"No to War; Long Live Humanity" Declaration by the International Labour Confederation (ILC)

The Turkey-based International Labour Confederation (ILC), chaired by Memur-Sen President Ali Yalçın, represents 25 million workers through 33 confederations from 25 countries. The ILC has issued a declaration titled "No to War; Long Live Humanity."

NO TO WAR; LONG LIVE HUMANITY

Humanity, is passing through the most turning points in history. Alongside economic and political crises, wars-particularly as manifestations of sistematic violance- are actively destroying humanity and the values it has produced.

Although these crises are concentrated in regions like Palestine, Lebanon, Syria, and Ukraine more than one-third of the world is under the unfluence of systematic violance and war. We fear that htis situaiton may expand, especially considering the current global crises and the contradictory stances of nations that turn a blind eye to, or even tacitly endorse, the genocide being carried out by Israel.

Today Israel is committing a full-scale genocide in Palestine. Since October 7, 2023, the apartheid Zionist ergime has massacred nearly 45,000 civilians in Gaza Strip, including over 18,000 children and more than 12,000 women. It has demolished places of worship, schools, hospitals, and residential areas- spaces that are shared symbols of humanity. Supported by those who once preparated genocide against them, Zionists now tragically respond with genocide against a people who once welcomed them during those dark days. This stands as one of the most tragic ironies in history. For nearly a century, under the guise of imperialist strategy, this region has been subjected to gradual violence, massacres, and settler terrorism. The ultimate reality is that those behind these actions are attacking the shared values of humanity that have been cultivated over time.

During this process, we have also observed violations of fundamental rights and freedoms, including the right to life, as well as freedoms of labor and association. It is known that Gazan workers employed in Israel have suddenly been declared "illegal persons" in a manner reminiscent of the logic of the Nuremberg Laws. They have been detained, subjected to severe torture, and some have lost their lives during these torture sessions.

Israel, which dehumanizes Palestinians by claiming to "fight humanoid animals" as reflected in the language of its politicians, produces violence rooted in racism, humanity’s common enemy. Yet it enjoys protection in the UN Security Council with a single raised hand and has received $23 billion in military and weapons aid from the United States over the past year. U.S. politicians openly support the genocide by threatening the International Court of Justice when it addresses Netanyahu’s war crimes. All these actions not only challenge international law and the shared human value of human rights but also allow massacres to continue unabated.

As a second stage in its dirty strategies, the racist Zionist regime, supported by imperialism, is directly targeting Lebanon and Syria. If Israel’s attacks are not stopped, we fear that this violence will expand, first consuming the region and eventually engulfing the entire globe.

Considering the recent developments in the Ukraine-Russia war, our concerns are further validated.

And on the occasion of the "World Children's Day" that we are currently commemorating, we would like to emphasize a truth once again here:

Unfortunately, wars are the first to destroy innocence, which is the soul of our world. To a world where some reduce the deaths of children to mere statistics, we would like to remind everyone that "every child's death shakes the earth and the world."

Therefore, as the International Confederation of Labor, we call on all humanity for the sake of our children and all innocents...

As the International Confederation of Labour, we call upon all humanity:

Human life is sacred. No regime or system that dehumanizes people is acceptable.

Moreover, no one is distant from the threat of war. Therefore, we must urgently form a solidarity network that prioritizes reason to put an end to these conflicts.

Thirdly, international institutions that have become part of the problem must undergo immediate reforms to become more effective intervention mechanisms with participatory approaches.

Finally, a fairer world order is the only antidote to wars created by imperialism. For this reason, the voice of labor, not imperialism, must rise.