Trade Union of Eastern Africa (TUFEA) International Conference on The Role of Trade Unions on Regional Integration and Conflict Resolution in Africa Country Report for Eritrea By Mr. Tzeggai Mogos, NCEW Deputy General Secretary and Head of Foreign Relations Dear brothers and Sisters, It is a great pleasure to have you here today to share Trade Union experiences. The staged TUFEA International Conference on The Role of Trade Unions on Regional Integration and Conflict Resolution in Africa will give us a great opportunity enabling our Trade Union organizations to reflect and re-think the role we play in our respective countries and in our sub-region vis-à-vis the theme of the Conference. Since its establishment, NCEW has given a great importance to its regional and international relations and solidarity activities. As a result NCEW is currently member of ITUC, ITUC-AFRICA, OATUU, as well as Sub Regional organizations such as TUFEA and Nile Basin Workers Confederation. Strong bilateral trade union relations have also been forged at national, regional and international levels. The most recent is the cooperation agreement signed between our national trade union and the Sudan Workers Trade Union Federation (SWTUF) last year. We are also working to strengthen our relations, based on our previous cooperation agreement with the Egyptian Trade Union Federation (ETUF).
One of the most recent initiatives worth noting in regards to these bilateral relations is also the International Conference organized last year in collaboration with the Italian Trade union movement, ISCOS - CISL. These briefly summarize NCEW initiatives in international relations activities undertaken in the last year. I would now like to go on to briefly share with the Conference participants NCEW vision on Regional Integration and Conflict Resolution by focusing on NCEW s basic principles which are Social Dialogue, Workers Unity and Cooperation. Since its founding Congress in 1994, the NCEW has endorsed with full commitment the principles of social dialogue and trade union independence. As a result, the trade union in collaboration with its social partners has made commendable efforts in order to ensure that such principles are enshrined in national laws and regulations pertaining to labour. Eritrea s values and principles centered on social justice have also greatly contributed to our undertaking. This, does not certainly mean, that we do not have still a long way left in order to establish an effective social dialogue based on solid industrial relations. But without doubt, the instruments of social dialogue have been very helpful to addressing many of the most challenging issues we had to face during the most difficult moments in the current complex situation. In the past decade we have worked together with our social partners to make sure that a modern industrial relations system is built in our country by
working for the ratification of the seven ILO Core Conventions by our government. We strongly believe that the principles enshrined in the core ILO Conventions, ratified by the government of Eritrea, have to be at the basis of our work and must be defended for the wellbeing of the working people and for the development of our national economy. Many of the above mentioned principles have been captured by the legal framework but we have to say that there are some aspects of the labour law and regulations that need to be expanded in order to fully reflect the principles of social dialogue. Effective social dialogue is the engine of economic growth and wealth from which all the working people will benefit and will contribute to ensure the unity and the peaceful coexistence among the people. Another strong principle around which we have been building our organization is the principle of workers unity. We believe that workers in the industrial sector, in the public sector and in the rural areas share many common goals and objectives in relation to their work. As a result, in the last years we have been exerting organizational efforts towards the unionization of the civil servants and the rural workers. The ultimate objective of our trade union is that all working people be governed, protected and guided under the umbrella of one labour law.we believe that reinforcing a common labour law could ensure and consolidate not only the unity of the working people but also the unity of our entire population that has been shaped through many years of harmonious relationship and common struggle.
Another principle which inspires our regional and international relations is cooperation. For the workers movement, solidarity has always been a sacrosanct principle. Solidarity is the base of genuine cooperation. Cooperation is the answer for all development needs we have in our countries and in the whole region. From our own experience we have learned that peoples intrinsically like to cooperate and work together. This is the prerequisite of any peace building and economic integration process, which however, is strongly opposed by the enemies of peace, stability and prosperity. These forces tend to use arrogance and the logic of force instead of cooperation at the expense of the peoples, thus, preparing fertile ground for the global forces that are instigating the ideologies of violence which seek complexities in order to use them as means for their influence. In this regard it is worth noting the past relations between Eritrea and Ethiopia, from 1991 to 1997, the exemplary and positive experience of cooperation among the two countries yielding concrete benefits for both countries and peoples. The relations between CETU, the Ethiopian trade union and NCEW were excellent and were growing fast. However, as you all are aware, events took a totally different path when a senseless border conflict instigated by the enemies of peace erupted and resulted in the cost of ten thousands of lives. The war ended when the Algieri peace treaty was signed. However, even though all the matters that had triggered the war had been settled legally and virtual demarcation has been done, a portion of Eritrean sovereign territories is still under the occupation of the Ethiopian army. This flagrant violation by the Ethiopian government of the international resolutions is a clear message that the Government does not have the will for a peaceful resolution of the conflict.
However, on another perspective, the question is not Ethiopia s unwillingness to work for a peaceful settlement of the conflict in its arrogant rejection of the International Border Commission resolutions. A more serious question is the why for the silence and active encouragement of the international community and public opinion showing Ethiopia to continue to violate the Algiers Peace Agreement. The wall of silence that has been built around the Ethiopian government continues to encourage violations of the International Resolutions condemning the Eritrean workers and the whole Eritrean people to live in the very ambiguous no peace no war situation. It will not be possible to attain peace while Eritrean territories are occupied by the enemy. Eritrea needs to ensure its sovereignty and is determined to bring to an end the Ethiopian occupation. It is with great sadness that today we observe that our sub region is suffering from different crisis. The war of aggression of Ethiopia against Somalia, Ethiopian Eritrea border conflict, Darfur question, Chad crisis, and Kenyan recent socio-political crisis all constitute great challenges to our sub region. It is clear to all of us that these conflicts follow the same pattern. Therefore, it is the right and appropriate time that all trade union movements unite their forces to ensure that peace and stability should prevail in our sub region. It is my belief that the different discussion papers that will be presented by professionals and politicians will help us to exchange experiences and in attaining the objectives for which the trade union movement as a whole stands.
I would like to conclude my brief presentation with the same wise words of an African leader that I used in a previous conference: "The weak of our world today need the strength that comes from unity and cooperation more than ever before in order to survive tomorrow" Long Live to International Workers Solidarity!!!!!!!!!