지난 2010년 방글라데시에서 노동자들의 대규모 투쟁이 있었고,
이 과정에서 방글라데시 정부가 노동자들을 살인, 폭행, 감금하는 일이 벌어졌습니다.
이 사건과 관련된 기업이 한국의 [영원]입니다.
저임금과 나쁜 노동 환경에 시달리던 노동자들이 투쟁에 나섰던 거지요.
이 투쟁에서 Moshrefa Mishu라는 노동자가 체포, 고문 당하는 일이 벌어졌고
Moshrefa Mishu에 대한 재판이 진행 중이라고 합니다.
아래 주소를 누르면 방글라데시 정부에게 Moshrefa Mishu를 비롯해 체포한 노동자들을 석방하라는 온라인 서명 페이지가 나옵니다.
http://www.gopetition.com/petition/41542/sign.html#se
돈벌이 하자고 남의 집에 들어가 아이를 납치하는 일이 잘못된 일이듯이
돈벌이 하자고 남의 나라에 들어가 노동자들을 괴롭히는 것 또한 잘못된 일이겠지요.
아래 내용은 이 일과 관련해서 한국인과 한국 사회에 연대와 지원을 요청하는 내용의 편지입니다.
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Dear friends,
I am writing about a very serious case of human rights' violation - Moshrefa Mishu in Dhaka (maybe you have already heard about her). Her life is in great danger now because of her leadership in the garment workers' movement in Bangladesh. Do you know about the case of workers' protest against Yangwon Textile in Chittagong; a Korean factory in the EPZ? The Korean boss decided not to give everyone the same increase in basic wage (the law was passed recently even though the basic wage level is still too low). The senior workers did not get the basic wage and the factory suddenly closed down for a few days without explanation to punish those who protested. That sparked off a big protest by thousands of workers, which was violently suppressed by the government. 4 persons including a rickshaw driver were killed. The company also got some workers to support the management and blamed the protest as 'outside intervention'. This was reported in Yonhap News.
Mishu, a woman worker leader who has been organizing the textile workers for more than 20 years in BD was arrested at her home in Dhaka after the protest in Chittagong (CTG), even though the distance between the 2 cities is at least 6 hours by bus. She was not present at the protest. She was severely interrogated and tortured after her arrest, which broke her back. She also became very sick with asthma. She was not allowed to take her medicine with her to jail. Now she is in hospital under intensive care and very worried that she will be sent back for interrogation soon. The chance is high that she will die if she returns to jail this time. She has been under arrest for more than a month with more than 40 court charges against her.
Her suporters and lawyers are asking for bail on 27 Jan, 2011 in court. If they fail, she will have to return to jail. She is also under the jurisdiction of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), notorious for extra-judicial killing.
Her case has sparked off many international protests including through the internet. The Human Rights Commssion of Bangladesh has been bombarded with letters everyday and organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty In'l and Asian Human Rights Commission have been calling for her immediate release. Her supporters think that the only reason why she is not sent back to prison yet is because of international attention. Therefore, we need more international pressure to force the government to free her.
Hence, I am writing to find out if there's anyway Korean organizations that you know can help? I will forward you the online pertition link in my next email. Can you help to get Korean media interested in the case and publicise it inside Korea? Can the Korea Human Rights Commission make a statement? Can they set up a monitoring team to visit CTG and the factory since it is Korean-owned? You will know more than I do what are the possibilities!
Sorry if I find you at the wrong time; maybe you are very busy with work now. If you can help, I shall connect you with the local activists who will give you more detail about her case over the phone or by emails.
There was a peaceful human chain demontration at the Dhaka Press Club yesterday (21st Jan) and nearly a hundred people marched through town after that. Let us try to get Mishu free on bail on the 27 Jan as our first step!