I attended the conference that I mentioned yesterday in regards to the statement.
Instead of giving a brief description of the day, I will highlight some of the discussions.
In the first session, Haifa Zangana spoke about the position of women in Iraqi society since the invasion and occupation.
And that Iraqi women have a history of struggling against imperialism and colonialism. The lack of education (around 350 academics have been assassinated since the invasion) and health services, due to the occupation, also impact upon women. UNICEF report that 74% Iraqi girls don’t attend school. In her book, City of Widows: An Iraqi Woman’s Account of War and Resistance, she says:
“Women who struggled for many decades against the dictatorship report that today is worse than yesterday, which is worse than the day before. They are outraged to see their counytry’s resources robbed while they live in slums, and they lack the slightest say in the political process. They despair at the uncertainty in their lives”. (page 107).
The infrastructure of Iraq is devastated every aspect of that society has been affected by the occupation. And now the imperialists are gung-ho in desperately wanting to steal the natural resource….oil. Greg Muttit gave a detailed introduction about the draft oil law.
How Bush/Cheney are putting pressure on the Iraqi government to pass this law before they leave office.
It was meant to have been passed nearly 2 years ago without discussion and in secret. But the contents were leaked and Iraqis campaigned against this impending law. The oil unions led a pivotal role in this courageous struggle and with international support and solidarity.
The reaction against this campaign has been brutal. Oil union leaders have had arrest warrants taken out against them, workplaces have been militarised, and activists threatened. In their attempt to crush resistance, around 6 wks ago, 8 oil workers have been sent from Basra to Baghdad.
This will inevitably endanger the lives of these activists yet New Labour has endorsed the forcible removal of these people. The Kurdistan Regional Government have started signing contracts without any discussion about their constitutional authority to do so.
And now the Iraqi government is expecting to sign 1-year service contracts for 6 of Iraq’s largest fields.
They have been offered to BP, Shell, ExxonMobil, Chevron and Total. These 1-year contracts will act as a springboard for more longer term contracts. The US administration are now pushing for a 3-part strategy to pass the oil law.
They want to broker a deal between the Kurdish and some Shi’a parties; neutralise opposition; and offer inducements for more Iraqi MPs to vote for the law.
Bush and Cheney have a limited time in passing this oil law. This will mean that the total privatisation of the oil and further economic undermining and plundering of the Iraq. They came, they saw, they conquered and stole the oil. Multinational companies could have contracts for 30 years. There is no allowance for transparency or accountability. The sovereignty of the oil will be handed over to foreign private companies.
Hands off Iraqi Oil are hoping to organise a day of action on the 11 October to mark the last 100 days of the Bush administration and to show solidarity with the Iraqi oil workers who, along with other civil society groups, have made a brave stand against the theft of the oil.
There’s another report of the day at Jim’s blog.
Posted by harpymarx 
