NATIONAL STRIKE PLANNED FOR OCTOBER 2

UNCLAS SANTO DOMINGO 002232 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS STATE FOR WHA/CAR C WARD AND E JAFFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV ELAB ASEC DR SUBJECT: NATIONAL STRIKE PLANNED FOR OCTOBER 2 ¶1. (U) A 24-hour national strike is scheduled to begin at 6:00 a.m. on October 2. The Alternative Social Forum (FSA), a coalition of leftist social organizations and labor groups, is organizing the work stoppage to protest social conditions and the poor delivery of government services. This cable reports on the political and economic aspects of the strike; Septel will report on security implications and a meeting of Post's Emergency Action Committee. ¶2. (U) Among the very broad demands made by FSA were the lowering and freezing of prices of basic foodstuffs, raising of salaries, reduction of fuel taxes, lowering the prices of pharmaceuticals, and a one-year moratorium on squatter evictions. FSA also said the work stoppage was motivated by what they described as a poor Government response to a similar strike organized by the Forum on July 9. ¶3. (U) During the July 9 strike, violence was minimal, with the following exceptions: One man was killed on July 8 in a confrontation with the security services in Navarete, Santiago Province; and, three individuals were severely burned in Cienfuegos, Santiago Province, when one of the Molotov cocktail-style bombs that they were fabricating exploded prematurely. ¶4. (U) Despite the fact that violence was limited during the last strike, the Government is not taking any chances. The Minister of Defense, Lt. Gen. Ramon Aquino Garcia, canceled leave and ordered all military and police personnel to barracks so that they will be available if needed. President Fernandez's spokesman, Rafael Nunez, called for the strike organizers to reflect on their actions and noted that, in a work stoppage earlier this year, a Molotov cocktail thrown at a city bus resulted in one death and six injuries. Franklin Almeyda, the Minister of Interior and Police, told reporters that, "Everything is under control; everything is prepared to guarantee security during the protest period.... They have a right to protest, but one ought to respect the right of citizens who (are not participating)." ¶5. (U) Twenty organizations representing the private sector issued a statement opposing the strike, arguing that the stoppage "is an unnecessary and pernicious waste of time. It is inconceivable and unjust to call a strike, considering the economic and social cost that it entails." ¶6. (U) On September 30, an FSA spokesman said that if President Fernandez issued a decree raising Government salaries, the Forum would call off the strike. The Embassy is not aware of any negotiations to avert the strike having been held. ¶7. (SBU) COMMENT: The Dominican Republic's solid GDP growth figures, often touted by the Government, are not being felt in the barrios. While Fernandez's personal popularity remains fairly high, his administration has struggled to provide public services in a constrained fiscal environment. Given that FSA's demands are so broad, it is hard to imagine any serious negotiations with the government taking place. It is more likely that the FSA's objective is to send a message to the government. In the past, any political gain from a national strike went to the opposition Dominican Revolutionary Party, since FSA is not a political party. We therefore note with interest that following the July 9 strike, one member organization of FSA formed a new political party and that others are considering doing the same. (U) This report and extensive other material can be consulted on our SIPRNET site, http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/wha/santodomingo/ GOUGHNOUR