The Water Transport Workers Federation of India, which represents more than 3,500 workers at 11 major ports in India, said they will not load or unload weaponised cargoes from Israel or any other nation which carry military equipment to be taken to Palestine.
What Is The Union Saying?
“Port workers, part of labour unions would always stand against the war and killing innocent people like women and children. The recent attack of Israel on Gaza plunging thousands of Palestinians into immense suffering and loss.
Women and children have been blown to pieces in the war. Parents were unable to recognise their children killed in bombings which were exploding everywhere,” said the union in a press release.
Calling for an ‘immediate ceasefire’, the trade union added, “Our Union members have collectively decided to refuse handling all types of weaponised cargoes. Loading and unloading these weapons helps provide organizations with the ability to kill innocent people.”
What Does The Press Release Say?
The press release issued by them, dated February 14, said, “As responsible trade unions, we declare our solidarity with those who campaign for peace. We call upon the workers of the world and peace-loving people to stand with the demand of free Palestine.”
Seeing any role in enabling ship to carry armaments which may aggravate the war in Gaza and particularly in Rafah, they said that they have “decided to refuse to load or unload weaponized cargoes from Israel or any other country which could handle military equipments and its allied cargo for war in Palestine.”
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Speaking to The Wire from Chennai, the General Secretary of the Water Transport Federation of India, T. Narendra Rao, said, “We are affiliated to the World Federation of Trade Unions, a global body.
At a recent meeting of world trade unions, held at Athens after the war of Gaza started, we saw the rousing reception the trade union representative from Palestine got there, as they explained exactly what was going on.
We decided them that we would do our bit and not handle any weapon-laden cargo, which will go onto assist Israel to kill more women and children as we are seeing and reading every day in the news.”
Are All Other Agencies Walking On The Same Path?
No. A Hyderabad-based joint venture, in which the Adani Group has a controlling stake, has manufactured and dispatched over 20 military drones to the Israeli military.
Hermes drones, which are similar to what Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd has just delivered, are being extensively used in the Israeli Defence Forces’ military campaign in Gaza, which have resulted in the death of over 28,000 people, including more than 10,000 women and children.
The sale more of than 20 Hermes 900 medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs to Israel, has not yet been publicly acknowledged by either Tel Aviv or New Delhi but sources at Adani, communicating off the record as they are not authorised to speak to the media, had confirmed to The Wire in early February, that the export had indeed taken place.
Image Credits: Google Images
Feature image designed by Saudamini Seth
Sources: NDTV, The Wire, The Economic Times
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This post is tagged under: Water Transport Workers Federation, India, Israel, Palestine, Gaza, Rafah, war, genocide, trade unions, Palestinians, World Federation of Trade Unions, General Secretary, Adani Group, Hermes, drones, Israeli Defence Forces, Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd, MALE, Tel Aviv
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