Labour network in Asia, namely, Thai Labour Campaign, Committee for Asian Women, Asia Monitor Resource Center, student activists from Ramkhamheang University, the Solidarity Factory and Triumph International Labour Union submit a letter protesting the attack on labour activists and the human trafficking in Argentina to the embassador of Argentinal at 9 o’clock, July 23, 2009 in front of Glas Haus Building, Sukhumvit 25 Road, Bangkok. And the embassador received the letter by himself and sent the letter to the Agentina government already. Here is the protest letter submitted to the embassador.

Letter to Argentine authorities from Asian NGOs, labour groups and trade unions
Regarding attack on Gustavo Vera and La Alameda activists when freeing workers from hidden sweatshop in Buenos Aires, Argentina
20 July 2009
Attn:
H.E. Mr. Felipe Frydman
The Embassy of the Argentine Republic in Thailand
Suite 1601, Glas Haus Bldg., No. 1 Sukhumvit 25,
Sukhumvit Road, Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66-2-259-0401; +66-2-259-9198
Fax: +66-2-259-0402
Minister Jorge Taiana, Chancellor of Argentina
Head of the City Government Mauricio Macri
Her Excellency President of Argentina Ms. Cristina Fernandez
It was brought to our attention that Gustavo Vera and at least seven other activists from La Alameda in Buenos Aires, Argentina, were attacked and wounded on July 10 after they went with journalists to free workers and their families from a secret garment sweatshop they had earlier identified. Though police were not far away, they did not do the job of protecting people who are working on behalf of all Argentineans to expose gross exploitation and enslavement of workers in hidden sweatshops, for the profits of heartless companies that fail to bear full responsibility.
La Alameda and Gustavo Vera have been working tirelessly and relentlessly for many years on behalf of workers and against slavery, and in recent months have made great media exposures of networks of prostitution, of places disguised as bars, where women were found to have been victims of trafficking, including minors. They exposed these with the help of the cartoneros, with hidden cameras. They have continually been working with formerly entrapped migrant Bolivian workers rescuing other workers from hidden sweatshops where they often have been trafficked in and kept to work for long hours, low pay, and atrocious living conditions.
In Asia as well workers are forced to work long hours, with exposure to health problems and often sexual of their own police and of hired thugs, for their attempts to assert their rights as workers.
Some of us met Gustavo Vera in meetings in Thailand and Hong Kong in March 2009, when Asian countries harassment, and with no protection from their national police, but rather often the terrorism and harassment were already many months into worsening financial and economic crisis and rising food and oil prices. He shared with us the experience of workers under Argentina’s financial crisis in 2001 and their strategies for empowerment and survival.
We applaud and appreciate his strong sense of solidarity with workers and constant struggle to raise the rights and living standards of all workers regardless of origin. This is true international solidarity.
We were horrified and outraged to hear of the attack that happened on July 10 to Gustavo Vera and La Alameda members. We strongly condemn the thugs who attacked Gustavo and his companions of La Alameda in such a cowardly way immediately after they carried out the necessary and important work of rescuing workers from slave labour and exposing this scourge of the country which ends up profiting large companies. We also strongly question the role of the police, and urge that the police of the city and of the country make a full investigation. We urge the police and the government to ensure that the criminals who carried out the attacks are found and punished, and that Gustavo Vera and the other members of La Alameda are given medical care and protection from further attacks.

We also support the demands of La Alameda for the victims of trafficking whom they rescued. We strongly urge that the city and national government take responsibility by immediately making a full investigation of the sweatshop’s situation, closing the sweatshop immediately, and suing the owner for violating the law on homebased work, the law on trafficking, and for reduction to servitude and trafficking in persons. Charges should brought against the owner of the brand ‘Susana L’ and the victims should be immediately given adequate assistance.

Respectfully yours,

Committee for Asian Women (CAW)

386/58 Soi Ratchadaphisek 42,
Ratchadaphisek Road,
Jankasam, Chatujak,
Bangkok 10900, Thailand
Tel: +66(0) 29305634
Fax: +66(0) 29305633 Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC)

Flat 7, 9/F, Block A
Fuk Keung Industrial Building
66-68 Tong Mi Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong
Tel: +852 2332 1346

Endorsed by:
Thai Labour Campaign (Thailand)
Solidarity Factory (Thailand)
Triumph International of Thailand Labour Union (Thailand)

UNI Asia-Pacific Regional Office (Asia-Pacific)
Asian Migrant Centre (Hong Kong/Asia)
Hong Kong Women Workers Association (Hong Kong)
Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (Hong Kong)
Clothing Industry, Clerical and Retail Trade Employees General Union (Hong Kong)

Workers Assistance Center (Philippines)
Solidarity of Cavite Workers (Philippines)
National Federation of Labor (Philippines)

Working People Association (PRP) (Indonesia)

Red Flag Women’s Movement (Sri Lanka)
Ceylon Plantation Workers Union (Sri Lanka)
Cambodian Tourism and Service Workers Federation (Cambodia)

Working Women Organization (Pakistan)
All Pakistan Trade Union Federation (Pakistan)
Progressive Youth Organization (Pakistan)
Railway Workers Union (Pakistan)

Source: http://www.thailabour.org/en/node/180