[Onthebarricades] Global worker unrest, Apr-Aug 2008

[Andy]

ON THE BARRICADES:  Global Resistance Roundup, April-August 2008
https://lists.resist.ca/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/onthebarricades
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/globalresistance/



*  INDIA:  Bhavnagar diamond workers attack bosses, 1 killed by guards

*  IRAN:  Kiyan-Tire factory workers burn tyres and factory and rally

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Municipal workers stone police

*  SOUTH AFRICA:  Defence workers clash with police in Lenasia

*  FRANCE:  Dockers battle police at anti-privatisation protest

*  PAKISTAN:  Police clash with office workers at protest against dismissals

*  TAIWAN:  Transport workers battle police

*  KUWAIT:  Migrant workers protest for better pay and living conditions, 
teargassed by police

*  UAE:  3000 Indian workers involved in protests over food, some ransack 
canteen


http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080055884&ch=7/6/2008%2011:21:00%20AM


Diamond workers' protest turns violent in Bhavnagar, 1 dead
Rohit Bhan
Sunday, July 06, 2008, (Bhavnagar)
Violence rocked India's diamond capital Gujarat on Sunday. At least 40,000 
angry workers who have been demanding better pay for a while, attacked small 
factories and homes of their owners.

The security guards hit back and one person died while others were injured 
in the firing.

These workers are demanding a 20 per cent raise. Currently, they are paid 
anywhere between Rs 15-25 per diamond which they say is inadequate in these 
times of skyrocketing prices. And what has made matter worse is the gradual 
decline in the demand for diamonds.

It had begun in Surat a week ago. Today, when they are close to a 
compromise, Bhavnagar has taken up the fight.

"We called a meeting of all industrialists and unanimously felt that the 
worker charges should be increased by 20 per cent," said C P Vanani, 
president, Surat Diamond Association.

Thousands of workers at units in Gujarat cut and polish the raw materials 
until they are priceless jewels which are then exported to the US at huge 
profits.

But the workers say they are paid very little and the pay structure is 
inconsistent.

Some get paid Rs 25 per diamond while others get just Rs 15. And wages have 
not been revised in years, despite the inflation.

On top of this, the current recession has made things more difficult with 
demand dropping almost 19 per cent.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Diamond_workers_protest_over_wages_reaches_Bhavnagar_1_dead/articleshow/3204171.cms

Diamond workers' protest over wages reaches Bhavnagar, 1 dead
7 Jul 2008, 0230 hrs

BHAVNAGAR: The agitation for better wages by diamond cutters and polishers 
that started in Surat spread to Bhavnagar on Sunday and took an ugly turn. 
One worker was killed and 31 were injured when a private security guard 
opened fire on a mob indulging in arson and pelting stones in Kumudwadi area 
of the town.

Three people were seriously injured. Twelve policemen were also injured in 
the violence that lasted for more than an hour from 8.45 am. Vijay Zadaphia, 
27, the diamond worker, died when the security guard fired four times to 
disperse crowds outside Jewel Star diamond unit, owned by Mavji Chaugat, 
police said.

Although the agitation, which began on July 1, has calmed down in Surat, it 
is threatening to spread to other towns of Gujarat. There were incidents of 
violence in Rajkot, Liliya, Damnagar, Gondal, Jungadh and Amrelim, all of 
which have diamond polishing units.

"We have arrested the security guard, Gajendra Singh, an ex-army man," said 
Bhavnagar SP Anupamsinh Gehlot. "About 50 people have been rounded up for 
arson and rioting."

http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/379071/cs/1/

1 killed as guard fires on protesting diamond workers
India Gazette
Sunday 6th July, 2008
(IANS)
One person was killed and six others were injured when a private security 
guard opened fire at a mob of diamond workers, who were protesting over wage 
hike Sunday, the police said.

The trouble began Sunday morning when close to 40,000 workers, who were 
demanding a hike in wages, took their protest to the diamond units in 
Kumbudwadi area of the city, about 200 km from Ahmedabad. They pelted stones 
and damaged some vehicles, the police said.

