The World Federation of Trade Unions, (WFTU) expresses its solidarity to the people of Indonesia which are suffering from heavy floods. The last few days more than 40 people have lost their lives in central Java.
This situation is permanent in all capitalist countries. Despite the progress of science and technology in civil protection sector, the workers, the poor, the toiling masses in capitalist countries remain unprotected when facing natural disasters, earthquakes, epidemics, fires.
It is a matter of class. It is unacceptable that during earthquakes poor people get killed, during fires poor people are burnt, during floods are again the poor who get drown. Those in charge put the blame on the “wrath of nature” or say its “an act of god”, But, the blame for the victims of “natural disasters” lies with the class policies of capitalist governments, who -in order to serve the interests of the capital- let the shortcomings in infrastructure and protection measures persist and allow it so that the people stay unprotected facing “natural disaster”.
The WFTU expresses its moral support and solidarity with the victims and the labor movement of Indonesia. We call the government of Indonesia to immediately take all necessary relief measures for those affected by the floods and also take all necessary protection measures so that tragedies like this one never happen again.
THE SECRETARIAT