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<h2><font size=5 color="#FF0000"><b>COSATU, PSC: Free Palestine! Isolate
Apartheid Israel!</b></font></h2><font size=3><i>Report by COSATU, PSC
(South Africa)<br>
Published: 03/02/09<br>
<a href="http://www.labournet.net/world/0902/cosatu1.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.labournet.net/world/0902/cosatu1.html<br><br>
</a></i></font><h3><b>COSATU and PSC launch Week of Action for Palestine
supported by YCL and other progressive
organisations</b></h3><font size=3><b>Media Conference, COSATU House, 3
February 2009, 11am<br><br>
</b>In a historic development for South Africa, South African dock
workers have announced their determination not to offload a ship from
Israel that is scheduled to dock in Durban on Sunday, 8 February 2009.
This follows the decision by COSATU to strengthen the campaign in South
Africa for boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Apartheid
Israel.<br><br>
The pledge by SATAWU members in Durban reflects the commitment by South
African workers to refuse to support oppression and exploitation across
the globe. Last year, Durban dock workers had refused to offload a
shipment of arms that had arrived from China and was destined for
Zimbabwe to prop up the Mugabe regime and to intensify the repression
against the Zimbabwean people. Now, says SATAWU’s General Secretary
Randall Howard, the union’s members are committing themselves to not
handling Israeli goods.<br><br>
SATAWU’s action on Sunday will be part of a proud history of worker
resistance against apartheid. In 1963, just four years after the
Anti-Apartheid Movement was formed, Danish dock workers refused to
offload a ship with South African goods. When the ship docked in Sweden,
Swedish workers followed suit. Dock workers in the San Francisco Bay Area
and, later, in Liverpool also refused to offload South African goods.
South Africans, and the South African working class in particular, will
remain forever grateful to those workers who determinedly opposed
apartheid and decided that they would support the anti-apartheid struggle
with their actions.<br><br>
Last week, Western Australian members of the Maritime Union of Australia
resolved to support the campaign for boycotts, divestment and sanctions
against Israel, and have called for a boycott of all Israeli vessels and
all vessels bearing goods arriving from or going to Israel.<br><br>
This is the legacy and the tradition that South African dock workers have
inherited, and it is a legacy they are determined to honour, by ensuring
that South African ports of entry will not be used as transit points for
goods bound for or emanating from certain dictatorial and oppressive
states such as Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Israel.<br><br>
COSATU, the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the Young Communist League
and a range of other organisations salute the principled position taken
by these workers. We also take this opportunity to salute the millions of
workers all over the world who have openly condemned and taken decisive
steps to isolate apartheid Israel, a step that should send shockwaves to
its arrogant patrons in the United States who foot the bill for Israel’s
killing machine. We call on other workers and unions to follow suit and
to do all that is necessary to ensure that they boycott all goods to and
from Israel until Palestine is free.<br><br>
We also welcome statements by various South African Jews of conscience
who have dissociated themselves from the genocide in Gaza. We call on all
South Africans to ensure that none of our family members are allowed to
join the Israeli Occupation Forces’ killing machine.<br><br>
In celebration of the actions of SATAWU members with regard to the ship
from Israel, and in pursuance of the campaign for boycotts, divestment
and sanctions against Israel, and our call on the South African
government to sever diplomatic and trade relations with Israel, this
coalition of organisations has declared a week of action beginning on
Friday, 6 February 2009. The actions will be organised under the theme:
FREE PALESTINE! ISOLATE APARTHEID ISRAEL! Activities that have already
been confirmed for this week will include:
<ul>
<li>Friday, 6 February: A protest outside the offices of the South
African Zionist Federation and the South African Jewish Board of
Deputies, 2 Elray Street, Raedene, off Louis Botha Avenue. Both these
organisations unquestioningly supported the recent Israeli attacks
against Gaza, and supported the massacre of civilians and the attacks on
schools, mosques, ambulances, and UN refugee centres. Protestors will be
addressed by, among others, SATAWU General Secretary Randall Howard, and
ex-Minister Ronnie Kasrils. Protest starts at 14:00.
<li>Friday, 6 February: A picket outside parliament in Cape Town. COSATU
members and solidarity activists will be joined by a number of members of
parliament. Picket starts at 09:30.
<li>Friday, 6 February: A mass rally in Actonville, Benoni, at the Buzme
Adab Hall. The rally will be addressed by, among others, COSATU General
Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, PSC spokesperson Salim Vally, South African
Council of Churches General Secretary Eddie Makue, and ex-Minister Ronnie
Kasrils. Rally starts at 19:30.
<li>Sunday, 8 February: A protest at the Durban Harbour Mouth, off
Victoria Embankment [Margaret Mncadi Avenue]. Protestors will be
addressed by, among others, COSATU President Sdumo Dlamini. Protest
starts at 10:00.
<li>Sunday 8 February: A mass rally in Cape Town at Vygieskraal Rugby
Stadium. The rally will be addressed by, among others, COSATU General
Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, and Allan Boesak. Rally starts at
14:30.<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
</ul><br><br>
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