A private security guard at a diamond unit opened fire leading to one 
person - identified as Vijay Arjunbhai Japadia, 21 - being killed and six 
others injured.

Diamond workers across the state Saturday started their protest for wage 
hike. The protest was organised following a 20 percent hike given to diamond 
workers of Surat.

The Surat Diamond Association had recently announced a rise of 20 percent in 
wages but many manufacturing units are refusing to pay the increased wages 
leading to workers unrest.

Diamond workers of other parts of the state like Rajkot, Ahmedabad, and 
Amreli are also demanding a 20 percent wage hike.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aXfgr8XGrUyQ&refer=india

Indian Diamond Worker Protesting Wages Killed by Private Guards
By Jay Shankar
July 6 (Bloomberg) -- An Indian diamond worker, protesting low wages, was 
killed when a trader's private security guards opened fire in the western 
city of Bhavnagar in Gujarat state, a state-government official said.
The worker was among more than a dozen protesting outside the factory of a 
trader in the city, Pradip Shah, a senior government official in Bhavnagar 
district, said in a phone interview today.
``When the protesters attacked the factory, the guards opened fire, killing 
one of them,'' Shah said. ``Another protester was injured.''
Most of India's diamond-polishing companies are based in the state of 
Gujarat. While the industry processes 11 of every 12 diamonds in the world, 
the stones make up about 80 percent of total volume because of their sizes.
There are about 20,000 workers in the diamond industry in the district and 
their pay varies according to their skills, Shah said. The government is in 
talks with factory owners about possibly raising salaries, he said.

http://www.ndtv.com/convergence/ndtv/story.aspx?id=NEWEN20080055884&ch=7/6/2008%2011:21:00%20AM

Diamond workers' protest turns violent in Bhavnagar, 1 dead
Rohit Bhan
Sunday, July 06, 2008, (Bhavnagar)
Violence rocked India's diamond capital Gujarat on Sunday. At least 40,000 
angry workers who have been demanding better pay for a while, attacked small 
factories and homes of their owners.

The security guards hit back and one person died while others were injured 
in the firing.

These workers are demanding a 20 per cent raise. Currently, they are paid 
anywhere between Rs 15-25 per diamond which they say is inadequate in these 
times of skyrocketing prices. And what has made matter worse is the gradual 
decline in the demand for diamonds.

It had begun in Surat a week ago. Today, when they are close to a 
compromise, Bhavnagar has taken up the fight.

"We called a meeting of all industrialists and unanimously felt that the 
worker charges should be increased by 20 per cent," said C P Vanani, 
president, Surat Diamond Association.

Thousands of workers at units in Gujarat cut and polish the raw materials 
until they are priceless jewels which are then exported to the US at huge 
profits.

But the workers say they are paid very little and the pay structure is 
inconsistent.

Some get paid Rs 25 per diamond while others get just Rs 15. And wages have 
not been revised in years, despite the inflation.

On top of this, the current recession has made things more difficult with 
demand dropping almost 19 per cent.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/India/Diamond_workers_protest_over_wages_reaches_Bhavnagar_1_dead/articleshow/3204171.cms

Diamond workers' protest over wages reaches Bhavnagar, 1 dead
7 Jul 2008, 0230 hrs IST,TNN

BHAVNAGAR: The agitation for better wages by diamond cutters and polishers 
that started in Surat spread to Bhavnagar on Sunday and took an ugly turn. 
One worker was killed and 31 were injured when a private security guard 
opened fire on a mob indulging in arson and pelting stones in Kumudwadi area 
of the town.

Three people were seriously injured. Twelve policemen were also injured in 
the violence that lasted for more than an hour from 8.45 am. Vijay Zadaphia, 
27, the diamond worker, died when the security guard fired four times to 
disperse crowds outside Jewel Star diamond unit, owned by Mavji Chaugat, 
police said.

Although the agitation, which began on July 1, has calmed down in Surat, it 
is threatening to spread to other towns of Gujarat. There were incidents of 
violence in Rajkot, Liliya, Damnagar, Gondal, Jungadh and Amrelim, all of 
which have diamond polishing units.

