· Message from the Grenada Technical & Allied Workers' Union
· Excerpts of messages from Iranian labour and political organizations
Dear friends and fellow workers:
Please see below the schedule for Yadullah’s funeral ceremony on Feb 19th.
Following of the death of Yadullah Khosroshahi, one of the veteran and leading figures in Iranian working class movement on early morning of Thursday 4 of February 2010, many Iranian labour organizations and activists and political parties as well as international labour and left organizations and activists issued various sympathy messages, statements and articles regarding his sudden and untimely death. Yadullah’s outstanding Struggle in more than four decades has made him a prominent figure in Iranian labour and socialist movement.
The IASWI will issue a special edition on Yadullah’s life and his passing. Below is a tribute to Yadullah from CGT-France and a few excerpts from some of the announcements received thus far. The majority of these announcements are in Farsi. You can check our Farsi websites for full texts. We will try to translate as many messages as we can in our special edition.
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Funeral Ceremony
Dear Friends,
It is with deep regret and sadness that we must say farewell to our beloved Yadullah Khosroshahi, whose untimely death has left a great sense of loss in all our hearts. He passed away on Thursday the 4th of February, 2010. A long standing socialist and activist of the Iranian Labour movement, he was also a devoted husband, a loving father and wonderful grandfather. Alongside his family responsibilities, Yadullah dedicated his life to the workers’ struggle against capitalism and for the emancipation of all exploited people.
To commemorate his life, please join my family and I on Friday the 19th of February at The Penridge Suite, 470 Bowes Road, New Southgate, N11 1NL.
The ceremony will start at 5.30pm, ending at 9.30pm. The nearest tube station is Arnos Grove, the nearest train station is New Southgate and can be reached by buses 34, 184, 232, 251 and N91.
The funeral will be from 2 pm to 3:30pm at Trent Park Cemetery, Cockfosters Road, Cockfosters, Enfield EN4 0DZ. The nearest tube station is Cockfosters.
Best Wishes,
Jahan Khosroshahi
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MESSAGE FROM THE CGT FOR THE TRIBUTE TO YADOLLHAH
For many years, we worked hand in hand with Yadullah and that is why we wish to pay him
tribute today. Yadullah inspired respect through his simplicity and his conviction, for which he suffered repression, jail under the regimes of both the Shah and the Islamic republic, and finally exile.
He was involved in all battles to voice out and defend an independent and active trade union
movement. Still recently, he was active within the international alliance to foster closer relations and joint work with several trade union organisations, including the CGT.
It is a great loss for all those who we had the honour to know this outstanding activist.
We want to assure his family, his friends and his comrades that, for the CGT, Yadullah will
remain an example and a symbol of the struggle for trade union freedom in Iran.
The most fitting tribute to his memory will undoubtedly be to continue – as he would have
wanted – his battle.
Yadullah, you are, and will remain, in our memories as a prominent figure of the international
trade union movement.
For the CGT of France
Jean-François COURBE
Paris, 9 February 2010
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The Grenada Technical & Allied Workers' Union:
Please accept the profound sympathies of the Grenada Technical & Allied Workers' Union. Convey our sentiments to his family.
Fraternally,
Chester A. A. Humphrey,
President General
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The Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations-Iran:
The untimely death of Yadullah Khosroshahi, a tireless and honest activist of labour movement: condolences to the Working class and his beloved family
….Yadullah Khosroshahi spent more than four decades of his life struggling for achievement of the labour movement’s goals and aspirations. He was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in 1975 during a strike by Tehran Refinery workers. He was released from prison after people’s 1979 revolution. He also became a member of All Iran Council of Oil Industry Employees.
Khosroshahi was incarcerated again after workers’ councils were crushed in 1980s. In exile, he put all of his efforts to unite the labour movement in Iran and did not stop until the last moments of his life.
He spent many years of his life against capital’s exploitation and for workers’ emancipation and did whatever he could do for this goal. He never retreated from struggles even in the worst conditions and circumstances.
The Coordinating Committee to Help Form Workers’ Organizations cherishes all the efforts and struggles by this honorable labour activist and share the sorrow for his loss with the labour movement and his precious family. Let’s cherish his memory.
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Mahmoud Salehi and Family:
….Very sadly we have been informed that Yadullah Khosroshahi the militant worker and one of the leaders of the union movement in Iran who for years fought tirelessly for the freedom of the working class died in England…. We cherish the efforts of this revolutionary man for the emancipation of the working class and share the sorrow for the loss of this honorable and tireless defender of the working class.
