Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation (SWTUF)

Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation (SWTUF) The Role of Trade Unions on Regional Integration and Conflict Resolution Sudan Country Paper Submitted to: The deliberative conference of Trade Union Federation for Eastern Africa (TUFEA) Asmara- ERITREA 24th 28th, March 2008

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate Preface: The Role of the Sudan Trade Unions on Regional Integration and Conflict Resolution The Sudan Trade Unions Movement with it's conscious and thorough perception of the future, had united itself through the trade unions dialogue in 1991 which enabled it to undertake a forcefully growing role surpassing all other parties in the building of the home land and its unity. One of the positive accomplishments of the trade unions movement is represented in its contribution towards the stability of the state and its maintenance vis-a-vis" disintegration and partition by the orientation towards building. It also, stood in the face of the challenges threatening unity in the Sudan through the formation of trade unions in the most areas of tension in the Sudan; in the south and Darfur, whereof, these trade unions which cut across all the partisanship, political and tribal spectrum, succeeded in establishing forums of dialogue for peace and development. This prompted the opening of development fields for the benefit of a considerable number of workers, and it also enabled the community members to reap the fruits thereof, and in particular the women with their well- recognized and valued effort in the Sudan, in addition to the fact that they have a considerable number in all the structures of the Sudan Trade Unions movement, sometimes exceeding 25% of the total trade unions leaderships. 1

Also, the Sudan trade unions federation has a considerable and great contribution in laying down the Comprehensive National Strategy in the Sudan. As the letter of the Trade Unions movement was incorporated in the heart of this National Strategy which embraced the notions of freedom in all its forms, realization of development, combating poverty and maximization of man's role in the homeland building and self- realization. Likewise, due to the role of the Trade Unions unity, the Trade Unions movement managed to have a say in the legislative and supervisory forums which enabled it, with others, to formulate the political, economic and social policies through the legislation and the follow- up of implementation. In turn, this spreaded up widely in much more stability in the regions of the Sudan. Negotiation and dialogue became the optimal means for the acquisition and maintenance of rights, and for the promotion of performance, bringing about welfare to the people in general and the workers in particular. Already, the Sudan witnessed an increase in the rates of development and it became the second state in the African continent in attraction of investment and capitals, which in the last year exceeded three billions dollars and the prospects indicate the doubling of this figure, whereof, this was reflected in an increase in development projects, opening of opportunities to the workers, and effectuation of social mobility in a number of locations, such as oil and sugar projects which created work opportunities for more than 100,000 persons and contributed in the increase of the national income, which in turn, enabled the state to provide to the populace, 2

free of charge, the health and education service for a lot of particulars. This led to the confinement of the tensive disputes and conflicts in limited locations and they disappeared from many parts of the Sudan, since, development and availability of services were considered one of the causes behind the tension and conflicts in the Sudan. The Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation did not content itself with the exertion of efforts and provision of all that possible for the sake of stability of the homeland and its people, rather, it transcended these efforts by the negotiation in Naivasha which were crowned by the singing of the Peace Agreement in the Sudan and also, with the support and participation in the peace of the East of Sudan. Currently, the Trade Union movement represented in the three states of Darfur, is contributing towards the meeting with the factions inside and outside the Sudan for the achievement of peace and stability. However, the Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation, with the participation of the Trade Unions Federation in three states of Darfur, embarked upon the convening of a symposium in Athens (Greece) under the title (Darfur: the Invisible Truth) which reflected the trade unions efforts in the achievement of peace and stability and exposition of the reality of the currently on- going conflict in Darfur. The following points represent themes through which the Sudanese trade unions movement exerted its endeavors in the framework of the resolution of the conflict within the 3

Sudan, in view of the fact that it is one of the states affected by war and conflict. I- Dissemination and propagation of peace culture among the leadership of the trade unions movement and the broad workers base. II- Dissemination and preaching the peace culture amongst the community in general and conflict affected societies in particular (Southern Sudan- Darfur- Nuba Mountains, Blue Nile). III- Support of the peace negotiations and urging the different parties and encouraging them to sit for the negotiations and hence the signing of the agreements. IV- Preaching of the peace agreements, holding the festivals and the assembly of the supporting gatherings thereto, expounding their exigencies to the trade union' leaderships and the workers base and propagation of these agreements amidst the circles of the community and to create a consensus around them from all parties. V- Support of the national consensus and backing up of the national initiatives with such target.( The Headquarters of the Federation continued to act as a forum for all the political forces which are aiming at the realization of the national consensus and support of the national unity). VI- Adoption of clear- cut plans and programs for the support of peace in the Southern Sudan for the achievement of the stability and rehabilitation of the community for the postconflict stage. 4

