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date: 23 April 2008

embargo: For immediate release

TUC urges Namibia to turn Zimbabwean arms ship away

As the Chinese ship An Yue Jiang and its cargo of arms intended for the Mugabe regime heads for Namibia, the TUC has today (Wednesday) written to the President of the Southern African country urging him to turn the shipment away.

Last week the ship docked in South Africa but members of the country's transport union SATAWU refused to unload the arms on board. The ship, owned by the Chinese firm Cosco, is now heading up the coast towards Namibia.

Members of the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (NATAU) has already said they will not touch the cargo. The TUC has now written to the country's President, H E Hifikepunye Pohamba, asking him to show support and refuse to allow the ship to dock.

TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: 'It's almost a month since the Presidential election in Zimbabwe and it's clear that Mugabe and his cronies have no intention of relinquishing their grip on power. Mugabe's thugs are already using violence to intimidate and threaten ordinary people. This shipment of arms would almost certainly be used against the population and make an already dire situation much, much worse.'

The text of the letter to H E Hifikepunye Pohamba follows:

Dear Mr President

Arms shipment to Zimbabwe

In the spirit of international solidarity, I would urge you, Mr President, to ensure that the Chinese ship An Yue Jiang, owned by the Chinese firm Cosco, is not allowed to unload in Namibia its cargo of arms destined for the government of Zimbabwe.

The Zimbabwe Congress of Trade Unions has asked us to help them make sure the shipment does not reach Zimbabwe where it could be used against the population, and inflame an already dire situation. Their call has been heeded by trade unionists across Southern Africa who have followed the lead of the South African transport workers' union SATAWU in refusing to allow the shipment to be unloaded.

I understand that this is also the position of the Namibia Transport and Allied Workers Union (NATAU), and I salute their stand on this issue, in solidarity with our sisters and brothers in Zimbabwe. I hope that they have your support.

I would be very grateful to hear from you that you will do everything that you can to prevent this deadly cargo from reaching the government of Zimbabwe.

Yours sincerely

BRENDAN BARBER

TUC General Secretary

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Contacts:

Media enquiries:
Liz Chinchen T: 020 7467 1248 M: 07778 158175 E: media@tuc.org.uk
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Press release (500 words) issued 23 Apr 2008