Brazilian
Workers for President Milosevic
In the protest letter sent today to the Hague tribunal, Antonio Neto,
President of the General Confederation of Trade Unions of Brazil (Central
Geral dos Trabalhadores, CGTB), one of the main trade union organizations
in Brazil, expresses indignation against the recent decision to ban visits
to President Milosevic. Brazilian workers condemn NATO crimes and the
tribunal as an instrument of US government. The letter demands rights
of President Milosevic to be guaranteed, including the right of access
to media.
Bellow is complete text of the letter and the link to the Portuguese
translation of the speech of President Milosevic delivered after the end
of 1999 NATO military aggression, published in CGTB newspaper "Hora
do Povo".
CENTRAL GERAL DOS TRABALHADORES
Filiada à Federação Sindical Mundial - FSM
São Paulo, August 29, 2003
Mr. Hans Holthuis
Registrar
ICTY
The Hague
The Netherlands
Dear Mr. Holthuis,
The General Confederation of Trade Unions of Brazil - CGTB -
finds it necessary to express its indignation against the recent Hague
tribunal decision to ban visits to President Milosevic.
That arbitrary decision furthermore, reinforces the idea shared by wide
sections of the international public opinion that The Hague tribunal was
created with the sole objective of condemning President Milosevic to
justify the aggression against Yugoslavia and the crimes committed by
EUA/NATO when, in less than 90 days, they threw 25 thousand tons of bombs
on Yugoslavia murdering 5 thousand civilians and wounding another 10 thousand,
of which 40% were children.
In the 3rd Congress of our Confederation, which took place in March of
2002, the Brazilian workers were aware of the crimes practiced by EUA/NATO.
They condemned the foreign aggressor and they questioned the role of The
Hague tribunal, considering it one more instrument controlled by the government
of the USA.
Today, after the attack on Iraq, all the people in the world are aware
of
the farce that is set up by the North American administration to justify
the invasion of a sovereign country and to guarantee with that their own
interests. Therefore, if The Hague tribunal continues acting in an
arbitrary and unilateral way as it is doing, it is taking the serious
risk
of becoming totally discredited.
In this sense, we consider it indispensable that The Hague tribunal should
respect the broad rights of defense and of visit of President Milosevic
and guarantee immediately his right of access to media, a right that is
today insured to the prosecution by the tribunal at any time.
Yours sincerely,
Antonio Neto
Maria Pimentel
President CGTB
Secret. of Inter. Relations of CGTB
Vice-president of World Federation of Trade Union