VII- The Trade Unions in Darfur participated in some of the rounds of negotiations and they prepared conceptions and opinions for conciliation between the parties to the conflict, and they are still supporting all that concerned with the achievement of peace in the area. VIII- Acquaintance with the peace efforts in the regional and international fields (reception of trade unions delegations and undertaking some visits to the different areas) (TUVEA) delegation to Juba- the capital of the South- (OATUU) delegation to Southern Darfur and Dorthern Darfur, and the delegation of The African Workers Federation in France To Southern and Northern Darfur). IX- The initiative of El- Sheriff El- Hindy emerged from within the premises of the Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation for the sake of the unity and alignment of the ranks. This initiative had developed and led to several other initiatives, and in accordance to them, The National Unity Government, which is at present, the ruling government in the Sudan was created. This government included several parties. 10- the Sudan Workers Trade Union Federation represented in its chairman, participated in the national alignment and rank unity committee to bring together all the other folks of the Sudan, The committee made a good and considerable headway for the establishment of a base which bring together all the folk of the Sudan for the creation of an organ that will absorb the Sudanese diversity and differences in one melting- pot so as to surge ahead with this promising homeland. 5

In the framework of achievement of integration in Africa: The Sudanese Trade Unions movement employed its maturing, experience, capabilities and its extended relations in the support of integration in the African continent, in general, and in the neighbouring states and the region, in particular. The following are some of the features of this giving: I- Employment of the Trade Unions diplomacy to overcome cases of tension in the neighbouring states (an obvious example is the relation between the National Confederation for the Workers of Eritrea and the Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federation, had preceded the relations between the two political regimes in the two countries and it facilitate the means of communications) for the relation between the Sudan workers Trade Unions Federation and all the neighbouring states in the region continued to flourish in its best state, and it was unaffected by the casual break which may occur between the various political systems. II- The distinctive bilateral relations with all trade unions and bringing down such distinction to the level of relations between the general trade unions and their counterparts in the neighbouring states, and between the states federations and their counterparts so as to attain the concurrent coming together between the bases of the Sudan Trade Unions movement. 6

III- Establishment of the trade unions associations and participation in the existing ones so as to strengthen the regional and African communication: Hosting the reflection meeting for the workers of Eastern Africa and the constituent conference for (TUVEA) in Khartoum and an number of (TUVEA) activities. Participation in the establishment of the Trade Unions Federation for the Sahel and Sahara states group and hosting a number of its activities. Support of the Organization of Africa Trade Union Unity- (OATUU) and hosting its last conference, and several of its activities (the general council- symposiums and workshops). IV- The effective participation in the African tripartite organs (Committee of Work and Social Affairs) and its regional activities. The Future Outlook: Integration between the African states and in particular, the Group of the States of Eastern Africa, of which a considerable part of it, constitute the so- called COMESA States- and which the number of its population exceeds 430 millions and it represent the heart in Africa through which most of the African domestic and external inter- state trade passes across it, and also the internal migration and displacement in the African continent occurs between these two groups. It is incumbent for such a group to sit and to consider together the realization of the genuine integration between 7

peoples of this area for the creation of the legislation and laws which will ensure the right of movement for the individuals and products of states without restrictions or obstacles. Also, attention must be paid to the migratory work force which are moving between these states and the formation of the associations thereto and protecting their rights in the trade unions federation in home country of residence. Also, it is incumbent to pay attention to the brains and experiences in those states in a way which will achieve the integration between their states and lessening the dependency on the brains and experience from outside our continent, who come to our continent with their special agenda, which are in most cases, contradictory with our own agenda and aspirations. Also, we must benefit from the (NEPAD) experience in Africa, activation of the (COMESA) projects in the states of Eastern Africa area, in a way which will achieve much more development projects and stability for workers and generation of new work opportunities and the making of the legislations and laws in order to ensure the protection of workers from the effects of globalization which are represented in privatization and restructuring in the manner which will achieve the greater gain instead of displacement in some locations. Also, we must work together for the achievement of peace and stability in the states of the region and to work with the governments for puling out the detonation of tension and conflicts in the entire area. The Sudan Workers Trade Unions Federations March 2008 8