38 Ahwazi Arab activists who were voluntarily helping flood victims have been arrested for allegedly distributing “false information” regarding the floods. Meanwhile, various documents, videos and photos have emerged that show that the IRGC, the Ministry of Oil and the Iranian government are not willing to direct the floods to the Hur Azim area due to potential damage to oil facilities.
So far, 270 villages in Khuzestan Province have completely drowned and have been evacuated. Floods have reached 11 cities. The number of injured and displaced people has reached half a million overall.
Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO) condemns the arrest of activists and demands for their immediate and unconditional release. AHRO also calls on international human rights organisations to condemn these repressive measures by the authorities of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The Union of steelworkers at Arcelor Mittal (La Gota) of Villa Constitution Argentina expanded their international call for support of Ahwaz steel and Haft-tappeh sugar workers.
La Gota contacted various workers' organizations and non-governmental organisation in the south America countries including Chile, Bolivia, and Brazil.
Between December 2018 and January 2019, the following organisations and unions from Chile, Bolivia, and Argentina supported the international call for the release of Ahwaz steelworkers:
From Argentina: -Solidarity letter from the Comisión de Trabajadores Condenados ( Commission of detained workers) For the detained oil workers of Las Heras in Argentina. Hugo González and José Rosales who are sentenced to life in prison, Rubén Bach and Omar Mansilla each sentenced to 5 years in prison. In addition, their spouses Raquel Valencia, Claudia Bazán, Claudia Pafundi.
In their letter they jounce their voice to the voice of working class in Iran and ended their letter with the following quotes “To trespass one of us, is to trespass all of us” and “The rebellion of the slaves is not a crime, but justice”
-Mapuche community in Argentina, (Pu lof en Resistencia Cushman, Comunidad del pueblo originario Mapuche del PuelMapu-Tierra del Este) -Isabel Huala, mother of Facundo Jones Huala, a Mapuche political prisoner who was sentenced to 9 years in prison adds her voice of solidarity with the Iranian political prisoners and their mothers. -Shipyard workers of Rio Santiago, Avanzada Obrera Lista Negra
From Chile: -Confederación Democrática Profesionales Universitarios de la Salud -Pamela Valenzuela – MSPT (Movimiento Salud Para Todos) -Maribel Gonzales – Colectivo Solidaridad (collective solidarity) -Eduardo Muñoz – Sindicato Hospital del Profesor -Constanza Cifuentes (Syndicate of Professor Constanza Cifuentes hospital ) -Coordinadora Feminista 8 de marzo (Feminist Coordination of March 8th)
From Bolivia: Mine workers in Huanuni.
We thank all the workers, unions and individuals from Argentina, Bolivia, and Chile for their solidarity and support of the working class in Iran and especially Ahwaz, the beating heart of social right and worker’s movements. Ahwaz Human Rights Organisation (AHRO) 9th Jan 2019
