Statement
issued by the Iraqi Labor Union Leadership at a Seminar held from 10 to
14 December 2006, in Amman, Jordan to discuss the draft Iraqi Oil Law
Iraq
is rich in natural wealth, foremost among which is its oil wealth, the
essence of the economic life for Iraq and the world, which has been the
focus of attention of the large industrialized countries in particular.
The British and American oil companies were the first to obtain the
concession to extract and invest Iraqi oil, nearly 80 years ago. After
Iraq got rid of this octopus network, these foreign oil companies have
again attempted to dominate this important oil wealth, under numerous
pretexts and invalid excuses.
Whereas
oil and gas are greatly important for the Iraqi economy, and whereas
the building of the State and its institutions are dependent on it, as
the main source of the national income, it is therefore the right of
the Iraqi people to read the draft oil law under consideration. The
Iraqi people refuse to allow the future of their oil to be decided
behind closed doors.
Iraqi
public opinion strongly opposes the handing of authority and control
over the oil to foreign companies, that aim to make big profits at the
expense of the people. They aim to rob Iraq’s national wealth by virtue
of unfair, long term oil contracts that undermine the sovereignty of
the State and the dignity of the Iraqi people.
For
example, through production sharing agreements these companies shall
not be subject to the Iraqi courts in the event of any dispute, nor to
the general audit, nor to democratic control. The proprietorship of the
oil reserves under this draft law will remain with the State in form,
but not in substance.
This
means that the occupier seeks and wishes to secure themselves energy
resources at a time when the Iraqi people are seeking to determine
their own future while still under conditions of occupation.
Iraq’s
labor and professional oil unions, after reading the draft oil law,
studying the ideas and opinions contained within, and considering the
negative impacts it shall have on the whole Iraqi society, have found
this law to contain many deep and complex problems, at the
administrative and technical levels.
These
problems are not remedied in this law, which was rapidly prepared
without involving Iraqi specialists and experts in the field in an
extensive and organized manner satisfactory to all. Unfortunately even
the media and the press have not viewed it, and had they done so, their
noble pens would have written about it and criticized and analyzed it.
The
draft oil law has overlooked investment of the natural gas that is
being burnt off at high rates, causing Iraq to lose millions of dollars
everyday, in addition to the environmental pollution this creates.
We
have found a variety of negative points in this draft oil law, some of
which undermine the sovereignty of the State. On the level of
economics, it will impact the real income of the Iraqi citizen. His
income would be low, while at the same time he would have weak
purchasing power as the overall national income would be limited, and
that would affect all the Iraqi people at the health, developmental,
social and economic levels. In addition this law could encourage the
termination of the workers services, either by dismissal or by reducing
the total volume of workers, or by reducing compensation, among other
possible methods.
There
will be a high and insane jump in the fuel prices throughout the
country, which would be negatively reflected on the social and economic
lives of the Iraqis. The biggest disaster is that there will be an
excuse and a pretext for the occupier to extend the stay of the
occupying forces in Iraq to protect the foreign oil companies.
Therefore,
the oil law, if not radically remedied, will produce calamities that
will cause great damage and deprivation and a large increase in the
number of Iraqi families under the poverty line.
Feeling
responsible towards the working class in Iraq and their union
representatives, we hereby submit our demands in specific points, the
aim of which is to protect the oil wealth and the Iraqi people. We
shall mobilize our workers and their families, and seek the assistance
of civil society institutions in Iraq, and the Parliament that was
elected by the people, to stand by us and assist us in obtaining the
support and solidarity of the Arab and International Labor Unions.
Our demands, which are the demands of the Iraqi people as well as of the Iraqi workers, are as follows :
First
: Not to expedite the issuance of the oil law, which would render the
oil wealth seized and exploited by the oil Cartel (the multinational
oil companies). We are asking to delay this law until it is well
prepared by the Iraqis with expertise in the field of oil, with the
participation of legal and economic professors from Iraqi universities,
and after extensive consideration by the Iraqi trade unionists and the
Oil Professional Unions.
Second
: We are asking that the discussions about the oil law be attended by
Labor Union Federations and Oil Professional Unions for the purpose of
enriching the ideas and opinions of the legal provisions of the oil
law, as these workers have on-the-ground and practical experience to
bring to bear on these discussions. This practice of democracy would
contribute to the protection of the oil wealth for the coming
generations and for the whole country.
Third
: We demand involvement of civil society organizations to contribute
their opinions about the law, considering that Article (111) of the
Iraqi Constitution specifies that oil and gas are the property of the
Iraqi people. It is the property of the people in every place and time.
There should be no manipulation of the terms to beautify them at the
expense of the Iraqi people.
Fourth
: We trust that our brothers, the members of the Parliament, shall
study the draft oil law with accuracy and diligence, and that this law
will not be approved with all the defects and negative points it
contains, and that they will form specialized committees to study it
and submit it to the Iraqi people after their consideration.
Fifth
: We strongly reject the privatization of our oil wealth, as well as
production sharing agreements, and there is no room for discussing this
matter. This is the demand of the Iraqi street, and the privatization
of oil is a red line that may not be crossed.
Sixth
: We call upon the media and press in the spirit of brotherhood to play
a role in conveying the facts to the Iraqi people. We are certain that
the brothers and sisters in the field of media and press will stand by
the Iraqi people to protect the oil wealth from any greedy exploitation.
Seventh
: The Iraqi State and its regions should directly invest in oil and
gas, as provided for in the Iraqi Constitution, through the support and
development of the Ministry of Oil and its institutions in order to
ensure the success of the extraction operations.
Eighth
: Since work is the qualitative activity that sets apart the human
experience, and it is the source of all production, wealth, and
civilization, and the worker is the biggest asset to the means of
production (we honour humanity),
we demand that this law includes an explicit reference emphasizing the
role of all workers in matters of oil wealth and investment, to protect
them and build their technical capacity, both in and outside Iraq.
Ninth
: It is possible to benefit from the experiences, technology and
expertise of some foreign oil companies through purely Iraqi work
contracts that preserve the sovereignty and standing of the State and
the independence of its political and economic decision-making. The
State should have the right to terminate these contracts whenever it
wants however, under the sole jurisdiction of the Iraqi judiciary.
Tenth
: To rehabilitate the Iraqi National Oil Company, by virtue of a law
enacted for this purpose by the Parliament. The Iraqi National Oil
company should shoulder the responsibility of Iraqi oil policy.
Signed :
1.
Hassan Jouma’a Awaad.2. Asaad Shahid.3. Mouhsen Khmat.4. Saba Qasem.5.
Karim Abdelallah Hamzeh.6. Mahdi Haseeb Ali.7. Abed Muhammad Sakhi. 8.
Abdellatif Mohammad Jamil.9. Adnan Abdelhalim Alssafar.10. Khaldeh
Alshehab Ahmad.11. Nouzad Karim Ahmad.12. Omar Hasan Abdelrahman.13.
Ehan Mustafa Abdellah.14. Saadea Ahmad Mahmud.15. Seddeeq Ramadan
Hasan.16. Alia Jabar Kadum.17. Ghazy Muklif Moqten.18. Muhammad Hameed
Ali.
This is a reference to the Quran:
Walaqad
karramna banee adama wahamalnahum fee albarri waalbahri warazaqnahum
mina alttayyibati wafaddalnahum AAala katheerin mimman khalaqna
tafdeelan
17:70 We have honored the sons of Adam; provided them with
transport on land and sea; given them for sustenance things good and
pure; and conferred on them special favours, above a great part of our
creation.
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