Fiji’s military dictator to head the International Sugar Organization? Act now!

The IUF is calling on members of the International Sugar Organization (ISO) to refuse to give the chair of the organization to Fiji’s prime minister and military dictator, Commodore Bainimarama.  Bainimarama, according to press reports, is set to take the position at ISO’s annual seminar in London on November 27 and 28, 2012. ISO is the intergovernmental organization established to administer the International Sugar Agreement (ISA). It has 85 member states.

In an open letter to ISO, IUF General Secretary Ron Oswald points out that Fiji’s recent record of abuse of trade union rights, which recently led to the ILO’s Governing Body adopting a special resolution on Fiji as a “serious and urgent case” (link), put Fiji in breach of the ISA which obliges members to maintain fair labour standards in their sugar industry.

The IUF letter calls on ISO to hold no meetings in Fiji until democracy and labour rights are restored. Click here to send a similar message to ISO.