Mahmoud Salehi and Family
Saqez-Iran
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The Center for Workers’ Rights in Iran:
With great Sadness we learned that our comrade, freedom lover and long time labour activist, Yadullah Khosroshahi, died in London, England. This is a great loss of one of the theorists and organizers of justice seeking labour movements; a loss for for the Iranian society and especially for the entire labour movement.
Yadullah Khosroshahi, a vibrant and tireless labour activist in Iran and exile, had tremendous social justice allies and supporters which will give us hope to continue his path.
Once again, we give our sincere condolences to his beloved wife and family and friends and hope to continue his battle for improvement of the plight of people and workers in Iran.
The Center for Workers’ Rights in Iran
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The Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company:
….With ultimate regrets and sadness we were informed that Yadullah Khosroshahi, one of the members of the Iran’s Oil Workers’ Syndicate had died of stroke. The Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company would like to express condolences to his respected family and the Labour movement...
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The Free Union of Workers in Iran:
Sadly, Yadullah Khosroshahi, a former activist of All Iran Council of Oil Workers, and an exiled labour activist died in London, England. His efforts and fights before and after 1979 revolution are an important part of the history of the working class struggle to establish a world without repression and exploitation.
We express our condolence to family and friends and allies on the passing of Yadullah Khosroshahi. We always remember and cherish the role of Yadullah Khosroshahi.
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The Council of Women-Iran:
….It is very regretful that we no longer see an informed worker and a militant leader amongst ourselves. We have been shocked by the news of Yadullah’s sudden death, but comrade Yadullah will endure forever as his resistance and perseverance in prisons of two regimes of monarchy and Islamic Republic have made him eternal. Until the end of sexual apartheid and the abolition of private ownership we will see Yadullah among us at every rally and demonstration. In every protest we will see this leader of the working class beside us…
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The Iran Khodro Workers-Iran:
….Yadullah Khosroshahi never abandoned the class struggle. He suffered from jails and tortures of two different regimes n his struggles against capitalist repression. Yadullah was one of the most persistent fighters of the Iranian labour movement who wholeheartedly struggled for more than four decades….
Reza Shahabi, Executive Board Member, Syndicate of Workers of Tehran and Suburbs Vahed Bus Company
….The news of the passing of Mr. Yadullah Khosroshahi a pioneer of the Iranian labour movement made me and my colleagues grievously sad…. Yadullah Khosroshahi honorably spent 40 years of his life for his fellow workers. I am hoping that we can learn lessons from the experiences and the praiseworthy life of this magnanimous human being. …
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Reza Rakhshan, Public Relations, Syndicate of Workers of Haft Tapeh Sugarcane Company
….Yadullah Khosroshahi played a very important role in organizing the momentous oil workers’ strikes during the Pahlavi ruling. Although the Iranian labour movement has taken important steps in recent years in terms of producing new generation of progressive activists, we however need the experience of long time activists like Yadullah. The new generation of labour activists, by preserving their autonomy, do not contain themselves in various ideologies of non-working class parties. We express our condolences on the passing of Yadullah to his respected family and all union activists….
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Mohammad Abdipour and family,
Saqez, Iran
…We have very sadly been informed that Yadullah Khosroshahi the representative of the oil workers of Iran has died of stroke in London England On February 4, 2010. Yadullah, who had been incarcerated numerous times during the Pahlavi regime and only was released after the 1979 people’s uprising, was again put in jail in 1982 for few more years. Although he had to leave in exile he never stopped his commitment to his principles and goals. We would like to sincerely express our condolences to his esteem family and all workers….
Mohammad Abdipour and family,
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Solidarity Committee with the Iranian Workers Movement-Australia
….The friend of all workers and toilers, Uncle Yadi (That’s how we called him) has gone amongst us. Yadullah has broad and persistent working relationship with labour organizations in Iran. He, irrespective of all arguments and the existing intellectual conflicts, worked unreservedly in defence of workers and toilers of Iran….
Similar messages from many other Iranian labour solidarity committees have been received which will be translated in our special edition.
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Fadaian Minority Organization:
….Yadullah Khosroshahi was one of the most vanguard and class-conscious workers of Iran’s oil company who strived for workers’ awareness raising and organizing. He had been elected as the representative of Tehran Refinery workers and as its secretary. During the 1979 revolution he increased his efforts after being released from prison and was one of the activists of the underground strike committee of oil workers and later became a member of All Iran Council of Oil Industry Employees….
