[Reader-list] [Cleanclothes] Indian garment companies try to silence Clean Clothes Campaign

[geert lovink]

On Thursday January 11 2007, the Clean Clothes Campaign received a
letter from Pramila Associates Advocates on behalf of their client
Fibres and Fabrics International (FFI) in which they threaten with court
proceedings should the Clean Clothes Campaign not refrain from reporting
on the labour conditions at FFI.

Since August 2006 the CCC together with the India Committee of the
Netherlands, publicly urge the Indian garment companies Fibres and
Fabrics International Pvt Ltd and Jeans Knit Pvt Ltd (FFI/JKPL) and
companies currently sourcing from FFI/JKPL, including Ann Taylor,
Armani, G-Star, Gap, Guess, Mexx and Rare, to address workers' rights
violations at the FFI/JKPL facilities. Among these violations is the
lack of channels for workers to voice their problems at FFI/JKPL without
fear of reprisals. Major obstacle to improve working conditions at
FFI/JKPL on the long term is the court order silencing local labour
organisations that was issued in July 2006 on the basis of a libel
complaint filed by FFI/JKPL. [link to update January 2007 and action
request]

In their letter Pramila Advocates accuse the CCC, the India Committee of
the Netherlands and two Dutch internet providers to have "indulged in a
systematic, planned conspiracy to malign and cause harm and damage to
the business, image and reputation of our clients (i.e. FFI/JKPL) by
deliberately publishing false information (...)". Pramila threatens to
proceed against the CCC for "offences including cyber crime" should the
CCC not remove all articles referring to the denial of workers' rights
at FFI/JKPL and should the CCC not cease to urge the companies buying
from FFI/JKPL to demand the withdrawal of the FFI/JKPL complaint against
the local stakeholder organisations.

Even though the letter is framed as a legal notice, our legal advisors
call the letter lacking any juridical basis and defamatory in itself.
The CCC believes this letter exemplary for the current attitude of
FFI/JKPL when faced with criticism about the lack of workers' rights at
FFI/JKPL, and regrets that FFI/JKPL is again not willing to enter a
local dialogue. In reaction to this letter (see below), the CCC has
again called upon FFI/JKPL to accept a mediated dialogue and to start a
remediation process with the Bangalore unions and labour organisations
involved.

Read the FFI letter with accusations to the CCC at:
http://www.cleanclothes.org/ftp/FFI_Defamation_Notice.pdf

Read our reaction to this letter at:
http://www.cleanclothes.org/news/07-02-01.htm#re

Read our latest appeal in this case from Jan 10, 2007 - Fibres &
Fabrics: Indian Labour Organisations still gagged at:
http://www.cleanclothes.org/urgent/07-01-10.htm