Cochin Port Union Boycotts Israeli Ships and Cargo
THE trade unions in Cochin Port have reached an
understanding amongst themselves to boycott Israeli ships and cargo
arriving at Cochin Port in protest against the siege of Gaza by Israeli
forces. The boycott began on June 17 on receipt of information
that cargo unloaded at Colombo Port from Israeli ship m/v Zim Livorno
16 was bound to arrive at Cochin Port in a feeder vessel. Similar
consignments unloaded at Colombo from Israeli ships were set to arrive
in feeder vessels.
On June 23, trade unions held a joint protest rally
in Cochin Port near the office of Zim Integrated Shipping Services
(India) Pvt Ltd – the Israeli shipping line. Addressing the rally
B Hamza, general secretary of Cochin Port Labour Union (CITU) condemned
the massacre of nine peace activists of flotilla that was carrying
humanitarian supplies to the people of Gaza on May 31. He
expressed the solidarity of workers of Cochin Port to the people of
Palestine. Representatives of various unions participating
in the boycott also addressed the rally and declared that the workers
of Cochin Port stood united with world-wide boycott by workers of
Sweden, Great Britain, South Africa and other countries.
The trade union leaders who addressed the protest
rally included Ashique, general secretary, Cochin Thuramugha
Thozhilalai Union (HMS), Jamal Kunju, general secretary, Cochin Port
Thozhilali Union (INTUC), C D Nandakumar, general secretary, Cochin
Port Employees Organisation (CITU), Raghu Raj of Cochin Port Employees
Sangh (BMS) and Charles of UTUC.
K V A Iyer, vice president of the Water Transport
Workers Federation of India presided over the rally.
People's Democracy