On behalf of the Organisation of African Trade Union Unity (OATUU) and the entire workers of Africa. I thank the National Office Bearers of COSATU for its kind invitation to this important congress. Since COSATU's affiliation to the OATUU, we have always been very proud of COSATU's contribution to the socio-economic development of South Africa, its defence of trade union rights in Southern Africa in particular, and Africa in general and its international sodality world-wide.
Your well-chosen theme of this 6th Congress "Defend, consolidate and advance the social transformation" encapsulates the struggles of COSATU since its 5th Congress. I congratulate you all for your valiant struggle to transform your beautiful country into a modern participatory and people-empowered democracy, which will be a beacon of light and hope for the rest of Africa. Africa is watching you with keen interest and admiration. In your defence, consolidation and advancement of social transformation on South Africa, let social and economic justice be your "watch word", while remembering the following African saying, "One rich man, plus 6 poor people, equal seven poor people".
The objective of social and economic justice is to make everybody live comfortably. Chairperson, in the letter of invitation to this Congress I was asked to address the Congress on the role of OATUU in the defence of the trade union and human rights in Africa. Although the OATUU is not used to "buying seven clothes and showing them to seven people", that is, singing its own praises, yet your request to state OATUU's role in the defence of trade union and human rights in Africa will give me opportunity to highlight OATUU's activities in this area.
During the reign of the so-called Emperor Jean Bedel Bokassa in the former "Central African Empire" , now, Central African Republic, in the 1970's the trade unions leader called a general strike. He was arrested and tried for treason and sentenced to death. Comrade Dennis Akumu, my predecessor and founding Secretary -General of OATUU rushed to Bangui, with one of his Assistant Secretary General, comrade Lelouma Diallo, now of the ILO office in Geneva, and met Emperor Bokassa to plead for the unconditional reprieve of the trade union leader. Not only was the union leader reprieved, but the Emperor later appointed him Mayor of Bangui.
When the Kenyan Government banned the Kenyan Civil Servants Association after a strike, the OATUU lodged complaints against the Kenyan Government, with the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association, in spite of the fact that OATUU Secretary- General at the time Comrade Dennis Akumu, is a Kenyan!!
The OATUU spearheaded the fight against apartheid within Africa using its vantage position as a Specialised Agency of the Organisation of African Unity (OAU) and also carried the fight into the international arena. The total support of African workers and trade unions against racism, apartheid and human rights particularly in Africa was led by the OATUU. When the ANC was branded a terrorist and communist organisation by the supporters of apartheid in Europe and America, the South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) the trade union arm of the banned ANC and the National Union of Namibian Workers, which was then the trade union arm of SWAPO were invited, and became members of the OATUU. Those who are in doubt should ask Comrades Mark Shorpe, Aaron Pemba and John Nkadimeng now South African Ambassador to Cuba.
In May 1987,when President Kaunda seized the passports of the three leaders of Zambia Congress of Trade Unions-namely Frederick Chiluba, Newstead Zimba and Sampa, I lodged a protest against it, appealed to the Director General-of the ILO, Mr Francois Blanchard and asked him to send a high-powered mission to Zambia. I also proceeded to Zambia to meet President Kaunda, along with Mr. Feisal Abdul Rahman, the Assistant Director-General for ILO activities in Africa. After we met President Kaunda, he released The three passports of our Zambian colleagues, which facilitated their attendance of the ILO conference in June 1987.Also, when the Central Organisation of Trade Unions of Kenya had crisis which was believed to have been inspired by the Kenyan Government and it split into two factions, I went on fact-finding mission to Kenya on behalf of the OATUU, and helped to, resolve the crisis.
In Tchad, when the military government cracked down on the OATUU's affiliate in Tchad we sent Comrade Demba Diop, OATUU's Assistant Secretary-General there to resolve the problem.
As recent as December last year the timely intervention of OATUU's delegation led by me, prevented the Niger government from destabilizing our Niger affiliate, the National Union of Niger Workers (USTN).
When the Cameroon government started its interference in the affairs of the Cameroon Trade Unions (CSTC) and ejected its Secretary-General Comrade Louise Sombes from his office and official residence, OATUU fielded missions on three occasions, led by our assistant Secretary-General Comrade Demba Diop, to Cameroons. During the last mission, his life was threatened and he had to flee his hotel to go to sleep in the residence of the ILO Area Office Director in Yaounde, Mr Toure (Mr. Toure is now the Deputy Regional Director of the ILO Regional Office in Abidjan).
