Statement of Executive Committee of the Belarusian Congress of Democratic Trade Unions (BKDP)
On behalf of its members the BKDP Executive Committee expresses its deep indignation at continuing attacks of the authorities of Kazakhstan on the rights and freedoms of workers and our brothers and sisters from independent trade unions of Kazakhstan. The attacks are accompanied by reprisals, prosecutions, and threats to use physical violence against leaders and activists of the Confederation of Independent Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan (KNPRK) which recently has been unlawfully dissolved by the authorities.
Under the far-fetched pretext the ruling regime starts a new trial against KNPRK’s leader Larisa Kharkova. A criminal case has been initiated against Yerlan Baltabay, the head of the sectoral fuel and energy workers’ union affiliated to KNPRK. Dmitry Senyavsky, chairman of the local KNPRK organization sectoral fuel and energy workers’ union of Karaganda region, has been severely beaten.
The Executive Committee of the BKDP resolutely condemns the continuing reprisals against our colleagues from the fraternal trade union organization, urging the authorities of Kazakhstan their immediate cessation and bringing to justice those responsible for organizing judicial repressions and committing physical violence against the leaders of independent trade unions of Kazakhstan.
We express solidarity and declare our readiness to render any assistance to our Kazakhstan brothers and sisters from KNPRK in their struggle for the rights and freedoms of the working people of Kazakhstan.
The BKDP Executive Committee fully supports the decision of the Executive Committee of All-European Regional Council (PERC) of the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) taken on October 22, 2018 on the need to suspend the affiliation of the Federation of Trade Unions of the Republic of Kazakhstan to the ITUC as an organization that has lost its independence and has been put under total control of the state.
We have in Belarus our own experience and are well aware of dangers, threats and risks that arise for workers when the regime in its own interests imposes its total control on the mass workers’ organization and turns it into a tool for exercising full control and manipulation over the workers.
We call on the ITUC General Council to take a decision on suspension of the affiliation of the KNPRK to the ITUC.
Minsk, November 28, 2018
