Naftana Press Release: The Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU) has announced that US occupation forces carried out an unprovoked attack against a crew of workers in the Rumaila oilfields in Basra on the morning of Monday 18 September. As a result of this cowardly and criminal act, Chief Engineer Talib Naji Abboud was wounded and taken to hospital where he died in the evening of Tuesday 19 September.
For Immediate Release
Naftana Press Release
Thursday 20 September 2007
Oil Union declares: US occupation forces kill oil engineer
The Iraqi Federation of Oil Unions (IFOU) has announced that US occupation forces carried out an unprovoked attack against a crew of workers in the Rumaila oilfields in Basra on the morning of Monday 18 September. As a result of this cowardly and criminal act, Chief Engineer Talib Naji Abboud was wounded and taken to hospital where he died in the evening of Tuesday 19 September. This comes one day after the massacre perpetrated by the Blackwater mercenary gang in Baghdad's Mansour district on Monday, in which Iraqi officials say 11 people were killed, but unofficial reports speak of up to 50 deaths, all innocent victims of all ages and both genders. Instead of curbing and punishing the Blackwater mercenary gangs, the occupation is escalating unprovoked attacks on Iraqi citizens.
The IFOU has called on the Iraqi Government to take action to protect the lives of Iraqi citizens, and the Federation held a protest rally at the Southern Oil Company headquarters in Basra today at 10am local time to condemn this premeditated murder and the continuing occupation of Iraq.
In the meantime, the Minister of Oil Hussain Al-Shahristani has remained silent about the latest criminal attack directed at workers who are under his direct remit and who were ambushed while going about their normal business of running this vital industry. Indeed, the latest attack seems to be designed to show that the occupation forces will act with impunity, and that there is going to be little distinction between mercenaries and regular US troops. The attack in the oilfields seems also to be designed to push the Iraqi Government to take further harsh and repressive measures against the oil workers at a time when they are resisting the privatization of the industry. The murder of Chief Engineer Talib Naji Abboud should also be laid at the door of the oil corporations that are trying to force their way into Iraq and to control its resources at any cost.
We call upon the Trade Union and anti-war movements in Britain to condemn this heinous crime and send letters of protest to the Foreign Office and the US embassy.
Naftana
For further information contact:
Sami Ramadani : 07863 138748 sami.ramadani@londonmet.ac.uk
Kamil Mahdi : k.a.mahdi@exeter.ac.uk
Sabah Jawad : 07985 336886 sabah.jawad@idao.org
Notes for editors:
Naftana ('Our Oil' in Arabic) is an independent UK-based committee
supporting democratic trade unionism in Iraq. It works in solidarity
with the IFOU. It strives to publicise the union's struggle for Iraqi
social and economic rights and its stand against the privatisation of
Iraqi oil demanded by the occupying powers.
For more information see the IFOU's website:
http://www.basraoilunion.org
Popular opposition to the policies of Iraqi Minister of Oil, Dr. Al-Sharistani, especially his appeasement to US occupation and its infamous oil law and his repression of the trade union activities in the oil sector, has expressed itself in this cartoon poster displayed in the streets of Iraq.
Achievements of Oil Minister Al-Sharistani
- Put in his pocket half dollar for each barrel of oil exported.
- Increased petroleum prices to 460 Dinar.
- And will reach 1000 Dinar before the end of the year.
- Increased official price of gas canister to 4000 Dinar.
- Suspended 'Iraqi Right' in the Majnoun oil field.
- Sacrified our national assets through passing of the Oil and Gas law.
- Continuation of energy crisis.
- Cancellation of Oil trade unions.