchy issue when he commented before a business forum that he was disappointed that President Ramos is unable to seek reelection. "I would like to tell you that the world community would be disappointed that you cannot run again because you have gained a lot of respect around the world and we all admire you for yours good work," Chretien told Mr. Ramos. Mr. Ramos, elected in 1992, is limited to one six-year term by the 1987 Constitution. Church and opposition leaders are blocking attempts by supporters of Mr. Ramos to change the Charter to allow him to run again. Another hitch in the Canadian's visit was the protest action staged by the militant Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU) and the Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (BAYAN) criticizing Chretien's free trade and globalization policies. Shouting "imperialists," the leftist activists staged a die-in in front of the hotel where the Canadian Prime minister and other trade mission delegates were staying. The union and student activists also criticized last year's massive spill of mining waste at a copper mine owned by Placer Dome, a Canadian company. "We are here not only to protest the Canadian capitalists' hunting expedition in the Philippines but also to join Canadian workers against Chretien's free trade and globalization policies," labor leader Crispin Beltran said during the 30-minute protest. The activists opposed the free trade policies of the 18-nation Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, which the Philippines led last year and Canada chairs this year. They marched near the hotel entrance with placards marked "People of Canada, Junk Apec," and staged a die-in when a police officer tried to stop them. Several policemen and a number of Canadian security officers stood by. Beltran also said the "majority of Filipinos, especially the workers, have nothing to gain but more environmental problems, more exploitation and more foreign bosses" with the entry of additional Canadian investments. With reports from Christine Avendano, Rocky Nazareno, Rita Villadiego, AF, AFP From amrc at HK.Super.NET Mon Jan 20 17:38:01 1997 From: amrc at HK.Super.NET (AMRC) Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 16:38:01 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 323] Korean strike-report-17 Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970120163140.36c70b16@is1.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #17 - edited on January 19,1997 at 01:00 THIRD day of the General Strike in The THIRD WAVE KCTU Change Strategy : Government Next ? The Korea Confederation of Trade Union (KCTU) carries out a conversion of strategy after 23 days of general strike that overall strikes which have continued are replaced time-limited strikes on every Wednesday . On January 7, the KCTU decided in an executive meeting of the struggle headquaters, that they lower the level of the general strike lasting until now, and go on strikes only every Wednesday. But, the leaders who has gone on a sit-in strike, will keep the present state, and every Wednesday and Saturday, they will hold large-scale mass rallies in big cities including Seoul, pressuring the government into revising the revised labour law. They also said, " if the government does not accept the request of labourer's circles, we plan to resume the 4th phase of general strike." Accordingly, the aspect of general strike continuing since the ruling party bulldozed the bills of labour and National Security Planning Agency act, changes rapidly and the political situation also seems to take a new turn. This change of strategy by the KCTU is based on their judgement that, while supporting opinions are expanding broadly to opposition parties, academic, religious, circles and ordinary citizens, the front organization lines begin to reveal the limitation of 'persistence' followed by long-dated strikes. The KCTU leaders notify to the recent emerging mood that influences of the hard-liners seen to shrink, with the logic of revision rising even in the ruling party. In these relatively 'moderate ' circumstances, such a decision is expected to put pressure on the government, as well as to block the possibility of public censure. But the principle that so far as the revised labour law is not nullified, strikes will continue, is still effective in that the KCTU warns that the government of resume of general strikes including public sector if their demand fails to be fulfilled by February 18. Therefore, the next turn of choice goes to President and the ruling party. ===================================================================== Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (ITGS) Distributed through online BBS Service and internet twice a day phone: +822-855-1913 E-mail:rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage: http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 21 01:27:07 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:27:07 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 324] Strike Urgent Report #12 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970120162707.006bc06c@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #12 - edited on January. 14, 1997, at 01:00 Eleventh day of the General Strike in THE SECOND WAVE More Delegates for Support will Come from Abroad, ICFTU said The labor protest gained international support as a delegation from the International Confederation of Free Trade Unions(ICFTU) flew to Seoul on Saturday to side with striking unions. The ICFTU delegation visited the KCTU President Kwon Young-gil and other union leaders at Myongdong Cathedral yesterday for the second day, pledging support for the nation's unions. Marcello Malentacchi, a representative of the Brussels-based ICFTU told a crowd at the church that "your struggle is our struggle," and that a large number of delegates will come to Seoul for a protest visit around next Thursday. Malentacchi also pledged that the ICFTU will idensify a worldwide campaign to protest the nation's unpopular labor law by sending protest letters to the nation's overseas missions. On the other hand, pro-union protesters are picketing South Korean missions in Asia, Europe and the United States. Various international organizations, including the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD) , the International Labor Organization(ILO) and Amnesty International, expressed concerns or criticized the labor laws. On the morning of January 10, at the initiative of the ICFTU and its Belgian affiliated the FGTB-ABVV, a high level international trade union delegation and its Belgian affiliate the CSC-ACV, visited the Korean Embassy. The delegation was supported by 100 Belgian trade unionists and representatives of international trade union organizations based in Brussels. They organized a picket outside the Korean Embassy chanting slogans such as "trade union rights are human rights" and "repeal the infamous law". Similar demonstrations were organized, following an appeal by the ICFTU, in various cities including Geneva, London, Madeira,The Hague, Manila, New York, Seattel and Washington D.C. Two Umbrella Unions rejected a Televised Debate proposed by NKP Chairman Facing growing popular protests and with a sense of crisis building in the government, senior officials began extending conciliatory gestures with law-enforcement authorities refraining from resorting to the use of force in arresting the union leaders. The ruling New Korea Party(NKP) Chairman Lee Hong-koo, who visited the Federation of Korea Trade Unions (FKTU) Friday, proposed a televised debate on the labor laws Saturday. But the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) now spearheading the the current general strikes immediately rejected the proposal, which they termed a "farce". Kwon Young-gil, President of the KCTU held the press conference and said "the televised debate held without nullifying the laws of labor and the National Security Planning Agency has no meaning." The KCTU has set midnight tomorrow as the deadline for ever bigger strikes nationwide. The KCTU reaffirmed that subway and communications workers will join the nationwide strikes unless the government nullifies the laws by the deadline. The Federation of Korea Trade Unions(FKTU) has also called on its 1.2 million members to enter a two-day strike beginning tomorrow. FKTU chairman Park, In-sung said the strikes will be the biggest in the nation's history, joined by electronic power, train, cargo and finance unions. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 21 01:27:17 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:27:17 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 325] Strike Urgent Report #13 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970120162717.006c66ec@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #13 - edited on January. 15, 1997, at 01:00 Twelfth day of the General Strike in THE SECOND WAVE The general unity for a response to the hard line policy! President Kim Young-sam, on 13th, clarified again that his administration has no plan to repeal the revised labor laws as the protesting union workers have demanded. Addressing 252 New Korea Party(NKP) law-makers, district chapter chairmen and standing advisors attanding a dinner he hosted at Chong Wa Dae, Kim instructed the ruling camp to take complementary measures following the law revisions, saying that "I know the revised labor law cannot satisfy labor and management both but the law was an inevitable choice" Today, January 14, Kwon Young-kil, the KCTU president, in relation with the reaffirmation of a lean-to-hard line policy like that the government will not amend the revised labor law, said that "it's a treatment not gripping public opinion" and made it clear again that "even for communicating the will of peaple uprightly, we'll rush into the third phase of general strike on 15th as planned where public sectors including the workers of subways and telecommunications will join up." Following that plan, starting tomorrow morning, subway workers in Seoul and Pusan and Korea Telecom union members are scheduled to go on an indefinite strike. The KCTU said that some 250.000 workers of 250 affiliated unions will go on a full fledged walk- out indefinitely from today. In addition to that, some 700.000 FKCU-affiliated workers of 16 industries under its wing-banking, chemical, metal, auto, taxi and others-are ready to go on a 39-hour strike from 4 a.m. today. Union members of 35 banks under the wing of the industrial unions are set to go on strike for four hours from noon today and tomorrow. Banking union federation spokemen said that about 100,000 unionized banking personnel, including tellers, are expected to join up in what they say would be the first general strike by banks in 100 years since the introduction of the modern banking system in the country. At least 50,000 taxis will stay idle starting today and tomorrow as unionized cabbies will join the strike while half of intra-city buses will remain parked, with drivers on the picket line, in six major cities. Foreign Labor Activists Warned on Intervention The Korean government planned to take legal action against what officials called "illegal" intervention by foreign labor leaders in the ongoing national strikes. "The gobernment will first warn them of their illegal activities", a senior Chang Wa Dae official said yesterday. Korean officials, expressing personal frustrations over the presences of foreign sysmpathizers at the sites of labor unrest, had not publicly taken issue with the case. But top administration and ruling party officials almost simultaneously broke their silence on the issue yesterday, accusing both the korean labor groups and the foreign activists. Ruling party Chairman Lee Hong-koo criticized the Korea Confederation of Trade Union(KCTU) for allying themselves with foreign labor groups and refusing his proposal for a televized debate on the new labor laws. The delegation members have been attending protest rallies and news conferences with korean union readers, in which they pledged international support for the korean workers' efforts to repeal the new labor bills. The four include representatives from the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions(ICFTU) and the Trade Union Advisory Committee of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development(OECD). Kang Sam-jae, secretary-general of the ruling New Korea-Party, accused the foreign activists of violating international practices, saying that international organizations have only to send documents if they find problems with the Korean labor laws. The ongoing nationwide strikes are receiving intense international attention, dealing a heavy blow to the Kim administration's glovalization and other reform efforts. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 21 01:27:29 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:27:29 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 326] Strike Urgent Report #14 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970120162729.006a2020@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #14 - edited on January. 16, 1997, at 01:00 Thirteenth day of the General Strike in THE SECOND WAVE KCTU and FKTU going on the Strike simultaneously.. The Korea Confederation of Trade Union(KCTU) and the Federation of Korean Trade Unions(FKTU), both umbrella unions in South Korea, resumed almost at the same time a large scale strike on January 14 and 15, and accordingly the strike situation that has lasted for twenty days meets the highest climax. This joint strike of both the trade unions including public sectors seems to pressure on the government and ruling party which are now placed in a plight as strikes obtain public supports. Subway workers in Seoul and Pusan joined the general strike beginning at 4 a.m. today in solidarity with other industry union workers. The subway workers have been working out of uniforms in protest since arrest warrants were issued against the KCTU leaders now headquarterd at Myongdong Cathedral. The FKTU also called for a one-day strike for bus drivers in Seoul and other major cities. Taxi, port and other unions under control of the FKTU went on a two-day strike yesterday. Cabbies, some of whom parked their taxis and joined the picket lines yesterday are set to go for a full-fledged industrial action. Meanwhile, the prosecution, which has already obtained arrest warrants for seven KCTU leaders and 13 other union leaders, said the union leaders of public sectors will be arrested soon if the strikes inconvenience citizens. ICFTU Dismisses Government Accusations of Interference The International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) on Thuesday rejected South Korean government accusations of interference in labor unrest here. "Our delegation in Korea is in response to an invitation by our Korean affiliates and out of concern about violations by Korea of international labour law," ICFTU assistant general secretary Eddy Laurijssen said in a statement sent from the Brussels headquarters. Laurijssen said any move to prevent the ICFTU from expressing solidarity with South Korean trade unions would be seen as an "outrage" by international workers. He expessed concern over government warnings that the presence of the four ICFTU delegates at sites of labor unrest violated the purpose of their entry into the country. South Korean officials on Monday slammed the ICFTU delegation for "reprehensible" complicity with unions in a nationwide strike against an new labor law. Press reports carried veiled hints of possible deportation. The four ICFTU delegates, headed by John Evans, general secretary of the Trade Union Advisory Committee to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), held a press conference here criticizing a new labor law that led to the strikes. The ICFTU has also filed a complaint against the law with the International Labor Organization in Geneva. Solidarity over religions and over classes! Dam water has been burst. General strikes broke a sluice gate of 'popular feeling' open. The furious popular feeling gushing out jumped over the walls of regions and classes. Since the laws were bulldozed, the 'consciences' everywhere in the society began to break the silences and move. on December 31, member lawyers of went on a sit-in demonstration. They insisted that the democracy, tampled down in 7 minutes, should be taken back. Professor marched down on the street, on the same day, demading to nullify the railroaded laws. A statement by professors at college of law is given on 7th, follwed by a special statement on current situation in which nation-wide range of professors join including Seoul Naitonal University, Yonsei Univ., Korea Univ., Pusan Univ. and etc. They made it clear that they will step forward to campaign to over- thorw the present government, unless the bulldozed laws are out of effect. Religious leaders also coped with this situation swiftly. The Roman Catholic Church at Seoul held a prayer meeting on Dec.27 at Myungdong Cathedral. They claimed strongly that unilateral passage of bills is null and void. Buddists also marched down on the street in the central district after their meeting at Choke-sa on 30 Dec. 330 present priests announced that they will hold a mass gathering on every Monday. Protestants held a street prayer meeting since Jan.3. and hung out placard requesting resign of President Kim. Those resistances by all sorts and conditions of people got together to announce "declaration of 1997 persons." This statement was made by national-wide persons of religious, academic, culture and art circles. It is concentrated on "the protection of democracy". On the same day, all walks of life over region and class made a parade of solidarity. Those solidarity rallies, that day, were held in big cities including Pusan, Kwangju, Taeku and others. The Nationwide Committee that held the rallies put it that present government is distrusted virtually. Opinions like these show signs of active resistance like noncofidence and disobedience growing from passive opposition. "The fact that changing the world through these campaign is not by a resolution of only a politician but by the power of the people," people who plan to attach labels on cars read "I hate civilian dictatorship" and "We elected President in wrong." said. