Executive committee of SAK, 12th April 1999 |
SAK makes an appeal for peace in Kosovo and donates 20.000 usd to help the refugees |
| The crisis in Kosovo has, during the past few
weeks, transformed into a tragedy of an immense proportion. The problems of Kosovo can be
solved only at the negotiation table. President Slobodan Milosevic has to end the
atrocities against the Albanian population and return to the negotiation table to relieve
the crisis. Among the thousands of civilian victims are the trade union activists who have also suffered. The chairman of the Council of Kosovo’s Independent Central Organisation of Trade Unions BSPK has been killed and the union’s President has been arrested. The international trade union movement along with the central trade union confederations of different countries have made an appeal for President Milosevic to stop the ethnic cleansing. The international community, European Union and Finland have to struggle to restore peace in Kosovo. The trade union movement also plays an important role in starting the extremely difficult peace process and reconstruction. The most urgent task is to help the immense refugee population. The expelled inhabitants of Kosovo can best be helped in the areas nearby and in starting the reconstruction of their own country after the restoration of peace. Unless there is no fast improvement in the situation of the refugees, Finland along with other EU countries has to be ready for the reception of people in need. The Executive Committee of the Central Organisation of Finnish Trade Unions SAK has decided to donate about 20.000 USD to the Catastrophe Fund of the Finnish Red Cross to be used in humanitarian work for the benefit of Kosovo refugees. SAK makes an appeal for other trade union confederations, trade unions and sections to give help to the Kosovo refugees. |
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