"We have arrested the security guard, Gajendra Singh, an ex-army man," said 
Bhavnagar SP Anupamsinh Gehlot. "About 50 people have been rounded up for 
arson and rioting."

http://story.indiagazette.com/index.php/ct/9/cid/701ee96610c884a6/id/379071/cs/1/

1 killed as guard fires on protesting diamond workers
India Gazette
Sunday 6th July, 2008
(IANS)
One person was killed and six others were injured when a private security 
guard opened fire at a mob of diamond workers, who were protesting over wage 
hike Sunday, the police said.

The trouble began Sunday morning when close to 40,000 workers, who were 
demanding a hike in wages, took their protest to the diamond units in 
Kumbudwadi area of the city, about 200 km from Ahmedabad. They pelted stones 
and damaged some vehicles, the police said.

A private security guard at a diamond unit opened fire leading to one 
person - identified as Vijay Arjunbhai Japadia, 21 - being killed and six 
others injured.

Diamond workers across the state Saturday started their protest for wage 
hike. The protest was organised following a 20 percent hike given to diamond 
workers of Surat.

The Surat Diamond Association had recently announced a rise of 20 percent in 
wages but many manufacturing units are refusing to pay the increased wages 
leading to workers unrest.

Diamond workers of other parts of the state like Rajkot, Ahmedabad, and 
Amreli are also demanding a 20 percent wage hike.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601091&sid=aXfgr8XGrUyQ&refer=india

Indian Diamond Worker Protesting Wages Killed by Private Guards
By Jay Shankar
July 6 (Bloomberg) -- An Indian diamond worker, protesting low wages, was 
killed when a trader's private security guards opened fire in the western 
city of Bhavnagar in Gujarat state, a state-government official said.
The worker was among more than a dozen protesting outside the factory of a 
trader in the city, Pradip Shah, a senior government official in Bhavnagar 
district, said in a phone interview today.
``When the protesters attacked the factory, the guards opened fire, killing 
one of them,'' Shah said. ``Another protester was injured.''
Most of India's diamond-polishing companies are based in the state of 
Gujarat. While the industry processes 11 of every 12 diamonds in the world, 
the stones make up about 80 percent of total volume because of their sizes.
There are about 20,000 workers in the diamond industry in the district and 
their pay varies according to their skills, Shah said. The government is in 
talks with factory owners about possibly raising salaries, he said.

http://ncr-iran.org/content/view/5464/105/

Iran: Kiyan-Tire factory workers burned old tires in protest

Monday, 04 August 2008
NCRI - On Sunday, striking workers at Kiyan-Tire factory, in a symbolic move 
to show their protest, again set ablaze on the old tires stacked in the 
factory's warehouse.
The workers chanted anti-government slogans. They have not been paid for the 
last four months.
The State Security Forces (SSF) – mullahs' suppressive police – fearing the 
spread of protests to other parts of the city cordoned the factory grounds 
for hours.
On July 29, more than 800 Kiyan-Tire factory workers held a sit-in on 
Tuesday morning at their workshops protesting to unpaid salaries.
They hanged a banner 21 feet long across Tehran-Saveh highway to catch 
people's attention commuting to the capital.
The handpicked management stopped the workers from having their protests 
outside Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office in Tehran.
The participants in the protest burned used tires causing huge columns of 
smoke visible from miles away.
Workers in the sit-in chanted "Incompetent minister should resign," a clear 
reference to Ahmadinejad's labor minister.
The workers went on strike on April 12 for the first time when the hand 
picked management called in the suppressive State Security Force (SSF) – 
mullahs' suppressive police – to crush their demonstration. A number of the 
workers were arrested in that incident.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/5449/128/

Iran: Protest gathering of Kiyan-Tire factory workers

Wednesday, 30 July 2008
NCRI - On Tuesday, more than 800 workers of the Kiyan-Tire (Alborz Factory) 
held a protest gathering outside management office demanding their unpaid 
salaries.
The demonstrators chanted anti-government slogans such as "Incompetent 
[labor] minister should resign."

