COSATU dockworkers refuse to unload Israeli ship

Setting a historic precedent for the growing BDS movement against Israel, the South African Transport and Allied Workers Union (SATAWU), a member of COSATU, has decided NOT to offload an Israeli ship due to arrive in Durban in a few days!

No URL yet, but this is an official press release sent by COSATU. Should be posted on their website soon.

After the Australian Maritime Union (WA) call last week for similar action against Israeli ships and ships headed to Israel, this great South African workers' solidarity action should set in motion a whole new, creative BDS process that promises significant results.

Omar Barghouti

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In a historic development for South Africa, South African dock workers have
announced their determination not to offload a ship from Israel that is
scheduled to dock in Durban on Sunday, 8 February 2009. This follows the
decision by COSATU to strengthen the campaign in South Africa for boycotts,
divestment and sanctions against Apartheid Israel.

The pledge by SATAWU members in Durban reflects the commitment by South
African workers to refuse to support oppression and exploitation across the
globe. Last year, Durban dock workers had refused to offload a shipment of
arms that had arrived from China and was destined for Zimbabwe to prop up
the Mugabe regime and to intensify the repression against the Zimbabwean
people. Now, says SATAWU's General Secretary Randall Howard, the union's
members are committing themselves to not handling Israeli goods.

SATAWU's action on Sunday will be part of a proud history of worker
resistance against apartheid. In 1963, just four years after the
Anti-Apartheid Movement was formed, Danish dock workers refused to offload a
ship with South African goods. When the ship docked in Sweden, Swedish
workers followed suit. Dock workers in Liverpool and, later, in the San
Francisco Bay Area also refused to offload South African goods. South
Africans, and the South African working class in particular, will remain
forever grateful to those workers who determinedly opposed apartheid and
decided that they would support the anti-apartheid struggle with their
actions.

Last week, Western Australian members of the Maritime Union of Australia
resolved to support the campaign for boycotts, divestment and sanctions
against Israel, and have called for a boycott of all Israeli vessels and all
vessels bearing goods arriving from or going to Israel.

This is the legacy and the tradition that South African dock workers have
inherited, and it is a legacy they are determined to honour, by ensuring
that South African ports of entry will not be used as transit points for
goods bound for or emanating from certain dictatorial and oppressive states
such as Zimbabwe, Swaziland and Israel.

COSATU, the Palestine Solidarity Committee, the Young Communist League and a
range of other organisations salute the principled position taken by these
workers. We also take this opportunity to salute the millions of workers all
over the world who have openly condemned and taken decisive steps to isolate
apartheid Israel, a step that should send shockwaves to its arrogant patrons
in the United States who foot the bill for Israel's killing machine. We call
on other workers and unions to follow suit and to do all that is necessary
to ensure that they boycott all goods to and from Israel until Palestine is
free.

We also welcome statements by various South African Jews of conscience who
have dissociated themselves from the genocide in Gaza. We call on all South
Africans to ensure that none of our family members are allowed to join the
Israeli Occupation Forces' killing machine.

In celebration of the actions of SATAWU members with regard to the ship from
Israel, and in pursuance of the campaign for boycotts, divestment and
sanctions against Israel, and our call on the South African government to
sever diplomatic and trade relations with Israel, this coalition of
organisations has declared a week of action beginning on Friday, 6 February
2009. The actions will be organised under the theme: FREE PALESTINE! ISOLATE
APARTHEID ISRAEL! Activities that have already been confirmed for this week
will include:

· Friday, 6 February: A protest outside the offices of the South
African Zionist Federation and the South African Jewish Board of Deputies, 2
Elray Street, Raedene, off Louis Botha Avenue. Both these organisations
unquestioningly supported the recent Israeli attacks against Gaza, and
supported the massacre of civilians and the attacks on schools, mosques,
ambulances, and UN refugee centres. Protestors will be addressed by, among
others, SATAWU General Secretary Randall Howard, and ex-Minister Ronnie
Kasrils. Protest starts at 14:00.

· Friday, 6 February: A picket outside parliament in Cape Town.
COSATU members and solidarity activists will be joined by a number of
members of parliament. Picket starts at 09:30.

· Friday, 6 February: A mass rally in Actonville, Benoni, at the
Buzme Adab Hall. The rally will be addressed by, among others, COSATU
General Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi, PSC spokesperson Salim Vally, South
African Council of Churches General Secretary Eddie Makue, and ex-Minister
Ronnie Kasrils. Rally starts at 19:30.

· Sunday, 8 February: A protest at the Durban Harbour Mouth, off
Victoria Embankment. Protestors will be addressed by, among others, COSATU
President Sdumo Dlamini. Protest starts at 10:00.

· Sunday 8 February: A mass rally in Cape Town at Vygieskraal Rugby
Stadium. The rally will be addressed by, among others, COSATU General
Secretary Zwelinzima Vavi. Rally starts at 14:30.

For more information, call:
Patrick Craven (Cosatu National Spokesperson) 082 821 7456
Salim Vally (PSC spokesperson) 082 802 5936

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Visit the COSATU web site at http://www.cosatu.org.za/homep.htm