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April , 2012 

Statement of the Tripoli (Libya) dockworkers on the International May Day

We, the dockworkers of Tripoli port, want to voice our unconditional support for the Syrian masses. We call on them to follow our steps, defeating Bashar al-Assad as we defeated Mua'ammar al-Qadafy by fighting physically to confront the army till defeating it, accompanied by prayer. As for us, we would give our blood and also our eyes for a victorious revolution in Syria as well as in Libya, Tunisia and all around the region.
This revolution is one single revolution all over the entire region. Libya was the place where this revolution reached a further level, the revolution in Tunisia and Egypt has to reach there too. But now we see that we need another revolution in Libya.
All the revolutions carried out by workers (like those in France in the 19th C, or in Russia in early 20th C, or these ones in the Arab countries) are for need. There is no food; no decent housing, and no decent salary, so, workers carry out revolutions to solve it.

Today in Libya we need another revolution, and if we have to carry out 10 revolutions, we will do it. And if we need 20 revolutions in Libya and Syria, we will do it too. Either we live well or we die fighting for it. Let it be known by all the managers, bosses and chiefs: we will not rest till we get our demands; and if we have to close the dock preventing the entry and departure of goods, we will do it; and if we have to go out with our riffles to settle accounts with all the bosses, we will also do it. We will not give away our martyrs’ blood.

 We welcome all of them who for this May 1st get organized to fight alongside the worker revolutions of Libya and Syria, we salute those who raise the demands of the workers. In Libya it’s difficult to convene an event for this day since we have suffered a dictatorship of 42 years that only allowed official meetings organized by the Qadafists and this is the first time we get organized on our own.

But we know that in Tunisia for this May Day, some meetings have been organized. We also know that this meeting is not calling to do something for our brothers and sisters in Syria –actually, it is for doing nothing- or for us or the revolution across the region. We call on you for not leaving all these struggles isolated, as all of us need coordinating the combats of Tunisia, Libya, Egypt and Syria. We need to coordinate with the workers in Tunisia to advance in our own organization and combat, and for them also to advance in their fights and in the struggle for fighting alongside the Syrian exploited. The revolution is not only taking place in Tunisia. There, the revolution has started -when an engineer sacrificed himself -that we are carrying out here in Libya; and this revolution, which is all over the region- has today the urge of taking a step forward.

We salute and welcome all those who got organized last year to support the combats we launched here in Libya and that today keep fighting for the victory of the revolution in Syria and all across the region. This is the way to get a decent life for all the workers.

General Assembly of Tripoli dockworkers