The handpicked management stopped the workers from having their protests 
outside Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's office in Tehran.
They hanged a banner 21 feet long across Tehran-Saveh highway to catch 
people's attention commuting to the capital.

The workers went on strike on April 12 for the first time when the hand 
picked management called in the suppressive State Security Force (SSF) – 
mullahs' suppressive police – to crush their demonstration. A number of the 
workers were arrested in that incident.
The mullahs' inhuman regime, fearing the spread of the move, rushed hundreds 
of the State Security Forces (SSF) – mullahs' suppressive police -- agents 
to the scene to suppress the strikers. However, the local residents and 
youths clashed with the SSF units in support of the striking workers. They 
threw stones and sticks at the security forces.
The Iranian Resistance calls on all labor organizations and unions, in 
particular, the International Labor Organization (ILO) to condemn anti-labor 
policies of the Iranian regime and to support workers' just demands.

http://www.ncr-iran.org/content/view/5417/128/

Iran: Protesting workers at Kiyan-Tire torched parts of the factory's 
building

Wednesday, 23 July 2008
NCRI – Angry workers at Kiyan-Tire (Alborz-Tire) factory set ablaze part of 
its building in their 13th day of strikes over unpaid salaries by the 
mullahs' regime, reported the state-run news agency ILNA on Wednesday.
More than 600 workers chanting anti-government slogans gathered outside the 
management's building, ILNA added.
The workers threatened to have their next gathering outside mullahs' Majlis 
(parliament) should they not receive positive responds to the protests soon.
The workers went on strike on April 12 for the first time when the hand 
picked management called in the suppressive State Security Force (SSF) – 
mullahs' suppressive police – to crush their demonstration. A number of the 
workers were arrested in that incident.
In the past year, thousands of workers employed by government owned 
factories and workshops have gone on strike over their pay disputes.
Five thousands workers of Haft-Tapeh Sugar Cane factory have been on strikes 
like the Kiyan-Tire workers since last March. However, the mullahs' regime 
is refusing to settle row over salaries and wages with the workers.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_Finance%20And%20Labour&set_id=1&click_id=594&art_id=nw20080516155507836C752173

Protesters 'stone' metro cops

    May 16 2008 at 04:02PM

Three police officers were taken to hospital on Friday after protesters 
stoned their vehicle, said Tshwane metro police.

Metro police spokesperson William Baloyi said the three male officers were 
injured by protesters suspected to be members of the SA Municipal Worker's 
Union (Samwu).

A group of 50 to 100 protesters took part in the stone throwing.

"This sporadic action taken today (Friday) was unexpected," Baloyi said, 
adding reinforcements were called in and rubber bullets fired to disperse 
the crowd.

Fleeing demonstrators then "started trashing the streets," he said.

The officers sustained minor injuries.

The attack comes after Samwu suspended a one-and-a-half week strike on 
Wednesday.

Workers downed tools last Monday, demanding that the city halt its 
restructuring process, employ all its workers directly and stop 
investigations into outsourcing the bus service.

Services like refuse collection and bus travel were disrupted.

"The situation is a bit tense but under control, we will continue to monitor 
the situation," said Baloyi.

Commenting on the matter Samwu spokesperson Zebulon Monkoe: "The union has 
not received such a report". - Sapa