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 21 01:27:39 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:27:39 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 327] Strike Urgent Report #15 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970120162739.0069e1a8@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #15 - edited on January. 17, 1997, at 01:00 FIRST day of the General Strike in THE THIRD WAVE The Greatest Demonstration All Over The Country! Yesterday, January 15, over 200,000 people including laborers, students and citizens poured out and overspreaded the streets in 15 cities inclusive of Seoul,Pusan, Kwangju, Daeku and others, crying out the slogan "retraction or the detrimental revisions of labor law and National Security Planning Agency act". They held rallies by regions and marched through the streets with flags and banners to demonstrate against the evil laws. In some regions like Seoul, as riot police fired tear gas on demonstrators, ordinary citizens who kept watched over the sights hooted the violent police. The nationalwide rallies of this day is the largest from the past 'June- struggle' in 1987. The KCTU, however, said on the same day that the overall and indefinite strikes of public sectors including subway, hospital, cargo would go on until 15 and 16th, and be converted into partial strikes after that. They decided to control the level of strikes with the consideration of public opinion, the confrontation of government and others. They also warned that "in case that the government authorities commit police force to the Myongdong Cathedral, we'll again launch overall general strikes". The Federation of Korean Trade Unions(FKTU) held a great rally of laborers at Yoido Plaza in Seoul. At that rally, Park In-sang, president of the FKTU said " the FKTU will fight to the day that the evil laws are nullified", insisting that "we will go on struggles to the time of Presidential election". The FKTU finished the general strike of the second phase and plan to start political struggles that can be given by people's supports. Government to Try All Means to End Strikes ; Massive Strike Leaders Imminent The government yesterday held a special cabinet meeting of labor- related ministers and decided to seek "every possible means" for an early settlement of labor unrest. During the meeting presided over by Prime Minister Lee Soo- sung in the morning, the ministers agreed that the situation has now reached an intolerable level. As the collective actions of union members have been prolonged and are spreading to the public sector, they are inconveniencing the public and damaging the national economy, they said. The ministers also shared the view that "stern and swift legal actions are necessary to bring the current labor unrest to an end," said the Prime Minister's Office after the meeting. The office added that the ministers said the ongoing labor strikes have been turning from political struggles to ideological ones and have decided to seek measures to cope with the situation. The participants reaffirmed the government's position that the arrest of union leaders who are leading the illegal strikes should not be delayed further -even considering the repercussions. After the cabinet meeting, the prosecution sent a tough warning to unions that the use of police force is imminent to arrest leaders of the labor strikes. Prosecutor Choi Byong-kuk, head of the Public Security Department warned unless union leaders stop the "illegal" strikes immediately, they will be dealt with in a "stern and resolute" manner. Though he didn't detail when and how legal actions will be taken, the senior prosecutor strongly implied that his warning was the ultimatum before the use of force. In the statement read in a press conference, senior prosecutor Choi said the strike has become a "serious threat" to the nation's security. "In recent days, North Korea has increasingly made an ill use of the labor crisis by instigating workers to enter even longer strikes," he said. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 21 01:27:48 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 21 Jan 1997 00:27:48 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 328] Strike Urgent Report #16 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970120162748.006cedfc@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #16 - edited on January. 18, 1997, at 01:00 SECOND day of the General Strike in THE THIRD WAVE Court Doubts Constitutionality of Labor Law Under Hot Debate A district court yesterday decided to ask the Constitutional Court to review the constitutionality of the majority party's railroading of new labor bills early in the morning at the end of last year. Civil Department No. 1 of the Chang-won District Court made the decision in connection with a request by the Hyundai Precision Co. that the court order unionized workers on strike to return to work because their strike is illegal. The trial will be delayed until the Constitutional Court delivers a final judgement on whether or not the Assembly action violated the Constitution. The Supreme Court will convey the district court's request to the Constitutional Court, which is expected to act on it early next month at the earliest. The civil panel, led by Senior Judge Mun Hung-su, raised questions about the legality of opening the plenary session during which the labor bills were passed at 6 a.m. instead of the legally set 2 p.m. An amendment to the Law on the Establishment of the Agency for National Security Planning was also passed by the New Korea Party(NKP) during the session. It suspected it might violent Paragraph Two, Article 7 of the National Assembly Law, which stipulates that plenary sessions shall open at 2 p.m. The panel said that the starting time may be changed through agreements by floor negotiating groups, but that there was no prior consultation for that time. The National Assembly Speaker notified the changed opening time only to ruling party lawmakers. The civil panel said, "Since the country is in crisis with national opinion split and the economy heading toward catastrophe due to the workers' waves of strikes, the Constitutionaly Court has the grave duty to make a decision as soon as possible. "If the Constitutional Court rules that the passage of the laws is unconstitutional, unionized workers will end their strikes for they will have attained their goal. If it is judged constitutional, the workers will have to seek change of the laws through legal means such as elections, not by means of strikes." (From The Korea Times, January 17, 1997) The Violent Gale of Timeworn McCarthyism Blows Hard Again! The government plots to link the struggles of laborers with "impure" left-wing powers. Prosecutor Choi Byong-kuk, head of the Public Security Departement said, on 15th, "The general strikes are degenerating to class struggle", insisting that "the evidence is that North Korean propaganda broadcasts are instigating the working class to destroy the government and that "communist" fliers were found at the scene of labor rallies". Kim Chul, spokeman of New Korea Party(NKP), in reference to the subversive printed materials, said that prosecution, police and the National Security Planning Agency must ferret out the entity and wirepullers of the impure factors", denouncing that "the power that are distributing the fliers carrying slogans such as "Down with capitalist government" tries to overturn the nation by switching the strikes from a struggle against labor laws to one against the system". Those signs that the government intends to connect the strikes with a left-wing force, seem to be followed by the designs of separating ordinary citizens from laborers. An official said "burdens imposed with the authorities are the resistances of people in general, rather than the strikes of labors' side. So, if ordinary citizens and laborers are separated, it will not so difficult to suppress the strikes." He hinted that the in-secret damage of McCarthyism was one of the strategies for putting down strikes, adding that "it is important to disjoin the middle classes from the workers', political authority from labor powers, the FKTU from the KCTU, and the KCTU's leader groups from workplaces." This kind of maneuvering is the same timeworn trick that the past military dictatorship regimes took advantage of. Those governments had oppressed anti-government activities by imputing them with the accusation of pro- communist. The main opposition party dismissed the NKP's statement as a throwback to Cold War rhetoric. "These practices of the government are in an chain of dirty political maneuverings and too, the evidences that Kim's government loses the ability to cope with the existing situations rationally", a response from the National Congress for New Politics(NCNP) says. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From 104552.2100 at compuserve.com Tue Jan 21 09:08:12 1997 From: 104552.2100 at compuserve.com (Liliana Rodríguez Mayn) Date: Mon, 20 Jan 1997 19:08:12 -0500 Subject: [asia-apec 329] INDIGENUOS RIGHTS IN MEXICO Message-ID: <199701201908_MC2-FA4-31B4@compuserve.com> Re: EZLN communique- English >From owner-ncdm-ally@igc.org Sat Jan 4 06:12:03 1997 Return-Path: X-Authentication-Warning: igc7.igc.org: Processed from queue var/spool/mqueue-maj Date: Fri, 3 Jan 1997 08:38:47 -0800 (PST) From: moonlight@igc.apc.org Subject: EZLN communique- English To: ncdm-ally@igc.org X-Sender: moonlight@pop.igc.org Sender: owner-ncdm-ally@igc.org Communique of the Revolutionary Indigenous Clandestine Committee General Command of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation January 1, 1997 To the people of Mexico: To the people and governments of the world: Brothers and Sisters: In regards to the proposals on Constitutional reforms in regards to indigenous matters presented by the Cocopa to the federal government and the EZLN, the CCRI, General Command of the EZLN declares: FIRST~ That on the 19th day of December of 1996 a sub-commission of the Cocopa presented itself in the community of La Realidad in the Lacandon jungle to meet with a delegation of the CCRI_CG of the EZLN. In this meeting the Cocopa gave the EZLN a document with observations made by the federal government on the proposal elaborated by the legislative entity (Cocopa) regarding constitutional reforms on indigenous matters. SECOND~ The Cocopa recognizes that it was unaware of the content and ramifications of such observations and that more time was needed to analyze the proposal of Mr. Ernesto Zedillo; the response of Mister Zedillo to the Cocopa was neither a yes or a no as the Cocopa, the EZLN and public opinion expected. However, as a sign of good will the EZLN responded that along with its team of advisors and the National Indigenous Congress it would analyze the document sent by the federal government to the Cocopa. THIRD~ The EZLN and the Cocopa agreed to a new tripartite meeting between the Cocopa, the EZLN and the Conai to decide its positions on the 11th and 12th day of 1997 in the community of La Realidad. FOURTH~ The EZLN would like to make it clear that at no time have the negotiations been re-opened regarding the agreements of San Andres on indigenous rights and culture nor on the Cocopa initiative which reflects the agreements of San Andres signed by the federal government and the EZLN 11 months ago regarding indigenous matters. FIFTH~ The EZLN from the beginning of the discussion on the indigenous issue has summoned important national sectors, specialists and the best of the independent national indigenous movement to struggle for a new relationship with the indigenous peoples and the Mexican nation; the Zapatista flag of "everything for everyone, nothing for us" is a reality, and that is why the EZLN calls upon the National Indigenous Congress and its team of advisors to an important work session that will take place in the next days. At that time, the EZLN will make know its decision regarding this issue; and the Cocopa has given its word to do the same. The EZLN is not alone in this struggle nor will it be alone in its response. Democracy, Liberty, Justice >From the mountains of the Mexican southeast Subcomandante Insurgente Marcos Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee General Command Zapatista Army of National Liberation Thirteenth year of the Struggle Fourth year of the war against oblivion January 1997 Fourth year of war Mexico, 1997 Message from the Indigenous Revolutionary Clandestine Committee in commemoration of the third anniversary of the rebellion of January 1st 1994 To the insurgent troops; To the militias; To the bases of support of the Zapatista Army of National Liberation; To the people of Mexico; To the peoples of the world; Today is the anniversary of the beginning of the war of the Zapatista rebels. It has been 1095 days of war against oblivion. It has now been three years of resistance for the memory we have given ourselves in order to live. Three years ago the insurgent Zapatistas began a war against oblivion and silence. A war which was and is not for political power but to have respect and to defend the dignity of the men and women who carry in their heart the blood of the first inhabitants of the land, who carry on their lips the truth of the oldest wisemen, who go upon the path of the pace of dignity of all true men and women. In these three years the Power has not ceased in its persecution of us and it tries to forget us in order to stop us, make us surrender and annihilate us. The Power uses all its Force, many and large are its machines of war which fill our land and our skies, many and large are the deaths with which the Power attacks our lives. Here we are. We are still here. We have not been silent. We have not surrendered. In order to defeat us, the Power buys words and consciences, the Power asked for peace yet behind its promise came treachery and death. To our truth the Power puts up the lie against our memory and launches oblivion. We are here. We continue to be here. We have not forgotten. We will not surrender. Our war was and is so that memory recover its place in history. There will not be peach as long as oblivion remains our only future. Our war was and is so that the truth of all who are different may be heard and understood so that all in the world may have a place in the world. There will not be peace as long as the lie is the only word to be heard, as long as intolerance and cynicism remain the only banner. We the Zapatistas do not speak for ourselves, we bring the word of all our dead who died very silent. We speak for them. In our words the dead speak. All the silent ones of forever will resist until the words of the forgotten are taken into account. We will struggle until the silences of the silent ones speak. We will die until the dead live. In these three years of war marked today, the anxiety is fulfilled because the Power has no other word but the Lie. Whether four years will be of war or of peace depends on whether the Supreme Power accepts or does not accept history. It depends on whether it recognizes those who are different because the different deserve a place for their word and their step. This fourth year will be like all which have preceded it. We must live for the nation or die for liberty. >From the mountains of the Mexican Southeast CCRI-CG of the EZLN ------------------------------------------------ Red Mexican de Accio'n frente al Libre Comercio (RMALC) (Mexican Action Network on Free Trade) Godard 20, Tel/Fax: (52) (5) 355 1177 Guadalupe Victoria, E-mail: rmalc@laneta.apc.org C.P. 07790 Me'xico D.F. MEXICO Pagina Web: http://www.laneta.apc.org/rmalc/rmalcesp.htm From amrc at HK.Super.NET Thu Jan 23 18:14:48 1997 From: amrc at HK.Super.NET (AMRC) Date: Thu, 23 Jan 1997 17:14:48 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 330] Do you have any articles related to the Korean workers strike? Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970123170827.274760ba@is1.hk.super.net> Dear friends, I would like to express my deep solidarity with you and all supporters of the Korean workers strike. Now we are collecting reflection/analytical articles on the general strike in Korea, as featured/written about in different countries by trade unionists, independent journalists, progressive scholars, religious leaders as well as free writers. We would like to make use of these articles to analyze the Korean strike as it relates to globalization, and translate some of the articles into Korean. If anybody has such related articles, could you send such copy to AMRC soon? I should say sorry for this urgent inquiry. Thank you very much . In solidarity Serapina AMRC Asia Monitor Resource Centre 444 Nathan Road, 8-B Kowloon, Hong Kong Fax: (852) 2398 5319 E-mail: amrc@hk.super.net From freezone at hookele.com Fri Jan 24 21:48:26 1997 From: freezone at hookele.com (Pacific Impact) Date: Fri, 24 Jan 1997 02:48:26 -1000 (HST) Subject: [asia-apec 331] note from Moorea Message-ID: >From Moorea ... Iorana, We have begun our agenda and things are moving forward. Reports have been placed in the daily journal online: http://www.hookele.com/abolition2000/journal.html If you would like to read and contribute to the discussions taking place please visit our online forum at: http://www.hookele.com/abolition2000/abotalk We are going to be reading it if we can raise the funds to cover the expense of the time online. Due to this hindrance we plan at this time to view the discussion area on Saturday. Maururu ___________________________________ P A C I F I C I M P A C T P E A C E Kekula P. Bray-Crawford Ho`okele Hawai`i - HAWAIIANAVIGATION Co. 1135 Makawao Ave. No. 103-122 - Makawao, Maui 96768 Ka Pae `Aina o Hawai`i Loa Malama Ala a ka Manu ___________________________________ From freezone at hookele.com Mon Jan 27 11:18:48 1997 From: freezone at hookele.com (Pacific Impact) Date: Sun, 26 Jan 1997 16:18:48 -1000 (HST) Subject: [asia-apec 332] articles on the Abolition 2000 Conference Message-ID: Aloha Kakou, The following articles on the Abolition 2000 Conference, from local newspapers in Tahiti, have been translated into English posted on the web: Moorea - Te Ao Maohi Tahiti, Jan 22, 1997 http://hookele.com/abolition2000/jan22.html Non Governmental Organization Polynesian Reception For Abolition 2000, Les Nouvelles De Tahiti, Jan 23, 1997 http://hookele.com/abolition2000/nouvelles23.html Meeting of Abolition 2000 La Depeche, Jan 23, 1997 http://hookele.com/abolition2000/depeche23.html Please join the online interactive discussion at: http://hookele.com/abolition2000/abotalk Mahalo Pacific Impact - freezone@hookele.com - Phone +689 56-98-90 - Fax +689 56-48-39 From bayan at mnl.sequel.net Mon Jan 27 13:13:16 1997 From: bayan at mnl.sequel.net (bayan) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 12:13:16 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 333] News clip of Canadian Premier's Visit Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970127120653.096754c6@is1.hk.super.net> Today - Wednesday January 15,1997 (Front Page Story) Canadian Business Told: Don't Ruin Environment By Malou Talosig - Reporter A group of Canadian-based churches has asked Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chretien and his 500-man trade delegation visiting the Philippines to be more socially conscious in venturing in businesses in Asia, reminding them that a Canadian firm partly running the Marcopper mines has yet to clean up the mine tailings mess in Marinduque. "Profit for the 'creation of wealth' should not be the only consideration of the government and Canadians doing business abroad. The Canadian churches expect them to be interested in how wealth is being distributed. They expect Canadian corporations to uphold standards and rights related to workers, communities, the environment, regardless of where they do business," said the Canada Asia Working Group in a statement faxed to TODAY. The group said the Philippines experienced "one of the worst environmental disasters" when the Marcopper mines, partly owned by Vancouver-based Placer Dome, Inc. spilled three million tons of tailings in Boac and Makulapnit rivers in Marinduque last year. The disaster killed the river and destroyed the livelihood source of 20,700 residents in 27 villages. The church group received reports that a Canadian company, La Prairie International Contractors Inc. is part of the consortium building the Casecnan Dam Project in Quirino and Nueva Vizcaya. "The project threatens to submerge lands of the Bugkalot indigenous peoples and displace over 20,000 people. Even if the people will not be physically displaced, they will suffer social and economic dislocation when the forest, their source of livelihood, is declared a watershed," the group said. Chretien arrived yesterday with a delegation of 400 businessmen and top Canadian officials to forge a string of business and bilateral agreements, beginning with an air transport agreement that allows direct air services between the two countries. In a joint press conference at the Heroes Hall after bilateral talks with the visiting official, President Ramos announced that he has formally turned over to Chretien the chairmanship of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit for 1997. Chretien noted that the sixfold growth in trade between the two countries can still be boosted. Canada ranked seventeenth among the country's trading partners in 1995 and is tenth largest investor in the Philippines. President Ramos said he was assured by Placer dome officials that they will continue clearing the river choked by mine tailings of the Marcopper-operated mine until "normalcy is restored in the area. Asked about the lessons to be drawn from the disaster that had dislocated hundreds of families , Chretien said, "We do not tell the company how to operate on a daily basis in foreign countries. We tell them to respect laws and regulations of this country as we expect companies who come to Canada to respect the laws and regulations of Canada. With M. Gonzalez From bayan at mnl.sequel.net Mon Jan 27 17:38:52 1997 From: bayan at mnl.sequel.net (bayan) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 16:38:52 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 334] "Globalization" and the Flexibilization of Labor in South Korea Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970127163228.1ca724c8@is1.hk.super.net> Dear Friends, am forwarding one workshop paper presented at the BAYAN sponsored People's Conference Against Imperialist Globalization, held at the time of APEC in Manila, November 1996. The workshop resolutions can be directly requested from BAYAN at . Mario Dear Friends, Solidarity greetings from BAYAN and the Secretariat of the Peo- ple's Campaign Against Imperialist Globalization. We will now send you the papers presented in the various workshops held during the People's Conference. We start with the GABRIELA-sponsored Women's Workshop since one of the papers, "'Globalization' and the Flexibilization of Labor in South Korea," is of current significance. It was presented by Marie Rhie Chol Soon of the Korean Women Workers Association United. By giving us a view of the situation of workers in South Korea, even if focussing on women workers, we can understand more the struggle that the workers' movement there is now waging. We encourage the participants in the People's conference and Caravan to give support to our South Korean sisters and brothers by issuing statements and possibly holding pickets at the Korean Embassy and other forms of mass actions based on your capabili- ties. Please furnish us a copy of your statements and write-up about mass actions so we can share them with our South Korean friends and comrades and with the other participants of the People's Conference and Caravan. People's Campaign Secretariat ---------------------------------------------------------------- "GLOBALIZATION" AND THE FLEXIBILIZATION OF LABOR IN SOUTH KOREA by Maria Rhie Chol Soon Korean Women Workers Associations United Seoul, South Korea History of Economic Development of South Korea The process of South Korean economic development focused on exports and intensive capitalization through the government's active involvement since the national economic development plan started in 1962. A notable phenomena that accompanied rapid industrialization has been economic concentration in a few peo- ple. These few people are the famous jaebul. The jaebul's (about 30 hands) dominance in the Korean economy is not confined to the manufacturing sector or to production. Their extensions, like the legs of an octopus, cover almost all kinds of business: department stores, banks and other financial firms. Although the economic development policy was converted from the processing- trade-based light industry to heavy industry since the heavy industrialization declaration in 1973 and symptoms of an economic crisis in the late 1970's, there was basically no change in an economic development strategy based on exports. The economic development led by exports was quite successful relatively. Total export from 1960 to 1985 contributed about 40% of South Korean economic growth. In the process of South Korean economic development, weak eco- social conditions produced a strange politico-economic structure. For economic growth and development in a capitalist society, there must be several conditions such as capital supply, means of production, enough labor power, and available market . But, South Korea had only widespread cheap labor and a repressive political body to keep a low-wages policy. The rest of the condi- tions for economic development were subordinate to foreign capi- tal. What became the main features of South Korean economic develop- ment were: increase in foreign debt; introduction of foreign capital; dependence on foreign countries for technical develop- ment and development of other means of production; and gover- nment's special support to a handful of monopolistic enterprises for the promotion of export. These features were derived from an unbalanced economic situation in the country. Also, these features made economic dependency on the U.S. and Japan a neces- sary condition for national economic development and growth. The mid-1980's proved that an economic development strategy, which allowed employers' and government control over the economy and which depended on low wages and long working hours, was not suited anymore. The pattern of economic development based on a politico-economic relations between capital and an authoritarian political system changed. Government and the dominant capitalists responded to the crisis of the established development structure through the Rearrangement of Industrial Structure in the 1980's. There was a demand for privatization and a relaxation of adminis- trative controls over the economy. The government started call- ing for "internationalism" and "globalization" as an ideology of social unity while the contradiction among capital was increasing due to the protectionism of world market and trade conflicts. There was a change in the state's involvement in the economy. It was the strong opinion that the state's over-intervention was a real hindrance in developing efficiency and international compet- itiveness in the economy. An open-door policy was suggested for international relations. This open-door policy and the easing of restrictions as a result of the Uruguay Round (UR) trade talks generally forced sacrifices from the agricultural sector and the small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The new economic development policy espoused by the government and the dominant capitalists is a new hostile challenge that the workers and the ordinary people of South Korea have to overcome. In the present South Korea, there exist a deficient social wel- fare system, worsening environmental pollution, limited labor laws and a notorious national security law maintained by an authoritarian political system. "Globalization" The accelerated growth of capitalism in some parts of Asia has been facilitated by the intervention of the developed capitalist world, and closely guided by the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, etc. It is they who directed the industrial and agrarian policies of Asian governments and lured them with mas- sive foreign loans and aid. In the past two decades, most Asian countries have adopted an export-led development policy aimed at bringing in foreign in- vestments to produce goods for export to the developed countries. This economic policy was characterized by the establishment of Free Trade Zones/Export Processing Zones (FTZs/EPZs), where special incentives were given to investors, specially multina- tional corporations (MNCs). FTZs/EPZs basically mean that a country opens its doors to foreign investors directly for the setting-up of MNC subsidiaries, with very little restrictions. The most distinctive characteristic of FTZs is that they are exempted from the customs duties and other controls normally imposed on imports into and exports from the principal custom territory. It is also interesting to note that the majority of labor force employed in FTZs/EPZs in Asian countries are women. The "globalization" process has been accelerated because the miracle economies of so called NICs (newly industrializing coun- tries) have given rise to an "Asian model of development." Under these positive images from the late 1980's on, the NICs have had an overwhelming influence in the Asian setting. The growth of NICs was first fuelled by the setting up of EPZs. NICs such as South Korea, Taiwan and Hong Kong established their EPZs in the late 60's and early 70s. However, in recent years, many MNCs/TNCs and other enterprises have transferred some part of their capital from East Asia to other Asian countries where cheap labor is more available and where labor control is still very strong. This has taken place mainly in labor-intensive small- to medium-sized industries. Unstable Employment of Workers Korean women workers are suffering from discrimination not only in gaining employment but also in all aspects of working condi- tions, such as wages, promotions, etc. Management's discrimina- tion against women workers is still strong although there has been meager improvements pushed by an activated labor movement since 1987. Particularly in the area of employment issues, women workers are still considered as marginal workers. Job problems that women workers currently face can be classified into three categories. 1. Retrenchment/Unemployment In recent years, plant closures are implemented as manage- ment's way of preventing workers from organizing and of accessing cheap labor. Companies move their plants to the rural areas in the same country or simply move out and transfer overseas. Job loss is common for South Koreans due to company shut- downs or relocation of production facilities. Concrete effects are mass lay-offs and unpaid compensation. Since 1986, the impact of the structural adjustment programs (SAPs) which the government has been undertaking, especially since the late 1980s when labor conflicts were at their height, has become increasingly serious. Declining industries (textile, clothing, shoes) are relocated abroad, while growing industries (steel, petrochemicals, electricity, electronics, automobiles, shipbuilding, machinery) are given many incentives to develop. As women workers are usually concentrated in labor-intensive industries, it is usually women's jobs which are lost under economic restructuring. Unemployment occurs mostly among those working in light industries, mainly women workers, due to lay-offs and dismissals. The main causes of lay-offs and dismissals are: withdrawal of foreign capital joint ventures and their transfer to other coun- tries; the temporary suspension of operations and permanent closures of SMEs; and the systematization of subcontracting. In Pusan, where the shoe industry sated in 1990-94 five-year period, 217 companies declared bankruptcy and 768 firms closed shop. The number of shoe industry workers which had been 164,000 at the beginning of 1988 decreased to 31,395 in 1993. In Seoul, the Kuro Export-processing complex reduced personnel from 74,466 in 1987 to 43,357 in August 1995. In the Masan Free Export Zone, 47% of the employees were dismissed from 1987 to 1992. Dismissed workers received no training to enable them to obtain other employment nor did they get any other support to guarantee their livelihood. The women workers who ended up unemployed were pushed into the service industries or to work as housekeepers. 