International Officers Report 2006
Monday, 19 February 2007
BRANCH INTERNATIONAL OFFICER’S REPORT 2006
International events continue to inspire and alarm in equal measure over the last 12 months. The year began with the branch responding magnificently to the call for long term reconstruction aid to Kashmir following the devastating earthquake of 2005. I moved the branch support the rebuilding of a school and with the support of Mohammed Nawaz, our branch welfare and equalities officer, the branch executive agreed to sponsor the rebuilding of a classroom and to sponsor the education of 6 orphaned children through the Read Foundation an educational charity working in Pakistan and Kashmir. Special thanks to Steve Henshaw our treasurer who agreed an exceptionally large donation was affordable without affecting other aspects of the branch’s work. We hope to continue our support in the next twelve months. I attended the Stop War Coalition protest TIME TO GO! that was backed by UNISON nationally, on the eve of the Labour Party conference in Manchester in September against the continued wars in Afghanistan and Iraq and the threat to attack Iran. There was huge turn out, boosted by the widespread outrage over the Israeli aggression against the population of Lebanon and the government’s refusal to call for an immediate ceasefire. In South America, Bolivia is the latest country to elect a new president explicitly hostile to Bush’s neo-liberal plans for restructuring the country economy through privatisation and welfare cuts, following the lead of Chavez in Venezuela and Morales in Paraguay. I have asked UNISON’s International Officer for Yorkshire & Humberside, Alan Hughes to explore setting up solidarity networks with these countries. As the year ends heavy weight US politicians are lining up to distance themselves from the catastrophe in Iraq, perhaps signally the twilight of the Neo Cons and the ultimate withdrawal of US troops from Iraq? The recent death of Pinochet is a reminder that American and British governments have an unpleasant affection for vicious dictators, when democracy no longer suits their purposes. Mrs Thatcher will be mourning the death of a friend. Millions of Chileans including many refugees in this country and around the world will be mourning the thousands tortured, murdered and disappeared under his brutal rule and will not mourn his passing. As a branch officer I have also been active on the communications and campaigns groups over pensions and helped organise the single status lobby of the council and lobbied my MP over the latest wave of NHS cuts. Remember: another, better world is possible - let’s make it happen in 2007 Yours in solidarityGordon JelleyBranch International Officer
