Suaram is extremely concerned and disturbed that the whole negotiation of the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) between Malaysia and United States has been shrouded in total secrecy without public consultation. The FTA, o­nce signed, will have far reaching impacts and implications o­n the livelihood of the whole population, especially the economic, social and cultural rights of the people. Experiences in other countries who have signed FTA with the United States have showed serious negative repercussions to their economy and the population, which are reflected in drastic price increase in medicine, destruction of environment, control of economy by multi-national companies etc. It is therefore more alarming when the government that is supposed to represent the people, denied its people the fundamental right to information o­n the FTA and went into negotiation with the United States without first consulting the public.

Written by Indoleft ,Wednesday, 13 September 2006
Jakarta -- o­n September 10 the Workers Challenge Alliance (ABM) held a demonstration at the State Palace in Jakarta against new forms of colonialism and demanded that the government set a standard national wage. The action, which had been going o­n since 1pm, involved more than 100 people from a number of labour organisations affiliated with the ABM including the Indonesian Trade Union Action Committee (KASBI), the Indonesian Labor Union Confederation (GASPERMINDO), the Indonesian Automotive Trade Union (SPOI) and the Indonesian National Front for Labour Struggle (FNPBI).

Tentative Dates: 8-10 November 2006

Head Office, FNV Mondiaal, Amsterdam

"Domestic workers' employment situation is considered not to 'fit' the general framework of existing employment laws. This is because most work done by them is generally invisible, done in houses (not considered as workplaces) of private persons (not considered as employers). So, domestic workers are not normally considered as employees, their work is undervalued, and their working conditions remain, in essence, unregulated. In fact, some countries not o­nly do not consider household helpers as workers and exclude them from protection under their national labour codes, they do not provide them with protection under any other national law. In some countries they are denied the right to organize in trade unions. This of course leaves them vulnerable to abuse."

Fax: (852) 2489 1879, E-mail: [email protected] 

8 September 2006

Dear Mr. Lo Chung Wing and Gold Peak shareholders

Dear friends of the international civil society,

We would like you to join our action against the injustice of a HK Company called GP Battery Ltd. We will have a three-day action against GP

1. September 12

a. Welcome the mainland ex-GP workers to come to HK to fight for their rights and compensation at 3pm at the Kowloon Railway Station.

b. Announce the activities of the three day action to the press.

2. September 13

24 hour Action �Sept 13-14 3pm at the entrance of the venue of the GP Shareholder Meeting�Protest against GP not to pay fair and decent compensation to workers.

Major demands:

1. Fair compensation for GP workers infected with excessive cadmium.

2. Demand GP CEO and a member of Executive Member of HKSAR government, Victor Lo to resign from EXCO.

3. September 14

For security reason, the actual action will be announced later.

What you can do to support the GP workers?