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Chinese arms vessel leaves Angola
9 May 2008
A shipment of arms bound for Zimbabwe has been reported to have left Angola after unloading a cargo of building materials.
The China-flagged An Yue Jiang was due to dock in South Africa last month but port workers and truckers represented by the ITF-affiliated South African Transport and Allied Workers' Union, refused to unload and transport its cargo of arms.
On Wednesday it was reported that the vessel had left the Angolan capital, Luanda, after unloading a cargo of cement and other construction material; there had been no attempt to offload armaments. The ship is believed to have sailed after refuelling and taking on provisions. Trade unionists, including members of the Angolan port workers’ union, maintained a watch on the ship; the police was also present.
At the end of last month, there had been indications from the Chinese Foreign Ministry that the shipment would return to China.
The ITF’s executive board, which met on 25 April in London, UK, applauded the action taken by dockers and truckers from the ITF’s affiliated unions and called on transport unions in the southern African region to remain vigilant and to stand firm in their refusal to deal with the shipment.
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