VZCZCXRO2805
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHCG #0157 1220635
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 010635Z MAY 08
FM AMCONSUL CHENNAI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1646
INFO RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 3098
RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD 0003

UNCLAS CHENNAI 000157 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV ELAB IN IZ
SUBJECT: IRAQI LABOR ACTIVIST'S ANTI-U.S. COMMENTS DRAW MEDIA 
ATTENTION IN KERALA 
 
 
¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Abdulla Muhsin, described as a labor activist from 
Iraq, grabbed media attention in the South India state of Kerala 
with sharp comments against American multinational companies 
"looting billions and billions of dollars worth of oil under the 
guise of the U.S. occupation of Iraq."  Muhsin was one of the 
participants in an international labor conference of the Southern 
Initiative on Globalization and Trade Union Rights (SIGTUR) held in 
Kochi from April 19-23.  Muhsin's comments will contribute to 
reinforcing leftist Kerala's widely held notion that U.S. action in 
Iraq is motivated by oil. END SUMMARY. 
 
¶2. (SBU) Abdulla(h) Muhsin, who described himself as the 
International Representative of the General Federation of Iraqi 
Workers (formerly known as the Iraqi Federation of Trade Unions), 
came to Kerala to participate in the eighth international conference 
of the Southern Initiative on Globalization and Trade Union Rights 
(SIGTUR) held in Kochi from April 19-23.  About two hundred 
delegates, half of them from 20 other countries including Japan, 
Philippines, South Korea, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, 
Bangladesh, Pakistan, Australia, Brazil, and South Africa, 
participated in the conference hosted by the Center of Indian Trade 
Unions (CITU), the top trade union of the Communist Party of India 
(Marxist).  Among others, CITU President M.K. Pandhe and Kerala 
Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan spoke at the conference. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Muhsin grabbed much media attention with his alleged 
comments against American multinational companies "looting billions 
and billions of dollars worth of oil under the guise of U.S. 
occupation of Iraq."  In an interview with national daily The Hindu 
(April 30), he reportedly said that American multinational companies 
"looting billions and billions of dollars worth of oil under the 
guise of the U.S. occupation of Iraq."  According to Muhsin, 
hundreds of people in the oil-rich nation are dying without proper 
treatment and medicines every day, in addition to the dozens killed 
in factional fights and U.S. firing. 
 
¶4. (SBU) Muhsin also criticized the earlier regime of Saddam Hussein 
and the fundamentalist militias in Iraq, as well as the "American 
occupation."  Muhsin alleged that it is the disastrous policies of 
the occupying forces that have led to the Sunni-Shia internecine 
fighting in Iraq.  According to him, the greed and one-upmanship of 
the Iraqi politicians and the fundamentalist outfits add to the 
people's woes.  He said the neighboring countries are fomenting 
trouble by pitting one section of the people against the other. 
Muhsin also alleged that nearly 250 key scientists, intellectuals 
and top academics were systematically finished by the "secret agents 
of a foreign country."  In parenthesis, the news reporter mentioned 
that "there have been accusations that Israeli agents have been 
involved in this." 
 
¶5. (SBU) The Hindu staff correspondent K.P.M. Basheer, who 
interviewed Muhsin told Post that Muhsin was a star at the SIGTUR 
Conference, where his passionate talk about Iraq and its sufferings 
drew loud ovations.  Muhsin allegedly is based in London since he 
fled Iraq in 1978.  According to an Internet site, Muhsin had been a 
student union activist in Iraq, and in exile, he was active in the 
Workers' Democratic Trade Union Movement (WDTUM), an underground 
organization that resisted the Ba'ath Party until its collapse. 
 
¶6. (SBU) SIGTUR, which held its eighth international conference in 
Kerala, is a collective of leftist trade unions from Asia, Africa, 
South America, Australia and New Zealand.  Some of the major 
collaborators are ACTU (Australia), KCTU (South Korea), CITU 
(India), KMU (Philippines), COSATU (South Africa), and CUT (Brazil). 
Formed in 1991 (although formally named only in 1997) to fight 
"neo-liberal globalization which seriously undermines labor rights", 
SIGTUR's activities are coordinated by Rob Lambert, an Associate 
Professor at the University of Western Australia.  The 
academic/activist has played a key role in founding SIGTUR and has 
hosted Indian communist party leaders in Australia.  Note: Details 
of SIGTUR can be viewed at www.sigtur.com and CITU's introductory 
note on the SIGTUR Kochi conference can be viewed at 
http://www.citucentre.org/sigtur/indexMore.ph p 
 
¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: Although Muhsin made sharp comments against Saddam 
Hussein's reign and the activities of fundamentalist militias as 
well, what grabs attention are his wild allegations of oil looting 
and human rights violations.  Unfortunately, Muhsin's comments are 
likely to find resonance in Kerala where sustained propaganda 
against U.S. actions in Iraq is a key component to the leftist 
political activity.  END COMMENT. 
HOPPER