ANROEV’S STATEMENT OF SOLIDARITY WITH AMRC & HONGKONG TRADE UNIONS

The Asian Network for the Rights of Occupational and Environmental Victims (ANROEV), a coalition of victims’ groups, trade unions and other labour groups across Asia, all committed to the rights of Victims and for overall improvement of health and safety at the workplace is deeply anguished at the developments in Hongkong. The recent attack on the Trade Unions and organisations working towards the welfare of labour is strongly condemnable. The political changes in Hongkong in the recent past have had major implications to the labour. The workers who have been already at a receiving end with the growing marginalisation in the context of informalisation, union busting and restrictions and suffering a huge set back with the pandemic are now facing a threat of complete elimination of their rights. Unions and organisations working for their welfare and fighting for their entitlements are shutting down their operations because of the strong-arm techniques of the state machinery.

While the entire world is witnessing shrinking civic spaces and many governments in Asia are restricting several democratic rights of their citizens and severely misusing the scare of the pandemic, the introduction of the National Security Law in Hong Kong in June 2020 has almost become a death-knell for the thriving democratic institutions in Hongkong. This has led to several Unions, including the popular Teachers Union, Free Trade Union and civil society organisations like the Asia Monitor Resources Centre (AMRC) to sadly close their operations and disband.

With this joint statement, we stand with the Asia Monitor Resource Centre (AMRC) which has been in the forefront of enabling victims of occupational and environmental accidents and exposure to pollution and stress. Its efforts to enable their solidarity across Asia has been commendable. We also express solidarity with the Hong Kong labour movement in their struggle for more equal and democratic Hong Kong.

Ram Charitra Sah

ANROEV Coordinator

Mobile/WhatsApp: +977=9803047621

Email: anroev@gmail.com

Web: www.anroev.net

Date: 21^st September 2021

ENDORSED BY

Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED), Kathmandu, Nepal

Environics Trust, India

Bangladesh Occupational Safety, Health and Environment Foundation  (OSHE foundation), 6-A/1-19 Mirpur, Dhaka-1216, Bangladesh

The International Campaign for Responsible Technology (ICRT) , San Jose, CA  95112 USA

 Peoples Training and Research Centre (PTRC), India

India Ban Asbestos Network, New Delhi, India

Todd Jailer, Hesperian Health Guides

Japan Occupational Safety and Health Resource Center (JOSHRC)

Asian Ban Ban Asbestos Network (ABAN)

The International Ban Asbestos Secretariat endorses this statement.

Good Electronics Network

Families Against Corporate Killers, FACK from UK

Susanna CAMUSSO, Head of international Policy, CGIL, Corso d’Italia 25, 00198 Roma

Dr. Guenther Kittel , ppm Research, Consulting/ Health Work Environment, Auatria

Kathy Jenkins, Secretary, Scottish Hazards

Thora Brendstrup , AAA Denmark

Gerhard Elsigan , ppm Linz , Austria

European Work Hazards Network (EWHN)

Yvonne Waterman, President, European Asbestos Forum Foundation

UK Hazards Campaign

Greater Manchester Hazards Centre

Surya Ferdian, Local Initiative for OSH Network (LION), Indonesia

Dr. Ashish Mital, Labour Resource Center, India

Union Aid Abroad- APHEDA

Ecological Alert and Recovery -Thailand (EARTH)

Council of Work and Environment Related Patient`s Network of Thailand (WEPT)

Ban Asbestos Network Korea (BANKO),

Asian Citizen`s Center for Environment and Health (ACCEH), Korea