***Thailand urged to drop case against British slavery activist
An international workers’ union has declared the Thai government to be “on trial” in an impending defamation case against a British human rights campaigner who exposed alleged modern-day slavery in its tinned fruit and fishing industry.
The International Transport Workers‘ Federation (ITF) has demanded that all charges against Andy Hall, 33, be dropped immediately, and described the trial, which is due to start in September, as “a national and international embarrassment”.
Thailand’s Natural Fruit Company filed civil and criminal cases against Hall earlier this year after he exposed alleged labour and human rights abuses, including violence against employees, forced overtime, the use of underage labour and the confiscation of Burmese migrant workers’ passports.
He published his findings in a report entitled Cheap has a High Price for the Finnish non-governmental organisation Finnwatch in January last year and was hit with the libel suit a month later.
In May, the same company filed separate defamation charges over an al-Jazeera interview about migrant workers’ rights. Hall faces a bill of up to pounds 5.8m in damages and a two-year prison sentence if he is found guilty.
The Thai government has defended the Natural Fruit Company and its case, saying the firm had a right to sue Hall and that he was allowed to defend himself under Thai law, according to FreshFruitPortal.com.
In a statement, the Thai embassy in London said it had “full confidence” in the country’s judicial system.
A government inspection of the company premises reportedly took place a week after Hall’s report was published. No instances of child labour were said to be uncovered. Finnwatch defended its research findings and wrote in a letter to the Thai ambassador to the UK, Pasan Tepara: “Thai officials’ report states that there are undocumented workers working at the factory. According to Thai legislation, hiring undocumented migrants is illegal.”
ITF’s acting general secretary, Steve Cotton, said Hall should be “praised, not prosecuted” for his expose on working conditions at the fruit company and added: “Thailand’s attorney general must act now to disallow this case, which is an example of blatant victimisation of someone for no greater crime than telling an unacceptable truth.”
ITF’s president, Paddy Crumlin, said: “Thailand itself is on trial. If ever a country needed to allow defenders of human rights to identify problems, it’s this one.”
Thailand was recently downgraded to the lowest ranking on the US government’s human trafficking index for alleged rampant abuses in various industries including the fishing, construction and canning sectors.
pounds 5.8m
The sum that Andy Hall may have to pay in damages if he is found guilty of libelling the Thai National
Fruit Company
FROM SEAFARER TIMES, ALSO SHIPPING TRIBUNE:
***World offshore labour body opposes Australian govt visa trick
Submitted by Helmsman on Sat, 07/19/2014 – 06:07
World offshore labour body opposes Oz govt visa trick
18 July 2014 ITF Press Release received via email
18 July 2014 ITF Press Release received via email
The chair of the International Transport Workers’ Federation’s offshore task force group today condemned the Australian government’s move to override a Senate vote and allow the use of a maritime crew visa that will undermine working conditions in the country’s offshore oil and gas industry.
His comments came after the Australian government yesterday used a legislative loophole to allow the use of a visa to bring in workers for whom – unlike the normal Australian visas governing this and other sectors – there is no national need and no guarantee of the necessary skills.
Norrie McVicar, ITF offshore task force group chair, commented: “This is an unnecessary and ideologically driven move that will do Australia no good at all. It risks opening a skilled, regulated and nationally important industry up to a laissez fair scramble to cut costs.”
He continued: “Trade unions and their members in the offshore industry rate nothing higher than safety. They will snub this shabby little legislative sleight of hand. We hope that it will be challenged legally in Australia, and stand ready to actively and lawfully reject it.”
ITF president and MUA (Maritime Union of Australia) national secretary Paddy Crumlin stated: “The ideological warriors in the Abbott Government are seeking to take out an entire Australian industry. The Australian people know that opening the back door to cheap foreign labour isn’t the answer. We need to maintain our maritime skills base and ensure the viability of Australian jobs in the offshore sector.” (Further comment from the MUA is available at www.mua.org.au/abbott_government_shows_true_colours_on_foreign_labour )
FROM THE MARITIME EXECUTIVE:
***Slavery Scandal Tests Thailand Legal System
By MarEx
The International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) has described Thailand as being ‘on trial’ for allowing a company to prosecute a human rights defender who exposed modern day slavery in its canned fruit and fishing industry. The ITF is demanding that charges against Andy Hall, a UK citizen who is due to stand trial in September on charges of criminal defamation, be dropped.
The criminal and civil cases were brought against Andy Hall by Thailand’s Natural Fruit Company following his research into the company’s operations for the report Cheap Has a High Price, published by the Finnwatch NGO (www.finnwatch.org). That report exposed smuggling of migrant workers along with the use of child labor, forced overtime and violence against workers.
ITF acting general secretary Steve Cotton stated: “Andy Hall’s investigations into the fruit and fish industries in Thailand helped expose shocking abuses there to a worldwide audience. He should be praised, not prosecuted. Thailand’s attorney general must act now to disallow this case, which is an example of blatant victimization of someone for no greater crime than telling an unacceptable truth.”
He continued: “This legal case attempts to shoot the messenger and leave the true offender untouched. Thailand must address the unforgiveable abuses being allowed to take place on its lands and waters, and also ensure the right to freedom of opinion.”
ITF president Paddy Crumlin added: “Thailand itself is on trial. Its failure to act has rightly led to it being downgraded by the US government over human trafficking. If ever a country needed to allow defenders of human rights to identify problems, it’s this one. This impending trial is a national and international embarrassment and should be called off immediately.”
The ITF believes that Thailand should:
• Ratify and implement ILO conventions 87 and 98, respecting workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining
• Ratify and implement ILO Work in Fishing Convention No. 188
• Ensure that all companies operating in Thailand and benefiting from Thai resources and employment markets work constructively with trade unions and workers’ organizations
• Ratify and implement ILO conventions 87 and 98, respecting workers’ fundamental rights to freedom of association and collective bargaining
• Ratify and implement ILO Work in Fishing Convention No. 188
• Ensure that all companies operating in Thailand and benefiting from Thai resources and employment markets work constructively with trade unions and workers’ organizations