#Uint11 The Arab Spring - Update on the Middle East and North Africa

Sat pm: Last presentation was by Nick Crook, UNISON International Officer, followed by a film on Labour Rights in Egypt.

Nick reported that this is a new area of work for UNISON.  We use to work on Palestine and Iraq (and to a lesser extent Iran).  No real mandate  before Conference this year. 

It is called the  “Arab Spring” but also involves North Africa. Events are ongoing. Not only in Libya (Gaddifi was killed only 2 days before) but in Syria and Egypt things are still very much a process. The Army remains in control in Egypt.

A key factor has been social and economic conditions. The role of trade unions has been a core theme. There were marked differences in the region beforehand with regard to unions.  Some such as Tunisia had powerful free trade unions, others such as in Egypt, Syria and Libra they were  government controlled unions while in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, unions were banned. Less widely reported is the protests in Jordon, Algeria and Morocco.  In Morocco the protests forced the King to announce that there will be a  constitutional monarchy. While in Bahrain there was military intervention by Saudi. 3000 trade unionists lost their jobs while several hundred were imprisoned.  Contrast the British Government response to what has happened in Libya and Bahrain. Kuwait also has a crack down on trade union protest. On May day 2011 77 national trade unions across region did sign a "democracy declaration".

The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) have a new web site (which I can't find?) and Labourstart also has lots of good information and campaigns.  Unfortunately there has been splits in Egypt trade unions which have put UNISON in a difficult position with regard to who to support.

Just because you can't do everything, doesn't mean you don't do nothing...

Driving up the spectacular Horseshoe Pass in North Wales on Friday lunchtime I was listening to Jeremy Vine on Radio 2.  He was discussing the recent United Nations vote on Military action to save Civilian lives in Libya.  His guests were Professor Michael Clarke from the Royal United Service Institute and the serial apologist for murderers and tyrants, Lindsey German.  

Professor Clarke gave a considered and objective assessment of the situation and eventually a reasoned but reticent (and limited) backing for military action. 

While German, the crank cultist (who last year had to resign before being expelled from the SWP sect and then went on to form the even smaller Real-SWP sect "Counterfire") waffled on in support of doing nothing since we cannot topple all the world's tyrants (and therefore we should just let Gaddafi's war planes, tanks and artillery slaughter the Libyan opposition). 

Professor Clarke rebuked her with "Just because you can't do everything, doesn't mean you don't do nothing..." and reminded us all that timely and appropriate Military invention can and has saved lives.

Remember, even in the UK, we know what Gaddafi and his goons are capable of - from the public machine gunning of an unarmed London Police officer, to blowing up a civilian jet plane over Scotland killing 270 and the supplying of IRA terrorists with tons of explosives and weapons which were then used to murder many, many more innocents. 

So we should all know exactly what will happen to the civilian population if Gaddafi retakes the rebel held towns and cities.  No Excuses.