 http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?from=rss_South%20Africa&set_id=1&click_id=13&art_id=nw20080509190543177C867577Rubber bullets fired at protesters    May 10 2008 at 01:25PMSeven members of the SA National Defence Force Union (Sandu) were injuredwhen police fired rubber bullets during a protest picket in Lenasia,Johannesburg on Friday, the union said.SANDU spokesman Pikkie Greeff said the police shot at the protesters whilethey were within the demarcated area for the picket."The captain involved failed to exercise proper control over the picketscene by inter alia failing to determine the 50m demarcation line withinwhich picketers were expected to remain," he said.Greeff said the police did not warn the picketers before the shooting."The official in question did not warn the picketers as demanded by propercrowd control doctrine and physically pushed the picketers, all this whilethe picketers posed no threat to any person or property," Greeff said.Greeff accused the police of been "unapproachable", improper anddisrespectful to SANDU officials.Police refused to disperse the military police, who were armed with R4rifles and live ammunition and were deployed there to intimidate thepicketers.Greeff said SANDU has laid criminal charges against the police.The union would lodge a complaint with the Independent ComplaintsDirectorate. Police had failed to protect unarmed picketers and behaved in acriminal and cowardly manner, said Greeff.When contacted for a comment police spokesperson Mpho Kgasoane said thepolice had no records of such an incident. - Sapahttp://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/22/europe/22france.phpDock workers' protest in Marseille turns violentThe Associated PressPublished: May 22, 2008MARSEILLE: French dock workers hurled chairs and bottles at riot policefiring tear gas during protests in Marseille on Tuesday over planned portprivatizations. It was the latest outbreak of mounting unrest at ports alongFrance's coasts.One police officer suffered head injuries and a police car was set ablazeduring a demonstration in front of Marseille City Hall, city police said.Some 500 workers had gathered to protest a plan reforming French ports thatgoes before the French Senate on Tuesday. The demonstration degenerated intoviolence as protesters threw chairs, stones and bottles at police, whoresponded with volleys of tear gas.The Marseille port authority - which handles heavy oil, gas and chemicaltraffic, as well as other cargo - said Tuesday that it had suffered morethan €1 million, or $1.58 million, in losses since the protests began amonth ago.Meanwhile, French fishing industry workers blocked a key oil terminal nearMarseille on Tuesday as part of nationwide port protests over rising fuelprices.Some 50 protesters were barring delivery trucks from entering and leavingthe Fos-sur-Mer terminal, and had set fire to tires and delivery crates atthe site, port officials said. Police were sent to the site."We don't rule out more action," said Mourad Kahoul, head of theMediterranean fishing workers' union.Protesters blocked France's other key Mediterranean oil terminal, at Lavera,on Monday but lifted their barricades Tuesday.The protesters, including self-employed fishermen and those working forprivate companies, say fuel makes up a growing share - for some, themajority - of their monthly expenses. The French government alreadysubsidizes fuel for commercial fishermen, but even with the subsidy theprice for a liter of diesel fuel has nearly doubled over the past year.Since May 10, the demonstrators have disrupted several ports along France'sAtlantic and Mediterranean coasts to demand that the government help themcope with rising fuel prices.The government promised a €310 million aid package following port blockagesin November, but fuel prices have continued to mount and the workers say itisn't enough.President Nicolas Sarkozy pledged Tuesday to review the aid plan, givenhigher fuel prices. In a letter to the head of the National Maritime FishingCommittee, he pledged to defend workers, whose sector is "essential to theeconomy of our coasts."Burkhard Riuss, a spokesman for Total, the largest French oil company, saidthough strikes have "complicated the situation" and slowed down boatdeliveries, its refinery in the Marseille region has "maintained operationsat a normal level."Protests and strikes have posed problems for several weeks, he said, buttheir short duration - sometimes lasting only half a day - has allowed therefinery to make up for temporary cuts in oil deliveries.http://www.dawn.com/2008/08/07/rss.htm#19Lahore police clash with protesters LAHORE, Aug 7 (Reuters): Thegovernment's move to dismiss 80,000 employees of the National Commission forHuman Development sparked a clash between protesters and police Thursdaythat injured six people, officials said. Police used batons to disperse some100 of the employees protesting in Lahore. Officer Ishtiaq Khan said policewere trying to restrict protesters to the side of a road when scuffles brokeout. (Posted @ 15:25 PST)http://www.taiwanheadlines.gov.tw/ct.asp?xItem=123138&CtNode=39Violence