Dear all,

Four of us from Lahore just arrived here at Depalpur Road Okara district. With me are two peasant leader from Bengali Military Farms Lahore.

Over here, peasants from Miltary Farms Okara were waiting to leave for Probamabad peasant convention to be held in two hours. Hundreds have gahtered here waving red flags.

They are on their tractor trolies, vans, motor bikes and big trucks. Some have been waiting here for two hours as others got late from their villages. We started talking about the present crisis. Many were against the governor rule imposed in Punjab by PPP government. I personally know some peasant leaders close to PPP in the past. However, today, they were the first to speak against this action.

One peasant leader commented that PPP is finished as a political power.

The large contingent of Mozareen and peasants from the area are going to this peasant convention to demand for land ownership rights. This is the second large gathering in one month. There will be three more in next two months.

Probanabad is in Depalpur tehsil of Okara. The Mozareen here are working on the land of Army Stud Farms and Army Welfare Trust. They are cultivating the land for over 100 years, still not the owners. Two peasants were killed here by the firing of military and rangers, one Tufail Cheema in 2002, other Zafar Iqbal on 12 May 2007. On both occasion, we visited the area and some other times to speak in public protest gatherings.
The conventin just started at 2pm under the chair of Mehr Abdul Sattar, general secretary AMP. As we arrived, a lot of slogans were raised for ownership of the land. There were around 200 women amd 3000 peasants present in the convention.

On the platefarm are Choudry Abdul Jabar, Nazli Javed, Azra Shad, Bushra Khaliq, Riffat Maqsood,
Asad Farooq, Rahim, Shahzad Ahmad, Chaman, Shabir Choudry, Mian Ashraf, Nadeem Ashraf, Liaqat Ali and some others.

Yaseen Bhutta, local president of AMP speaking on the occasion asked PPP leaders to remember the message of Benazhir Bhutto who supported our demands, he read a message of Benazhir Bhutto for AMP when a local peasant Zafar Iqbal of Bail Ganj was killed by police on 12 May 2007. He narrated that PPP promised to give land to the peasant. Our message to them that they must fulfill their promise.

Aziza Bibi a peasant women from Bail Ganj Military Farms siad that we know how to take our land. They killed our brothers. The politicians from big parties are betraying.

Mohammed Akbar Baluch, another peasant leader from Bailganj military farms condemned the lies of big political parties to give them this land. "We must forge unity and solidarity among our selves. We are Mozareen and will not leave the land in any case. If any has the courage, come and lay your foot on our land, we will tolerate this and will teach them lesson that they will remember whole life" he said.

Malik Mohammed Saleem Jakhar, peasant secretary LPP Punjab and president of AMP Kulyana Estate said, that we are now paying the price of our mistake when we agreed to become lessee instead of tenent, now some of is are forced to pay over 25000 Rupees contract money for one acre. Now we have announced that we will not pay more than Rupees 10,000 for one acre. We are fighting for that and are suceeding. Two of our peasants have been killed during the last two years. We are all ready to die but will not accept dictatorial and supressive measures. Over 25 police cases are registered against us based on lies.We demand the withdrawl of all police cases against the peasants.

Baba Mehr Shariff narrated a revolutionary poem and was very well appriciated,

Nadeem Ashraf, Nazim Renalkhurd and vice president AMP announced a series of public meetings and conferences to pressurise for land owner rights.
Our meetings will be attended by thousands. He warned that if our demands are not met till 17 April, then we will have a sit in on the main road in Okara. We will not have a long march to Islamabad but a massive sit in Okara that will force the government to accept our demands.

Bushra Khaliq general secretary Women Workers Help Line spoke of the great secrifices of the peasant women in the movement of the Mozareen. They have been in the forefront of the movement. They will continue to do so. We the women of Pakistan express solidarity with the movement and will continue to side with the most militant movement of Pakistan.

She was very well received by the participant when she asked the peasants not to use any domestic violence against women.

Javed Kanwal, secretary local Press Club expressed solidarity with peasants movement. He said only Socialism can solve the basic issues of peasants and workers. He advised the peasants not to trust the capitalist and feudal politicians.

Noor Nabi leader of AMP Okara demanded the withdrawl of governor rule in Punjab. He also demanded the reinstatement of the top judges.

Choudry Shabir president AMP district Pakpattan narrated the glorious achievements this movement has achieved. "No one can now move us out of land, our power is our unity of men and women.

Azra Shad chairperson WWHL and Nazli Javed women secretary Labour Party Pakistan spoke of the importance of women participation in the movement. Nazli Javed criticised the religiouis forces to force the women inside the homes. "Here a lot of peasant women are sitting with men and there is no problem" she said.

I was like the chief guest of the convention. It was my first attendence in a public gathering after my angioplast. It had a good rest for nearly a month. However, I felt very good to be a here. I spoke of the seven martyers of the movement and said that we fought against military dictatorship and ask PPP government to filfill the promises. " When in opposition, they all sit with is saying that we are with you. Now they are in power, no one remember the promises".

"We will not forgot to demand our rights even at a time when both PPP and PMLN are fighting with each other. We demand an end of governor dictatorial rule and reinstaement of the top judges. We will participate in the long march. Accept our demands till 17 April or face our sit ins and Dharnas" I said.
Mehr Abdul Sattar in his presidential address told the peasants to be ready for another round of struggle. This is our land and will remain so. He warned the politicians of the district that they either help us for land rights or be ready for our reply in the next general elections. We will put up our own workers and peasant candidates in the elections. He appealed for workers and peasant unity. "We will fight for lamd rights for the landless labourers as well" he said.

The convention went on for four hours although there was not proper seating arrangements. Many were sitting on the ground without any shadow. They dispersed raising a lot of slogans and saying that they are here to stay.

By: Farooq Tariq
Secretary Pakistan Peasants Coordination Commigttee