2. Irregular Employment Recently changing employment configurations with the growth of part-time, dispatch, temporary, provisional, service-related and contingent jobs have diffused women's importance, so that on the whole, women's occupational formation has worsened. In reality, such irregular types of employment are discriminatory against women workers because they are not covered by the condi- tions of equality in regular employment such as equivalent work hours and equivalent workload (irregular employment offers 60% of the wages of regular employment, and does not cover entitlement to various holidays and vacations as well as welfare benefits of regular employment). Specifically in manufacturing industries, the number of regular women workers has been steadily decreasing since 1989. In the textile, garment and leather industries, the number of women workers has decreased 44.6% since 1987. Also, 82.9% of women workers are employed on regular and temporary basis while 17.1% are employed on a daily basis. One out of five women workers in the mining and manufacturing industries are employed on a day to day basis. Furthermore, facing the threat of dismis- sal, women workers are prevented from joining labor unions. Temporary workers in the manufacturing sector in South Korea usually work the same number of hours as fulltime workers, but get less wages and nominal benefits. Although the Department of Labor index designates part-time employment as working 30.8 hours or less a week, if the hourly wage worker in Korea were to work the identical hours of regular employment, this would for the most part take up all the nominal hours. Most of the women work- ers are older, subcontracting workers who have no choice but to enter as part-timers because of their childcare responsibilities. Among part-time workers, women now comprise 64.9% compared to 45.9% in 1990. Another reason for the increase in women part-time and temporary workers in South Korea, is industries' increasing need for a flexible work force. The employers are able to reduce its expenses by paying women workers less as casual workers aside from using such a set-up to divide the workers and prevent them from joining together to fight. Job loss as a result of indus- trial restructuring has also forced retrenched women workers to accept part-time or temporary jobs even though they are much lower paid and offers no job security. Dispatch workers, presently with the exception of workers in harbors and docks, law enforcement, janitorial and service sector and temporary workers, is illegal under existing laws. Neverthe- less, the law is disregarded and there is no monitoring of these illegal service jobs. There was an estimated 300,000 workers in 3,000 service enterprises in 1995. In the case of service corps labor, there were 400,000 such workers in 1992 of which 51.2% were women. They are concentrated mainly in the manufacturing, banking, and insurance industries, but are spreading to all industrial sectors. From bayan at mnl.sequel.net Mon Jan 27 17:38:57 1997 From: bayan at mnl.sequel.net (bayan) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 16:38:57 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 335] "Globalization and the Flexibilization of Labor (Part II) Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970127163233.1ca76c4a@is1.hk.super.net> 3. Increase of Flexible Workers As in many other countries, women are being gradually pushed into terribly low-paid and insecure employment. Over the last few years, the industry has increasingly shifted production to home-based women workers. The need to supplement family income and to take care of the children and household chores have forced women to accept extremely low wages doing factory work at home. In Asia, homebased workers have long been part of factory produc- tion. According to a research conducted by the Korean Women's Institute, homebased workers are presumed to comprise 9.4% of active economic participants. The steady increase in homebased workers is consistent with the increase in employment in subcon- tracting firms. For the most part, homeworker are assigned simple and labor-intensive tasks in the labor process, and they are subject to periods of involuntary unemployment. Their job security is very low while their income level is only 68% of other workers. Furthermore, 53.1% of homebased workers are women with children under six years of age. Shortage of humanpower in SMEs and the Problems of Migrant Workers The shortage of humanpower in small- and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) has worsened since 1990, when the economy was in recession and factories closed one after another. As the economy recovered in 1994, the shortage of manpower was exacerbated. Foreign workers increasingly came into the South Korean labor market. The government calculated the number of migrant workers to be 170,000. The Korean Federation of Small Businesses proposed to the govern- ment that more foreign workers be imported. They are welcome by SMEs as the solution to the humanpower shortage since their wages and other labor costs are much cheaper. They work without any protection by domestic labor-related laws and submit to discrimi- natory practices. Meanwhile, there have been debates regarding the foreign workers. The labor movement works for their protection because they are also entitled to human and labor rights. However, it has also been pointed out that even though the influx of foreign workers may help solve the humanpower shortage in the short run, the low- waged employment that they are forced to accept will help prolong the bad working conditions suffered by all SME workers thereby hurt their interest.# From mtachiba at jca.or.jp Mon Jan 27 20:37:11 1997 From: mtachiba at jca.or.jp (TACHIBANA Masahiko) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 20:37:11 +0900 Subject: [asia-apec 336] Korea General Strike News #17 Message-ID: <9701271135.AA02586@brahman.phy.saitama-u.ac.jp> Recently several articles were sent to owner-asia-apec@jca.or.jp from Asia Monitor Resource Center. But it seems that these messages should be sent to asia-apec@jca.or.jp So I am going to forward those mails to the recipients of asia-apec ML. TACHIBANA Masahiko, one of the owner-asia-apec > Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 16:19:49 +0800 (HKT) > X-Sender: amrc@is3.hk.super.net > Mime-Version: 1.0 > To: owner-asia-apec@jca.or.jp > From: =?EUC-KR?B?wMzH9Q==?= (by way of AMRC < >amrc@hk.super.net>) > Subject: Korea General Strike News #17 > > > [Main Page] [Strike Urgent Report] [Sign Here] [Related Links] > > Struggle News Flash No. 17 > January 22, 1997 > > Issued by the NCPD(National Committee for the Revocation of the > Labor Law and NSPA Act Amendments and the Preservation of Democracy) > > Today's Headline News > > Strike Update : Meeting between the party leaders on the 21st. "Will > talk it over in the National Assembly." > President Kim, the National Congress for New Policies(NCNP)'s > chairman Kim Dae Joong , the Unity of Liberal Democrats(ULD)'s > chairman Kim > Jong Pil and the N.K.P.'s leader Lee Heung Ku met at the Bluehouse > on the afternoon and talked about various issues including the > strike and the solution to the crisis on hand. Pres. Kim and each > party's chairmans agreed that this crisis should be solved in the > N.A. But Pres. Kim's request of discussion in the N.A. and the two > opposition chairman's demand of discussion with the total > nullification of the labor and national security laws as a > precondition brought about a disagreement. As for the two opposition > party leader's request Pres. Kim made clear that he will never allow > the nullification to take place because it goes against the > constitution. Pres. Kim also stated that he will order the person in > charge to reprieve all arrest warrants connected with this strike. > > A Big Letdown > > The K.C.T.U. assessed today's meeting as a big failure. The K.C.T.U. > stated that the meeting did not even get close to the solution to > the strike crisis, was far from what the people expected or wanted > and overall was a big letdown. It also announced that it will > continue the strike until demands, 1) > Nullification of labor law and NSPA Act with amendments to the > previous labor laws before March 1st 2) Withdrawal of all > suppression and punishments like suing for damages, mass firings and > drop of all charges and indictments to not only the leaders of the > K.C.T.U. but all 410 people who are wanted under the law, are met. > Also the Federation of Korean Trade Unions announced that although > the governments reprieve of all arrest warrants connected to the > strike is well received, the meeting will not receive an approval > from the laborers because it ended with just a vague promise > of discussion in the National Assembly. Furthermore, the F.K.T.U. > declared that it will continue to fight to nullify the labor law and > achieve amendments of a new one that will fit with the international > standards. It also said that it will reject any labor law amendments > if it continues to be a pathetic political haggle between the > parties with the labor and management being excluded. > National Professor's Committee for the nullification of the labor > and national security laws also mad comments about today's meeting. > It pointed out that the president, who should take first > responsibility for what has occurred and will occur, tried to put > the responsibility on the shoulders of the National Assembly and > eventually the opposition parties. It also stated that 'the mass > lay-off', 'the flexible labor hours system', 'the contigent labor > during the strike' and 'the prohibition of full-time unionist being > paid' clauses will deprive the K.C.T.U. of whatever power it has. As > for the national security law, it pointed out that the N.K.Party > will repass the bill after going through a procedure of discussion > in the National Assembly and that the meeting was just an attempt to > stabilize the bill. The N.P.C. made clear that they will continue > their resistance on a national basis. Catholic Emergency Committee > for the nullification of labor and national security laws also > declared that it was disappointed because the meeting failed to > reach a solution to this crisis and reconfirmed Pres. Kim's > peremptory and self-righteous behaviors. It also claimed that the > government will face the anger of the people if it tries to soothe > the crisis by distorting the public opinion and by delaying. > Regarding to the meeting the NCNP's treasurer Park Sang Chun > announced that is will be hard to reach any kind of agreement > without the N.K.Party's recognition of the nullification of the > labor law and NSPA Act and the illegal procedure it took to pass the > bills. The ULD also made comments and said that Pres. Kim's views > towards this crisis and the solution is too far off from the > opposition party's views and that the president has > no sincerity whatsoever. He also stated that they will intensify > their fight against the government and the N.K.Party to appeal to > the people. > > The NCPD claims that the meeting was just a temporizing measure to > distort the essence of the crisis. > > The NCPD announced that the reprieve of the arrest warrants was a > just measure that was achieved by the strike. It also claimed that > discussion about the amendments with the railroaded labor law and > NSPA Act present is a temporizing measure to distort the essence of > the crisis. The NCPD made > clear that it will resist and fight along with the people until the > nullification of these bills and a democratic amendment is achieved. > *A march demanding the repeal of the labor and national security > laws! > 500 members of Buddhism, Catholic, Protestant, and Won-Bul Kyo(a > branch of Buddhism) held a meeting on the afternoon of the 21st to > repeal the labor law and NSPA Act at Cho-Gae temple in Chong-ro, > Seoul. After the meeting they marched to Myung Dong Cathedral where > the leaders of the K.C.T.U. are on strike. > The participants of today's rally, with Kim Sung-Hun(a Catholic > priest), Ji-Sun( a monk of Buddhism), Dr. No Young-Woo(Protestant), > Jung Sung-Kil( a monk of Won-Bul Kyo) and many more religion leaders > attending, claimed that the new national security laws must be > repealed because it was passed to enable the N.K.Party. to seize > permanent political power and discredit any individual or assembly > that disturbs the N.K.P.'s plans. They also claimed that new labor > laws should be in the direction of fully guaranteeing the laborers > of their political, economical, and social rights and that the > methods the government took to put pressure on the leaders of the > labor union, who led the strike, should be all withdrawn. > After the meeting the participants marched to the Myung Dong > Cathedral. They held a closing mass and met and gave support to the > leaders of the K.C.T.U. who are on strike in the cathedral. > > International Labor Leaders May Not Be Able To See Korea Again > > The Korean government cancelled Yisumi Takashi's, secretary general > of Asian-Pacific region, International Federation of Free Trade > Unions, visa to Korea. At the same time, John Evans, OECD secretary > general of trade union advisory committee, and other members of > international organizations will be regulated when they try to > re-enter Korea. According to the Kimpo Embarkation and > Disembarkation Office, the Korean government has cancelled Mr. > Yisumi's multiple visa, which expires one year later, and sent > official letters to Mr. Evans and other three members to apply for > visa again if they want to re-enter. > KCTU and FKTU both criticized the government for doing this. They > pointed, "Because the government attempts to regulate international > labor leaders who have come to make an international solidarity, the > Korea's prestige is gone" so "Korea will remain as a mockery in the > international labor1 arena." > > On 22, KCTU takes off the Wednesday Strike > On 21's presidential summit with the opposition party leaders, they > more or less opened up a possibility of revising the controversial > labor laws. Nevertheless, many demands, including the complete > nullification of labor law and NSPA Act, revision of labor laws > before March 1, and renunciation to take legal actions on already > sued 410 union leaders, have never met an agreement. The KCTU, thus, > continued their planned Wednesday general strike on 22. "Wednesday > general strikes" seem to be a count-down for the fourth stage > general strike on February 18. On 22, they will have a rally at > 2:00pm in the Chong-myo Park, Seoul, and promise to "fight until > the complete nullification of the railroaded labor law and NSPA > Act." > > On 22, the Korean Anglican Priests Have a Special Prayer Meeting > On Wednesday, 22, the Anglican Church will have a special prayer > meeting for the repeal of the railroaded NSPA Act and labor laws. > The purpose of the meeting is to end the civilian dictatorship, just > as they did to finish the military dictatorship in 1987. > From mtachiba at jca.or.jp Mon Jan 27 20:38:08 1997 From: mtachiba at jca.or.jp (TACHIBANA Masahiko) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 20:38:08 +0900 Subject: [asia-apec 337] Korea General Strike #19 Message-ID: <9701271136.AA02590@brahman.phy.saitama-u.ac.jp> Forwarded mail follows TACHIBANA Masahiko > Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 16:20:20 +0800 (HKT) > X-Sender: amrc@is3.hk.super.net > Mime-Version: 1.0 > To: owner-asia-apec@jca.or.jp > From: =?EUC-KR?B?wMzH9Q==?= (by way of AMRC < >amrc@hk.super.net>) > Subject: Korea General Strike #19 > > > -------------------------------- > Struggle Flash No.19 January, 24 > --------------------------------- > > > C > ?Today's Headline News? > Issued by the NCPD(National Committee for the Revocation of the > Labor Law and NSPA Act Amendments and the Preservation of Democracy) > > Strike Report > ??The KCTU moves the place of protest from Myung Dong Cathedral to > its offices. > The leaders of the KCTU who are protesting inside the Myung Dong > Cathedral decided to move out to the offices of the KCTU. At a > conference held on the 23rd with regional leaders on hand the KCTU > decided to move the protest to its offices. More detail and the > reasons for the transfer will be released at a press conference in > front of Myung Dong Cathedral on the 24th. It has been made known > that the Cathedral's strong demand for the evacuation because there > is no more need for shelter has brought about this decision. > > ??Protestant workers rally for nullification of the laws, the > dissolution of the Agency for National Security and Planning (ANSP) > and the resignation of President Kim. > > "My lord may you establish justice on this earth!" > With the anger of religious groups over the wrongly passed labor and > national security laws getting stronger, 1000 religious workers, > priests and followers met at Hyang Lin Church and held a rally for > the nullification of these bills. > In the rally that was held on the 23rd at 2pm, the participants > pledged that the ANSP can never be allowed to repeat the > antidemocratic crimes it has committed over the years > with its absolute powers. They remember the history of many > religious workers, religious leaders and the conscientious whose > human rights were violated by illegal arrests, extortions and frame > ups executed by the ANSP and its overuse of anti-communism > investigation rights. > They also claimed that the new labor law is inhumane because it > classifies human beings as just a tool used to increase production. > They pledged to fight to the end until the nullification of these > two laws is achieved. > After the mass, with a cross held in front of the protesters, the > participants marched through Myung Dong Cathedral and arrived at Top > Gol Park. At the park they held a closing prayer. There was a heavy > scuffle with the police during the march. The participants cried for > the nullification of the laws, the dissolution of the ANSP and the > resignation of President Kim. > > ??The OECD committee rules that Korean labor laws do not meet the > promises that the Korean government had made in regards to freedom > of association and group negotiations. > > On the 23rd (Korean time 11o'clock on the 24th) the OECD committee, > with its ELSA report as the basis, reported its opinion about > Korea's labor law. The ELSA reported to the committee that the > Korean labor law does not meet the promise the government had > made in regards to the freedom of association and group > negotiations. The ELSA also recommended that the Korean government > reopen talks with the parties concerned to fully guarantee the > freedom of association and group negotiations. The OECD's chairman > of affairs welcomed the Korean government's gesture of suspending > the execution of the arrest warrants and reexamining the labor law > for amendments and asked for the ELSA to monitor the process of the > labor law amendments. > Although the report was unsatisfactory it still pointed out that the > Korean government was not keeping the promise it has previously > made. Also although it welcomed some measures derived from the > presidential summit with the opposition party leaders, it still > said the ELSA will monitor the process of the amendments. > The OECD is keeping most of its focus on issues of labour-management > relations like giving public servants and teachers the right to form > unions, the ban on multiple uions, and the ban on third party > intervention. This will act as some kind of pressure on the > Korean government while it works on the amendments. > > ??Korean activists in Japan are also working to support the strike > and protect democracy > Korean-Japanese (Koreans living in Japan) democratic movement > organisations have worked collectively to protest and support the > strike in various ways ever since the labor and national security > law got passed in Korea. On the 19th, with rallies held > simultaneously in Tokyo, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Hyogo working as > the driving force, a committee to protect democracy and repeal the > two law was formed to intensify its efforts. > The committee consists of 6 groups. This committee held a street > march on the 10th and the 19th in several major cities in Japan. It > is also currently sending support faxes to the KCTU and protest > faxes to President Kim. It is also planning to hold a emergency > meeting to support the KCTU's all-out strike and protest to > President Kim in accordance to his visit to Japan on the 24th. It > has already made plans to protest in front of the Korean embassy on > the 25th. > > ??The secretary of labor, Jin Nyum is on a regional tour. > Jin Nyum, who has ignored labor's protest for nullification of the > laws and democratic amendments, is on a regional tour to explain how > helpful the wrongly passed bills are to the country. On his first > stop at Inchun's Anam mechanical facilities and Daewoo automobile > labor union he received strong protests from the union leaders. In > Anam the workers declined an interview so he met only the > supervisors. As for the Daewoo automobile labor union he tried to > enter the union offices despite labor's wishes and received only > heavy protests from the union leaders. > At 7o'clock in front of Inchun's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, > where a morning meeting between Jin Nyum and Commerce and Industry > officials was taking place, 40 union members gathered to protest. > There was a light scuffle with the police who tried to stop the > protest. > From mtachiba at jca.or.jp Mon Jan 27 20:39:00 1997 From: mtachiba at jca.or.jp (TACHIBANA Masahiko) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 20:39:00 +0900 Subject: [asia-apec 338] struggle flash 20(January 25) Message-ID: <9701271137.AA02593@brahman.phy.saitama-u.ac.jp> Forwarded message follows. TACHIBANA Masahiko > Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 16:26:09 +0800 (HKT) > X-Sender: amrc@is3.hk.super.net > Mime-Version: 1.0 > To: owner-asia-apec@jca.or.jp > From: lee (by way of AMRC ) > Subject: struggle flash 20(January 25) > > ---------------------------------- > Struggle Flash 20 (January, 25) > ---------------------------------- > > --Issued by the NCPD(National Committee for the Revocation of the > Labor Law and NSPA Act Amendments and the Preservation of > Democracy-- > > -------------------------- > Today's Headline News > -------------------------- > > # The KCTU protests suppression towards the laborers and forms a > committee. > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > The problems with warrants regarding the KCTU's members is getting > solved with the government's reprieve of all warrants. But it is > being pointed out that some kinds of suppression towards the > laborers is being done by individual companies by ways of refering > them to a disciplinary committee, compelling them to secege from the > union, assult, regarding absence without notice, and also the KEF is > reaffirming the principle of no-work, no-pay. > The KCTU denounced the KEF(Korea Employers Federation) along with > the FKI(Federation of Korea Industries) and proclaimed to continue > the protest to lift all these suppressions. On the meeting held on > the 23rd, they also decided 'Lift the suppressions! Democratic > amendments!' as there slogan for the campaign. > They are planning to from a committee against suppressions along > with the two other political parties and NCPD to monitor the > workplaces for suppressions and also go on protest visits. Also, > starting from next week, they are planning to hold a protest visits > to the Department of labor and KEF. They have also planned to send > a protest letter to the each workplace where the suppressions are > occurring and have an interview with the president of KEF. > > # The KCTU moves the protest to its offices.. > --------------------------------------------- > > The KCTU moved the protest out from Myung Dong Cathedral to its > offices on the noon of the 24th. The decision was made after the > leaders of the KCTU''s movements were made free by the reprieve of > the arrest warrants brought about by the all-out strike. The > leader's need and want for more active participation and unity > helped this decision also. On the morning of the 24th, the KCTU > held a press conference and stated that the leaders will continue > and broaden the strike, along with all regional union members and > people from all levels of life, until their struggle is won. > > # The secretary of labor Jin Nyum reports immediate legal actions > towards > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > strikes starting from next week. > ------------------------------- > > At a morning conference, held on the 23rd, with the local > businessmen in Inchun's chamber of commerce and industry, the > secretary of labor Jin Nyum stated that the government will not > allow any more strikes with the amendments to the labor laws already > promised. He also stated that certain legal actions will be taken > for the continuing strikes. Secretary Jin asked for the labor union > to stop the strike and to partition a public hearing in the N.A. for > further ideas or discontentment. > The government's firm actions prove that it is trying to exclude the > laborers and people out of the amendment talks and to destroy the > labor union's unity. > > # 1024 herbal doctor's statement: The NKP and President Kim must > ------------------------------------------------------------------- > apologize to the public! > ----------------------- > > 1021 herbal doctors held a press conference and demanded the > nullification of the labor and NSPA Act and Pres. Kim's apology. > The Chinese medical science community formed a signing committee for > the present situation and held a signing and a fund raising. In > less than a week 15% of all herbal doctors (1024) participated in > the signing campaign and showed worries towards this government's > amendments to the labor and national security laws. In a statement > released in the press conference the Chinese medical science > community stated that it was disappointed by President Kim's > proclaiming the railroaded bills as legal and constitutional. It > was also disappointed by Pres. Kim's attitude in the presidential > summit with the opposition party leaders which was achieved through > strikes and struggles of the labor union and social activity groups. > It claimed that the present government must release a note of > apology towards the people of Korea and declare the nullification of > these two laws. The signing committee announced that it will > continue its campaign until the demands are met. > > # 45 professors from Gangwon Univ. release a statement. > -------------------------------------------------------- > > 45 professors demanded immediate amendments to the labor and > national security laws in a statement released on the 23rd. The > statement classifies the government and the N.K.Party as the leading > cause to the strike on hand and also criticizes the other two > political parties for the opportunistic position it held throughout > the ordeal without any clear solutions. As for the NSPA Act they > state clearly that it goes against the freedom of right to believe > and obstruct discussions about reunification. They also said that > it needs to have the sympathy of the people and must be discussed > throughly because it can be used wrongly for political purposes. > > # The OECD's TUAC: We can not allow the Korean government to keep > > -------------------------------------------------------------------- > ignoring the basic rights of the laborers. > ---------------------------------------- > > The TUAC which represents 68 million laborers of 51 labor unions > under the 29 OECD membership countries announced a statement > welcoming the OECD report on the current situation in Korea. The > TUAC's chairman of affairs, John Evans claimed in the statement that > globalization is a challenge to all international groups, like the > OECD, and all man alike. He claimed that the OECD must put its > standards to practice and guarantee the usefulness of the > globalization to all laborers. He also said that the members of the > OECD can not allow a membership government, like South Korea, to > ignore the basic rights of the common laborers. > > # KyungKi province's police made and illegal arrest! > --------------------------------------------------- > > On the 10th, Kim Eun Hyung who was currently working as an union > member of the Chung Ang Hospital, was illegally arrested by KyungKi > province's bureau of anti-commuinism officers. This incident is > arousing worries and rages against the present regime which is under > heavy criticism by the people because of the railroaded laws, use of > the NSPA Act to escape the crisis on hand just like dictatorship of > the old. > While working in the labor union office, Kim Eun Hyung was illegally > taken away, without any arrest warrants, by two officers waiting > outside the back door when he tried to help two undercover lady cops > who asked him to help him with some baggages outside the back > entrance. The report made after the arrest stated that Kim was > arrested because he violated the NSPA Act by sending money to his > lover who is currently on the run from the law. > This incident along with the incident of illegal breaking and > entering of KUFS's YongIn campus by the National Security Planning > Agency officers, with the talks of amendments to the national > security law, confirms how dangerous and inhumane the NSPA Act and > over extension of its powers are. >  > From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 28 01:52:49 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 00:52:49 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 339] Strike Urgent Report #18 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970127165249.006dc4a4@is2.hk.super.net> Strike Urgent Report #18 - edited on January. 23, 1997, at 01:00 28th day of General Strike NOTICE : This report will be published twice a week, every Thursday and Sunday from this issue. It is because the strategy of General Strike has changed to "Wednesday Strike" and "Saturday Rally". Nullification of anti-labor law fails to be agreed, in President and Party Leaders Meeting President Kim Young-sam made concessions on January 21, offering discussion in National Assembly of the labor and spy agency bills on a bipartisan agreement. Kim also told opposition leaders Kim Dae-jung and Kim Jong-pil that he will order authorities to suspend the execution of arrest warrants issued for union leaders who have been organizing the month-long strike. The opposition leaders, however, stuck to their hard-line position, repeating their demand that the Kim government first nullify the laws and start their legislation process all over again. The President and the opposition leaders, however, failed to reach an agreement on the legitimacy and legality of the laws, which railroaded through parliament by the ruling party on December 26. Yoon Yeo-joon, spokemen of Chong Wa Dae, reading notes President Kim dictated after the meeting, said that President made clear that he cannot accept the opposition demand for nullification. This Chong Wa Dae meeting, therefore, seems to find a breakthrough for the present situation. But, in fact, the decision to review the laws at the National Assembly has not met the laborers' ardent hopes for its repeal. Immediately after the Chong Wa Dae meeting, the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) held a press conference and said with the heart issue of nullifying the railroading laws failing to be agreed, and the concrete plan not suggested, only the principle of reviewing in National Assembly was confirmed. "this leaders meeting that obtained the government's concession is the outcome of the struggle by 1.2 million laborers and citizens, but it is only the makeshift in that substances of the meeting are far from the essential solution to the situation, so they can never shrink the strong resistances and rages of the laborers and citizens. First "Wednesday Strike" with over 143,000 workers of 135 unions Following the change of strategy that they would call for strikes every Wednesday until February 18, and the disappointment at the Chong Wa Dae meeting that failed to reach the agreement on the nullification of the railroaded laws, the KCTU staged strikes on January 22, as scheduled. "Wednesday is the general strike's day!" Over 143,000 workers of 135 unions rushed into strikes on last Wednesday since the KCTU declared the conversion of 'Wednesday strike'. The Major compounds are the Hyundai Group Union Federation, Automobile industry unions, and Metal Worker's unions. And also large-scale rallies were held across the country. At Chong myo Park in central Seoul, about 15,000 people including laborers, students and citizens participated and claimed the nullification of the bulldozed laws and the retirement of Kim's government. This Saturday, January 26, a joint rallies held be the KCTU and the Federation of Korea Trade Unions(FKTU) is scheduled. The tally of 500,000 people are expected to join in the rallies which will be held at Yoido Plaza in central Seoul and other major cities including Pusan, Kwangju, Taegu, and Chungju. The International labor organizations like The International Committee of Free Trade Union(ICFTU) that visited Korea will also make solidarity speech in that rally. They plan to launch a 10 million person-signature-collecting campaign against the ruling New Korea Party(NKP) soon. Second Delegation of ICFTU Came to Korea, and OECD TUAC reviewed new labor law "New laws in Korea are laws without justice, they should be set aside and consultation should take place" said Bill Jordan, General Secretary of International Confederation of Free Trade Unions(ICFTU) who arrived in Seoul on January 20. Mr Jordan and ten international trade union delegation came to Korea to show solidarity with Korean workers protesting against the anti-workers labor law. This delegation met the KCTU leaders who had gone on the sit-in struggle during nearly a month in cold ground of Myongdong Cathedral. After the meeting, they had a press conference with the KCTU leaders, in which they reaffirmed their a constant support and solidarity to the Korean workers' struggle. In the meantime, the first trade union delegation which visited Korea last week met the goverment action that would restict re-entry to Korea of its members. According to the airport official, the reason is because they had been involved in political activities , and so had abused their tourist visas. While they were not deported, the head of the first delegation, Takashi Izumi, General Secretary of APRO, had his multiple-entry to Korea cancelled on his departure. and other 3 members including John Evans, General Secretary of OECD Trade Union Advisory Committe(TUAC) also were issued warning papers directing them to be issued a separate visas on next entry. The first delegation who had entered on 10, left Seoul on January 16. During the time in Korea, they showed solidarity to the Korean workers in the rally held by the KCTU and FKTU, and met the trade unions and the Minister of Labor. On January 20, Jung Hae-sook, Vice President of the KCTU and former President of National Teacher's Unions, left for Paris to attend a OECD TUAC meeting as a representative of the KCTU. The TUAC meeting would discuss the current situation of Korea unions, and prepare a research report presented to OECD ELSA on this issue. Before leaving, She said, "In the meeting, I will focus on the illegality in the passage of new labor law and the amendment that is insufficient to satisfy the basic right of laborers." OECD Employ, Labor, and Social Affair Committee(ELSA) opened a joint conference with TUSA and Business and Industry Advisory Committee(BIAC) to discuss about the labor law of South Korea on January 22. Before this meeting, Jung Hae-sook, Vice President of the KCTU and other representatives of KCTU and FKTU attended the meeting of TUSA, and Park Ung-su, Chairman of Samsung Economic Reseach Center also joined that of BIAC as a representive of businesses. ELSA would conclude whether the amendment of labor law satified international standards and the promise which Korean government had made, and hand on its report to OECD Council comprised of ambassadors from all Member states. Its Council would be held on January 23. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Distributed through Online BBS Service and Internet twice a day Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From amc at HK.Super.NET Tue Jan 28 01:53:00 1997 From: amc at HK.Super.NET (amc) Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 00:53:00 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 340] Strike Urgent Report #19 Message-ID: <2.2.32.19970127165300.006b0ef4@is2.hk.super.net> Srike Urgent Report #19 - edited on January. 