breaks out as FAT workers protest06/11/2008  (Taiwan News)A serious physical clash broke out on Tuesday when hundreds of employeesfrom Far Eastern Air Transport took to the streets in Taipei to urge thegovernment to save the cash-strapped company.Protesters had serious physical jostles with the police when they staged aprotest on the Ketagalan Boulevard to call on President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九)to help them."What have I done wrong? I've been working really hard for the company forthe past 20 years; I have to raise my kids. Why doesn't the government comeout and save us?" a female protester said while wiping away her tears.More than 500 FAT employees staged a protest yesterday in front of theMinistry of Transportation and Communications in the morning, marching alongmajor Taipei City roads, before stopping at the boulevard.Raising banners that said "the government should come out to save FarEastern Air Transport," and "we want a good economy," protesters said theyhave not had their salary from the company for two months, and some of themsaid they have not been paid for four months.Air Hostesses, dressed in airline uniforms, went on their knees during theprotest.Protesters called on the government to step into the company's operation,and to help look for reliable investors to bring the dying company back tolife.The protesters remained in a calm state when protesting in front of theMOTC, but when they staged the protest before the Presidential Office andsaw a motorcade running toward the office, demonstrators shouted "MaYing-jeou, come out," and had physical jostles with the police.The police raised barriers to stop protesters from running near the office,and warned the protesters that they would be arrested if they kept marchingforward.Chang Chiu-chun, an MOTC official, arrived at the protest venue and tried tocalm the protesters down. Chang said the government will set up a dialoguewindow to negotiate with the FAT labor union in the immediate future. Theprotest ended at around 5 p.m.FAT had a serious financial crises more than three months ago; it filed forcorporate restructuring with the Taipei District Court in February, whichmakes it temporarily exempt from paying its debts. The airline announcedthat it would suspend all its flight operations in the middle of last month.The Civil Aeronautics Administration took back five of the domestic routesfrom the company, and will take back its international air routes if thecompany fails to revive its financial operation before June 15.http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/07/28/africa/ME-Kuwait-Asian-Workers.phpBangladeshi Embassy: Kuwaiti authorities use tear gas to disperse protestingAsian workersThe Associated PressPublished: July 28, 2008KUWAIT CITY: The Bangladeshi Embassy says Kuwaiti police have used tear gasto disperse thousands of Asian workers demonstrating for better pay andliving conditions.Shahriar Kader Siddiki, the embassy's labor secretary, says most of theworkers are paid around 20 dinars (US$75) a month, and live in poorconditions. He says tear gas was used at two locations Monday.Security officials in this small oil-rich state could not be immediatelyreached for comment. Thousands of mostly Bangladeshi men and womencontracted to clean offices, streets and hospitals have been staging strikesto demand salary increases.Washington has criticized its ally Kuwait for not taking adequate steps toend trafficking in humans.http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=5869193000 Indian workers held for rioting in UAEDUBAI, JULY 8 (PTI)Around 3000 Indian workers have been detained at an undisclosed place nearthe UAE capital Abu Dhabi for their alleged involvement in violent protestsagainst the poor quality of food being served to them at a labour camp,official sources said.Working with a ceramic manufacturing unit in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah,the workers were protesting on Friday night against the poor quality of foodbeing given to them at their camp.They were rounded up by security forces after some of them allegedly went ona rampage, the sources said.The labourers, believed to be the natives of Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Punjab,were questioned and their finger prints reportedly taken by the authorities.Although all 3000 have been detained, the authorities are investigating whowere the actual perpetrators of the violent action and will let off thosewho did not take part in the alleged criminal act.The workers allegedly ransacked the canteen and thrashed the camp-in-charge.Then they torched a few vehicles standing outside the camp, police claimed.There have been some violent protests by Indian workers over workingconditions in the UAE resulting in action by the riot squads, but this wasperhaps for the first time the army personnel were called to deal with thesituation.http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=450092008-07-10InternationalIndia seeks release of workers arrested over UAE riotAfp, DubaiUnited Arab Emirates police arrested more than 3,000 mostly