Syria: ITUC Supports Call for General Strike on Wednesday 18 May

17 May 2011: As the repression against the popular uprising throughout the country continues, Syria’s opposition has called for a general strike on Wednesday 18 May. “Refusing to work is the only weapon the Syrian people have against the bullets, the tanks, the arrests and all the other brutal excesses of the Assad regime. We support this courageous strike for fundamental freedoms and social justice,” said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC.

The strike call comes as the AFP press agency reports that dozens of bodies of the dead and injured are lying in the streets of Tall Kalakh (in the west), the town that has been besieged by the army for several days. News from Syrian human rights activists has also emerged over the last few days about mass graves discovered in Deraa, the town to the south of capital Damas where the protests began. Meanwhile rocket fire and gunshots have been heard in Homs. But information and eye-witness reports cannot be independently verified.

Five journalists have been sent to prison, while press visas are being refused. Local journalists and cyber-activists are the target of fierce repression. “As it was in Syria and Egypt, and still is in Libya and Bahrain, press freedom is being blatantly suppressed in Syria,” denounced Sharan Burrow. “If they want their denials to have any credibility, the Syrian regime, which became notorious in 1982 for the massacre of over 20,000 people in 24 hours in Hama, must allow the international press to work freely,” she added.

According to non-governmental organisations, at least 700 people have died in the repression so far, including hundreds in Deraa, while at least 8.000 have been arrested around the country. “The regime must allow humanitarian and human rights organisations do their job, as foreseen in international law,” said Sharan Burrow, who is urging the international community to finally take action to put an end to the massacre. “This extremely serious situation deserves the full attention of the United Nations’ Secretary General, and the International Criminal Court,” insisted the international trade union leader.

All trade union rights have been abolished under this dictatorial regime. The official government-controlled trade union centre (GFTU) has absolutely nothing to do with the opposition’s strike call, and instead has followed the line of the Assad regime, describing the reform movement as a “conspiracy”. “The Assad regime must end this violent repression immediately, open genuine dialogue with the opposition and authorise the creation of legitimate civil society organisations, notably bona fide trade unions capable of fighting for decent work and against the poverty that has caused the people to rebel,” concluded Sharan Burrow.