Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SANTODOMINGO1626
2007-07-09 11:59:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Santo Domingo
Cable title:
DOMINICAN POLITICS III #28: NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE
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UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001626
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, DRL, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR
POLAD; TREASURY FOR OASIA-JLEVINE; DEPT PASS DEPT OF LABOR
(INTERNATIONAL); DEPT PASS USDA FOR FAS;
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION; USDOC
FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: DR ASEC ELAB PGOV
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN POLITICS III #28: NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE
PROTEST MONDAY JULY 9
UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 001626
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, DRL, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR
POLAD; TREASURY FOR OASIA-JLEVINE; DEPT PASS DEPT OF LABOR
(INTERNATIONAL); DEPT PASS USDA FOR FAS;
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION; USDOC
FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: DR ASEC ELAB PGOV
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN POLITICS III #28: NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE
PROTEST MONDAY JULY 9
1. (U) This is the 28th cable in our series on Dominican
politics in the third year of the administration of President
Leonel Fernandez.
NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE AND PROTEST, JULY 9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Radical neighborhood associations have called for a national
strike in the Dominican Republic on Monday, July 9. The
strike is led by leftist community organizations such as the
Foro Social Alternativo, or Alternative Social Forum. Their
most articulate spokesman is Fidel Santana, who emphasized
the groups' peaceful intentions. These groups have
coordinated to launch other smaller, localized strikes in
other parts of the country in recent months. at least two
occasions they attempted to coordinate with powerful drivers'
unions and less powerful labor unions to launch strikes in
Santo Domingo, too. Both strikes failed to take place for
various reasons.
Contacts between the authorities and the strike leaders over
the weekend failed to move either side. In a suburb of the
second city, Santiago, three men were wounded by an explosion
that appears to have occurred as they were putting together a
homemade bomb for use in the strike. Police officials
identified them as neighborhood organizers associated with
the hotbed city of Navarete, north of Santiago.
Strikers are protesting a wide range of problems that most
acutely affect working class Dominicans, such as gas prices
that have risen 57 pct over three years, the failure of
salary increases to match inflationary losses for private and
public sector employees, evictions of squatters in the
capital region, etc.
The July 9 strike is scheduled to last 24 hours. It was
originally scheduled for July 10, but the organizations
elected on June 23 to move it forward by a day in order to
accommodate "school exams," which begin on July 10. It could
have been moved in accordance with the Dominican tradition of
holding strikes on Mondays, which effectively prolongs the
weekend for those who heed the call to strike.
The strike has received the full support of the PRD, the main
opposition party, and its presidential candidate, Miguel
Vargas. The PRD if probably providing logistical and
financial support, with the aim of embarrassing the Fernandez
government.
The powerful three main transportation unions held an
assembly at 4:00 pm on Saturday, July 7 but made no public
pronouncements. Although they are not endorsing the strike,
it is likely that many of their operators and vehicles will
stay off the streets, avoiding any possible confrontations.
The Armed Forces and National Police said they would post
additional policemen and soldiers on the streets to
"guarantee order." Small groups of military were visible on
street corners in Santo Domingo on Monday morning.
These threats to strike have come and gone in the past. They
are often cancelled at the last minute in response to modest
concessions from the government. However, unlike the
situation in past strikes that were planned by labor or
transportation unions, the organization that appears to be in
the driver's seat this time, Foro Social Alternativo, seems
more interested in scoring a political point than in winning
concessions. This would also appear to be the primary
motivation for the PRD.
That said, transportation unions are still probably feeling a
little gunshy after the public outcry in the wake of the last
minor transportation strike, where a molotov cocktail was
hurled at a bus full of passengers, as a result of which
several pregnant females were seriously burned.
- - Drafted by Ted Bryan
2. (U) This report and extensive other material can be
consulted on our SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA, WHA/CAR, DRL, INR/IAA; USSOUTHCOM ALSO FOR
POLAD; TREASURY FOR OASIA-JLEVINE; DEPT PASS DEPT OF LABOR
(INTERNATIONAL); DEPT PASS USDA FOR FAS;
USDOC FOR 4322/ITA/MAC/WH/CARIBBEAN BASIN DIVISION; USDOC
FOR 3134/ITA/USFCS/RD/WH; DHS FOR CIS-CARLOS ITURREGUI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: DR ASEC ELAB PGOV
SUBJECT: DOMINICAN POLITICS III #28: NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE
PROTEST MONDAY JULY 9
1. (U) This is the 28th cable in our series on Dominican
politics in the third year of the administration of President
Leonel Fernandez.
NATIONAL WORK STOPPAGE AND PROTEST, JULY 9
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Radical neighborhood associations have called for a national
strike in the Dominican Republic on Monday, July 9. The
strike is led by leftist community organizations such as the
Foro Social Alternativo, or Alternative Social Forum. Their
most articulate spokesman is Fidel Santana, who emphasized
the groups' peaceful intentions. These groups have
coordinated to launch other smaller, localized strikes in
other parts of the country in recent months. at least two
occasions they attempted to coordinate with powerful drivers'
unions and less powerful labor unions to launch strikes in
Santo Domingo, too. Both strikes failed to take place for
various reasons.
Contacts between the authorities and the strike leaders over
the weekend failed to move either side. In a suburb of the
second city, Santiago, three men were wounded by an explosion
that appears to have occurred as they were putting together a
homemade bomb for use in the strike. Police officials
identified them as neighborhood organizers associated with
the hotbed city of Navarete, north of Santiago.
Strikers are protesting a wide range of problems that most
acutely affect working class Dominicans, such as gas prices
that have risen 57 pct over three years, the failure of
salary increases to match inflationary losses for private and
public sector employees, evictions of squatters in the
capital region, etc.
The July 9 strike is scheduled to last 24 hours. It was
originally scheduled for July 10, but the organizations
elected on June 23 to move it forward by a day in order to
accommodate "school exams," which begin on July 10. It could
have been moved in accordance with the Dominican tradition of
holding strikes on Mondays, which effectively prolongs the
weekend for those who heed the call to strike.
The strike has received the full support of the PRD, the main
opposition party, and its presidential candidate, Miguel
Vargas. The PRD if probably providing logistical and
financial support, with the aim of embarrassing the Fernandez
government.
The powerful three main transportation unions held an
assembly at 4:00 pm on Saturday, July 7 but made no public
pronouncements. Although they are not endorsing the strike,
it is likely that many of their operators and vehicles will
stay off the streets, avoiding any possible confrontations.
The Armed Forces and National Police said they would post
additional policemen and soldiers on the streets to
"guarantee order." Small groups of military were visible on
street corners in Santo Domingo on Monday morning.
These threats to strike have come and gone in the past. They
are often cancelled at the last minute in response to modest
concessions from the government. However, unlike the
situation in past strikes that were planned by labor or
transportation unions, the organization that appears to be in
the driver's seat this time, Foro Social Alternativo, seems
more interested in scoring a political point than in winning
concessions. This would also appear to be the primary
motivation for the PRD.
That said, transportation unions are still probably feeling a
little gunshy after the public outcry in the wake of the last
minor transportation strike, where a molotov cocktail was
hurled at a bus full of passengers, as a result of which
several pregnant females were seriously burned.
- - Drafted by Ted Bryan
2. (U) This report and extensive other material can be
consulted on our SIPRNET site,
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/
BULLEN