Indian workersafter a dining room riot at a construction site in which a manager, securityguards and the workers were beaten up, India's ambassador said yesterday.The ambassador, Talmiz Ahmad, said that the Indian embassy in Abu Dhabi wasnow seeking the release of those not involved in the riot and had made anofficial approach to the government."A total of 3,147 mostly Indian workers were arrested after a small grouphad a violent altercation in the dining room with the mess manager" at aconstruction site in the northern emirate of Ras al-Khaimah on Fridayevening, the diplomat told AFP by telephone from the capital Abu Dhabi."They beat up the manager and security guards, and they were also beaten up.The police were called," he said."We have informed the UAE government officially through a note andunofficially that while we totally condemn violence, we believe that peoplenot involved in the violence should be released immediately," the envoysaid.Ahmad said the workers were being held in prisons in several of the sevenemirates making up the UAE.Indian diplomats have not had access to the detainees, but sent afact-finding team to the site of the riot and had spoken to managers of thecompany that employs the workers and police, he said."We have offered to help identify those involved in the violence," he said,adding that the embassy was seeking to meet the interior minister andundersecretary over the issue.He said there were several versions of what sparked the violence.“We heard that the workers were complaining about the quality of the food.We also heard that they were complaining that managers have a differentmess. (Another theory is that) the workers were intoxicated," Ahmad said.The violence is the latest to hit construction and other working sites inthe UAE, an oil-rich Gulf country in the midst of an economic boom wherehundreds of thousands of mostly Asian low-paid labourers are employed.The protests, which have multiplied since last year despite a ban on publicprotests, have been mainly over low or withheld pay and poor livingconditions.Indians have been involved in several of the protests. In February, thelocal press reported that a court in the emirate of Dubai sentenced 45Indian construction workers to six months in jail followed by deportationover a violent protest to demand wage increases.But Ahmad said he did "not see any broad pattern in these grievances ... Ibelieve that in such episodes, only small numbers are involved.”http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Indians_Abroad/UAE_arrests_3000_Indian_workers_for_rioting/rssarticleshow/3208446.cmsUAE arrests 3,000 Indian workers for rioting8 Jul 2008, 0035 hrs IST, Daniel P George,TNN Print EMail Discuss New Bookmark/Share Save Write to EditorCHENNAI: Nearly 3,000 Indian workers have been detained at an undisclosedlocation on the outskirts of the UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, on charges ofrioting. ( Watch )The workers - from Punjab, Rajasthan, Tamil Nadu and Kerala - of a largeceramics manufacturing unit in the emirate of Ras Al Khaimah were rounded upby security agencies after they went on a rampage at their labour camp onFriday night to protest against the poor quality of food being served tothem.Indian ambassador to the UAE, Talmiz Ahmed, confirmed on phone thatemployees of RAK Ceramics indulged in arson by burning vehicles anddestroying furniture and are now under arrest.Although not all of the nearly 3,000 workers were involved in the fracas,the police took all of them to Abu Dhabi and Dubai in army vehicles.While there have been strikes by Indian workers in the past in the UAE overpoor working conditions and unpaid salaries, which have led to the Dubairiot squad being called in, this is the first time the UAE army has beenpressed into service to arrest Indian workers for rioting.Confirming the detention of the Indians, minister of overseas Indianaffairs, Vayalar Ravi, told TOI that his department "is in touch with theUAE authorities". There were people of other nationalities, too, involved inthe rioting, he said. "We are trying our best to get the Indians released.The labour officer attached to the Indian consulate is in constant touchwith the UAE officials."The workers have been questioned and their fingerprints taken. Those foundto be involved in the violence will be deported after serving their prisonterms, a source in the UAE told TOI. Ras Al Khaimah, where the violenceoccurred, and Abu Dhabi, are among the seven emirates that make up the UAE.Talmiz Ahmed also said "the workers went on a rampage at their camp overpoor quality of food served to them," and added that he wasn’t aware of theexact number of workers detained.According to Rateesh, an eyewitness, the workers beat up the camp-in-charge,smashed windows and destroyed canteen furniture. Not content, they then cameout and set at least two parked vehicles on fire. A few of them were eveninjured in the melee. During his visit to the UAE in May this year, foreignminister Pranab Mukherjee had urged the Gulf countries to promote socialequality for the millions of Indian workers in the region.