27, 1997, at 01:00 NOTICE : This report will be published twice a week, every Thursday and Sunday from this issue. It is because the strategy of General Strike has changed to "Wednesday Strike" and "Saturday Rally". Workers Rallies Held All across the Country on the Weekend!! Mass rallies of tens of thousands of workers demanding nullification and revision of new labor laws were held all across the country including Seoul, Ulsan, Pohang etc. on the weekend. The KCTU and FKTU had a rally in Yoido Plaza in central Seoul, with approximately 85,000 workers affiliated to each umbrella union. In this rally, both unions demanded that new anti-workers labor law and National Security Planning Agency(NSPA) act be nullified and revised before May 1 when the laws would be came into effect, and in this process of revision the participation of labor circle be guaranteed. They also called for the release of all the workers under arrest and immediate halt of bosses' suppressive actions in local unions. After the rally, both unions conducted a signature-collecting campaign against the ruling New Korea Party(NKP) in several places of central Seoul. According to these unions, everyday at 12 o'clock drivers would blow the horn to show their protest against the anti-workers labor laws and NSPA act. Also in Ulsan, southern city where many factories of Hyundai Group are located, local affiliates of KCTU and FKTU held a workers' rally for nullification of new labor laws in participation of about 5,000 workers in the afternoon of January 26. both unions resolved that they would keep their joint struggle until the anti-workers laws were nullified. Suppressions on Local Unions Increasing! Arrested trade unionists are being released following that Kim's government suspended the execution of arrest warrants for the union leaders who have led the "illegal strikes". The police also have yesterday, on January 25, released 4 arrested trade unionists, and 15 other outstanding arrest warrants for the Korean Confederation of Trade Unions(KCTU) leaders will be returned to several courts, thus invalidating them. But on the other hand, prosections which were issued against over 420 laborers of 55 unions across the country have not yet withdrown, and also the legal actions against them are quite within the realms of possibility at anytime. Besides, capitalists separately are increasing suppressions on the local unions, especially applying the practice of "no work for no pay" to workplaces. "Pay for no work" is the nation's unique labor practice, which have developed over the past decade. They treat the workout period as absence without leave, and even cut the weekly, monthly and yearly allowances. They are, in fact, breaking up the ranks of strikes through basic workplaces, while in apprearance, raising the image of coversation, not suppression, by means of evading the throwing of government power. Management groups, including The Federation of Korean Industries and Korea Employer's Federation, spoke out in a single voice that employers should pay no wages during a walkout. New Labor Law Not Fully Meet the International Standards , OECD Decided The OECD Committee for Employment, Labor and Social Affairs(ELSA) has reported the governing body of the OECD, the Council, that it acknowledges the efforts of the Korean authorities to reform labor legislation but considers that the new labor law does not fully meet the Korean government's commitments on freedom of association and collective bargaining. The Committee, which follows labor policy in member countries, met Wednesday to review the new labor legislation passed in South Korea on 26 December. The Chair or the Committee, Dieter Grossen, reported Thursday to the Council. Mr. Grossen told the Council that the Committee considered that certain elements of the law represented "a first step in the right direction" but "the reform, as it stand, does not fully meet the commitments made by the Korean government concerning freedom of association and collective bargaining." Mr. Grossen said the Committee was pleased that the Korean arthorities are prepared to reconsider the terms of the new labor law and encouraged the Korean government to resume dialogue with all the interested parties as a sign of the importance it attaches to an accelerated process to fully guarantee freedom of association and collective bargaining. It stressed that the Presidential Commission on Industrial Relations Reform can have an important role in encouraging public debate, which will foster evolving attitudes and practices on labor relations. The Secratary-General Donald Johnston said that member countries welcomed the Korean President's initiative in reconsidering the terms of the revised labor laws and encouraged all parties to pursue the dialogue towards reform. They are encouraged by the announcement that the trade unionests currently in prison in connection with recent protests would be released and that the warrants for arrest of other union leaders would be suspended. The Council asked the Committee to continue to monitor the progress of reform of labor legislation in Korea. Published by the Telecommunication Taskgroup for General Strike (TTGS) Phone : +82-2-855-1913 E-mail : rys@member.sing-kr.org Homepage : http://kpd.sing-kr.org/strike From APRENet at nautilus.org Tue Jan 28 02:37:09 1997 From: APRENet at nautilus.org (Asia Pacific Regional Environment Network (APRENET)) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:37:09 -0800 Subject: [asia-apec 341] Panel on APEC..., Remarks of Lyuba Zarsky (Part I) Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970127093708.006a62f0@nautilus.org> "Panel on APEC and it?s Implications for Asia & the Pacific: A Forum with NGO, Government and Business Leaders" School for Advanced Strategic and International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, October 8, 1996 Remarks of Lyuba Zarsky ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Thanks very much. I don?t know about you but my mind is spinning like a kaleidoscope at the moment. Over the past 2 and a half hours that I have been listening, I have agreed?in part?and disagreed, in part, with every single speaker. My own understanding of APEC, its character and possibilities, both overlaps with and contradicts many of these perspectives. I think the heated state of my brain reflects not just too much coffee but the fact that APEC is a highly dynamic and evolutionary process. In APEC, we have a creature which is fundamentally different from the WTO and quite different from NAFTA. APEC is not a negotiating body and is not framed in terms of legally binding agreements. So what is it? Well, it is still to be defined. As Walden Bello pointed out, there?s a battle going on for the heart and soul of APEC. And I think, as distinct from Walden, that the United States is not itself clear on its own objectives. Without doubt, achieving trade and investment openness in East Asia is the overarching U.S. goal in APEC. However, the U.S. also has other objectives, including long-term security interests and environmental cooperation. And there is often incoherence between U.S. efforts to promote short term trade interests and its long term diplomatic objectives. Even for the most powerful player, the purpose of APEC is evolving and many-sided. The fact that APEC is not yet set in stone, that its future shape and possibilities are still being created, is why I have hung my hat here. For the last five years, I?ve been pushing on the potential of this young, flexible, international organization to build into its economic logic the social concerns that animate my life, that are my commitment in life. So let me start by making some comments which ground APEC theoretically. I won?t make a fully developed argument but present just a few taste treats. To do this, I?ll put on my academic hat?which seems appropriate here at Johns Hopkins. I trained as an economist primarily to help my work on international environment and development issues?and especially the process of institution building. I urge those of you who have yet looked at the literature on institutions, especially students, to do so. The literature is a cross-section of economics, sociology and law, and basically asks the question: "Why are human institutions constructed the way they are?" Two broad schools of thought try to answer this question?both of which were represented on the earlier panel. The first school of thought suggests that institutions emerge out of a struggle between people, what are called distributional struggles. That is, people fight for the goodies?power, money, status. Any existing institution reflects the outcome of that fight and its dynamics are about the continuing battle. The second school of thought says that institutions emerge to solve coordination and cooperation problems. The idea here is that, to live together, humans need to create rules and procedures. Institutions provide cohesiveness and allow humans to have a society. They serve the common good. I think that the earlier panel reflected a tug-of-war between these two views. Some panelists argued basically that what APEC is about is a struggle--between East and West, North and South?for the economic goodies, especially market and investment access. Other panelists emphasized that APEC is about developing rules and policies for the common good. Well, my view is that APEC is both these things. And when we come to the social issues, there is no doubt that we are struggling to define and promote the common good in the region as a whole. What is APEC? Well, APEC in fact has three faces. The first face, which you heard a lot about on the first panel, is about economics. The existence of APEC is driven by market processes of economic integration. Some 70% of the trade of the region is within the region. Some 60% of investment flows go from one to another APEC country. If APEC collapsed tomorrow, the processes of economic integration would continue. This is an important point. Asia Pacific is emerging as a region not mainly because of government initiatives but as a result of market processes. The heart of the diplomatic, governmental agenda is how to manage the market-driven process. For the poorer countries of the region, the central concerns have been to make sure that integration promotes development and industrialization. For the richer countries, it is about gaining or maintaining access to the big growth potential of the region. The second face of APEC is about the "social agenda," that is, social norms and policies. As countries or regions become more economically integrated, they face pressures to converge towards the same economic and social policies and norms. The debate in APEC is and increasingly will be essentially about what those policies and norms will be. From an environmental perspective, the pressure to be the same has been called the "harmonization" debate. The key question is whether harmonization is better or worse for ecological management. Without government intervention, competitive pressures will mean that policy convergence happens at a level which is too low to promote truly sustainable development. The role of governments is to cooperate in raising the game, raising environmental benchmarks for all countries and companies. This issue of what will be the terms of convergence, both on environment and other social issues like labor and human rights, is the second face of APEC. Given the stakes, both ecologically and socially, these are crucial issues. The environmental agenda has begun to be addressed, it has come inside the house of APEC?at least from the front yard to the foyer. Human rights, however, remain well outside in the yard or even the street. From APRENet at nautilus.org Tue Jan 28 02:37:58 1997 From: APRENet at nautilus.org (Asia Pacific Regional Environment Network (APRENET)) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:37:58 -0800 Subject: [asia-apec 342] Panel on APEC..., Remarks of Lyuba Zarsky (Part I) Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970127093758.0069c4d8@nautilus.org> "Panel on APEC and it?s Implications for Asia & the Pacific: A Forum with NGO, Government and Business Leaders" School for Advanced Strategic and International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, October 8, 1996 Remarks of Lyuba Zarsky PART II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The third face of APEC, one is just beginning to be talked about, is security. APEC is the only transpacific multilateral institution, the only forum where all Asia Pacific countries sit down together and talk. These are powerful, dynamic countries?China, Japan, the United States. In the long run, this may be APEC?s most important aspect, this potential role in helping to peacefully manage economic and political transitions in Asia. When I hear American business people say they are not keen on APEC, do not see it as especially relevant or important, because they want to sell more financial services or auto upholstery, I think they are missing the boat. Likewise, when NGOs want to simply say "No to APEC," they are also not considering the bigger issues of international relations. There are some important processes at work in APEC in terms of world relations and in terms of the U.S. role in those processes. Asia Pacific is going to look very different 25 years from now. The U.S. might be a gorilla as Walden Bello suggests but Japan is a rather big chimpanzee and China is a might big baby gorilla. In Asia Pacific, a new power balance is emerging. If not managed, the potential for an arms race?including a nuclear arms race?is high. APEC is not likely to be the primary security framework in Asia Pacific but the process of engagement and cooperation is good for maintaining peace over the long term. Processes of cooperation are also good for the environment?so many environmental problems require nations to work together to find solutions. Cooperation is better than flinging missiles at each other, whether orally and figuratively or for real. To achieve both the social "common good" issues and promote peace, we as NGOs need to promote regional cooperation. So what should APEC be doing on environmental issues? What could and should it do that couldn?t be done by other international groups like the UN Environment Programme or the Commission on Sustainable Development? Why APEC? It is precisely the linkage to trade?but not trade rules, like the WTO?which makes APEC a creative and potentially effective arena. APEC can not, should not, and hopefully will not be a place where the United States or other rich countries be the boogie man on environmental issues. We should not approach environmental cooperation at APEC by saying that countries must perform in particular ways on environmental management or else face trade restrictions. This has been the primary approach?and stumbling block?at the WTO. Rather, in APEC, the approach should be "how do we move together to set new common policy frameworks which improve everybody?s environmental performance?" The environmental agenda at APEC, in other words, should not be framed solely in terms of what China must do, what Korea and ASEAN must do, but what the U.S., Canada, Australia must do. One of the big issues which APEC has not yet addressed is sustainable resource management?forestry, fisheries, agriculture, minerals. Agriculture is one of the stickiest issues for APEC on the trade side. The U.S. has pressured Japan and Korea to liberalize their rice markets and embrace "free trade" in rice. Well, given the way that agriculture is managed in the U.S., the barriers to "free trade" are much deeper than just trade restrictions in East Asia. I live in California, a major rice growing area. Free trade for rice would mean more rice exports from California. Now, those of you have ever flown over California would be stuck by what a brown place it is. Yet California has garnered a competitive advantage in rice?a very wet commodity. How? Well, water is highly subsidized in California. The water subsidies both skew trade AND create environmental problems in California. We undermine our own environment, financially favor certain products over others, and sell that rice to Asia in the name of free trade. This is fundamentally incoherent, inconsistent?and irrational. Policy convergence at APEC means addressing these kinds of resource management issues. APEC, for example, could be a place where countries move toward common policies on resource subsidies, on energy pricing, on broad guidelines for environmental standards. If governments don?t move together, they will face competitive pressures which keep environmental standards "stuck in the mud." They have to coordinate policies or else market pressures will make it tough for an individual country to raise standards much above their main competitors. In economics, we call this a collective action problem. The main agenda for environmental cooperation at APEC is how to move towards policy convergence in ways that raise everybody?s game. The common framework is needed not so much to manage resources everybody shares, like the Pacific Ocean?there are other institutions like UNEP that could do that. Rather, APEC provides a vehicle to coordinate and improve management of domestic resources that are implicated in trade: coastal zone management, resource subsidies, and standards across a host of sectors. Moreover, APEC can be a place to help close the gap between richer and poorer countries in environmental standards by promoting "capacity-building." Technology transfer, training, and the development of standardized data bases would help countries get on the same track. APEC could be a place where the richer, OECD countries lend a helping hand to newly