Thanks to these missions, and OATUU's pressure at the tripartite OAU Labour Commission the Cameroon Government was obliged to accept democratic elections within the CSTC, which led to the re-election of Comrade Louis Sombes as Secretary- General.
The intervention of the OATUU with the government of Central African Republic led to the democratic trade union elections in the country that led to the emergence of the leadership of Comrade Sonny Colle in that country.
In the case of the trade union situation in Ethiopia, OATUU was the only trade union organisation that lodged complaint against the government of Ethiopia with the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association for violation of trade union rights. OATUU won the case in the ILO against the government of Ethiopia. The report of this case by the OATUU to the tripartite OAU Labour Commission embarrassed the Ethiopian government, and led to the process culminating to the recent trade union elections in Ethiopia, witnessed by the OATUU, ILO, and ICFTU.
Concerning the trade union situation in my country, Nigeria when General Abacha removed by decree on 17 August 1994 the elected leaders of Nigeria Labour Congress, dissolved two petroleum workers unions, namely the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) and petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN) and detained their leaders after a strike for the return of democracy, OATUU filed a complaint against the military government of Nigeria on 19th August 1994 with the ILO Committee on Freedom of Association. Both the Committee and the ILO Governing Body agreed that the Nigerian Military Government flagrantly violated the rights of Nigerian Workers. Since then, OATUU led more than 4 delegations to Nigeria but the Nigerian Military Government has remained adamant, even to the ILO.
In the case of Sierra Leone OATUU sent a fax to the Sierra Leone Labour Congress on 26 May 1997 (the second day of the coup of Major Paul Koroma) that they should not co-operate with the junta, and that they should mobilise the civil society of Sierra Leone against the junta. At the OATUU 20th General Council meeting held in Tunis, Tunisia last week,9-10 Sept 1997. Comrade Hassan Barrie President of SLLC reported that the Sierra Leone Labour Congress strike against the junta continued, and it is in the vanguard of opposition to the junta.
Comrade Chairperson, it is not my intention to bore this congress with actions OATUU has taken in the defence of trade union and human rights in Africa. Those who want to know more about it can refer to the annual reports of activities of the OATUU to the Tripartite OAU Labour and Social Affairs Commission. African Workers/Trade Unions employers and Governments know, and fully appreciate the role OATUU plays in the defence of not only trade union and human rights, but also the defence of the political and economic rights and interests of Africa. Nobody can destroy the truth of OATUU's commitment to the rights and interests of African workers, and peoples.
Comrade Chairperson, I would like to end my address by informing you all, that as a result of the OATUU's Seminar on "globalization, Development, Employment and International Labour Standards. The role of Trade Unions" which was held in Tunis, Tunisia, from 6-8 September 1997,with the support of the ILO and the OAU, the conclusions unanimously arrived at, by the Seminar participants was also unanimously adopted by the 20th session of the OATUU General Council. I shall plead with our COSATU colleagues to make copies available to all delegates and interested guests.
Paragraphs 3 and 4 of the conclusion of the Seminar encapsulate the official position of the OATUU on the "social Clause". They read:
3. "In this sense, the participants confirm and support the implementation of a social clause which has to be consolidated through links between the requirements of the respect of the core standards of ILO and the mechanism and agreements which should regulate international trade.
"It goes without saying, however, that this social clause should not be limited to only the core standards of ILO, but should instead be inscribed within a more global framework which would take into account the demands of sustainable development, such as the reduction of debts, the improvement of the terms of trade the strict control of sources of pollution and the acknowledgement of the rights to development for all countries".
4. "While inviting the African trade unions to deepen the reflection in order to better define the procedures and mechanism of the implementation of the social clause and to better attune their positions with an eye to the next WTO Conference of 1998, the participants express their attachment for ILO which remains the most appropriate frame of dialogue and enforcement of international standards owing to its tripartite character.
To achieve this, ILO should be empowered with the means and power to enable it to undertake this mission".
Let me conclude by wishing the 6th National COSATU Congress huge success.