Dec 18 2006
Iraqi Unions Oppose Oil Privatization
GUEST: Sameer Dossani, Director of 50 Years Is Enough
Five Iraqi trade union federations have condemned federal oil law negotiations for being too corporation-friendly. Last Thursday, leaders of the five federations met in Amman, Jordan and released a joint statement. They’re calling for a pause in negotiations that will govern Iraq’s 115 billion barrels of oil reserves, the third largest in the world. There have been on-going negotiations over the oil since the 2003 US invasion of Iraq. Iraq’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Hamid Al Bayati told United Press International last week that the intention is to allow foreign companies to invest in all sectors, including oil. According to Hasan Jum, president of the Federation of Oil Unions, “This law has a lot of problems. It was prepared without consulting Iraqi experts, Iraqi civil society or trade unions. We reject this draft and demand more time to debate the law.” The recent report by the Iraq Study Group openly refers to the importance of Iraq’s oil and gives very specific and radical recommendations as to what the United States should do to secure those reserves. According to one commentator, “If the proposals are followed, Iraq’s national oil industry will be commercialized and opened to foreign firms.”
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One Response to “Iraqi Unions Oppose Oil Privatization”
Of course they’re not going to accept the law pillage their own national product. I can’t believe the evil in this government. They went a slaughter innocent lives, destroyed their goverment and their infrastructure and now they’re going to decide what to do with the nation’s natural resource! The US government is without a doubt the rogue goverment and its aim are only beginning to be manifested in the arab world.