industrializing and developing countries. Some of what APEC has actually done so far represent some international milestones. In 1994, APEC adopted a set of sustainable development principles which set a broad vision. The vision was that environmental issues would be integrated throughout the economic agenda of APEC and into domestic economic policy of APEC countries. Rather than set up a separate "environment committee", the directive went out to every Working Group and Committee to incorporate environmental concerns. Most of the Groups, however, didn?t know what to do or how to do it. A deep-seated inertia remains within APEC to stay mired primarily in old ways of thinking about economic and trade policy?ways that exclude environmental and social concerns. So on the one hand, APEC offers the potential to move forward in ways that go much farther than other organizations. But on the other hand, that potential is still in its infancy. We as policy oriented and activist NGOs should be clear about what the goal is and how to effectively push along the agenda. One of the central issues is integrating the "trade track" of diplomacy at APEC?the place where trade and investment issues are discussed and commitments made?and the "environmental track." If the "trade track" is the sun, then the "environmental track" still orbits somewhere around Jupiter. The Sustainable Development Principles, for example, did not seem to inform the Individual Action Plans. As a first step, these Plans should be reviewed for environmental and social impacts. I was very interested to hear the U.S. say it would support the concept of environmental review of trade agreements at the WTO. This was certainly not said at the APEC Senior Officials Meeting. Secondly, commitments to improve environmental performance should be included within the Plans. The great advantage of the Plans is that they offer broad benchmarks set by individual nations for achieving trade and investment openness. Well, they could also be a framework for achieving goals of better environmental management and improved social and human rights management. So far, APEC has focused mainly on capacity-building. It has had two Ministerial-level meetings on the environment and a third is set for 1997 in Canada. It selected three priorities for regional cooperation?sustainable cities, clean technology, and sustainability of the marine environment. It has sponsored studies and expert group meetings and spawned Leaders initiatives. What is needed now is to broaden and deepen the environmental agenda by moving toward discussion of policy, including resource management policy. APEC also needs to create avenues for public participation, especially participation by "civil society," and greater public transparency. Finally, APEC needs to fulfill its own vision by integrating environmental diplomacy and commitments with the trade agenda. Then, the process of creating a trade and investment regime in Asia can be truly designed according to principles of sustainability. From APRENet at nautilus.org Tue Jan 28 02:38:27 1997 From: APRENet at nautilus.org (Asia Pacific Regional Environment Network (APRENET)) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 09:38:27 -0800 Subject: [asia-apec 343] Panel on APEC..., Remarks of Lyuba Zarsky (Part II) Message-ID: <3.0.32.19970127093826.006a0678@nautilus.org> "Panel on APEC and it?s Implications for Asia & the Pacific: A Forum with NGO, Government and Business Leaders" School for Advanced Strategic and International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, October 8, 1996 Remarks of Lyuba Zarsky PART II ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ The third face of APEC, one is just beginning to be talked about, is security. APEC is the only transpacific multilateral institution, the only forum where all Asia Pacific countries sit down together and talk. These are powerful, dynamic countries?China, Japan, the United States. In the long run, this may be APEC?s most important aspect, this potential role in helping to peacefully manage economic and political transitions in Asia. When I hear American business people say they are not keen on APEC, do not see it as especially relevant or important, because they want to sell more financial services or auto upholstery, I think they are missing the boat. Likewise, when NGOs want to simply say "No to APEC," they are also not considering the bigger issues of international relations. There are some important processes at work in APEC in terms of world relations and in terms of the U.S. role in those processes. Asia Pacific is going to look very different 25 years from now. The U.S. might be a gorilla as Walden Bello suggests but Japan is a rather big chimpanzee and China is a might big baby gorilla. In Asia Pacific, a new power balance is emerging. If not managed, the potential for an arms race?including a nuclear arms race?is high. APEC is not likely to be the primary security framework in Asia Pacific but the process of engagement and cooperation is good for maintaining peace over the long term. Processes of cooperation are also good for the environment?so many environmental problems require nations to work together to find solutions. Cooperation is better than flinging missiles at each other, whether orally and figuratively or for real. To achieve both the social "common good" issues and promote peace, we as NGOs need to promote regional cooperation. So what should APEC be doing on environmental issues? What could and should it do that couldn?t be done by other international groups like the UN Environment Programme or the Commission on Sustainable Development? Why APEC? It is precisely the linkage to trade?but not trade rules, like the WTO?which makes APEC a creative and potentially effective arena. APEC can not, should not, and hopefully will not be a place where the United States or other rich countries be the boogie man on environmental issues. We should not approach environmental cooperation at APEC by saying that countries must perform in particular ways on environmental management or else face trade restrictions. This has been the primary approach?and stumbling block?at the WTO. Rather, in APEC, the approach should be "how do we move together to set new common policy frameworks which improve everybody?s environmental performance?" The environmental agenda at APEC, in other words, should not be framed solely in terms of what China must do, what Korea and ASEAN must do, but what the U.S., Canada, Australia must do. One of the big issues which APEC has not yet addressed is sustainable resource management?forestry, fisheries, agriculture, minerals. Agriculture is one of the stickiest issues for APEC on the trade side. The U.S. has pressured Japan and Korea to liberalize their rice markets and embrace "free trade" in rice. Well, given the way that agriculture is managed in the U.S., the barriers to "free trade" are much deeper than just trade restrictions in East Asia. I live in California, a major rice growing area. Free trade for rice would mean more rice exports from California. Now, those of you have ever flown over California would be stuck by what a brown place it is. Yet California has garnered a competitive advantage in rice?a very wet commodity. How? Well, water is highly subsidized in California. The water subsidies both skew trade AND create environmental problems in California. We undermine our own environment, financially favor certain products over others, and sell that rice to Asia in the name of free trade. This is fundamentally incoherent, inconsistent?and irrational. Policy convergence at APEC means addressing these kinds of resource management issues. APEC, for example, could be a place where countries move toward common policies on resource subsidies, on energy pricing, on broad guidelines for environmental standards. If governments don?t move together, they will face competitive pressures which keep environmental standards "stuck in the mud." They have to coordinate policies or else market pressures will make it tough for an individual country to raise standards much above their main competitors. In economics, we call this a collective action problem. The main agenda for environmental cooperation at APEC is how to move towards policy convergence in ways that raise everybody?s game. The common framework is needed not so much to manage resources everybody shares, like the Pacific Ocean?there are other institutions like UNEP that could do that. Rather, APEC provides a vehicle to coordinate and improve management of domestic resources that are implicated in trade: coastal zone management, resource subsidies, and standards across a host of sectors. Moreover, APEC can be a place to help close the gap between richer and poorer countries in environmental standards by promoting "capacity-building." Technology transfer, training, and the development of standardized data bases would help countries get on the same track. APEC could be a place where the richer, OECD countries lend a helping hand to newly industrializing and developing countries. Some of what APEC has actually done so far represent some international milestones. In 1994, APEC adopted a set of sustainable development principles which set a broad vision. The vision was that environmental issues would be integrated throughout the economic agenda of APEC and into domestic economic policy of APEC countries. Rather than set up a separate "environment committee", the directive went out to every Working Group and Committee to incorporate environmental concerns. Most of the Groups, however, didn?t know what to do or how to do it. A deep-seated inertia remains within APEC to stay mired primarily in old ways of thinking about economic and trade policy?ways that exclude environmental and social concerns. So on the one hand, APEC offers the potential to move forward in ways that go much farther than other organizations. But on the other hand, that potential is still in its infancy. We as policy oriented and activist NGOs should be clear about what the goal is and how to effectively push along the agenda. One of the central issues is integrating the "trade track" of diplomacy at APEC?the place where trade and investment issues are discussed and commitments made?and the "environmental track." If the "trade track" is the sun, then the "environmental track" still orbits somewhere around Jupiter. The Sustainable Development Principles, for example, did not seem to inform the Individual Action Plans. As a first step, these Plans should be reviewed for environmental and social impacts. I was very interested to hear the U.S. say it would support the concept of environmental review of trade agreements at the WTO. This was certainly not said at the APEC Senior Officials Meeting. Secondly, commitments to improve environmental performance should be included within the Plans. The great advantage of the Plans is that they offer broad benchmarks set by individual nations for achieving trade and investment openness. Well, they could also be a framework for achieving goals of better environmental management and improved social and human rights management. So far, APEC has focused mainly on capacity-building. It has had two Ministerial-level meetings on the environment and a third is set for 1997 in Canada. It selected three priorities for regional cooperation?sustainable cities, clean technology, and sustainability of the marine environment. It has sponsored studies and expert group meetings and spawned Leaders initiatives. What is needed now is to broaden and deepen the environmental agenda by moving toward discussion of policy, including resource management policy. APEC also needs to create avenues for public participation, especially participation by "civil society," and greater public transparency. Finally, APEC needs to fulfill its own vision by integrating environmental diplomacy and commitments with the trade agenda. Then, the process of creating a trade and investment regime in Asia can be truly designed according to principles of sustainability. From oucj at qal.Berkeley.EDU Tue Jan 28 11:00:50 1997 From: oucj at qal.Berkeley.EDU (C. Jay Ou) Date: Mon, 27 Jan 1997 18:00:50 -0800 (PST) Subject: [asia-apec 344] subscription to apec list Message-ID: subscribe C. Jay Ou From alarm at pw.net Tue Jan 28 11:57:01 1997 From: alarm at pw.net (alarm) Date: Tue, 28 Jan 1997 10:57:01 +0800 Subject: [asia-apec 345] (ALERT) Police "kidnap" dying .... Message-ID: <32ED6AFC.7576@pw.net> Police "kidnap" Dying Hunger Strikers On Sunday, January 19, at 3.15 am 300 police brutally removed the Tabasco hunger strikers from outside the National Human Rights Commission (CNDH), Mexico city, and took three of them to the Xoco hospital. Venancio Jimenez Martinez and Jorge Luis Magan~a Alamilla, on hunger strike for 97 days and Agustin Vicente Sanchez, on hunger strike for 57 days, were taken against their will to a hospital were they have not been allowed to receive any visits from their friends and families. In the middle of the confusion another 4 hunger strikers effectively escaped from the police. At 4.55 am the police went back to the camp the Tabasco refuse collectors had organised outside the CNDH to demand minimum working rights. The police destroyed the tents, benches, chairs, blankets and other things in the camp. Only the presence of PRD MP Adriana Luna and the vociferous protest of more than 200 people stopped them after a while. Candelario Mendez Diaz, a 22 year old refuse collector, tried to prevent the police intervention and was forcibly put into a police van where he was beaten up several times. At the same time he was threatened and abused by the police who were shouting "we are going to kill you for not letting us do our job". Then he was thrown out to the street where a plain clothes agent was shouting: "Run over him with the car! Run over him with the car! He has got to pay for it!". He was able to escape and jumped into an ambulance which had been used by the workers during the hunger strike. The ambulance driver tried to take him to a hospital as he was severely wounded, but they were blocked by a police car and only succeeded to go back to the camp. Latter on the other workers managed to take him to a private hospital where he is recovering from severe wounds in face, abdomen and legs. One of his ears was nearly pulled out by the police. This 22 year old worker lost his home in Tabasco more than a year ago during a hurricane and since then has been living with fellow workers in the different camps they have organised in Mexico city, with his wife Alejandra and his two year old son Alexander. He said that as soon as he was all right he would go back with his comrades to continue the fight. This brutal police intervention has caused an uproar in Mexico amongst trade union, human rights and left wing organisations. Emilio Krieger, president of the National Association of Democratic Lawyers, said that the action was both illegal and unconstitutional. "The government is afraid of losing control over the people" he declared to La Jornada. PRD leader Cuauhtemoc Cardenas denounced Mexican president Ernesto Zedillo as responsible for the police intervention and denounced that the hunger strikers are "in effect kidnapped" as they are not allowed visits. In the meantime, president Zedillo declared that the intervention had been "for humanitarian reasons". The spokesperson of the Tabasco federal government said that "now that the psychological pressure is over" an agreement could be reached more easily. But the most astonishing statement was made by the National Human Rights Commission spokesperson who said that she was in agreement with the action "but not with the form used". Tabasco refuse collectors leader, Aquiles Magan~a, and PRD senator, Felix Salgado, announced that 50 more workers were going to restart the hunger strike as the authorities were not prepared to talk to the workers. The Tabasco refuse collectors have been on struggle for more than two years demanding minimum rights at work. One of the facts which triggered the conflict was the intention of Tabasco's mayor to use them to clean his own house. Please circulate this appeal as widely as possible. Send letters of protest to: Lic. Ernesto Zedillo Ponce de Leon Presidente de la Republica Fax + 52 5 515 1794 Letters of solidarity can be sent to: Broad Front of Democratic Struggle Calle Insurgentes n. 203 Fracc. Insurgentes Ciudad Industrial Villahermosa TABASCO, Mexico. or emailed through: Commission Nacional Sindical, Partido de la Revolucion Democratica a la atencion de los trabajadores de la limpia de Tabasco joseluisr@laneta.apc.org From acfoa at peg.apc.org Fri Jan 31 11:59:21 1997 From: acfoa at peg.apc.org (acfoa) Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 12:59:21 +1000 (EST) Subject: [asia-apec 346] Urgent! Message-ID: <1.5.4.16.19970131135157.11cf318e@pop.peg.apc.org> >To: aidwatch@peg.apc.org >From: acfoa >Subject: Urgent! > >This is a second attempt as some on the list did not receive the message. For those who receive this twice - apologies. I would also appreciate if you can confirm receipt. . >Rima Das Pradhan... > > >PLEASE DISSEMINATE THIS INFORMATION AS WIDELY AS POSSIBLE >WITH YOUR NETWORK > > >Dear Friends, > >You may have already heard of the possible demise of Radio Australia. An SOS letter from Radio Australia is to follow. > > >WE URGE YOU TO SEND LETTERS OF SUPPORT FOR THE CONTINUATION OF BROADCASTING TO THE REGION FROM RADIO AUSTRALIA >BEFORE 4 FEBRUARY 1997. > > >Send your letters either directly to Radio Australia on the email and fax numbers listed below, or directly to the: > >? The Hon. John Howard, MP, Prime Minister, on Fax 61 6 273 4100 >? Senator the Hon. Richard Alston, Minister for Communications and the Arts and Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate, on fax 61 6 273 4154 and to >? Mr Brian Johns, Managing Director of the ABC, on fax 61 2 9333 5344. > >Please make sure you send a copy of your letters to Radio Australia as well so that they know how many letters have been sent. > >The following are some points you may wish to emphasise in your letters: > >1. Radio Australia has served to enhance Australia?s engagement with the region, and understanding within the region of Australia and Australian perspectives on world and regional events. Cutting Radio Australia sends all the wrong reasons to the region about Australia?s interest. RA can ?showcase? Australian aid and trade initiatives in the region in a low key informative way. > >2. Radio Australia plays an important role in providing independent news and commentary to the region. Particularly for people living in countries which are isolated, with strictly controlled media, Radio Australia is often the only source of information. In recent years for example, Radio Australia was the only source of objective information on political and military developments for the people in Fiji, Burma, East Timor, and Bougainville. Independent and quality broadcasts can provide valuable information, support democratic processes and the strengthen civil society. > >3. The Asia Pacific region contains many of the world?s poorest countries where people have no real media options and where political oppression is rife. The battery operated radio is usually the only option available in areas where there is no electricity, no satellite dishes, and no resources to access these things. Clean water is usually of a higher priority than television. > >4. Radio Australia provides many people in the region with access to the English language and to education and training programs to enhance language skills and understanding. > >5. Radio Australia provides independent news broadcasts to the region in the languages of the region. > >6. The review did not canvass views from the region on the value and effectiveness of Radio Australia - they did not ask the audience. > > > >Yours sincerely, > > > > >JANET HUNT >Executive Director > > >_____________________________________________________________________________ >Organization: Australian Broadcasting Corporation >To: acfoa@peg.apc.org >Subject: To Rima > > > AN SOS MESSAGE FROM RADIO AUSTRALIA > >The Government of Australia has received the report of Bob Mansfield, who had been commissioned to review the operations of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation -- which operates Radio Australia. Mr Mansfield recommended that the requirement for the ABC to broadcast programs to audiences outside Australia should cease. > >This, in effect, means that the ABC and the Australian Government have been given the opportunity to close Radio Australia as a cost-cutting measure. > >Our managing director, Brian Johns, has said that the recommendation will have to be considered. But he has said that the views of Radio Australia listeners will be taken into account. > >The Mansfield recommendations were made after receiving thousands of submissions from within Australia. Those few submissions that mentioned Radio Australia directly, were supportive of RA. But Mr Mansfield admits that he did not receive, or directly seek, submissions from RA listeners or supporters outside Australia. > >Now is the time to make your voice heard. We appeal to all our listeners, friends and supporters in the Asia-Pacific region and beyond, to help Radio Australia survive. > >We ask you to write a short message of support, expressing your concerns at the possible closure. Our board of management will meet on February 5th to consider the closure recommendation, so we need to hear from you >before then. > >Radio Australia has proudly broadcast to the world for almost 60 years. Our main listening area is Asia-Pacific, but we can be heard all over the world. We bring news, current affairs, information and entertainment to millions of people every day, free of charge, and free of commercial or political interference. In many countries, Radio Australia is the only uncensored and objective broadcast media source available that directly covers the affairs of that country and its region. > >Radio Australia is one of only two broadcast media services in the world providing regional and country-by-country coverage of the Pacific for the people of the Pacific. And we have provided programs for re-broadcast on local stations, as well as training, equipment and advice for those stations. > >Radio Australia gives people of the Asia-Pacific access to news from the region, the world, and Australia. We are link to free, democratic societies, for people who do not yet live in such societies. And we do not require people to subscribe, join up or buy a satellite dish. > >Please e-mail messages of support to us at ranews@radioaus.abc.net.au Messages can also be faxed to us at the RA Pacific Bureau on 61-2-9333-2234. Our phone number at the Pacific office is 61-2-9333-2230. > >All messages received will be handed on to our management, and to the Government of Australia. > >Thank you for your support. > >Richard Dinnen >South Pacific Correspondent >Radio Australia >January 29, 1997 > ________________________________________________ Australian Council For Overseas Aid (ACFOA) Private Bag 3 Deakin ACT 2600 Australia ph: +61 6 285 1816 fax: + 61 6 285 1720 acfoa@peg.apc.org ________________________________________________ From daga at HK.Super.NET Fri Jan 31 17:07:32 1997 From: daga at HK.Super.NET (daga) Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 16:07:32 +0800 (HKT) Subject: [asia-apec 347] Struggle News 21 from NCPD Message-ID: <2.2.16.19970131160107.1cefbde4@is1.hk.super.net> - apologies to those who may be receiving this a second time. - Date: Fri, 31 Jan 1997 14:36:39 +0900 From: lee Subject: Struggle News 21 From NCPD Apparently-To: kctuweb@mail.sing-kr.org --------------------- Struggle News No. 21 --------------------- Notice Struggle News is issued succeeding to the 20th Struggle Flash. Struggle Flash have been issued everyday except Sunday but Struggle News is going to be issued every second or third day. In Proportion to KCTU's closing the third stage of general strike and preparing for the fourth stage of general strike, we have changed the name of our article and the frequency of issue. KCTU's Preparation for the fourth stage of the nationwide strike/ -------------------------------------------------------------------- eliminating the suppression of labor/ the plutocracies unjust and -------------------------------------------------------------------- irrational attempts to wage an all out war against the strikers. -------------------------------------------------------------------- On the 28th of January the KCTU held a central meeting which proposed that, in the future, the nationwide strike will be more aggressive and will work towards the acceleration of labor's cause. If the government and the politician's anti-labor laws and the unfair national security laws are not renegotiated or altogether eliminated, and the large companies do not refrain from waging their immoral war against the strikers, the next stage (fourth) will be much more aggressive and accelerated than the struggle waged during the third stage. In preparation for the fourth stage of the nationwide strike, the subdivisions of the KCTU, including the representatives division and the executives division, are preparing a signature campaign. The president of the KCTU has proposed that he will personally supervise the fourth stage of the nationwide strike. In addition, "In preparation for the amassing of (strength) power during the fourth stage, planners have promoted mandatory attendance and reserved the Wednesday demonstrations. previsionarily.. Also the KCTU subdivisions, including the executive branch, have attempted to form an association in order to deal with the large company threats, such as "no work, no pay", 'demands for damages', 'absence without warning is prohibited', and 'mandatory submission to disciplinary measures'. The KCTU has responded to the large company threats with a more aggressive fight against these injustices. Finally, in regards to the Hanbo incident, the KCTU is closely watching the bureaucratic and plutocratic folly which resulted from immoral and unjust business activities which are ruining the nation's economic standing. With regards to the Hanbo incident, union leaders are requesting an unbiased and all inclusive investigation of this incident. They also suggested that all participants should be punished to the fullest extent for their illegal activities. As a result of the Hanbo incident, workers are facing employment instability, and in addition, medium-sized subcontract factories are faced with bankruptcy which has forced larger companies to support these smaller companies with financial aid. In order to contain this situation, the KCTU has created a countermeasure committee calling for the punishment of the immoral activities of the large companies and the ineffectiveness of the bureaucracy. This committee will provide clear evidence of the immorality of the company owners and the ineffectiveness of the bureaucrats, who together railroaded the anti-labor laws and also the NSPA Act through the National Assembly. January 29th...The leaders of the NCPD are invited to an ------------------------------------------------------------ information meeting... ------------------------------------------------------------- On January 29th at 10pm, 40 members of the NCPD held a meeting concerning, "the repeal of the anti-labor and NSPA acts" at the Myongdong Hyongrin church. In the meeting the leaders of education and religious circles as well as the NCPD, reported their activities for the repeal of the detrimental revision of the laws. In addition the KCTU helped each group to understand the situation better by way of reporting the content of the discussions of the central steering committee on the 28th and the preparations for the 4th general strike. The NCPD reported and explained the plans for a pan-national signature drive, for a 1 million people's proclamation, for a political rally, and for a cultural festival on February 2nd. The NCPD requested the participation of each group in these activities. In accordance with NCPD's request, the leaders of each group made a resolution to struggle to the end until the labor law and NSPA Act amendments are repealed. On the 29th, the NCPD and the three opposition parties held a ----------------------------------------------------------------- second forum ------------- The NCPD and the three opposition parties confirmed the invalidity of the labor law and the NSPA Act. On the 28th at 8pm, the NCPD, KCTU and the three opposition parties held a second forum on the emergency situation. At the forum, such matters as 1) understanding the political situation related to the bankruptcy of Han-Bo, 2) the recent situation related to the amendments of the labor law, and 3) the suggestion for a information meeting related to the NSPA Act were discussed. The NCPD expressed concern that the opposition parties would soften their attitude on the repeal of the labor law and NSPA Act as a result of returning to the National Assembly. Regarding this concern, the opposition parties replied that their return to the National Assembly, does not mean that they retreated from their existing standpoint, but was necessary to invoke the authority to inspect the government offices. They affirmed that they would struggle until the railroaded laws were nullified. The NCPD pointed out that the NSPA Act was more or less neglected by them. The opposition parties replied that they were much more anxious about the NSPA Act than the NCPD. They, including the ULD (United Liberal Democrats), who had not insisted on the nullification of the NSPA Act, reaffirmed that the NSPA Act is fundamentally void. Afterwards the NCPD suggested that they should hold a meeting to discuss the amendment of the labor law which would be agreed to by the KCTU and FKTU. The three opposition parties refrained from replying to this suggestion. As to agreeing to the fact of the government's suppression of the people in relation to the general strike, they decided to make a joint committee consisting of the NCPD, the KCTU, the FKTU and one lawmaker of each party to investigate the government suppression, but they refrained from making a fact-finding mission in the House. They also accepted the NCPD's suggestion that an open forum should be held to inform people of the necessity of repealing the NSPA Act. On the 24th, the Korean-Japanese Committee held a meeting to ------------------------------------------------------------------ support the Korean Worker's general strike and denounce the ------------------------------------------------------------ presidential summit between Korea and Japan -------------------------------------------- Late on the 24th, an emergency meeting was held to support the general strike led by the KCTU and to denounce the presidential summit between Korea and Japan, in the center of the Dosima district in Tokyo where 200 Japanese citizens, workers, students and Korean-Japanese participated. A delegate of Japanese workers who visited the scenes of the strike in Korea for 3 days from the 22th to 24th, reported how the Korean workers' strike was going and they showed a video tape of the strike recorded by them. When the president Kwon Young-Kil expressed his appreciation of international solidarity and sent a solidarity message, "let's continuously participate in the struggle" on the video tape, the audience responded with loud applause. Next, a representative of the Korean-Japanese Committee made a detailed report about the Korean workers' struggle and strongly requested support for their struggle . The participants denounced the presidential summit between Korea and Japan held in Japan. The leaders of each group stepped onto the platform and made a resolution to support and join the Korean workers' struggle. The participants adopted a statement demanding that the labor law and NSPA Act be nullified and the suppression of workers be stopped. The next morning, they demonstrated in front of the Korean Embassy in protest against the Korean government and visited the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and handed over a protest letter to the official. Minkyohyup and Organization of professors against the railroaded -------------------------------------------------------------------- enactment issue a statement on the bankruptcy of Hanbo company. -------------------------------------------------------------------- On the 28th, Minkyohyup (Professors' Conference for Democracy) and Organization of professors against the railroaded enactment!9, which have begun a sit-down strike demanding the immediate nullification of the railroaded laws, issued a statement on the recent bankruptcy of Hanbo. The professors said the railroaded legislation and the recent controversial bankruptcy of Hanbo basically stem from the same origin, which is also the main cause of Korea's economic crisis; the illegal collusion between politics and monopolistic industrial giants. They added that economic and political democracy should be achieved by preventing this collusion. The professors demanded: 1) a thorough investigation into the allegations surrounding the Hanbo Group; 2) reformation of laws concerning political funds so that the evil collusion of political parties and plutocracy can be rooted out; and 3) reformation of the structure of the economy which reflects a few industrial giants' expansionism and monopolization, and a guarantee of workers' right to participate in management. On the 29th, Minkyohyup and the professors' organization ended their three-day sit-in strike and suggested that they would continue their struggle against the railroaded enactment. "Conference for protecting democracy" was held in Kwangju ------------------------------------------------------------ The KJCD(Kwangju/Junnam Committee for the nullification of the railroaded enactment and the protection of Democracy) held a "Conference for protecting democracy" on the 28th of January. In this conference, which was held at Kwangju Catholic Center with the attendance of 200 members from all walks of life, there were the KCTU's and KJCD's activity reports, and discussion about "our prospects and tasks for the nullification of the labor laws and NSPA Act". Park Suk-Un, a chairman of the executive committee of the NCPD, reported their struggle actions and the outcomes to date, complementary measures and plans for future struggle. Mass meeting of citizens was held in Mokpo --------------------------------------------- The MCCD(Mokpo Citizens' Committee for the nullification of the railroaded enactment and the protection of Democracy) held a citizen's rally at the YMCA Assembly Hall on the 28th. Among those who participated in the rally were citizens from MCCD, representatives of regional civic groups, and workers of Halla Industry. In this rally, the participants discussed the process and outcomes of their collective action so far and plans for further struggle. The MCCD, which has been holding a sit-down strike for 26 days so far, is receiving signatures from people and conducting a fund-raising campaign at Jungang Church daily from 8pm to 10pm. They have collected about 8.000 signatures to date.