Daily Times

KARACHI: The international level talks on the issue of compensation to the affectees of Ali Enterprises fire tragedy are welcomed, noted a general body meeting of the Ali Enterprises Factory Fire Affectees Association (AEFA) held in the PMA House, presided over by the AEFA President Muhammad Jabir.

A large number of the heirs of the martyred workers and affectees were present in the meeting that was specially attended by legal experts Dr Remo Klinger, Attorney at Law, Germany; Dr Caroline Terwindt, Senior Legal Adviser ECCHR, Dr Miriam Saage-Maab, Vice Legal Director ECCHR, and Tara Scally from Clean Clothe Campaign, Netherlands.

The representatives of the affectees praised the role of mediator of the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and termed the resumption of talks for the payment of compensation as an important development. They thanked the participants of the Asia Living Conference in Islamabad for observing a one-minute silence in the memory of the Ali Enterprises martyrs and expressing solidarity with them.

They also welcomed the resolution presented by the association of affectees of Ali Enterprises, National Trade Union Federation (NTUF), PILER and Wage Indicator Foundation regarding making the living wages as basis for calculating the amount of compensation.

The meeting thanked the trade unions, labour organisations and governments of Germany and Holland for their efforts to persuade the German brand KIK to resume talks. It reiterated that the most important stakeholder are the affectees, represented by the association of Ali Enterprises Factory affectees; therefore, their participation in any talks or agreement is a must.

The lawyers from Germany briefed the general body meeting on the development of the lawsuit filed in Germany. They said that this case has taken a lot of importance and three affectees who have filed the case against the KIK would visit Germany from June 15-25. They would meet the representatives of trade unions, elected members, government officials and organisations of human rights. They also told the meeting about the details of the case filed in Italy against the Italian social audit company, RINA. Tara Scally from Clean Clothe Campaign, Netherlands, informed the meeting about the development achieved in the talks and said that their organisation would not leave the affectees alone adding that they have been expressing practical solidarity with them from the day one.

The representatives of Industrial Global Union and UNI Global Union, Ben Van Peper Straete in his message said after the movement for payment of compensation to the affectees of Rana Plaza and Tazreen Factory tragedy Bangladesh, they have started a campaign for the payment of compensation to the affectees of the Ali Enterprises, which resulted in the first round of talks with the KIK and the KIK has agreed to solve this issue completely. He said we would continue to support the struggle. NTUF General Secretary Nasir Mansoor said that his federation has been struggling for last four years along with the association of the affectees so that not only they get the compensation but also full justice. He said the NTUF is of the opinion that to stop repetition of such mishaps it is necessary that the government should ensure implementation of international labour standards including health and safety and make bound the local industrialists as well as the international brands to follow them in letter and spirit.

The general body meeting unanimously demanded that the participation of the association of the heirs of affectees should be ensured in the talks regarding the Baldia factory tragedy. The meeting vowed that the talks started after a long gap should be successfully concluded as soon as possible. The German brand KIK should accept its fault, pay compensation and tender apology with the affectees. The government should fulfill its promises with the affectees.

The pending cases in the Labour Department due to non-appointment of the commissioner of compensation for three years should be expedited.

While a local court on Saturday once again issued non-bailable arrest warrants for the fugitive suspect Mansoor in Baldia Town factory case. In the hearing of the case, the Sindh government presented a two-page report before the court. Special Public Prosecutor Sajid Mehboob Sheikh informed the court that a copy of the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) has been received, to which the court responded that the JIT was not called for and asked what other measures have been taken in the investigation.