Call for the immediate release of Mansour Ossanlou , President of Syndicate of Tehran Bus Workers

Presseerklärung des "Co-ordinating Committee of Workers Left Unity- Iran " vom 20.11.06

On the morning of Sunday the 19 th of Nov, Masnour Ossanlou, president of Syndicate of Vahed Bus company Tehran who had only been released from prison in August 2006, was arrested by security forces in Tehran and taken to an unknown location. Ebrahim Madadi, deputy president of the same syndicate, who was with Ossanlou at the time of his arrest gave this account of the events to news agencies:

" As we walked out of the house, security forces in civilian clothes approached Ossanlou, I asked to see their identity cards and their arrest warrant, but before I could do anything they pushed Mr Ossanlou into a car and drove off. " Madadi added that Ossanlou had an eye surgery last week and one of his eyes was still covered by bandage, when he was arrested.

Vahed Bus workers Syndicate , (a company that employs between 8000 the 16000 drivers and other workers in the greater Teheran area) organised 2 major strikes in December 2005 and January 2006 causing a gridlock of Tehran traffic. Since the beginning of their trade union activities in 2004, the activists of the syndicate have been under the surveillance of the security forces. Repeatedly agent Provocateurs of the Islamic works committee and members of Khane kargar (Labour House a government set up workers organisation) have attacked the Syndicate offices with the help and participation of the police. On the 22nd December 2005, a number of Synidcate members , including members of the executive committee of the syndicate and the chair, Mansour Ossanlou were arrested and imprisoned. Following an international campaign for his release Ossanlou was released on bail in August 2006.

Ossanlou 's arrest comes at a time when the Islamic regime in Iran, has launched a new wave of repression against labour activists, including those arrested in May 2004 in Saghez, accused of organising independent May Day celebrations. Although the Islamic regime in Tehran is using the threat of war and sanctions to increase repression, Ossanlou and Saghez Labour activists such as Mahmoud Salehi, Borhan Divargar . are adamant in their opposition to imperialism and war. In the words of Madadi , deputy president of Vahed bus workers Syndicate:

"Our labour union does not regard anyone who propagates and prepares for war as its friends and allies. We reject strongly any military action against our country and warn the workers against the threat of war and the need to stop such aggression."

Indeed Iran 's workers and their activists are the genuine anti war forces in our country.

Workers Left Unity Iran calls on all anti capitalist groups, socialists, communists, trade unionists to call for the immediate and unconditional release of Ossanlou and the withdrawal of all charges against Saghez labour activists.

Make your protest known, email us your support , join us in building a Campaign Against war - Against Iran's Islamic regime and in defence of Workers struggles in Iran .

Co-ordinating Committee of Workers Left Unity- Iran 20/11/2007

etehadchap@yahoo.co.uk

http://www.etehadchap.org/english