Khatami probes into unrest 'striking workers'

Monday, January 26, 2004 - ©2003 IranMania.com

TEHRAN, Jan 26 (AFP) -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami has ordered an official probe into a clash between security forces and striking workers at a copper factory in southeastern Iran which killed four and left 40 injured, the official news agency IRNA said Monday.

"Delegations from the president's office, Interior Ministry and Kerman Governor General's office are examining the unrest in Shahr-e Babak," said provincial governor Seifollah Shahdad-Nejad.

IRNA said the casualties from Saturday's rioting came after riot police fought a pitched battle to stop protestors from rampaging through state buildings. But the report blamed the rioting on "a gang of 300 motorbikers."

Shahdad-Nejad told the agency that calm had been restored to the area and the situation was under control.

Workers had downed tools a few days earlier to support their demands for permanent contracts, a reformist deputy said on Sunday. Mansur Soleymanni Meymandi told parliament that authorities had inflamed the crisis by pouring in riot police.

Trade unions have no bargaining power in Iran , where the right to strike does not exist.

2004/01/26

Khatami set up team to probe unrests

04:39:36 È.Ù
Kerman, Jan 26 - President Mohammad Khatami has delegated a team to probe into recent unrest at a town in the southeast Kerman province in which four people were killed and dozens others injured, its governor said here Monday.
"Delegations from the presidential office, interior ministry and Kerman governor general's office are examining the unrest in Shahr-e Babak," said Seifollah Shahdadnejad, who put the toll at four people killed and 40 others injured.
The casualties came after riot police fought a pitched battle to hold protestors from rampaging state buildings, including police and the governor's offices.
They followed a sit-in held by a group of disgruntled workers at a copper smelting plant to protest their layoffs by their contractors, but got ugly when a gang of 300 motorbikers started attacking state property in the town.
Shahdadnejad did not rule out the work of 'mischief with the support of a certain group' which led to the mayhem, saying the issue was being investigated.
He said calm had been restored to the city and the situation was under control.
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