
Issue No 19		25 June 1999

International

Unions Post-War Stand

The world labour group demands KFOR track war-crimes authors and says social dimension central to Balkan reconstruction.

Brussels June 23 1999 (ICFTU OnLine): The ICFTU's Steering Committee, the organisation's highest policy-making body, is demanding that all individuals accused of war-crimes, or crimes against humanity or acts of genocide committed in the Balkans, and wanted by the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) be brought to justice immediately.

"This should be strenuously pursued by the international community, particularly international peace-keeping forces in the Balkans, including those from the Russian Federation, as a necessary step to rebuilding peace and stability in the region", says the ICFTU.

The ICFTU Steering Committee meeting in Brussels yesterday, also requested the ICFTU General Secretary to promote a Balkan trade union reconstruction programme in close association with the ETUC, TUAC and the ITS's and in co-operation with the ILO, engaging the Bretton Woods Institutions in efforts aimed at ensuring a full social dimension in the reconstruction programmes.

The unions say that it is crucially important to strengthen the institutions of civil society, as the most effective way of preventing conflict, and creating good governance and social practice, items which were largely ignored in the transition process of Central and Eastern Europe, and may have contributed to the growth of conflict in the region.

A courageous first step has been taken towards reconstruction in the region itself by the "Appeal for an Amnesty" launched on June 17 by the ICFTU affiliate in Serbia, the democratic trade union UGS Nezavisnost, and 46 non-governmental organisations in Belgrade. The Appeal called for the return of all those who have fled the country during the bombing campaign, and the adoption by the Yugoslav parliament of a Bill for an Amnesty Law. The Law would grant amnesty in all criminal procedures, on-going trials or sentences passed on people who refused to take part in the war, as well as those guilty of war-related criminal political acts, with the exception of war-crimes.

The ICFTU Steering Committee noted that the international community had largely chosen to ignore calls made since 1990 from trade unions and human rights organisations in the area about the deteriorating situation, despite numerous ICFTU representations to governments, the UN the ILO, and other international organisations as witnessed in the ICFTU's report on "Dismissals and Ethnic Cleansing in Kosovo", released in October 1992;".

At the same time, independent trade unions in the region, such as the UGS Nezavisnost in Belgrade, and the BSPK in Kosova have continued to fight to preserve trade union freedoms.

The Brussels-based ICFTU represents 124 million workers through 213 nationaltrade union centres in 143 countries.

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  Issue 19 contents

Interview: Moore for the Battlers
NCOSS director Garry Moore gives the community sector's response to this week's State Budget

Unions: AWU's Bush Blitz
"This is AWU Country". That's the slogan for the Australian Workers Union as it launches its campaign to address the specific needs of workers throughout regional and rural Australia.

Indigenous: Nowhere to Run, Nowhere to Hide
A United Nations committee slams Australia on indigenous native title rights.

International: Unions Post-War Stand
The world labour group demands KFOR track war-crimes authors and says social dimension central to Balkan reconstruction.

History: How Swede It Was
Swedish seafarers play an important role in South Australia's maritime history.

Review: If He Had Only Listened To Me ...
If Michael Thompson had listened to me the current debate raging in the nation�s opinion pages about his book may not have been as hysterical.

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