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The Communist Party of Iran-Executive Committee
….Yadullah Khosroshahi was among the most renowned leaders of Iranian labour movement who spent years in prisons of the Shah and Islamic Republic regimes. The loss of Yadullah is an injury to the rising Iranian labour movement, a loss that can only be replaced through learning from the commitment and tirelessness of Yadullah Khosroshahi. …
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Worker-communist Party of Kurdistan (Iraqi Kurdistan):
To our comrades at the IASWI and Yadullah Khosroshahi’s family
….We are well aware of the struggles of comrade Yadullah and his role in defence of oil workers and generally within the Iranian working class movement. …. On behalf of the Worker-communist Party of the Iraqi Kurdistan- Organization Abroad express our condolences for the passing of this renowned and caring leader of the working class….
Mohsen Karim
On behalf of the Worker-communist party of Kurdistan- Organization Abroad
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Worker- communist Party of Iran- Hekmatist:
….Yadullah started working at Abadan oil refinery when he was only 14 years old in 1955. His role during workers’ protests and his never-ending effort for uniting oil workers made him a popular figure and a committed leader. Yadullah never gave up his struggle against exploitation. He stood up for freedom, equality and socialism. His life is the history of the working class’s struggle for better life. Yadullah’s death is a major loss for Iranian working class….
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Komala Party of Kurdistan:
…Yadullah Khosroshahi was amongst the most well-known and distinguished leaders of the Iranian labour movement and oil workers who spend years struggling against exploitation, injustice and anti-workers laws during both Monarchy and Islamic regimes. Komala shares the loss of this remarkable figure of the Iranian labour movement. …
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Worker-communism Unity Party:
….Yadullah Khosroshahi belongs to a generation of socialist workers who struggled for the working class’s dignity, unity and organization. As a result of all these activities and struggle he spent many years in prison where he was tortured in both capitalist regimes of Shah and the Islamic regime. With the death of Yadullah, the Iranian working class lost one of its Committed leading Activists….
Communist Party of Iran (MLM):
….After release from prison in 1979, Yadullah was once again on the forefront of oil workers struggles. Along with other workers, he first organized an underground strike committee of oil workers and later they formed the Syndicate of Workers of Tehran Refinery and eventually they formed All Iran Council of Oil Industry Employees….With the conscious efforts of activists like Yadullah it became possible for oil workers to play their historic role in 1979 revolution; with their strike they closed oil pipes and halted the economy and accelerated the overthrown of the monarchy….
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Etehade Fadian: Organisation of Communist Fadaian Unity:
….Yadullah Khosroshahi was one of the most well Known activists in Iranian labour movement, particularly among Iranian oil industry workers. He was in prison for many years during Shah’s regime due to his efforts for organizing labour movement. Finally he was released from prison with the rest of political prisoners during the 1979 revolution.
Following his release he played a major role in the Foundation of the Strike Committees and the Syndicate of joint Oil and Gas Workers….
Many other messages from labour and political activists and organizations have been received which will be translated in our special edition.
On the passing of our beloved comrade Yadullah Khosroshahi
Most regretfully, today, Thursday February 4, 2010 comrade Yadullah Khosroshahi passed away. Yadullah had a brain stroke on 2nd of February. While hospitalized his condition began to deteriorate. After conducting tests on him, specialists told his family members and friends attending to his bedside that he had a second stroke. Comrade Yadullah passed away this morning at 5:00 am in London, UK.
Yadullah Khosroshahi was one of the most renowned Iranian labour activists and leaders, a toiler of Iranian labour movement who spent many years incarcerated in jails of both Monarchy and Islamic Republic. He was an elected representative of Oil Workers; a former Secretary of Syndicate of Tehran Refinery Workers and former representative of All-Iran Council of Oil Workers. After suppression of workers’ councils and workers’ autonomous organizations by Islamic Republic, and spending years incarcerated, he was forced to leave Iran. He remained an indefatigable advocate of Iranian labour movement to his last breath. Yadullah was an enormously active colleague and representative of the IASWI since its formation more than 10 years ago. He was a tireless worker and labour activist who never stopped fighting for the self-emancipation of the working class.
Yadullah’s loving memory will always be with us; he will be greatly missed by all friends, family members, labour activists and all of those whose lives were touched by him.
International Alliance in Support of Workers in Iran (IASWI) – February 4, 2010
