29/04/2012 11:54
BAGHDAD, April 29 (AKnews) - The Iraqi Communist Party today accused the federal government of undermining its work by refusing to grant the party a license for a celebration on Labor Day.
The party added that the decision by the government represents a "decline in public freedoms".
Member of the party's press office Ibrahim al-Khayat said the party submitted a request to the Baghdad Operations Command and Baghdad province to obtain a license to organize the Labor Day celebration on May 1. The request was sent ten days ago and an answer was received eight days later.
Khayat said: "The Communist Party organizes every year a labor march from Firdous Square to Tahrir Square and the government stated that the Firdous Square includes restoration work and no gatherings are allowed in Tahrir Square."
The party expressed its surprise at the "excuses made by the government to prevent the establishment of the celebration".
"We don't want to mention names," added Khayat. "The party had hoped that after the US withdrawal from Iraq there would be an order to entrench constitutional rights.
"The workers are very important and we've celebrated this occasion since the revolution of July 14, 1958."
Iraqi workers have complained about what they describe as the confiscation of their rights through the absence of employment law legislation.
The Iraqi Communist Party began to organize rallies from Firdous Square to Tahrir Square in central Baghdad when the former regime was toppled in 2003.
Labor Day is an annual celebration and it is an official holiday in many countries. The day is an annual holiday to celebrate the economic and social achievements of workers. Labour Day has its origins in the labour union movement, specifically the eight-hour day movement, which advocated eight hours for work, eight hours for recreation, and eight hours for rest.
By Raman Brosk
RN/DM/AKnews
http://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/304327/
