Iraqi armed forces shoot at peaceful demonstration of the industrial workers

While the workers of the Industrial Sector marched peacefully towards the Parliament building, security forces subjected us to heavy gunfire, threatened our lives, and beat up many of us on October 6th

On October 6th at about 11 a.m., the Iraqi armed forces that guard the Green Zone directed heavy gunfire at demonstrating industrial sector workers. The demonstration had acquired a permit from Baghdad military operations.

The tense armed forces were about to cause a massacre, and possibly kill tens or hundreds of the demonstrators, but the composure of the demonstrating workers staying in their positions disregarding the provocation saved their lives.

The workers who stood up in front of the gunshots did not withdraw, despite many being hit with the gun butts. The workers shouted to the armed forces "We do not want you Ba'athists … We don't want you Ba'athists". Despite the chaos, no body from the parliament nor from the ministries had any intention to talk to the demonstrators, or even to ask about the gunfire near the Green Zone.

The demonstrators marched from Al Tahreer Sq., in the middle of Baghdad, across Al Jumhoria Bridge toward the Green Zone.

About two thousand demonstrators were carrying banners and slogans reflecting their demands which focused on:

Payment of remunerations due since 2008
Payment of safety benefits
Settlement of the cases of workers politically dismissed during the Saddam Hussein regime

Thousands raised their angry cries: "… Why you are starving the workers and their children? " and "Our wages are a handful of soil compared to the salaries of the parliamentarians " and "Yes to Equality".

The armed forces had beaten and seized four workers - Thamir Hameed and Muhammad Khangar from the Battery industries, Muhammad Khamees from the electricity industries and Munadhil Attia from the leather industries. They hit the cameraman Muhammad Jasim, and they seized cameras to prevent the Media from covering the events.

The officials in the Ministries Council asked for a delegation from the workers, but many demonstrators insisted an immediate meeting with a representative from the Ministries Council or the parliament to negotiate the workers. The demonstrators also demanded the surrender of those who fired at the workers and to punish them.

Shooting the demonstrators is an unprecedented terrorist act which will not be forgiven without punishing the perpetrators.

The representative of the Ministries Council admitted to what the official armed forces committed, and he announced the readiness of the authorities to issue a formal statement to apologize to the workers who had been subjected to beatings.

The authorities behaved as militia with hostility to the masses, they appeared as enemies of the workers, obeying the orders of their bosses, who are trying to stay in power at any price.

We call for a trial for the soldiers involved with firing on and beating the workers.

The Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq is calling for the workers in the industrial sector and other sectors to expand their movement, and to insist on their demands. We will organize a broad campaign to expose the repressive authorities.

We call for all workers' unions and organizations to support the workers in Iraq.

Long live the workers movement.

Federation of Workers Councils and Unions in Iraq (FWCUI)

7-10-2009